Parallels, a global provider of cloud enabling and desktop virtualization solutions founded by a Russian team in 1999, announced last week an expansion of its strategic alliance with technology distributor Ingram Micro Inc.
Not only will Ingram Micro deploy Parallels Automation as the core service delivery platform for its new global Cloud Marketplace, but the relationship also includes an equity investment by Ingram Micro in Parallels. The financial side of the agreement has not been disclosed.
Under the arrangement, Ingram Micro will provide resellers with unified commercial terms and product support – “a ‘one-stop shop’ approach that will bring new structure to what can be a fragmented market,” explained John Zanni, the chief marketing officer for Parallels’ service provider business, in an exchange with GeekWire.
Ingram Micro has about 200,000 customers, including resellers and retailers. “That scale should accelerate Parallels’ reach and its ability to make innovations, by better understanding the needs of resellers,” GeekWire quoted Zanni as saying.
The alliance between Parallels and Ingram Micro underscores the growing demand for a broad range of cloud services by channel partners and IT professionals.
According to an IDC report cited by Parallels, SMB spending on cloud solutions alone will grow by nearly 20% over the next five years.
Based in California, Ingram Micro is a leading master cloud services aggregator and provider. The company is also a wholesale technology distributor and a provider of IT supply-chain and mobile device lifecycle services.
Another ally of Parallels in the cloud market is Cisco. In January 2013, Parallels secured an equity investment of an undisclosed amount from the US giant to support joint go-to-market activities. The companies intended to strengthen collaboration towards accelerating customer adoption of Parallels cloud service delivery products with Cisco cloud and data center infrastructure solutions.
