Expanding its high-end technology footprint, Ingram Micro's Infrastructure Technology Solutions Division announced it is now selling and supporting the complete line of IBM System Storage N series hardware, software and solutions for small-to-midsize enterprises. Available to authorized IBM partners in the U.S. and Canada, the IBM System Storage N series works within heterogeneous environments and delivers high-end enterprise storage and data management value with midrange affordability. The N series also offers built-in enterprise serviceability and manageability features.

    These intuitive capabilities help solution providers to improve performance and scalability, while simplifying storage management, lowering total cost of ownership, and accelerating clients' return on investment. According to Ingram Micro's Vice President of Vendor Management Scott Zahl, the IBM N series boasts a solid line of flexible storage solutions that unify NAS, Fibre Channel and iSCSI SAN storage in a single platform for partners who are focused on the data center infrastructure needs of small and midsize businesses. IBM turned to Ingram Micro's ITS Division to extend its reach and help more solution providers service and support the growing SME market segment.

    "Storage is a lucrative sale for the IT Channel and will continue to rank among the New Year's most in-demand technology solutions for SMB and SME accounts," stated Zahl. "With the addition of the IBM System Storage N series, we've enhanced our existing IBM relationship and our ability to provide solution providers with a comprehensive, end-to-end IBM branded solution that addresses the business challenges of enterprise data management. It's really a great way for Ingram Micro, IBM and our partners to kickoff the New Year."

    To help solution providers achieve the necessary IBM authorizations to sell the N series, Ingram Micro's IBM storage team will offer a number of advanced technical and sales training opportunities. In addition, specialized accreditation and service-provider certification assistance and market education will be offered through the distributor's world-class Solution Centers in Buffalo, N.Y. and Santa Ana, Calif. Configuration and sales tools will also be made available to partners, along with access to the unrivaled expertise of Ingram Micro's field credit analysts and sales, marketing, and technical engineers to ease pre-sales support.

    Scott Look, ITS vice president, Ingram Micro North America commented: "The market expertise, technical capabilities, and day-to-day support offerings found within Ingram Micro's ITS Division continue to strengthen and expand our relationships with high-value, in-demand manufacturers like IBM. Our ability to generate demand and offer world-class support for higher-end technologies such as the IBM N series presents a unique single-source value proposition to our partners that they just can't get anywhere else."

    Ingram Micro has connected technology solution providers with vendors worldwide, identifying markets and technologies that shape the IT industry. Today, Ingram Micro remains at the forefront of the global technology marketplace, bringing the latest products and services to market and finding new ways to bring value to our customers. Through Ingram Micro Logistics, the company provides customizable services for order management and fulfillment, contract manufacturing, contract warehousing, product procurement, product pack out and cartonization, reverse logistics, transportation management, customer care, credit and collection management services, and other value chain services. Ingram Micro serves 150 countries and is the only global IT distributor with operations in Asia.