Distributors gun for UCS top spot

Comstor, Azlan, Magirus and Ingram Micro go head to head for supremacy in Cisco datacentre channel

Taking aim: Cisco's four UK distributors have all been promoting their UCS credentials in recent weeks

Cisco distributors are vying to become the vendor’s leading channel for its unified computing system (UCS) server technology.

UCS was launched through distribution in November and Comstor was quick to unveil big plans for the technology. Russell Blackburn, Comstor’s recently appointed datacentre director for Europe, revealed that the firm is now accredited to sell both C- and B-Series Cisco servers. He added that it would be running sales courses, and cited its “flexibility around currency and stocking” as a key differentiator in the distribution channel.

“In the Cisco arena, we have majority share and I want to make sure that we stay way in front,” he said.

Azlan and Magirus have also recently been promoting their claim to the prize position. Azlan claimed earlier this month that it was the first to ship C-Series in the UK, adding that it was so far the only distributor offering full inventory availability for the technology.

New recruit Magirus last month melded its various sales teams into one all-encompassing datacentre unit. UK and Ireland managing director Denise Bryant claimed her firm is the only distri butor holding an accreditation to configure B-Series kit to order.

“We have the ability to add additional components to the bundles,” she explained. “We can ship to the end user far more quickly.”

Meanwhile, Ingram Micro claims it has already taken stock of C-Series kit. The firm’s UK director of value business, Cathi Low, told CRN that Ingram would hit the market over the next eight weeks with marketing materials and training programmes.

“Ingram Micro has been working with Cisco and complementary vendors in the unified computing area over the past year,” she added.