Avnet bolsters IBM offering at demo facility

Distributor able to offer resellers latest insight into IBM i-series technology

Distribution giant Avnet Technology Solutions has strengthened its IBM offerings at its demonstration centre in Bracknell.

As a result, its reseller base will now be able to brush up on the latest i on Blade technology from IBM i environment, at the distributor’s facility, known as ‘The Resource’.

This in turn, will enable them to offer this platform to their end user base. Avnet’s technical consultants will be available to work with business partners to test, prove and play with the technology to give resellers the full picture of the technology.

Mike Mernagh, IBM business unit director at Avnet Technology Solutions, said: “In the traditional AS/400 (iSeries, System i, i et al ) community, the system’s “out-of-the-box” operability and ease of use are the reasons that many organisations have remained steadfast to it for mission critical processes and valuable applications. It has remained a popular platform throughout its continuing evolutions – thanks to its increasingly advanced functionality which has made it a well-proven integration and consolidation platform.

“With the continuing growth in modular (x86-based) system footprints, no one can doubt that Blades are a serious and increasingly significant player in the server market. Therefore continuing the evolution and bringing i to Blade is an important transition for System i. It does, however represent quite a departure from the original platform, as it requires a level of know-how in different technologies, such as modular systems, Unix and external storage.”

Mike Mernagh concluded, “ Avnet is giving Business Partners the ability to really get to know the benefits of this technology in a risk free environment. We all have much to gain by getting this star player off the bench and back on the pitch, where it can really perform. With The Resource , our Business Partners have the ability to move early and gain an important edge in an area where rewards will be highest for those who can execute sooner rather than later.”