Category Archives: Avnet

Avnet, AWS, Channel, cloud marketplace, distribution, IBM, News & Analysis

Avnet launches Cloud Marketplace with AWS and IBM as key clients

Money cloudGlobal distributor Avnet has launched a cloud shop and unveiled both IBM and AWS as headline partners.

The Avnet Cloud Marketplace is described as ‘the latest evolution’ in Avnet’s cloud offering. Avnet said it is incorporating all the insight gained from running 900,000 workloads in public, private and hybrid clouds in the past two years and making that wisdom available to its partners.

The shop offers top brands like AWS and IBM, with flexible payment models and a cloud management toolset. Avnet said its unique angle is that it allows partners in the US and Canada to offer cloud-based services to their customers through both consumption and subscription-based models. Channel partners will be able to create branded storefronts to offer complete solutions to their customers. Avnet’s Cloud Marketplace customers include VARs, ISVs, MSPs, systems integrators (SI), technology manufacturers and end users. The Marketplace will help them rollout services quicker, according to Sergio Farache, senior vice president of Avnet’s Solutions and Strategy business unit in the Americas.

“This is how Avnet helps partners use next-generation technologies and evolve,” said Farache.

The Avnet Cloud Marketplace is based on Avnet’s digital distribution strategy, where a combination of digital tools, processes and services can simplify the cloud and service provisioning.

Meanwhile, Avnet has announced that IBM’s cloud services Softlayer and Bluemix will be provided through its portal. IBM’s Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) will help developers integrate applications more rapidly while its Software-as-a Service (SaaS) offering will make cloud, analytics, mobile, social and security applications available to Avnet’s channel partners.

Avnet will also offer IBM Business Partners some educational and training resources to further expand their cloud expertise. On November 6th Avnet revealed that packaged solutions powered by AWS, such as backup and disaster recovery solutions that integrate NetApp and Veritas software with Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3) and Amazon Glacier, will be offered to its channel. These offerings will make it easier for Avnet’s US and Canadian resellers, AR and service provider partners to sell the full range of AWS.

Avnet, M&A Activity, Pepperweed Consulting

Avnet Acquires Pepperweed Consulting

Image representing Pepperweed Consulting as de...

Avnet, Inc.  announced today that it has acquired Pepperweed Consulting, an IT enterprise management and integration provider. As an HP Software Elite Partner and winner of multiple HP Partner-of-the-Year awards, Pepperweed Consulting works with channel partners and customers to buy, deploy, support and manage HP IT Performance Suite, Converged Cloud and Insight software stacks. With more than 3000 successful engagements at Fortune 500 clients and large-scale government agencies, the company helps customers architect, implement and operate the right solution to meet their data center and cloud initiative goals on time and on budget. The company generated revenue of approximately US$12 million in the 2011 calendar year.

“The acquisition of Pepperweed supports our strategic focus of expanding our services and software portfolio to help drive growth for both our supplier and reseller partners,” stated Jeff Bawol, president, Avnet Technology Solutions, Americas. “The addition of Pepperweed Consulting will complement our industry leading vertical market practices by providing software and services to help our HP reseller partners deliver increasingly complex and customized IT solutions needed by customers in high growth markets such as government, healthcare, energy, financial and retail.”

Founded in 1996, Pepperweed Consulting provides multi-vendor technology expertise, services and support, complemented by internally developed components to meet each project’s specific goals. This acquisition will be integrated into the operations of Avnet Technology Solutions in the Americas.


Avnet, Avnet Technology Solutions, EMEA, M&A Activity, Magirus, Middle East

Avnet Aquiring Magirus Group

Avnet, Inc. announced today that it has agreed to acquire the Magirus Group (Magirus), a leading pan-European distributor of data center solutions and services. Magirus is a leading value-add distributor of software, systems and related services encompassing virtualization, storage management, cloud computing, security, intelligent networks and information life-cycle management services. Through its professional services portfolio and knowledge of the IT sector, Magirus enables business partners to take new technologies to market in eleven markets throughout Europe and the Middle East. The transaction, which is subject to normal regulatory approvals, is expected to close in October 2012.

Phil Gallagher, president of Avnet Technology Solutions, Global, commented, “The acquisition of Magirus will significantly enhance our competitive position in Europe and the Middle East by expanding our suite of solutions in high-growth technologies. Magirus increased its revenue 20 percent in calendar 2011, delivering powerful, flexible and cost-effective data center solutions from a breadth of suppliers, including Cisco, VMware and EMC. We welcome the knowledge and expertise of their talented management team and staff, who will allow us to further enhance the value we provide to our customers and suppliers.”

Founded in 1981, Magirus has 400 business and technical professionals that help over 4,500 resellers, system integrators and IT service providers develop and deploy IT infrastructure solutions that bring together traditional server, storage and network operations so that constantly changing business requirements can be supported more efficiently. Its services span demand generation, pre-sales, consultancy, training, certification, implementation as well as support from its pan-European, multi-lingual support center. Magirus generated revenue of approximately US$530 million in the 2011 calendar year, and will be integrated into Avnet Technology Solutions’ EMEA business.

Graeme Watt, president, Avnet Technology Solutions EMEA added, “Magirus is a high quality focused business and represents an excellent expansion to our current operations as it adds complementary product lines across the region while meaningfully increasing our scale in important markets including Germany and France. Magirus’ position with market-leading suppliers in high growth technologies will bolster our solutions practices and create significant cross-selling opportunities in the combined customer base. Its business model is a strong fit with our strategy to provide more value-add services, and the combined expertise of both organizations will enable us to accelerate the success of our customers and suppliers.”