When Ingram Micro acquired Ensim, I started to wonder about potential synergies with the distribution giant's Odin cloud automation platform. Ingram was mostly quiet about the Ensim deal in recent days. But now Jason Bystrak, executive director of Ingram Micro Cloud, is breaking that silence.
Describing the Ensim buyout to ChannelE2E, Bystrak says: “We’re expanding our Ecosystem of Cloud and will continue to intro and integrate new cloud platforms that enable our channel partners to market and sell cloud services to businesses of all sizes. Ensim is an exciting addition to our capabilities. More to come there Joe at the Ingram Micro Cloud Summit.”
Ingram Micro Cloud Summit 2016, which will dive into these trends, is set for April 11-13 in Arizona.
Among the four key points Bystrak wants to drive home to partners:
- "This is a great next step for Ensim and brings complementary platform functionality to Ingram Micro in general and our Ecosystem of Cloud specifically"
- Ensim, he says, comes to the table with its own set of partners and customers. Poke around, ChannelE2E believes, and Ingram may tell partners about Ensim's massive installed base...
- "Ultimately, Ensim channel partners will have the opportunity to leverage Ingram Micro’s growing Ecosystem of Cloud which includes the Cloud Marketplace and new platforms and programs being announced next week at our Ingram Micro Cloud Summit," he adds.
- "Ingram Micro continues to make investments that accelerate the sales cycle for our channel partners from the core to the cloud," he concludes.
The two most important takeaways, at least from ChannelE2E's perspective: First, Ingram increasingly controls its own cloud destiny. Instead of licensing third-party software for cloud automation and online storefronts, Ingram controls the code through buyouts like Ensim and Odin. Second, Ingram remains in acquisition mode -- even as the distributor itself prepares to be acquired for $6 billion by a Chinese logistics giant.
Wrap those two points together, and Ingram seems to be accelerating its intellectual property efforts instead of caving in to potential distractions.
