Ingram Micro Moves Deeper into VMware vCAN Realm

Managed services providers wanting to add services to their portfolio without having to add infrastructure now have an option in the VMware vCloud Air Network (vCAN) MSP program. Lucky for them, Ingram Micro (IM) has been named an aggregator for the program.

“This is an extension of the vCAN program,” which Ingram Micro offers through its Ingram Micro Cloud division, noted Jason Bystrak, executive director. “The new program allows them to have the same invoice from Ingram Micro for the licensing of the vCloud, plus consumption in an infrastructure-as-a-service model.”

In other words, if an MSP wants to add incremental services to its portfolio but doesn’t want to build out additional infrastructure to support those services, it can “burst” into VMware’s data center to get the services on a subscription model.

“Essentially it allows MSPs to manage a hybrid cloud and help them get into cloud business fast and cost-effectively,” Bystrak said.

VMware announced its plans to give service providers access to the vCloud Air Network in February during the company’s annual Partner Exchange conference in San Francisco. In April it made good on its offer, making it available to customers as a managed service through vCloud Air Network service providers.

Ingram Micro’s status as an aggregator essentially streamlines the billing for vCloud Air Network service providers, helping them expand their services with less agita.

“We think this will open things quickly,” Bystrak said. “Partners in the VPN program maybe were not taking on as much hosting business as they could, but now they can burst into VMware data center in single motion, so I think this will help them scale quickly.”