Ingram Launches Cloud Program With Amazon, Salesforce.com, Rackspace
In addition, Cloud Conduit will help introduce cloud providers to third-party, cloud-based ISV applications, according to Jason Beal, director of services sales at Ingram Micro North America.
The program’s goal is to help solution providers get better educated on what’s available and how to offer it to customers, according to Ingram Micro. It’s offered in combination with Ingram Micro’s Seismic managed services portfolio, according to Beal.
“These relationships will simplify the aggregation of cloud services for our [MSP and VAR] partners, much like we did with Seismic and managed services. One of our goals behind Cloud Conduit is to make it that much easier for MSPs and VARs to build a practice around cloud computing and engage with the industry’s leading cloud innovators and ISVs,” Beal said. “On the vendor front, the Cloud Conduit gives players like Salesforce.com and Amazon access to those Ingram Micro channel partners who are offering managed services and interested in making the move to cloud.”
Ingram Micro announced the program at its first Cloud Summit held Monday in Dallas, a one-day event held prior to Ingram’s annual Seismic partner conference.
Ingram Micro isn’t reselling Amazon Web Services, instead it’s working in an advisory role to develop reseller channels for Amazon, said Justin Crotty, vice president of services for Ingram Micro. “We are planning to go into beta shortly with the goal of ultimately reselling AWS to our channel partners,” Crotty said. “On the Salesforce.com side -- we are helping to develop go to market channels for their AppXchange partners [ISV] through the Cloud Conduit program.”
Amazon is counting on Ingram Micro to develop a new community of customers and solution providers for its Web Services, according to Terry Wise, director of partner relations for Amazon Web Services. “Customers and solution providers will be able to innovate and accelerate the delivery of new applications all while cutting costs,” Wise said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Ingram Micro will also take an indirect role with Salesforce.com, providing channel development, marketing, and channel sales services to Salesforce.com’s community of AppExchange ISVs, according to the distributor.
Next: Ingram Teams With Rackspace Ingram Micro will offer Rackspace’s managed and cloud hosting solutions directly to solution providers through Seismic.
Rackspace has an existing channel program with hundreds of resellers, including a growing enterprise VAR program, but Ingram Micro will help the company more quickly expand its channel than it could have done otherwise, according to Robert Fuller, vice president of worldwide channel sales at Rackspace. “We have made significant investments into our channel program, beginning with new partner and reseller programs announced in 2009, and now working with Ingram Micro, we are able to further expand our reach and scale to support Ingram Micro’s broad range of channel partners,” Fuller said in a statement.
“This relationship opens up a new world of opportunity for MSPs and VARs who have been challenged with how to deliver cloud services and extend the benefits of cloud computing to their customers,” Fuller added. As part of the agreement, Rackspace will provide dedicated resources and training to simplify the sales and operations process, according to the vendor. Rackspace also plans to participate in a series of seminars and training events.
In addition, Amazon Web Services, Rackspace Hosting and Salesforce.com have been named as three members of Ingram Micro’s new Cloud Conduit Advisory Council to help stimulate more interest in cloud-based solutions. CA, Citrix Systems, McAfee and Microsoft also are members of the new council, according to Justin Corry, vice president of services at Ingram Micro.
“We created the Cloud Conduit Advisory Council to establish a common ground for the IT industry’s cloud innovators to share their vision, seek new alliances and drive greater visibility into the opportunity, challenges and benefits that cloud computing brings to the IT channel at large,” says Justin Crotty, vice president, services, Ingram Micro North America. “Together we will further enable our channel partners to clearly articulate and demonstrate the benefits of cloud computing to their customers.”