Share This Article:

VMware’s expanded partnership with Ingram Micro finds the world’s largest technology distributor newly authorized as a global VMware Service Provider Program (VSPP) aggregator.

For solution providers, the new global distribution agreement gives Ingram Micro the green light to offer authorized channel partners global access to VMware’s pay-as-you-go licensing model.

And that means partners pay only for the number of VMware licenses needed to deliver customized, virtualized IT services to end-users, says Doug Smith, vice president of Global Partner Strategy and Operations, VMware.

“By authorizing Ingram Micro to sell VMware-based cloud services globally and via the Ingram Micro Cloud, we’re building on our success, expanding our reach and providing VMware partners with additional enablement and sales support,” said Smith.

During 2011, Ingram Micro worked to grow the number of service providers using VSPP in North America. The distributor also expanded dedicated VMware support and resources offered within its Advanced Computing Division, VMware Licensing Desk and Ingram Micro Cloud Marketplace.

Ingram Micro regions actively selling VMware-based cloud services include Germany, Hong Kong, North America, the Netherlands, Singapore and the United Kingdom. Additional locations will be added throughout 2012, according to the companies.

The distribution announcement was made during this week’s VMware Partner Exchange in Las Vegas. VMware is the largest and leading virtualization software vendor in the world. Once virtualization took off, VMware became a juggernaut. Cloud computing is adding fuel to the fire, making VMware one of the most sought-after companies and its technology an essential element in IT deployments.

As noted this week in an earlier Channelnomics blog by Larry Walsh, that’s what makes VMware most valuable to other vendors and the channel. Partner and customer acquisition is expensive. Likewise, there’s a real need for attached security, storage, asset management, performance monitoring and other critical operational technologies on top of virtualized environments.

Vendors are looking at VMware as a means to solve two problems simultaneously: addressing technology needs of end users while penetrating partner and end-user accounts more quickly and economically.

Ingram Micro, now under the direction of Alain Monie, who recently took over for longtime chief executive Greg Spierkel, has made significant investments in new markets, technologies and enablement programs.

Most significant is cloud and professional services: In the United States, Ingram Services is at the forefront of distribution efforts in cloud and managed services. In Europe, the Ingram-led Channel Transformation Alliance is promoting cloud and emerging technology adoption to partners across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. And Ingram has designs of cracking new market segments with value-added technologies and services.

One mutual Ingram and VMware partner, Denver, Colo,-based Solve IT, reports Ingram Micro and VMware have aligned the VSPP with its recurring revenue model. That gives the solution provider flexibility and scale to grow its cloud services business more profitably while addressing dynamic and changing client needs.

Garrett Brucker, president of Solve IT, says, “Purchasing our VMware licenses through Ingram Micro has radically simplified the sales process, streamlined our costs and enabled us to offer our clients access to continually evolving VMware cloud services.”