Press release
Avnet's New CloudReadyTM Initiative Provides Partners with the Skills and Services Needed to Sell and Deliver Cloud-Based IT Data Center Solutions
TEMPE, Ariz. -- With industry analyst firm Gartner predicting that cloud services will be a $150 billion market by 2013,1 cloud computing has the potential to dramatically change how value-added reseller (VAR) partners structure their businesses, engage with customers and deliver solutions. Avnet Technology Solutions, the solutions distribution leader and an operating group of Avnet, Inc. (NYSE: AVT), today introduced CloudReadyTM, a new initiative designed to prepare and enable U.S. and Canadian partners to capitalize on emerging cloud computing growth opportunities. CloudReady includes education and training, financing solutions, professional services, technical resources and integrated cloud computing solutions that Avnet's partners can quickly leverage to begin pursuing cloud computing opportunities.
"Even though cloud computing is still evolving, it is gaining momentum among businesses of all sizes as a flexible and cost-effective option," said Tony Vottima, senior vice president, Solutions Marketing and Development, Avnet Technology Solutions, Americas. "Cloud computing is a natural progression of the data center investments that companies have been making for years, and it will significantly change the way resellers do business. Avnet created CloudReady to help educate our partners on the market opportunities and challenges, realize the benefits of a recurring revenue model, enhance their cloud computing capabilities and navigate the rapidly changing cloud market."
The CloudReady initiative exemplifies how Avnet's SolutionsPathTM methodology reduces its partners' time to market, investments and risks when pursuing new high-growth and market opportunities. Since cloud computing is an IT delivery model, CloudReady was developed as a specialization area within SolutionsPath that supports all of Avnet's existing solutions practices to provide partners with an alternative way to deliver data center solutions for networking, security, storage and virtualization, as well as healthcare and government customers. Initially, CloudReady includes executive education, financing solutions, technical training, professional services and integrated cloud computing solutions.
CloudReady Executive Education
Avnet offers a three-part virtual training series to help partner executives become business-ready for the cloud. It will provide them with knowledge of the cloud computing market and the critical skills needed to successfully enter the market, sell and deliver cloud services. Classes will explore cloud computing models, trends, buying cycles and business drivers; the impact of cloud computing and what it means to resellers' businesses; and how resellers can prepare their businesses to offer cloud-based services.
Cloud Financing Solutions
Typically, partner business models are based on large upfront revenue from on-premise deployments. Shifting to the annuity revenue model that cloud services are based on will require changes to the way partners manage their cash flow. Avnet offers partners flexible financing solutions tailored to their unique business needs, providing them with the support needed to adjust their business models and align with cloud-based revenue streams.
SolutionsPath Professional Services
To assist partners in pursuing the cloud computing market, Avnet has developed new professional SolutionsPathTM Services that enable partners to support the sale of cloud solutions. These services allow partners to assess their customers' environments through cloud readiness and computing workload assessments; design (or evaluate) cloud solutions with assistance from Avnet's solutions architects; implement integrated cloud solutions; and manage customers' IT environments that move to the cloud. Partners can sell these services to their customers immediately, while establishing their long-term investment strategy in building their cloud capabilities and technical bench strength.
Cloud Computing Solutions
Partners can target high-growth market opportunities that center on Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS) cloud solutions through a combination of public, private and hybrid delivery options. Tied to the SolutionsPath technology and vertical market practices, these cloud services are channel-ready and delivered in collaboration with Avnet's partners.
"QuadraMed's foundation is built upon delivering quality services and top-notch technology solutions to ensure customer success," said Eric Jeffery, manager of advanced technology solutions for QuadraMed Corporation. "Avnet's CloudReady allows us to offer remote hosted solutions to our end-user customers by providing a secure, high-performance delivery model. We look forward to utilizing Avnet CloudReady in our future technology deployments."
To further assist partners in pursuing the cloud computing market, Avnet provides architectural resources to support pre-sales activities and solution design, such as technical training workshops, demo and proof of concept support.
