McData extends reach with IBM OEM deal
McData extends reach with IBM OEM deal
Storage networking equipment provider McData has signed a new OEM agreement with IBM that will aid the sale and distribution of its manufactured storage fabric switches and directors in Asia-Pacific and Europe, under IBM's TotalStorage brand.
IBM currently resells McData SAN products through its sales force and business partners to select countries around the world. Under the expanded OEM agreement, IBM will rebrand McData's Sphereon line of fabric switches and the Intrepid line of directors to expand the marketplace reach of the products.
"This agreement renews and strengthens our existing relationship with one of the leading SAN providers," said Robert Mahoney, business line executive for storage networking at IBM. "Our relationship with McData supports our ability to provide products and solutions that integrate into the end-user’s environment, with a focus on delivering value and support."
"Today's IT managers want to deploy complete solutions including storage," said Janet Waxman, vice president of hardware channels and alliances research at IDC. "As technology providers such as IBM and McData develop stronger alliances, their business partners are able to provide integrated solutions and focus more on delivering value - helping customers optimise their infrastructure, instead of assembling piece parts."
McDATA Chairman, CEO and president, John Kelley said that IBM’s and McData’s entry into the OEM relationship eases implementation and support issues around their SANs.
"By joining with IBM to introduce solutions into new marketplaces worldwide, we are giving customers a simpler way to purchase SAN solutions, build and grow multi-vendor SANs, unify their data infrastructure, and adapt more quickly to business changes and opportunities.”
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