Avnet and NetApp Join Forces

Avnet, Inc. is joining forces with NetApp, Inc. to provide migration services to support its US and Canadian partners and their end users in their transition to the NetApp clustered Data ONTAP OS.

Clustered Data ONTAP software is the foundation for Data Fabric, which allows customers to manage their data and leverage the best of cloud, flash and disk resources. Avnet’s offering provides a competitive differentiator for their partners.

“Only Avnet offers a turnkey migration solution relying on its depth and breadth of certified clustered Data ONTAP engineers for this critical crossover in NetApp OSs – across all market segments,” said Jim Kebert, VP, Avnet’s NetApp solutions business. “Our program provides complete upgrade and support, including full installation, advanced configuration and data migration, optional transition-easing swing gear, and operational training for our NetApp partners and their end customers.“

Avnet’s clustered Data ONTAP turnkey migration program
provides upgrade and support and includes the following:

• Full installation, including advanced configuration and data migration
• Operational training, with access to the clustered Data ONTAP operational support hot-line
  
• Swing gear, an option, to make the switch-over easy on operations
• Asset disposition, utilizing Avnet’s Sales Return Authorization (SRA) program.
• Avnet also offers a ‘baseline’ migration program as a lower-cost option to assist customers that have internal technical capabilities to perform a portion of the migration activity.
  

“NetApp clustered Data ONTAP is the foundation for the modern data center, allowing customers to protect their existing investments and take full advantage of new all-flash and cloud technologies,” said Bill Lipsin, VP, W channels, NetApp. “The broad range of transition services Avnet offers will help partners and end users leverage all the benefits of Data ONTAP to speed innovation, and prepare for a future where the cloud is core to their IT strategy.“

“Our business depends on NetApp technology, and we look forward to transitioning our customers to clustered Data ONTAP with the help of Avnet,” said Tom DeCoster, VP of service solutions, CDW Corporation, an Avnet partner. “Avnet provides the technical expertise and pre-packaged solution with everything we need to help drive our NetApp migration services business and continue to grow our revenue, while our customers continue to benefit from NetApp’s latest solutions.“

Avnet demonstrated the latest version of NetApp’s clustered Data ONTAP OS at the NetApp Insight 2015 conference in Las Vegas, October 12-15, at the Mandalay Bay Hotel. A highlight of thi conference was Avnet receiving the NetApp Insight 2015 Professional Services Certified (PSC) partner award. In winning this award, it has not only become PSC-certified, but has completed the requirements for clustered Data ONTAP Acceleration Program (cTAP) eligibility and has developed go-to-market strategies to help them, as well as their reseller customers, accelerate clustered Data ONTAP transitions. Avnet has been responsive in taking the initiative to build services offerings that will enable their resellers to sell more transitions services that can be serviced by Avnet. Avnet is one of NetApp’s largest professional services delivery partners in North America and has sent a large number of engineers to clustered Data ONTAP transition training to provide transition services. Avnet’s Jim Kebert accepted the PSC partner award on behalf of Avnet on October 14.