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Avnet Bolsters Its Network Security Business

As security becomes a bigger driver of IT strategies, Avnet Technology Solutions (ATS) is positioning itself to better support its global partners by helping them target the growing networking security market as a key opportunity. One of the most recent moves by Avnet is the launch of its Avnet Security & Networking Solutions (ASNS) division […]

Written By: Gina Roos

Jul 10, 2014

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As security becomes a bigger driver of IT strategies, Avnet Technology Solutions (ATS) is positioning itself to better support its global partners by helping them target the growing networking security market as a key opportunity.

One of the most recent moves by Avnet is the launch of its Avnet Security & Networking Solutions (ASNS) division in the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East and Africa), which will help these partners expand or enter this marketplace by leveraging the IT distributor’s resources and value-added services. This division will be supported by specialist technical and commercial ASNS Competence Centres in EMEA.

The first center is scheduled to launch this quarter in the Netherlands. The center will be an EMEA hub for delivering security and networking services and solutions across the region and will be further supported by Avnet’s local expertise in the field.

A key driver behind the launch of the ASNS division is the rapid adoption of private, hybrid and public cloud solutions, which has changed the sourcing behavior of companies, Miriam Murphy, senior vice president of sales and marketing, Avnet Technology Solutions EMEA, told Channel Insider.

“Server, storage and networking decisions are more and more part of an integrated infrastructure strategy with the different elements optimized to work together in the most efficient way,” Murphy said. “In this process, the classic separation between infrastructure and security sourcing is disappearing as security becomes a key driver of IT strategies. Software-defined data center technology will accelerate this phenomenon in the next years [to come].”

Avnet Technology Solutions will offer three types of network security services in all countries: demand-generation services, enablement-related services such as training and certifications, and business facilitation services such as pre-sales support and professional services to complement partner offerings. In some countries, Avnet already offers the majority of these services. The plan is to roll out the services in all countries over the next two to three quarters.

“Security requires investments,” stated Murphy. “Together with our vendor partners, Avnet wants to have a compelling value proposition for partners, ensuring a fast enablement and a faster return on their investments.”

In North America, Avnet Technology Solutions supports its partners in these types of opportunities by providing them with specialized expertise through the SolutionsPath University and relationships with leading suppliers, such as Aruba Networks, Brocade, Cisco, Check Point, F5 Networks, Riverbed, RSA and Symantec. The North American team also supports partners through the “Connected and Secured Solutions” and “Converged and Data Solutions” groups.

“Avnet Technology Solutions is continually looking for new ways to further accelerate our partners’ success, and we’ll let you know if there are any changes to operational structure in North America in the future as the business continues to evolve in line with our global strategies,” Murphy said.

Gina Roos, a Channel Insider contributor, specializes in technology and the channel.

Avnet Bolsters Its Network Security Business

Gina Roos

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