Cloud: Ingram Micro helps partners see wood from the trees

Ingram Micro Cloud has today held its largest UK cloud event at Center Parcs, Woburn Forest in Bedfordshire.

Attendees were hoping to gain a better understanding of the Ingram Micro global and cloud strategies. Ingram Micro Cloud is aimed at the SMB space and the distie is working with leading cloud vendors like Microsoft and a network of reseller partners to address the needs of the market.

The event covered Microsoft’s #ModernBiz solution selling framework, “cloud university” technical and marketing workshops, Sandler sales training and a cloud vendor showcase including Acronis, DropBox, Nomadesk, Connectwise and SkyKick.

Attendees are also learning more about how to use the Ingram Micro Cloud Marketplace to purchase, provision, manage and invoice from a single portal, as well as discover how they can “increase their margins” with the Microsoft CSP programme.

In addition, Ingram Micro unveiled the details behind its Cloud Store offering, which enables its partners to rapidly deploy a self-branded e-commerce store for their customers to self-purchase, provision and manage their cloud solutions.

Keynotes have included David Coplin, chief envisioning officer for Microsoft UK, who discussed productivity in the new digital and mobile age, along with the opportunities of emerging technologies such as big data and machine learning.

Apay Obang-Oyway, director for cloud in Northern Europe, Ingram Micro Cloud, said: “Greater opportunities now lie with SMBs. It’s important to realise the potential of the cloud.

“You can be sure your competition already has and is leveraging it to accelerate their growth or are well on the way to doing so.”

Karl Roe, sales director of the newly acquired Odin platform, spoke on the automation, delivery and management of cloud services, and the importance of the Odin platform when it comes to partnering for the cloud journey, enabling partners to have a solution that fits their needs as they evolve their business strategy.

Ingram Micro recently acquired the Parallels Odin service automation platform along with associated cloud management technologies, intellectual property and the Odin brand.

@AntonySavvas