Synnex, HP, VMware Team on SMB Virtualization Solutions
Distributor Synnex (NYSE: SNX) is partnering, actually triangulating to be precise, in a virtualization-evangelizing initiative with HP (NYSE: HPQ) and VMware (NYSE: VMW), two longtime companions in their own right, to arm channel partners to transition SMBs to cloud technology.
The joint virtualization collaboration, dubbed HP-VMware Virtualization Implementation Skills Advantage, has as its goal to help resellers implement virtualization technology for their SMB customers in settings ranging from the desktop to the data center. Synnex announced the arrangement at its Varnex Fall Conference this week in Las Vegas.
Synnex, which maintains a line card relationship with HP but not VMware, already sells HP OEM-branded VMware products. Under this new deal, Synnex will construct for partners both ready-to-sell and customizable HP integrated VMware solution bundles, officials said. The idea is to build a stronger virtualization business for Synnex’s partner community, leveraging the presence and technology reach of HP’s integrated platform and VMware’s virtualization expertise.
“This triangulated collaboration with Synnex and virtualization leaders HP and VMware demonstrates our continued investment in our resellers by creating opportunities to keep them ahead of their competition with the latest and best-in-class virtualization solutions, from infrastructure to application to desktop virtualization to cloud,” said Bob Stegner, Synnex North America senior Marketing vice president.
Synnex’s virtualization solutions for channel partners and their SMB customers include data center consolidation, business continuity and disaster recovery, end user computing, services, network management and cloud computing.
In addition, Synnex is offering channel partners the opportunity to attain certain VMware certifications through the vendor’s online VMware University, specifically VMware Sales Professional (VSP), VMware Technical Sales Professional (VTSP), and VMware Certified Professional (VCP).
To further their virtualization expertise, partners also can make use of Synnex’s demo center to access virtualized multivendor environments and perform proof-of-concepts for their SMB customers, and rely on the distributor’s sales and technical personnel to help identify the best choices for customers’ IT purchases and assist with post-sales consulting.
The idea is for partners to establish themselves in customers’ eyes as the trusted adviser on virtualization, Synnex said.
The real value in this partnership is the ability to help SMBs complete a needs assessment before building out their the strategic plan needed when embarking on virtualized or cloud environments. There are so many benefits, but failing to properly plan and looking purly at upfront costs almost immediately strips away benefits.