Magirus offers UCS configuration

Distributor is first in Europe to offer VARs help with configuring Cisco's new server architecture

Andrew Binding: Doing their own configuration will make VARs more competitive

Magirus’ new configuration capabilities will allow Cisco Unified Computing System (UCS) resellers to better compete with HP and IBM, the distributor has claimed.

Magirus announced last week that it has become the first Cisco UCS C-Series Authorised Configuration (UCAC) in Europe.

Working on an order-to-shipment lead time of under five days, Magirus will configure datacentre solutions based on 18 UCS C-Series bundles at its logistics centre in Strasbourg.

Andrew Binding, vice president, Northern Europe region at Magirus, said the development would benefit the 20 UK resellers it has recruited for Cisco since the duo partnered in February.

“If resellers can configure UCS to their requirements it will make it easier for them to compete against HP and IBM,” he said.

Binding stressed that Magirus had carried out similar work on behalf of IBM and HP, before it sold off its infrastructure business to Avnet in 2007.

Cisco’s lead time woes have been well documented and Cisco’s new server architecture has not been immune. Some resellers have already reported that UCS lead times stand at upwards of a month.

Binding said: “You can order servers configured from Cisco but you would have to wait considerably longer than five days.”

Rohan Abey, sales director at UCS partner Block Solutions, welcomed the move. “Bringing the products closer to market is essential if Cisco is to make an impact on some of the strong competitors in the server space,” he said.