Westcon Group Signed as VAD of Fujitsu Servers and Storage

Solidifying its position as VAD of unified communications, network infrastructure, data center, and security solutions with a network of specialty resellers, Westcon Group, Inc. announced expansion of its data center business practice.

Fueled by the company’s Cisco server and Brocade storage offerings, the expanded business is backed by a newly signed North American distribution agreement with Fujitsu America.

According to industry reports, server and storage technologies act as the foundation for cloud-based data centers. Today’s infrastructures rely on the flexibility and scalability of these solutions to help customers realize the full impact of virtualization. Westcon’s expanded practice helps partners accelerate customer adoption of virtualized and cloud-based infrastructures.

"As businesses rapidly adopt virtualization, their infrastructures become increasingly complex. Powerful server and storage offerings are critical elements towards addressing this complexity," said Patty Gray, VP of Global Technology Strategies, Westcon Group. "Our data center practice – now supported by premier Fujitsu offerings – allows partners to quickly build new revenue streams based on a broad array of powerful technologies."

The Fujitsu portfolio directly complements Westcon’s existing Cisco, Brocade and Avaya relationships – enabling partners to effectively build business practices based on these offerings. Westcon now offers the full line of Fujitsu server and storage solutions to specialty resellers across North America. The agreement includes both the PRIMERGY server and ETERNUS storage product lines – both supported by Westcon’s service, integration, training and support programs.

"Fujitsu server and storage products provide the scalability, performance and reliability companies demand from their mission-critical enterprise systems. Our PRIMERGY and ETERNUS products are the foundation upon which cost-effective, high availability IT infrastructures are built," said Bill King, EVP of Platform Products, Fujitsu America. "Westcon’s unmatched level of expertise will open new doors for our products across North America, ensuring partners can more effectively construct their data centers based on our award-winning products."

Building the practice further, Westcon also introduced IBM veteran Dan Papes as SVP of the company’s Emerging Technologies and Data Center Practice. Papes previously served as global VP of Worldwide Cloud Services Sales for IBM. At Westcon, he will focus on further building the data center business practice, creating a sales and support infrastructure to broaden the partner portfolio, and accelerating the Fujitsu relationship.

"As resellers seek new opportunities generated by virtualization and cloud, they require partners with the expertise to navigate the market’s many complexities," said Lynn Smurthwaite-Murphy, SVP of US and Canada, Westcon Group. "With more than 30 years of experience, Dan has his finger on the pulse of the data center market and its many vendors. We look forward to helping partners on their journey to the next-generation data center under his guidance."

In the coming months, Fujitsu technologies will be integrated into Westcon’s LEAP (Learn, Experience, Architect and Plan) Centers of Excellence. Each training facility is designed to offer VARs a facility for hands-on training, technology demonstration, and briefing center capabilities across a broad range of solutions targeted at virtualized data centers.

"Fujitsu is a terrific addition to Westcon’s portfolio. Their server and storage products provide a highly accessible entry point into the data center market," said Bruce Tucker, president and founder, Patriot Technologies, Inc. "This relatively low barrier-to-entry is an essential component for any reseller looking to drive their virtualization and cloud practices."