Tech Data Authorized To Sell EMC

EMC is coming to broadline distribution.

The Hopkinton, Mass.-based storage vendor recently signed a deal to distribute its Clariion CX300 and NetWin 200 systems with Navisphere and SnapView storage management software through distributor Tech Data.

The addition of EMC was met with universal approval from solution providers gathered for Tech Data's TechSelect event in San Diego this week.

"EMC is a tremendous addition to Tech Data. We are looking forward to engaging with them," said Sam Ruggeri, president of Advanced Vision Technology Group, a solution provider based in Hauppauge, N.Y. "We have existing clients that have EMC. Now it's something we can do for them instead of them having to go elsewhere. It will really expand our product pool."

Joe Ambrosole, president of NetConnect, a Staten Island, N.Y.-based solution provider, said a vendor such as EMC was needed in broadline distribution to round out his storage solutions for customers."I got around [not having EMC] by selling HP and its storage products. But EMC is a major player so it will be nice to introduce EMC as well as HP," Ambrosole said.

Tech Data also carries products from EMC's Legato software division through a prior relationship between the distributor and Legato before the storage software company was purchased by EMC last July.

EMC wants to reach more small to midsize customers through Tech Data solution providers, said John Koury, vice president of channels marketing at the vendor.

"Most resellers probably think we're the big iron guys. Two years ago that was absolutely true," Koury said. "Today, that model has changed dramatically. We will always have our Symmetrix product line in the high-end enterprise, but at the other end we have a $2,000 software product. Our enterprise guys are not going to take that to the SMB market. We had to find new ways to go to market."

Tech Data plans to dedicate field-based engineers, systems engineers, technical support and customer education resources for EMC through its Enterprise Specialized Business Unit. Solution providers can also design and test EMC-focused solutions in Tech Data's Enterprise Solution Center based in its Clearwater, Fla. headquarters, said Joe Serra, vice president of networking and high-end storage product marketing at the distributor.EMC likely will send more of its products through Tech Data distribution, but Koury told solution providers that EMC will not be overdistributed through the channel. In addition, the company has no plans to add more distributors in the near future.

"Never is a long time, but we carefully looked at a lot of people. Tech Data made the efforts to understand our business and what we want to accomplish," Koury said.

Tech Data solution providers will have the same opportunity to register deals that solution providers from EMC's other distributors, Arrow Electronics, Avnet and Bell Microproducts, have, Koury said.

Registered opportunities last for 90 days but can be extended. Solution providers get 5 percent off the list price when they register the deal and if a competitor comes in to undercut a bid, the solution provider that registered the deal will receive a finder's fee, Koury said.

Article appears courtesy of CRN.0