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Avnet Technology Solutions adds IBM i on Blade technology acclimatisation facilities to its recently enhanced demonstration centre in Bracknell

Avnet Technology Solutions can now provide Business Partners with the option to acclimatise to the very latest i on Blade technology from IBM including IBM i environment (formerly OS/400, i5/OS) on the Power Blade (POWER6 model JS22). 

Business Partners will benefit from the opportunity to gain the necessary skills, experience and technical knowledge required to offer this leading, growing and scalable platform to their end user customers.  Avnet technical consultants will be available to work with Business Partners to test, prove and play with the technology so that customers can fully understand and appreciate that proposed solutions are right for their environment. 

Avnet Technology Solutions UK, a part of Avnet Inc, the world's leading technology distributor dedicated to servicing the channel, updated its showcase facility THE [resource] during 2008. 

It now features Data Centre and Solution Centre suites to support demonstration, technology acclimatisation, proof of concept and testing activities.  The centre has already proved popular with both Business Partners and vendors as a venue for training courses, technical demonstrations and meetings.  There has been a multi-fold increase in the number of people using the THE [resource] in the last four months.

Mike Mernagh, IBM Business Unit Director at Avnet Technology Solutions explains the interest in i on Blade.  "In the traditional AS/400 (iSeries, System i, i et al) community, the system's "out-of-the-box" operability and ease of use are the reasons that many organisations have remained steadfast to it for mission critical processes and valuable applications.  It has remained a popular platform throughout its continuing evolutions - thanks to its increasingly advance functionality which has made it a well-proven integration and consolidation platform.

"With the continuing growth in modular (x86-based) system footprints, no one can doubt that Blades are a serious and increasingly significant player in the server market.  Therefore continuing the evolution and bringing i to Blade is an important transition for System i.  It does, however represent quite a departure from the original platform, as it requires a level of know-how in different technologies, such as modular systems, Unix and external storage. 

"This inevitably means some compromise.  The phenomenal rise of modular systems indicates something is happening.  Yet, recognition is now dawning that the new i on Blade environment can build on many of the traditional strengths of the platform while adding the new capabilities and strengths of IBM BladeCenter; such as Windows, Linux and Unix server consolidation, virtualised resources and impeccable green credentials, to produce a solution that provides the best of both worlds."

Mike Mernagh concluded, "By providing a fully operational demonstration facility of i on Blade in THE [resource] Avnet is giving Business Partners the ability to really get to know the benefits of this technology in a risk free environment.  We all have much to gain by getting this star player off the bench and back on the pitch, where it can really perform.  With THE [resource], our Business Partners have the ability to move early and gain an important edge in an area where rewards will be highest for those who can execute sooner rather than later."

For further information on how to become an Avnet Business Partner or for existing Business Partners to book THE [resource] further information is available on www.avnet.com/ts/uk.

About Avnet Technology Solutions

Avnet Technology Solutions is an operating group of Phoenix-based Avnet, Inc. As a global technology sales and marketing organization, Avnet Technology Solutions has sales divisions focused on specific customer segments and a select line card strategy enabling an exceptional level of attention to the needs of its customers and suppliers. For fiscal year 2008, the group served customers in more than 30 countries and generated US $7.6 billion in annual revenue.

Visit: www.ts.avnet.com/emea/

About Avnet Inc

Avnet, Inc. (NYSE:AVT), a Fortune 500 company, is one of the largest distributors of electronic components, computer products and embedded technology in the world. Avnet accelerates its partners' success by connecting the world's leading technology suppliers with a broad base of more than 100,000 customers and providing cost-effective, value-added services and solutions. For the fiscal year ended June 28, 2008, Avnet generated revenue of $17.95 billion. For more information, visit www.avnet.com.

ENDS

For more information please contact: 

Avnet Technology Solutions
Linda Patterson, Marketing Director
T: +44 (0)1344 662000
E: Linda.patterson@avnet.com