January 16, 2009
By

Alison Diana

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Unlike most individuals’ paychecks, businesses’ production of data continues to grow. So, too, does their need for products and services surrounding data-storage and management.

Realizing the opportunities and challenges facing solution providers, Fujitsu Computer Systems Corp. recently expanded its existing distribution arrangement with Synnex Corp.(NYSE:SNX)  to include storage, as well as mobile, products. The Fremont, Calif.-based distributor now will offer Fujitsu’s new Eternus 4000 and Eternus 8000 storage solutions to VARs serving midsize and enterprise customers, said Matt McManus, vice president of channel sales at Fujitsu, Sunnyvale, Calif.

“You don’t want to say anything is necessarily recession-proof, but we’ve seen that [growth] in the storage space,” he said. “Healthcare seems to be somewhat recession-proof, as well, and Synnex recently launched a healthcare initiative, and we had a lot of interest in that program, too.”

Helping VAR Sales

To help solution providers sell its storage systems, Fujitsu’s channel program features elements including deal-registration, education, MDF and co-op funds, dedicated support, heavily discounted demo and evaluation products, and joint sales calls, McManus said.

“We’ve got a pretty broad and vast array of training on not only the storage market… but also the technical aspects,” he said. “We couple that with our field sales force and field sales engineers who will go out and train the VARs’ engineers and sales forces. We don’t charge for that. VARs find a lot of value in that. It’s not certification, and there aren’t a lot of hoops to go through.”

Participating VARs receive co-op and MDF from day one for storage sales and do not have to meet a pre-set revenue figure, said McManus. Likewise, Fujitsu will use more than a dollar amount to measure success, he said.

“We would gauge it on the number of VAR advocates or active VARs that are leading with the Fujitsu storage products,” said McManus. “You don’t want to say 'X' amount of dollars, but who’s leading with the brand. We’ll reward them as well. We are doing some outbound demand-generation as well, and will pass those leads onto VARs. If they lead with our products and are loyal to us, they’ll get the 'A' leads.”

TAGS: Fujitsu, distributors, Synnex, data storage, channel program

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