Support Net Delivers IBM Road Map

Support Net, a division of Arrow Electronics based in Indianapolis, launched Optimum Alliance for Selling IBM Solutions (OASIS), which brings together all of Arrow's training, marketing, demand generation, sales and financing support.

The program was designed for solution providers new to Support Net and the IBM platform, but existing customers also will see benefits, said Eric Williams, vice president of Support Net.

"It gives resellers a consistent road map to follow for IBM technology," Williams said. "As IBM's product strength grows, we have more resellers interested in forging an IBM relationship. OASIS is the road map and the tools we offer to make that a relatively smooth transition."

Haverstick Consulting is getting help from Support Net since the Indianapolis-based solution provider agreed to manage Eviciti, an IBM business partner of several years. Haverstick had no experience itself with IBM, but OASIS should make it a pain-free transition, said Terri Kershner, IBM channel manager at Haverstick.

"Eviciti had five people who could sell IBM; now we're going to have 20. Our need for support is more extensive. For those people to have one central location to go for information they need, whether it's hardware, software or services, is great. This gives them the opportunity to get the education or marketing help they need," Kershner said.

Support Net has recruited "12 to 15 significant" new solution providers to IBM in the past year, Williams said.

"The challenge has been signing them up, but then what? This is designed to make 'then what' successful," he said.