Nimesh Davé (Ingram Micro)
Ingram Micro has unveiled a new independent software division designed to help service providers build, scale and monetise cloud and digital services.
Under the banner of CloudBlue, the practice will sell CloudBlue commerce platform and services directly to service providers, including managed service providers (MSPs), telecommunications providers, large value-added resellers and other distributors.
The launch - unveiled during Ingram Micro Cloud Summit - also sees the distribution giant strike a “one-of-a-kind” strategic alliance with Microsoft, allowing both parties to co-sell the CloudBlue commerce platform to new service providers joining the vendor’s Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) program.
Built on Microsoft Azure, the CloudBlue platform will operate separately from Ingram Micro Cloud, which will remain focused on supporting Cloud Marketplace and helping channel partners distribute third-party cloud solutions.
“Creating a dedicated and independent CloudBlue division enables us to accelerate our focus on helping service providers succeed in the as-a-service, cloud-first economy,” Ingram Micro executive vice president of Global Cloud, Nimesh Davé, said.
“More and more businesses are experiencing a breaking point in the digital modernisation of their organisations and need a flexible and secure platform to sell and scale their cloud offerings while delivering an exceptional service experience.”
According to Davé, CloudBlue is the product of almost a decade of investment - surpassing $500 million - by the distributor, backed up by six strategic market acquisitions, including Odin Automation Platform and Ensim Automation Suite.
Today, CloudBlue manages more than 27 million enterprise cloud subscriptions globally, spanning professionals across engineering, product management, operations, marketing and sales.
Alongside powering the Ingram Micro Cloud Marketplace, CloudBlue is the driving force behind the cloud operations of 200 service providers across the world, including Telstra in Australia, as well as Sprint, Centurylink, Cogeco, Telefonica and O2.
Meanwhile, Richard Dufty, senior vice president of CloudBlue, will lead the sales, support and service for the new division.
“The launch of CloudBlue is instrumental to the ongoing success of our customers and partners and clearly positions us as a business platform leader and technology innovator in our industry,” Dufty added.
“CloudBlue stands alone in its proven ability to deliver scalable and secure technology, access to an infinite ecosystem of providers, and go-to-market and enablement services.
“By providing these resources and capabilities to our customers, we are removing the barriers to entry and growing pains organisations have historically faced when launching, scaling, and managing cloud businesses and services.”
At the core of the CloudBlue ecosystem, is its proprietary API technology, APS, which customers can use to connect to the platform’s network of vendor solutions, providing a “single point of entry” for independent software vendors (ISVs), including more than 200 pre-integrated solutions from Microsoft, Dropbox, DocuSign, IBM, Cisco and Symantec.
Microsoft
Through Microsoft Azure, the CloudBlue commerce platform will leverage the public cloud infrastructure already used by developers, IT professionals and partners around the world.
Furthermore, the vendor’s CSP program enables partners to create packaged solutions and offer managed services based on Microsoft cloud services.
“Our partnership with Ingram Micro, and their commitment to Azure, will ensure our partners have access to a great set of tools to help accelerate the return on their cloud investments,” Microsoft corporate vice president of One Commercial Partner, Gavriella Schuster, said.
“The trusted Azure cloud platform, combined with our CSP program and CloudBlue’s expertise in supporting service providers’ cloud operations, will enable our customers to maximise their investments in the cloud and grow their businesses.”
Following the launch, a host of service providers around the world are already leveraging the CloudBlue platform, hosted on Azure, including rollouts in the UK and Africa.
“The cloud market has reached a tipping point and we are well-positioned to ensure businesses can benefit,” Dufty added.
“We are removing barriers to entry to enable businesses to move quickly and access the growth promised by cloud technologies.
“They need the right solution to automate and accelerate their cloud businesses. With Microsoft Azure powering our CloudBlue commerce platform, our customers will be able to scale faster and deliver to their customers the market leading technologies they need.”
