Avnet Set To Offer HP-Branded Services Via HP ServiceOne

Initial Avnet professional services resources include offerings around HP ProLiant servers, HP 3Par storage and cloud discovery workshops, said Tony Vottima, senior vice president and general manager of Avnet Technology Solutions, Americas, HP Solutions group.

HP's ServiceOne program began last July and since then Avnet has worked with the vendor to achieve ServiceOne certifications so it can pass on that expertise to solution providers, Vottima said.

Related: CRN 30th Anniversary: Where Are They Now?

"As we continue to build our strategy as a solutions distributor, it's important to help partners sell services. HP's timing of the ServiceOne program is ideal," Vottima said. "We got authorized and have the resources to help deliver the HP-branded services for our partners. They get to leverage the incentives of being a delivery partner but using the scale and scope of Avnet. We hope they use it as an augmentation of their own resources."

Initially, Avnet will provide resources to deliver, deploy and integrate HP servers and storage arrays and provide cloud assessments but plans to expand its offerings to a broader portfolio soon, Vottima said.

"We'll continue down our SolutionsPath strategy and get our partners closer to solving problems at the end user, whether it's from a vertical market level or a high-growth technology. To round that out with a services component is ideal and it's where we try to focus on our VAR enablement strategy," Vottima said.

Avnet will target the services at solution providers that don't have expertise in servers, storage or cloud, but Vottima said the offerings are available to all solution providers. In addition, he said, the services should be less expensive than leveraging HP directly or another solution provider or third party.

"We want them to leverage us because we're noncompetitive, and they don't view us as a threat. When they sell HP [branded services] and HP delivers them, they don't get the financial benefits as if they were delivering them or Avnet was the delivery partner. From a profitability perspective, this is additive to their incentive programs. They know have a trusted partner and we give them expansion of services," Vottima said.

Avnet plans to detail the services at its upcoming HP Partner Summit May 15-17 in Phoenix.