Avnet Adds Microsoft System Center Products, Programs

Avnet is expanding its virtualization portfolio, adding products and programs to recruit more VARs to Microsoft's System Center solutions, according to the distributor.

"We're really excited about this engagement. This is a big deal for Avnet," said Steve Gereb, director of Microsoft solutions at Avnet Technology Solutions. "We see the addition of Microsoft virtualization solutions into our overall virtualization practice as a huge differentiator."

Avnet's System Center initiatives will include courses and campaigns centered on partner awareness, readiness assessment services, and demand generation activities to enable partners to address customers’ data center challenges, said Gereb.

"System Center provides resellers within the SMB space a key differentiator. Its cost structure is very attractive," Gereb said. "The products are competitively priced to win in the SMB space. Also the price point enables partners to have more success and end users to keep more budget for other technologies."

Gereb said Microsoft's System Center solutions will complement a VAR's current VMware offerings, as Microsoft is geared more towards small businesses while VMware has a solid footing in the midmarket and enterprise.

"I don't think it's one or the other. One enhances the other. The lower cost [of Microsoft] is absolutely is helping them offer a solution when they are not be able to compete into the SMB market," Gereb said. "What was interesting with us is we've historically been successful in the enterprise space. One reason we're excited by Microsoft to go after the SMB space to expand our partner base. We see that as a real possibility."

Distributed Systems Services, a Wyomissing, Pa.-based solution provider, is a strong VMware partner that has become more interested in Microsoft's solutions as System Center as developed, said Dennis Niedrowski, director of professional services at DSS.

"We have previous Microsoft perspective from a journeyman's perspective. We dabbled in Hyper-V but for the most part we didn't look at a true VMware altenrative until the last six months when the features were closer to parity. We plan to continue to [be a VMware partner] but we see the Microsoft platform as a real player in the industry," Niedrowski said. "We're most comfortable in the midmarket. We do get up in the 3,000 to 5,000 seats. Our larger customers still see VMware as the Cadillac but the value proposition of Hyper-V, from a management standpoint and general usability space, plays well in that market."

Avnet hopes that the majority of its solution provider customers start selling Microsoft virtualization solutions, Gereb said. The distributor has launched virtcentral.com to outline the steps solution providers need to earn Microsoft's gold or silver competencies in virtualization.

Next: VARs Want VMware Alternative

Success long term will be hundreds [of partners]," Gereb said. "We are also making other investments. We have a dedicated team in place. In addition to the portal, we have business development, marketing, operations [resources] as well as solutions architects. In addition, we're also planning monthly training into the marketplace."

Avnet claims it already has five partners who have committed to earn gold competency and another 17 for silver competency in virtualization. Microsoft currently has about 30 gold and 100 silver virtualization partners, Gereb said. "As a percentage, that's a pretty decent growth rate. And the feedback from partners is once they have this certification, they'll be in a better situation to support those customers. They feel it's putting them in a better position to win."

Gereb said Avnet polled VARs at Microsoft TechFest several months ago and found that a small percentage offered a competing virtualization practice to VMware. "That was largely due to the fact that there was no need. The cost points weren't attractive. Their SMB customers couldn't afford to go there. When we educated them about the cost structure on System Center, virtually everyone raised their hands [in interest]. It's an opportunity in the market."