By Paul Kunert
8 August 2008
VMware is looking to cover all its bases by formalising its relationship with system builders to tap into a community that accounts for only 5% of UK server sales but still has some reach in the public sector and SME.
The virtualisation vendor has ties to the resellers but is forging closer links with local server assemblers, as it continues to to head off a challenge from Microsoft’s Hyper-V technology that will be released with each copy of Windows Server 2008.
“This is another step in broadening the reach of virtualisation,” said Mukesh Sharma, VMware senior manager for EMEA alliances, “We want to get system builders in a position to configure servers for virtualisation and install VMware software effectively,”
The VMware System Builder programme will be bolted onto the umbrella VIP channel programme – under which they can accrue rebates – and members will be given specific technical support, training and sales and marketing tools..
VMware reckons white-box players are responsible for around 20% of global servers sales but the figure is closer to four per cent in the UK, as local players have been ravaged by Dell, Hewlett-Packard and other global vendors.
Most of the major UK brands assembling PCs and servers locally have disappeared but Sharma believed the survivors had carved out a strong niche in the SME sector, education or local Government.
According to Nathaniel Marthinez, programme director for IDC’s European systems research, system builder had up to 50% market share in emerging territories but that falls to 5% to 6%.
“VMware needs to seed markets, especially emerging markets where this programme makes most sense, and part of its plan is to build sales in the public sector,” he said.
Mark Kinsell, Hammer sales manager for server products, said VMware was established in the enterprise market but target is now SMB, “a market where the system builder channel has historically had great success.”
Basingstoke-based distributor Hammer has an “umbrella facility” to assemble Intel based servers and install applications for system builders, which Kinsell said lets customers focus on sales and support activities.
