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Novell and Avnet Technology Solutions sign UK distribution agreement!

Avnet Technology Solutions, a value-added IT distributor and an operating group of Avnet, Inc. (NYSE: AVT), and Novell today announced that they have entered into a distribution agreement for the UK. Under the agreement, Avnet will distribute to its extensive business partner network Novell's entire portfolio of data centre, identity and security management, and end-user computing solutions. The agreement highlights Novell's commitment to creating a highly focused and effective distribution channel and strategy in the UK and EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa).

Avnet business partners will benefit from access to Novell's industry-leading portfolio of Linux and IT management software, including Platespin, Novell SUSE Linux Enterprise 11, Novell Identity Manager, Novell ZenWorks and Novell GroupWise. Avnet will dedicate a comprehensive team to manage the relationship with Novell, as well as a competency centre to recruit, train and support resellers and solution providers with the integration of Novell solutions into customer IT strategies. Using Novell's products, business partners will be able to help customers create IT environments that are easy to manage, highly secure and cost effective.

“The agreement with Avnet underscores Novell's focus on ensuring it has the right distributors in the UK,” said Dan Veitkus, Vice President, Partners & Channels, Novell EMEA. “In fact, Novell has committed to rationalising the number of authorised value-added distributors (VADs) in the UK and Ireland to support our focus on quality over quantity. Distributors and partners will need to meet agreed performance, recruitment and customer satisfaction criteria, as well as commit to specialisation of skills to ensure customers have the best possible experience with Novell technology. Novell in turn will be making deliberate investments in our selected VADs. By having a more focused and specialised distribution channel, Novell will be able to provide more support and resources to help distributors, partners and ultimately Novell's customers, resulting in greater business benefits to all.”

Sukh Rayat, senior vice president, Avnet Technology Solutions, EMEA, said, “Novell’s software solutions complement Avnet's existing desktop and data centre portfolio due to their platform agnostic nature. By bringing together our two companies with a common vision, we are able to accelerate innovation and further enhance our solutions portfolio.

“This is a good strategic fit for Avnet that will add significant value to our channel, as our business partners will be able to source more complete, integral hardware and software solutions from a single trusted source. This is a clear win for Avnet and our partners.”

Sean McCarry, Country Manager, Novell UK, added, "The channel is vital to our success in the UK, and we are committed to working and investing resources with the most suitable partners and distributors to ensure customers receive the best possible service. Customers are looking at ways to more cost effectively manage and secure mixed IT environments, and the combination of our Linux and IT management software and Avnet's close ties with the UK channel provides an ideal pairing."

About Novell
Novell, Inc. (Nasdaq: NOVL) delivers the best engineered, most interoperable Linux platform and a portfolio of integrated IT management software that helps customers around the world reduce cost, complexity and risk. With our infrastructure software and ecosystem of partnerships, Novell harmoniously integrates mixed IT environments, allowing people and technology to work as one. For more information, visit www.novell.com.

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 2009, the group served customers in more than 30 countries and generated US $7 billion in annual revenue. Visit: www.ts.avnet.com/emea/

About Avnet
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 27, 2009, Avnet generated revenue of $16.23 billion. For more information, visit www.avnet.com.