Tech Data (TECD) will ultimately own Avnet Cloud Marketplace as part of the Avnet Technology Solutions (ATS) buyout, spokespeople for both distributors confirm to ChannelE2E. The confirmations raise an important point for thousands of VARs and MSPs that want to source cloud services from IT distributors.
Tech Data announced the $2.6 billion ATS buyout yesterday. Most media coverage noted ATS's deep expertise with data center technologies across servers, storage and networking. But distributor-owned cloud marketplaces also are increasingly important to VARs and MSPs.
Two Cloud Marketplaces: Keep, Converge or Shutter?
And therein resides a challenge for Tech Data.
- On the one hand, the ATS buyout won't be official until the first half of 2017 -- and it still faces regulatory approval.
- On the other hand, Tech Data's StreamOne and Avnet Cloud Marketplace essentially compete with one another.
It begs the question: What will Tech Data do with Avnet Cloud Marketplace once the deal is finalized? Alas, Tech Data can't comment on that question until after the deal is official.
That potentially opens the door for rival distributor clouds -- names like Ingram Micro Cloud, Pax8, Synnex CloudSolv and Weston Comstor BlueSky -- to capitalize on the pending Tech Data-ATS deal.
