Beta Distribution: Quantum deal validates our storage move

Distributor claims its going to target 'disheartened' EMC partners after Dell takeover

Beta Distribution has claimed its latest agreement with Quantum has validated its move into the storage market, and said it is looking to go after EMC partners which may be"disheartened" by the Dell takeover.

Headquartered in California, Quantum is a storage vendor which delivers backup, recovery and archive solutions and claims to have over 100,000 deployments in more than 100 countries.

Beta previously had an agreement to distribute Quantum's LTO media cartridges, but now is getting access to the vendor's complete portfolio of storage hardware offerings.

In May, Beta indicated to CRN that it is moving from its previous focus on consumables and into the storage space, and Steve Soper, managing director at Beta, said this agreement is important to the company's strategy.

"This appointment is a highly significant milestone in Beta's development," he said. "In the past six months, we've secured a number of new distribution agreements in the technology space but the appointment by a brand like Quantum makes a very clear statement that we are indeed a very serious player in this market."

Ricky Patel, business manager at Beta, said the agreement came after 10 months of discussions, and said Quantum made the partnership extension because it had seen that Beta has been disruptive with some of the vendors it has taken on recently. He added that Quantum wants to use Beta to extend its market share and reach out to new resellers.

Beta is looking to attract between 50 and 60 new resellers in the next two quarters with this deal, and is going to concentrate on partners in media and entertainment, CCTV and corporate areas, Patel said.

"We are looking to partner with new resellers who want to go on a journey with double-digit margins and a product that can scale from low-end to high-end. For us, it's a really big statement signing," he said.

Patel added that certain parts of Quantum's portfolio competes with EMC, and with the Dell deal, he is looking to target some of these partners who may be unsettled by the takeover.

"Any EMC-Dell partners who are worried about investing in technology which may not be around in two-or-three years' time, should come and talk to us," he said. "In the corporate space we are going to go after those EMC partners and try and recruit partners that may be disheartened by the move that may be happening."

Quantum is already partnered with CMS Distribution, Hammer, Arrow and Ingram Micro in the UK, and Patel said the line-up is remaining the same for the time being, with Beta "brought in to pick up the slack where those guys have sort of de-focused".

Nigel Morris, marketing director at the privately owned London-based distributor, added that the deal is a statement to anyone who had doubts it could be a big player in the storage space.

"Quantum has a well-established brand and they don't want to be compromised in any way," he said. "They have given us credibility and it validates our message."

Beta said it is going to be providing resellers pre- and post-sales support and offering them in-house experts, with this agreement.