Ingram Micro Offers Full-Blown Odin Service Automation Platform

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MICROSOFT WPC — Distributor Ingram Micro is expanding its cloud ecosystem by adding new functionality to the Odin Service Automation platform that the company acquired in December 2015.

Examples of primarily user-driven upgrades in version 7.0, announced Monday, are an enhanced control panel, new payment options, a new way to log in, easier integration with third-party services, and new branding options.

Ingram Micro was an Odin customer before the acquisition. Today, the distributor’s cloud-delivery platforms designed to help partners transact business include the latest Odin Service Automation platform; the Ingram Micro Cloud Store, Odin Automation Essentials (OA); and the Ingram Micro Cloud Referral Program — all offered in conjunction with the Ingram Micro Cloud Marketplace.

Four-thousand Ingram Micro partners run their cloud platforms on the Odin Service Automation software. These partners tend to be large telecom providers, large cloud hosters and service providers.

“It’s [Odin software] built for someone that has a scale cloud business,” said Jason Bystrak, executive director Ingram Micro Cloud.{ad}

Ingram calls the Odin Service Automation software a robust package that requires project planning and implementation, taking several months to get up and running. The company has professional-services resources to help partners with the new platform. Existing Odin users will benefit from the latest offering ; so will new partners looking for a fully developed product that they could use as an operational platform for their business.

In contrast, OA Essentials is a getting-started type of offering that partners can download and get up and running themselves. It’s prepackaged, predesigned, less expensive and doesn’t require professional services.

“OA Essentials can be up and running in a matter of hours,” Bystrak said.

Ingram Micro was recognized as the 2016 Microsoft Distributor Partner of the Year award winner for accelerating Microsoft’s cloud practice.