Simms pick up Parallels, drops VMware

Simms International has become the new distributor for cloud computing and Apple Mac desktop virtualisation vendor, Parallels. The distributor has dropped its VMware product-line in the process.

Parallels decided to ramp up investments across Australia and New Zealand over a year ago. In August 2010, the vendor opened its local office and appointed Neil Morarji and Alexei Anisimov as general manager and sales engineer, respectively.

Replacing long-time distributor, Conexus, Simms will take care of Parallels’ reseller and mass merchant channel while the vendor’s other distributor, Software Only, will continue to service retailers.

Parallels Desktop 6 for Mac, which lets users run Windows applications on a Mac without rebooting, and Desktop 6 Switch to Mac that aids switching from PC to Mac will be the first two products Simms will stock. The plan is to gradually let the distributor get full access to the vendor’s catalogue.

The Parallels desktop virtualisation products will replace VMware’s Fusion series in Simms’s product line-up. This is in accordance with the distributor’s rule of offering vendor exclusivity in its mainstream product categories. According to Simms' website, the company only had ties with VMware for the Fusion products.

Simms signed a distribution deal with Smith Micro, the publisher for VMware Fusion, in 2007.

“From our perspective, we saw Parallels as global leaders in virtualisation and automation software in the Mac market,” Simms product marketing director, Gavin Troxler, said. “Its cloud computing solutions present Simms and our corporate partners a great opportunity for growth in Australia moving forward.”

For Parallels, Australia’s high Mac adoption rates motivated its decision to pair with Simms.

“We recognised the Mac space has grown rapidly so we were looking for a partner that can help us expand our footprint in the Australian market particularly in areas where mass merchants are serving non-traditional Mac users,” Parallels vice-president for marketing and alliances, John Eng, said.

Simms will target the new products to its 300 Apple reseller base as well as to mass merchants and premium Apple resellers.

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