Avnet Technology Solutions Americas Selected by Texas Memory Systems to Join Newly Formed Distribution Channel

Avnet to help resellers in the U.S. and Canada enhance their solutions sales and capitalize on the rapidly growing flash-based storage market

TEMPE, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Avnet Technology Solutions, the global IT solutions distribution leader and an operating group of Avnet, Inc. (NYSE:AVT), today announced that it signed a distribution agreement with Texas Memory Systems, Inc. (TMS), an IBM company and a 34-year veteran of the enterprise data storage and digital signal processing industries. TMS, which was acquired by IBM in October 2012, selected Avnet to join its newly formed distribution channel. Under this agreement, Avnet will help IBM business partners, solution providers and value-added resellers (VARs) in the U.S. and Canada expand their data storage solutions capabilities with a broad portfolio of flash-optimized storage arrays and flash optimization software that help end-users increase the returns on their data center infrastructure investments.

“We know Avnet will provide Mark III with the required enablement, marketing expertise and market intelligence needed to effectively incorporate the TMS products into our solutions portfolio.”

“Time is money for any business, and flash-based storage solutions are incredibly powerful because they eliminate data latency between storage environments and client applications,” said Mark Martin, vice president of business development and marketing, Avnet Technology Solutions, Americas, IBM Solutions group. “Our business partners recognize that flash-based storage solutions are a smart way to optimize the storage environments of their customers and achieve the maximum benefits of IT infrastructure. Avnet will provide our partners with the tools and resources needed to capture new opportunities related to the flash storage market, while even further improving their customers’ satisfaction.”

Avnet will provide business partners with TMS’ full line of solid-state memory solutions, such as the RamSan family of shared rackmount systems and Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) cards. When implemented as part of a complete storage solution, these products will enable partners to improve their customers’ system performance by reducing critical issues in the data center, such as server sprawl, power consumption, cooling and floor space requirements. Additionally, partners will be able to help their customers save money and invest more in innovation.

“The new relationship between Avnet and TMS will help us increase our flash-based storage sales,” said Stan Wysocki, vice president of sales, Mark III Systems. “We know Avnet will provide Mark III with the required enablement, marketing expertise and market intelligence needed to effectively incorporate the TMS products into our solutions portfolio.”

With more than 25 years of IBM distribution experience, Avnet offers a wide variety of enablement services for business partners related to flash-based storage and TMS. This includes in-depth training and market education, such as custom executive coaching, and sales and technical training. Additionally, Avnet provides pipeline development and support, including lead generation and appointment-setting campaigns, customized end-user demand generation events, and executive briefings to close opportunities, as well as live and virtual demonstrations. Business partners can also gain greater specialization in the data center through Avnet’s SolutionsPath^® practices, focused on high-growth vertical markets, including energy, finance, government, healthcare and retail.

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About Avnet Technology Solutions

As a global IT solutions distributor, Avnet Technology Solutions collaborates with its customers and suppliers to create and deliver services, software and hardware solutions that address the business needs of their end-user customers locally and around the world. The group serves customers and suppliers in the Americas, Asia Pacific, and Europe, Middle East and Africa. It generated US $10.8 billion in annual revenue for fiscal year 2012. Avnet Technology Solutions is an operating group of Avnet, Inc. For more information, visit www.avnet.com.

About Avnet

Avnet, Inc. (NYSE:AVT), a Fortune 500 company, is one of the largest distributors of electronic components, computer products and embedded technology serving customers globally. Avnet accelerates its partners’ success by connecting the world’s leading technology suppliers with a broad base of customers by providing cost-effective, value-added services and solutions. For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2012, Avnet generated revenue of $25.7 billion. For more information, visit www.avnet.com.