Ingram Micro MSPs Get New Opportunity Through VMware

CompTIA CHANNELCON 2015 — VMware has chosen tech distributor Ingram Micro as an aggregator for vCloud Air Network Managed Service Provider (MSP), the virtualization giant’s model that allows MSPs partners to leverage vCloud Air as an extension of their own infrastructure.

Ingram Micro channel partners can now take part in the vCloud Air Network program, enabling them to sell managed services hosted on the VMware cloud platform.

“The sales and recurring revenue opportunity around virtualization, hosting third-party applications, infrastructure, cloud-based solutions and other advanced managed services is sizable for channel partners focused on the needs of small and midsize businesses and enterprises,” said Jason Bystrak, executive director, Ingram Micro Cloud.

Through additional data-center capabilities provided by VMware, Ingram says MSPs can quickly expand their geographic footprint, gain additional managed-services revenue, grow a comprehensive portfolio of cloud offerings, increase speed to market, and serve more clients. 

Ingram Micro offers a dedicated team of VMware- and cloud-specific sales, marketing and technical support personnel, as well as field-based experts, professional services and advanced training and certification courses. Channel partners can also take advantage of the Ingram Micro VMware Volume Licensing Desk and Renewals Services to more proactively address opportunities, increase efficiency and maximize revenue potential, the distributor said.

The VMware vCloud Air Network provides businesses with enterprise-class security and infrastructure compatibility, and the freedom to readily move workloads among private, public and hybrid clouds. Using VMware technology that customers already use in their existing data centers, VMware says its vCloud Air MSPs can grow their businesses by offering customers trusted and secure public and hybrid cloud services, along with managed services.

Meantime, also on Tuesday at ChannelCon, Ingram Micro said it has bolstered its EMV- (Europay, Mastercard and Visa) compliant services by adding the ability to load new software and secure key-encryption data directly to payment terminals and devices on behalf of its channel partners.

The company has passed the electronic payment industry’s PCI PIN Security Requirements and Accredited Standards Committee’s TR-39 audit. Both tests require companies to have in-depth technical knowledge and dedicated internal resources. With these new services and authorizations, Ingram Micro is able to provide key injection services in-house at its secure facility located within its distribution center.

To further simplify the sales cycle and help increase profitability, Ingram Micro says its channel partners also have access to the “Electronic Payments Playbook” and multi-vendor solution bundles which include professional services, from assessment and deployment to equipment disposal, solution testing and certification audits.

The global EMV payment standard requires all retailers and other businesses that accept credit and debit cards to become compliant by Oct. 15.

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