Avnet Technology Solutions Expands Storage Practice With LeftHand Networks Open iSCSI SANs
Avnet Technology Solutions, a value-added distributor of enterprise computing products, software and services and an operating group of Avnet, Inc., recently announced a new U.S. and Canadian distribution agreement with LeftHand Networks, a leader in open iSCSI SANs. With this new agreement, Avnet continues the expansion of its Storage Practice, providing Avnet's value-added reseller (VAR) partners with incremental sales opportunities for virtualization and consolidation solutions that leverage HP and IBM x86 servers.
"Avnet is creating an ecosystem of best-in-class storage and server consolidation solutions," said Jeff Bawol, senior vice president and general manager, Enterprise Software and Storage Solutions Group, Avnet Technology Solutions, Americas. "Following closely on the heels of our new relationship with VMware and in conjunction with our other key storage partners, the addition of LeftHand Network's iSCSI SANs to Avnet's offerings further enhances our commitment to fostering significant partner growth opportunities in storage and x86 servers. Our goal is to arm Avnet's partners with unbeatable technology and service solutions that deliver solid performance and return on investment metrics for their SMB and enterprise-class customers."
According to industry research firm IDC1, iSCSI is the fastest growing segment of the storage industry. During 2006, the iSCSI SAN market grew by 144 percent, to $746 million, and is predicted to grow to $5 billion by 2010. "With the growth of the iSCSI industry, it is important that industry leaders create strategic partnerships to ensure widespread distribution of this emerging technology," said Janet Waxman, research vice president for IDC. "Partnerships like Avnet's and LeftHand's accomplish just this."
The combination of enterprise-class x86 servers from HP and IBM with LeftHand Networks' SAN/iQ storage software creates a highly virtualized SAN environment for end customers. LeftHand's easy-to-deploy, open iSCSI SAN is scalable and provides high availability, reliability and performance. LeftHand's clustered SAN is managed from a single pane of glass within the user interface, allowing end customers to simplify their consolidated storage resources while providing a scaleable storage environment.
"More than 40 percent of LeftHand Networks' sales come from repeat business," said David Bangs, vice president of sales at LeftHand Networks. "Customers value LeftHand's products and the ability to achieve enterprise-class performance in a ‘pay as you grow' model. We chose Avnet to extend our channel not only because of their strong relationships with HP, IBM and VMware, but also Avnet's leadership in customer awareness and ability to sell storage solutions that solve business problems."
Avnet supports its partners throughout the solution sales cycle with the tools, training, resources and guidance necessary to accelerate sales in the virtualization and consolidation market. Avnet will be providing the systems integration for LeftHand's iSCSI SAN appliance and x86 servers. Additional services include Avnet's Consolidation Impact Assessment Services, which helps partners effectively assess an end customer's IT environment, provide a total cost of ownership analysis, identify consolidation opportunities, and recommend the solutions and services most appropriate. Partners can then work with Avnet to design, architect and implement a complete storage virtualization and consolidation strategy.
"As a LeftHand VAR, the news of the LeftHand-Avnet partnership is incredibly encouraging," said Scott Pelletier of Lewan and Associates. "The added support from a distributor with the size and reputation of Avnet will further our reach and enhance our strong relationship with LeftHand Networks and its products."
About LeftHand Networks
LeftHand Networks pioneered IP-based storage area networks (SAN) in 2001. SANs built using LeftHand's SAN/iQ software are uniquely able to distribute and protect data across a cluster of industry-standard storage servers. The company's patented architecture increases data availability, allows users to start small and grow the SAN seamlessly, and simplifies management. The LeftHand SAN is ideal for storage and server consolidation, campus SANs, and disaster recovery. For more information, contact LeftHand at info@lefthandnetworks.com.
About Avnet Technology Solutions
Avnet Technology Solutions is an operating group of Avnet, Inc. representing US$6B in annual revenue for fiscal year 2007, with locations in more than 30 countries. As a global technology sales and marketing organization, Avnet Technology Solutions has sales divisions focused on specific customer segments and a select line card strategy enabling an exceptional level of attention to the needs of its customers and suppliers. Visit www.ats.avnet.com.
About Avnet
With more than 300 locations serving customers in 70-plus countries worldwide, Avnet markets, distributes and adds value to the products of the world's leading electronic component suppliers, enterprise computer manufacturers and embedded subsystem providers. Additionally, Avnet brings a breadth and depth of service capabilities, such as supply-chain optimization, logistics solutions, product assembly, device programming, computer system integration and engineering design assistance. For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2007, Avnet generated revenue of $15.68B. Visit www.avnet.com.
1 Source: IDC, "Worldwide Storage Software 2007-2011 Forecast," by Laura DuBois and Doug Chandler, June 2007.
SOURCE: Avnet Technology Solutions