Ingram Micro Announces New Conduit Services for Partners
At its annual Cloud Summit, the distributor unveils the new initiative, which is aimed at connecting channel partners with cloud computing vendors.
Distributor Ingram Micro held its annual Cloud Summit last week. At the show, the company unveiled its new Cloud Conduit services.
Attending ISVs, cloud hosting companies, and system integrators were told by the distributor that Cloud Conduit is an initiative aimed at connecting Ingram Micro’s North American channel partners with established and emerging cloud computing vendors.
The distributor also used its Cloud Summit forum to announce new relationships with three cloud innovators: Amazon Web Services, Rackspace Hosting, and salesforce.com. Those relationships come in association with Ingram Micro’s Cloud Conduit Advisory Council. Founding participants of the council include Amazon Web Services, CA, Citrix Systems, McAfee, Microsoft, Rackspace Hosting, and salesforce.com.
THE CLOUD CONDUIT PROGRAM
The Cloud Conduit program aggregates the distributor’s portfolio of cloud-specific enablement resources and service offerings. These include infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) and educational and networking resources (such as business development resources, sales training, and webinars).
The program complements the distributor’s Seismic managed services, cloud and software-as-a-service offerings, says Ingram Micro. In a statement to EH Publishing, the distributor says the new initiative “reinforces our position as a thought leader and strategic partner in the cloud computing market place.”
Ingram Micro’s director of service sales Jason Beal says cloud computing is introducing a “new playing field” for service providers and MSPs–and that new playing field represents a boatload of opportunity.
“With the advent of cloud computing comes tremendous opportunity for our channel partners to add high-value-managed solutions and services from the cloud into their services portfolio and ultimately earn more business,” Beal says. “Ingram Micro introduced the Cloud Conduit to help our channel partners take advantage of and maximize the business opportunities the cloud brings to the table.”
NEW RELATIONSHIPSAs part of the Cloud Conduit initiative, Ingram Micro is pursuing three distinct relationships with Amazon Web Services, Rackspace Hosting, and salesforce.com. Amazon Web Services, for example, is working with the distributor in bringing the AWS platform to channel partners.
“Amazon Web Services is pleased that Ingram Micro will be utilizing AWS’ on-demand, pay-as-you-go, cloud computing services to help a new community of customers and solution providers,” says Amazon Web Services director of partner relations Terry Wise. “Customers and solution providers will be able to innovate and accelerate the delivery of new applications all while cutting costs.”
Ingram Micro’s developing alliance with cloud computing company salesforce.com represents an improved ability for Ingram Micro to provide cloud-based applications to the channel. In turn, salesforce.com is likely to benefit from Ingram Micro’s ability to enhance channel development, marketing, and sales.
Ingram Micro’s new agreement with Rackspace enables it to provide the company’s managed and cloud hosting solutions as part of the Seismic managed services portfolio.
CLOUD CONDUIT ADVISORY COUNCIL
At the Cloud Summit, Ingram Micro told attendees that in order to “further accelerate industry adoption and build a greater understanding around cloud computing,” the distributor is spearheading a new industry leadership group called the Cloud Conduit Advisory Council.
Founding participants of the council include Amazon Web Services, CA, Citrix Systems, McAfee, Microsoft, Rackspace Hosting, and salesforce.com.
Ingram Micro vice president of services Justin Crotty says the council was established as a “common ground” on which the IT industry’s cloud innovators can share knowledge, establish relationships, and raise awareness.
“Together we will further enable our channel partners to clearly articulate and demonstrate the benefits of cloud computing to their customers,” Crotty says.
