Seamless Technologies-Avnet Agreement Set

Seamless Technologies is a Morristown, New Jersey-based integrator which deals primarily in cloud and data center services; it set to be acquired by Avnet. Seamless Technologies also specializes in Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) best practices.

Avnet Services is the business unit into which Seamless Technologies will be integrated, and the senior vice president and general manager for that division is Tony Vottima. He stated: "They have a strong band brand in HP services and are considered a top partner as relates to cloud and automation for HP. They are an excellent fit for Avnet's core service offerings, as we build out our capabilities around cloud. They will help drive implementation and resources around large-scale private clouds hybrids, and public clouds."

The distribution of large-scale private cloud and IT infrastructure is made possible by Seamless Technologies' software, therefore making it one major factor of the acquisition.

Vottima said: "They have created a lot of their own custom IP that greatly decreases the amount of time needed for deployment. A lot of what they're doing is already scripted, which means that the process can move a lot more quickly."

He added: "This brings a broad set of capabilities and services that [partners] can add to their portfolio without having to make big investments across the various areas of the services portfolio. A lot of our partners are very hardware-centric and are trying to figure out new ways to add value. Having these types of capabilities and services available will create more value for them, which will drag more HP hardware and software."

Vottima noted that the acquisition will be popular with channel partners, but others are not so certain.

The vice president of advanced technologies at PCM, a Calabasas, California-based integrator, Phil Mogavero, said: "I'm not surprised to see distributors get more involved in the cloud services market because I think they have concerns about being cut out of the party."

He continued: "I think distributors are looking at their offerings as services, as much as products. If they can put their weight behind a solution offering that they can then market to the channel, they probably feel that this is their role. As a solution provider with our own cloud-based offerings, I have a different view of the world. We buy a lot of gear from Avnet and a lot of it is from HP. Theoretically, this could be complementary, but it might also be competitive to us."

During 2012, Seamless Technologies, which was founded in 1992, claimed revenue of around $14 million. The acquisition agreement is expected to be finalized in the next 30 days, and details regarding the price of the acquisition have not been made available. (CY) Link