Sky's the limit as Westcon NZ launches new cloud services
Westcon Group NZ has today announced the launch of their Cloud Managed Services platform, allowing customers to purchase Software as a Service and Infrastructure as a Service offerings through an in-market approved channel – of New Zealand resellers supported by the company.
As a result, resellers and their customers will be able to procure and manage their own services via the platform.
According to the unified communications, network infrastructure, data center, security and virtualisation solutions distributor, end users will be able to manage and maintain their Cloud licenses, view their Cloud consumption and charges all from within a single portal.
The vendor cloud services will be integrated through authorised resellers into a single NZ$ bill for customers who will also be able to self-serve should they choose to.
After working on this platform for over a year, Westcon Group are now in User Acceptance Testing, transacting live with launch partners Amazon and Symantec.
The Cloud Managed Services Platform is expected to be fully operational on 1st September 2014. A full update on this service will be provided at Westcon Group’s Imagine partner event in October this year.
“Symantec is pleased to be partnering with Westcon Group in the launch of their Digital Distribution platform," says Matthew Drake, Symantec Senior Director, Norton, Distribution and Small Business, Pacific.
"Providing Resellers with the ability to order, manage and bill Symantec. Cloud services online, and giving end-users access to self-manage their Cloud inventory is key to the future of our business.
"Partnering with Westcon Group and their new Cloud Distribution Platform means that we can do this in New Zealand NOW.
"Westcon Group and Symantec have invested many hours in the development of our API connectivity with Westcon to ensure the smooth provisioning of services. Many have said they can do this, but Westcon Group has made it a reality."
Westcon Group is also working with a number of IT-based service providers and cloud resellers to transact live customer orders, consumption based usage and billing through a dedicated webstore in the UAT environment.
Cyclone Ltd is one of Westcon Group’s inaugural resellers working closely to provide customer web stores, through which procurement teams will be able to procure Cloud Solutions from multiple international and local Cloud Service Providers.
This service will operate alongside, and allow for integration with resellers’ own Cloud Infrastructure Services portal.
Westcon Group is also in collaboration with additional vendors and resellers to ensure full integration in the coming months.
“Cyclone has a strong relationship as a value added reseller with Westcon Group NZ," adds Alistair Ross, National Services Manager, Cyclone.
"Cyclone is pleased to announce that we have been involved with Westcon Group’s new cloud provisioning platform from its inception and are strongly aligned with Westcon Group’s cloud services strategy.
"Cyclone believes that this new platform offers our customers a new level of ease and flexibility to deploy the cloud services on offer through Westcon Group’s growing channel cloud platform catalogue.”
Westcon Group NZ, Darryl Grauman National Manager – Services and Innovation at Westcon Group, believes that “this is a significant milestone" for the company.
"Westcon has now truly transformed part of our business and entered the world of ‘Digital Distribution’; a number of partners are now able to offer a catalogue of pre-approved Cloud Services to their customers which can now all be ordered, managed and billed in local currency from a single point," he adds.
For more information on the Westcon Group NZ Cloud Managed Services platform, please contact Jason Hole at jason.hole@westcongroup.co.nz
