Avnet Technology Solutions Introduces Virtual Desktop Infrastructure Solution

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Avnet Technology Solutions, an operating group of Avnet, Inc. (NYSE: AVT), today announced a comprehensive solution to assist partners in targeting the emerging virtual desktop market in the US and Canada. Avnet Technology Solutions’ new solution combines VMware Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) software with the services and enablement resources needed to develop market expertise and effectively implement virtual desktop environments. Partners can use virtual desktop solutions to help their customers improve manageability, increase control and enhance the security of their enterprise desktops. The centralization of desktop management through virtualization also helps companies more effectively leverage their IT resources.

“The virtualization market is experiencing explosive growth, and companies are looking for new ways to deploy virtualization to further enhance their environments,” said Tim FitzGerald, who leads the VirtualPath™ practice for Avnet Technology Solutions, Americas. “Desktop virtualization offers tremendous benefits to companies that are looking to tighten control of corporate assets, simplify desktop management and improve security while reducing operating and electricity costs. With Avnet’s new offering, our partners will be able to design and implement complete virtual desktop solutions that create clear business advantages for their customers.”

Avnet’s new solution is based on VMware VDI, which allows companies to consolidate client PCs by running them as virtual desktops from servers in the datacenter. VMware VDI includes VMware Virtual Desktop Manager, which provides simplified management and secure provisioning of virtual desktops and manages user access to the virtual desktops from a wide range of devices such as Windows, Linux and Mac computers, and thin clients. By deploying the VMware platform, partners can extend business continuity and disaster recovery capabilities to their customers’ desktops and streamline desktop management to reduce operating costs, increase control and deliver complete desktop environments with greater application compatibility.

Avnet partners will also benefit from the following services to help them with their virtualization practices:

Avnet OneTech™ Desktop Assessments: The assessments provide a detailed report on the allocation of desktop resources and enable partners to make recommendations that will enhance the management and security of their customers’ desktop environments. With these assessments, partners can develop desktop virtualization solutions that improve the long-term efficiency of the desktop infrastructure, maximize usage and minimize maintenance downtime. They also demonstrate power and resource savings that could be gained through virtualization.

Avnet OneTech Implementation Services: Designed to augment partners’ service offerings, Avnet can work on behalf of partners to implement a virtual desktop infrastructure. This enables partners to build and grow their businesses in this new market with minimal up-front investment. Avnet’s OneTech Implementation Services are delivered and project-managed through Avnet, ensuring that services are completed on time and on budget.

Avnet’s ITDemoCentral: ITDemoCentral allows partners to remotely showcase the functionality of a virtual desktop infrastructure to their customers. With ITDemoCentral, partners can effectively differentiate solutions, as well as demonstrate overall software capabilities, clarify specific functionally, provide solutions comparisons and verify software functions based on systems configurations.

Avnet VirtualPath University: Avnet’s education program for the virtualization market will now include an interactive training curriculum, featuring in-depth information on the virtual desktop infrastructure solution to shorten the ramp-up time for partners.

Avnet VMware Authorized Training: Avnet will also offer certification training classes for VMware Virtual Desktop Manager through its VMware Authorized Training Center (VATC). The first certification class will be held October 1-3, 2008, in Chandler, Ariz., and partners can register at www.avnetvatc.com.

“Virtualization is ideal for delivering cost-effective solutions that give IT administrators greater control and manageability of their desktop environments,” said Steve Houck, vice president of worldwide channels at VMware. “By centralizing desktop management with our best-in-class VMware VDI solution, IT staffs have much greater control of the environment and can enhance end-point security. We value our relationship with Avnet and aim to continue providing partners like Avnet with the tools and services they need to deliver high value-add virtualization solutions.”

“Avnet recognizes that the virtualization market is quickly evolving, and they’re committed to making sure we are able to provide the latest solutions to our customers,” said Lief Morin, president of Key Information Systems. “Avnet’s virtual desktop solution is a great way to jumpstart our offerings and services for this market segment. We’ll be able to establish ourselves as trusted advisors with our customers by looking beyond traditional server virtualization and introducing them to new ways to solve IT pain points around managing desktops.”

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. The group’s Web site is www.ats.avnet.com.

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.