Renee Bergeron - Vice President of Global Cloud, Ingram Micro
Ingram Micro has unveiled three new Cloud services delivery platforms for channel partners, expanding the distributor’s ecosystem of Cloud.
Revealed overnight during the Ingram Micro Cloud Summit, the new platforms are designed to accelerate Cloud sales for partners, removing the complexities of web development costs, sales and marketing resources, as well as in-depth expertise of Cloud computing solutions and services.
Leveraging the acquisition of Odin’s Cloud automation platform in December, the new offerings are in conjunction with the Ingram Micro Cloud Marketplace and as part of the Ingram Micro Ecosystem of Cloud.
“The Ingram Micro Cloud Marketplace is the cornerstone of our Ecosystem of Cloud and serves as a gateway to successfully selling Cloud services for more than 30,000 partners in 18 countries,” Ingram Micro, Vice President of Global Cloud, Renee Bergeron said.
“Our early and ongoing investments in the Cloud Marketplace have accelerated the adoption of Cloud services within the IT channel, and have made selling Cloud a more profitable and sustainable business for our partner community.”
Bergeron said the Cloud triple play compromises of three platforms, covering the Ingram Micro Cloud Store, Odin Automation (OA) Essentials and the Ingram Micro Cloud Referral Program.
Ingram Micro Cloud Store
Billed as a “partner-branded, hosted e-commerce store”, Bergeron said the Ingram Micro Cloud Store directly connects to an IT service provider or MSP's existing website.
Featuring Cloud services available on the Ingram Micro Cloud Marketplace, the customisable e-storefront is designed to provide channel partners with the “flexibility and control” to better monetise, market, and manage the sale of Cloud services online.
Odin Automation (OA) Essentials
A downloadable Cloud services automation solution, Bergeron said OA Essentials enables Cloud providers to efficiently provision, manage, and sell both Cloud and self-hosted services through a single platform.
With OA Essentials, partners can market, sell, and bundle Microsoft Office 365 and other CSP (Cloud Solution Provider) services within existing products, while maintaining full control of the on-premise e-commerce store from integration with existing provisioning systems to deploying custom domain and payment plugin options.
Ingram Micro Cloud Referral Program
Finally, Bergeron said the Cloud Referral Program enables channel partners to market and sell Cloud services through customised banners and links featured on their website, and fulfilled through the Ingram Micro Cloud Marketplace.
According to Bergeron, all resulting sales and complementary services are conducted by Ingram Micro under the partner's brand. In return, the channel partner receives a commission for the referral.
In a move to simplify the Cloud sales process, Bergeron said Ingram Micro has also made “significant improvements” to the functionality and usability of the Cloud Marketplace, including a new consolidated invoice option.
“Channel partners can now combine all vendor solutions and services into a single monthly consolidated invoice, and provide their customers with an easier way to manage their subscription costs,” Bergeron said.
“Another partner-requested feature recently added to the Cloud Marketplace includes vertical-specific Cloud services and solutions for Healthcare, Government, and Small Business.”
Ingram Micro confirmed to ARN that Cloud Store will be available to partners in Australia and New Zealand within the next 30 days, but remained unable to confirm availability of OA Essentials and the Referral Program across the region within a specified time frame.
