Avnet bolsters IBM relationship with new deal

Avnet is bolstering a successful year with partner, IBM, by expanding its solutions business to include the ISS security solutions range.

The recently struck deal covers the full ISS portfolio including the IBM Proventia Network and Server Intrusion Prevention Systems and IBM RealSecure Server Sensor. Avnet's existing IBM unit will take responsibility and will familiarise itself with the ISS product range over the next two quarters.

"Our business is about selling solutions to partners, so when our teams goes and talks about server and storage we obviously now have a broader message," Avnet country business manager, Gavin Lawless, said.

Partners will be able to receive training in the ISS range at Avnet's dedicated training centres in Melbourne and Sydney.

"We intend to use those [training centres] more and more in certifying partners, skilling them up with sales and technical and that will be a big part of our business in the next couple of years," Lawless said.

He emphasised the complementarity of the deal to current vendor partner arrangements.

"The significance [of the deal] is being able to work with our current vendors in taking more solutions to market," Lawless said.

Avnet picked up two awards at the IBM Business Partners Summit in Sydney last week - Asia-Pacific and A/NZ Distributor of the Year.

"From our point of view we have a very large global relationship with IBM and of course a nice local relationship too, and getting recognition for a lot of hard work is obviously very pleasing," Lawless said.

"Any opportunity to grow our relationship into different areas is positive."

Avnet has steadily picked up market share in the past two years and expects continued growth of 25-30 per cent next year on the back of a strong mid-market.

"In 2007 our business grew 67 per cent year on year. This year our business is growing over 40 per cent year on year," Lawless said.

IBM acquired ISS in October 2006.