News
Avnet TS expands virtualisation offerings with VMware
2011-12-23
Eire : multispecialist Avnet Technology Solutions has expanded its distribution agreement with VMware. It can now offer its complete portfolio of virtualisation solutions to its value-added reseller (VAR) partners in Ireland. Avnet began its distribution partnership with VMware in the United States in 2007 and over recent years has been expanding the partnership across Europe with distribution agreements in place in the Czech Republic, France (thanks to the acquisition of Amosdec), Hungary, Poland, Romania and Turkey.
Magirus draws the Colt
2011-12-13
Six months after French VAD Amosdec (now owned by Avnet Technology Services) and Orange, Magirus enters the IaaS market in partnership with Colt Technology Services (which enters there a two-tier strategy named vCloud). This partnership, which is not exclusive as Colt may sign other distributors, is albeit much broader, as its covers several European countries. Like Amosdec, Magirus will distribute a IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) offer built on 19 Colt-managed datacenter, with virtualizaed storage and server systems. Available through a Web portal and covered with a common marketing and sales partner program, these services may be payed as-you-go (users pay on the basis of used resources, which may be useful for limited needs), through a subscription (with garanteed resources and several options) or as "premium" package, including garanteed resources for a optimal, 24/7 availability. Colt IaaS offer, which is - naturally - based on the Magirus vBlock infrastructure platform, is the first part of the Cloud strategy of Magirus, and should be followed soon with Software, Authentication and Licensing as-a-Service products. Colt IaaS offer is available through Magirus offices in Austria, Benelux, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom : this should help the telecom operator to reach a broader reseller base than the 600 it currently works with. Magirus plans to push resellers into combining Colt' services with their own cloud offering, in order to deliver more complete and differenciated offers to their resellers.
Stonesoft gets into the cloud
2011-08-29
Finnish security vendor Stonesoft offers its resellers to become security operators thanks to its new MSSP. This bundled managed security offer includes a cloud-based management platform. Licenses related to this platform is free : VARs and system integrators simply pay an annual fee based on its use. This fee is calculated on the number of managed sites (whatever the number of installed UTM), with a flat rate of around €60 and no exit penalties. This simple pricing has been decided to make the MSSP offer as attractive as possible. Stonesoft French office acts as a pioneer, as it has developed MSSP bundle for about one year. The other countries should follow before the end of the year.
According to Léonard Dahan, France and Benelux country manager, "with MSSP, resellers can become an interesting alternative to classic operators, thanks to a greater proximity and reactivity". MSSP will also allow Stonesoft to enter more agressively the SMB market, as it is usually stronger on major accounts. Thus, some of its distributors, like Afina or Itway, will play a major role in the success of this offer, although the others (Amosdec and Computerlinks, which are more dedicated to major account market) may also distribute it through their channel network. Léonard Dahan hopes to sign 2-3 VARs for each main French city, that is about 30 partners by the end of the year. This is enough to give an idea of the potential in other countries…
Avnet to acquire Amosdec
2011-05-18
France : multispecialist Avnet TS has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire virtualization and storage VAD Amosdec. The transaction, which is subject to regulatory approval, is expected to close in July 2011. This acquisition is expected to be immediately accretive to earnings and achieve Avnet's return on capital goal of 12.5% within two years. Amosdec is the leader on French market on VMware and Netapp solutions, and should thus help Avnet grow its value business in the country. Effective results will highly depend on the capacity of Avnet to keep all Amosdec employees (that is, value). In the past, this has proven not to be all the time the case, as Avnet acquired several local companies, to drop their business just a few years later (AIDC/POS specialist Printec or EDM VAD Headway for example). Amosdec being in the North-East of Paris and Avnet in the South, the best way to keep all teams would be to keep Amosdec historical offices. Which remains to be seen…
Amosdec gets into the cloud
2011-03-28
In The Business 2011 : French virtualization VAD Amosdec has entered official the cloud market by signing the first distribution partnership of its kind with Orange Business Services for its IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) offer. According to the distributor, this will allow its resellers to covers ponctual or small needs from their customers (such as a ponctual website, an Internet application or a hosted disaster recovery plan), which was impossible with traditional software and hardware offers. Orange has chosen Amosdec because it was unable to push its offer to small resellers and needed the capillarity of a two-tier model to better address the market.
