Avnet Debuts EMC VSPEX-Based Mobile Data Center Solution

Avnet Technology Solutions introduced the Avnet Mobile Data Center Solution for EMC VSPEX.

Exclusively available through Avnet’s U.S. and Canadian partner community, this mobile data center solution leverages VSPEX Proven Infrastructures to create private clouds. Channel partners’ enterprise customers will benefit from the solution by being able to deploy data centers that have been ‘hardened’ to operate in harsh environments to support BC, data center moves, DR, large-scale special events, and remote field locations.

"Because of our unique supplier relationships and configuration services, Avnet is streamlining the development and delivery of mobile data center solutions," said Greg Peterson, VP and GM for the EMC solutions group, Avnet Technology Solutions, Americas. "Avnet’s investment in developing this unique solution makes it easier for our partners to sell fully-tested, fully-validated solutions based on EMC VSPEX reference architecture. Our partners will be able to quickly meet specialized market requirements with the Avnet Mobile Data Center Solution for EMC VSPEX, whether their customer needs to set up a private cloud in a disaster zone after a hurricane strikes, on the frontline of a conflict, or in the back of a semi-truck."

Avnet has relationships with all VSPEX Technology Alliance partners, and it holds more than 75 EMC sales and technical certifications. It integrates the Avnet Mobile Data Center Solution for VSPEX with VNX unified storage systems, backup and recovery solutions from Avamar, Data Domain, and NetWorker and technology from Brocade, Cisco, Elliptical Mobile Solutions, Metalogix, Microsoft, and VMware. Additionally, partners can brand this solution to increase their mindshare in customers’ environments and differentiate themselves competitively.

"Avnet is taking EMC VSPEX Proven Infrastructures and turning them into appliances that partners can offer to their customers today," said Bharat Badrinath, senior director, cloud solutions marketing, EMC. "We are impressed by Avnet’s innovative approach of developing specialized solutions for the integrated systems market, which aligns perfectly with our strategy and vision for VSPEX. Avnet’s unique supply chain and integration capabilities, coupled with its knowledgeable partner community, will further enhance and strengthen EMC’s position as a technology leader."

Partners can leverage Avnet to design and integrate Avnet Mobile Data Center Solution for VSPEX. These services provide partners with a single source for solution components; quoting; ordering; solution validation and testing; system integration; and invoicing. The integration and assembly of conducted by Avnet’s expert team at its global solutions center in Chandler, AZ, which holds Cisco UCS B-Series Authorized Configurator (UBAC) and Unified Computing System C-Series Authorized Configurator (UCAC) certifications. Additionally, partners leveraging this service benefit from a ‘ship complete’ invoice, where they pay for the solution once it ships integrated.

"Developing and building converged infrastructure solutions can be incredibly time consuming and resource intensive," said Mark Graham, president, Network Storage, Inc., an IT services firm and Avnet partner. "With the Avnet Mobile Data Center Solution for EMC VSPEX, my team and I can concentrate on our core business strategies and technology advocacy, while relying on the world-class supply chain sevices of Avnet Technology Solutions to deliver a fully integrated and tested solution. We’re excited to start talking with our customers about the Avnet Mobile Data Center Solution for EMC VSPEX. Its mobile, hardened features will address challenges they have with deploying data centers at a moment’s notice in harsh environments."

Avnet’s services capabilities for this solution are enabled through its participation in the Velocity Services program for distributors. As a result of this, Avnet has developed the skills and resources required to assemble multi-vendor solutions that feature EMC’s storage systems and backup solutions.

It also provides partners with sales support for its mobile data center solution through its VSPEX Unsolicited Bid program. This customized program is designed to help partners proactively sell VSPEX private cloud solutions by cultivating a select number of prospects and introducing them to reference architecture-based solutions and their cost structure. Avnet then works with the partner to nurture these prospects, with the goal of ultimately driving incremental sales growth for the partner.

The Avnet Mobile Data Center Solution for VSPEX is offered through Avnet’s dedicated EMC solutions team, which is part of Avnet’s recently formed converged and data solutions group led by Denny O’Connell, SVP and GM. This group supports technology suppliers with converged solutions, including EMC, Cisco, HDS and NetApp. It provides solutions sales, field sales, technical, and product marketing support. In addition, overall business and sales efforts for Avnet’s converged and data solutions team is provided by a technology and solutions development group which offers pre-sales technical support and evaluates new converged solutions.

The Avnet Mobile Data Center Solution for VSPEX was on display at EMC World in Las Vegas, NE.

"We are excited to work with Avnet to provide high-performance network fabrics that serve as a rock-solid foundation between servers and storage for deployment in extreme environments," said Regan McGrath, VP, global channel sales and marketing, at Brocade Communication Systems, Inc. "Brocade cloud-optimized networking technologies are designed to seamlessly integrate and extend virtual compute in multi-vendor environments to help enable increased network performance, utilization and resiliency in virtualized architectures."

"Cisco and EMC have been driving IT innovation together for 15 years," said Satinder Sethi, VP, data center group at Cisco Systems, Inc. "Today, we deliver three unique paths to the cloud: custom-designed infrastructures with best-of-breed products; validated, easy-to-deploy reference architectures via EMC’s VSPEX Proven Infrastructure; and pre-integrated converged infrastructure with the VCE Vblock System. Through their advanced integration capabilities and solutions center, Avnet Technology Solutions will help our mutual channel partners accelerate their customers’ journey to the cloud."

"SharePoint is the de facto standard for content management for 80,000 enterprises and 130 million knowledge workers. These enterprises have turned to SharePoint for improved user productivity and knowledge sharing with SharePoint," said Steven Murphy, CEO, Metalogix Software Corporation. "With Metalogix StoragePoint now part of the EMC VSPEX for SharePoint bundle and Avnet’s global reach as a leading technology solutions distributor, enterprises can maximize the full value of their NAS (NAS) infrastructure for SharePoint by optimizing content storage costs and improving SharePoint performance."

"Microsoft’s relationship has moved to the next level with Avnet because of its ability to offer turnkey server solutions based on Windows Server 2012," said Peter Han, VP U.S. OEM for Microsoft Corporation. "This closer cooperation allows Avnet to integrate best-in-class hardware and software solutions to meet a wide range of market needs, including specialized solutions for converged infrastructure."

"VMware has had a longstanding partnership with Avnet, and we are pleased to see them offer a specialized converged infrastructure solution using the proven reference design of VSPEX, which harnesses the power of EMC storage systems and VMware solutions," said Frank Rauch, VP, Americas partner organization, VMware, Inc. "The Avnet Mobile Data Center Solution for EMC VSPEX enables our joint partners to streamline the delivery of a tested, validated and integrated solution to their customers."