Network Appliance Plugs In

The vendor has signed agreements with Avnet Hall-Mark and Arrow Electronics' North American Computer Products group, under which most of its solution providers,about 100,will be required to work through the distributors.

Network Appliance's goals are twofold: Let the distributors take care of administrative details so Network Appliance can focus on its core business, and use the distributors to attract more solution providers, said Leonard Iventosch, vice president of channels at the vendor.

Arrow and Avnet have access to partners that Network Appliance would love to touch, Iventosch said. "They have partners in the midmarket, and that's where we want to be," he said. "Our direct team focuses on strategic customers. We are absolutely counting on our channel team to drive business in the midmarket."

Michael Fanelli, western regional manager at Sales Strategies, a Metuchen, N.J.-based Network Appliance partner, said where he buys Network Appliance products does not matter as long as he and his customers get the same sales and engineering support.

Sales Strategies can actually get better financing via the distributors than from the vendor, Fanelli said.

Network Appliance in the past two years has turned out to be a good partner, Fanelli said. "But it wasn't always so. Prior to that, it was on the same cycle as everybody else: partner-friendly one month, partner who? the next," he said.

Jeff Bawol, vice president and general manager of Avnet's Enterprise Software and Storage Business Unit, said Avnet will provide logistical support, lead-generation and other programs for solution providers.

Arrow plans to have Network Appliance equipment in its two storage labs by mid-August, said Mike Long, president and COO.