Avnet Launched Software-Defined Storage Solution in USA and Canada

Avnet, Inc., a technology distributor, unveiled an EMC software-defined storage solution featuring IsilonSD Edge.

Designed for the growing software-defined storage market, this Avnet-developed offering will initially be available in the US and Canada. Powered by storage expert and utilizing industry-standard servers, the solution delivers a cost-optimized scale-out, NAS option for edge applications. Committed to solving for the needs of demanding file-based replication requirements, this solution is configured to serve the requirements of ROBO for SMBs.

“Software-defined storage solutions are taking the market by storm. They exponentially increase options available to IT professionals and provide enterprise-grade reliability and performance. These solutions also optimize cost by using industry-standard and commercially available servers,” said Eric Barnhart, VP, Avnet’s EMC solutions business unit, Americas. “EMC continues to invest in innovative, software-defined storage solutions, such as IsilonSD Edge. EMC software-defined storage solutions are incredibly powerful. When combined with Avnet’s assembly, integration, logistics and financial services expertise, these solutions become truly unique in the marketplace.“

The solution is designed to reduce the costs associated with scale-out-enabled storage, while improving ROI. This is achieved by using off-the-shelf platforms, which can run the Isilon OneFS OS, in the IsilonSD Edge form factor. This gives customers the same enterprise capabilities that are available to them in the appliance form factor. Customers can take advantage of cloud economics and scale through the Isilon CloudPools solution in a software-defined form factor. This reduces overall storage costs with the Avnet Cloud Marketplace, Avnet’s one-stop shop that offers solutions from cloud service providers, flexible payment models and a powerful cloud management toolset. This will flatten the cost curve and boost the return-on-investment models for hybrid-cloud-enabled storage.

Additionally, Avnet will incorporate its consumption-based financial service – CapacityNow – into the solution. It enables organizations, both commercial and government, to acquire technology through a flexible managed service. CapacityNow was developed as an alternative to traditional leasing and financing, where the user can align their payments with actual usage.

“How the IT industry solves complex storage requirements is being revolutionized by software-defined storage solutions,” said Sam Grocott, SVP, marketing, emerging technologies division, EMC. “EMC selected Avnet to create new ways to bring IsilonSD Edge to market because of their proven ability to transform technology into true business solutions, easily and simply. Avnet is a global company at the forefront of technology, and its scale and reach will enable us to quickly bring highly differentiated solutions based on our technology to market that address the unique business needs of our customers.“

Avnet is an EMC distributor and supports EMC in AsiaPac; EMEA; Latin America and the Caribbean; and North America. Plus, 2015 marked the 15th anniversary of the Avnet and EMC partnership. Throughout this relationship, Avnet has helped EMC bring solutions to market. For example, Avnet has enabled EMC partners to adopt their choice of converged and hyper-converged solutions, which allow partners to design and deploy solutions that offer their SMB, mid-market and enterprise customers the cloud and data center benefits of hyper-converged infrastructure at the price points and sizes that align with their needs.