Avnet and IBM working together with MDeC on cloud onboarding programme

• ISVs and SIs get access to IBM’s SoftLayer platform to develop enterprise software
• Subsidies from MDeC and IBM also available

IT solutions distributor Avnet Technology Solutions said it is working with IBM and the Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC) on the MSC Malaysia ‘Cloud Onboarding Programme.’
 
Under the MSC Malaysia Cloud Computing Enablement Initiative, independent software vendors (ISVs) and system integrators (SIs) will be able use IBM Cloud, a ‘Software-as-a-Service’ (SaaS) offering, Avnet said in a statement.
 
The ISVs and SIs will get access to SoftLayer infrastructure from IBM to develop enterprise software, it added.
 
“[This] collaboration with Avnet Technology Solutions in Malaysia is in line with the MSC Malaysia Cloud Initiative, which was introduced in 2011 to enable and drive the cloud computing ecosystem,” said Norhizam Abdul Kadir, vice president of the Infotech cluster at MDeC.
 
“To date, this Initiative has seen 288 ISVs signed up, more than 20 types of cloud applications developed by local IT players, and more than 5,088 SMEs (small and medium enterprises) subscribed to cloud services,” he claimed.
 
MDeC, Malaysia’s national ICT custodian, manages the Multimedia Super Corridor or MSC Malaysia project, which aims to develop the industry in the country.
 
Chiew Yue Lam, general manager of Avnet Technology Solutions in Malaysia, said the collaboration with MDeC is timely as there is now a crucial need to encourage the development of more local enterprise software applications, solutions and services.
 
SMEs were early adopters of cloud–based solutions in Malaysia because they were less adhered to complex large enterprise requirements and compliance. However, there is now exponential interest from large enterprises to adopt cloud computing for their business operations as well, he said.
 
“The perception of C-level executives toward cloud computing has evolved significantly as larger organisations are looking to harness [its] benefits,” said Chiew.
 
“This is creating a demand for cloud-based enterprise software, applications and solutions. This is why we need more Malaysian ISVs and SI partners to develop such software and solution services that can specifically meet the complex business requirements of larger enterprises,” he added.
 
Besides business process-based solutions such as project management and email communications, large enterprises are starting to leverage the cloud to support core ERP (enterprise resource planning) processes, CRM (customer relationship management), and human capital management.
 
“Avnet Malaysia aims to enable 200 local IT partners with solutions, skills and resources to capitalise on this growing cloud market,” said Chiew.
 
“We will begin by training 20 existing partners by 2015, including existing IBM solutions partners, and other local SIs and ISVs,” he added.
 
IBM’s SoftLayer platform offers a single private network connecting all data centres and network points of presence.
 
Additionally, it is the only cloud Infrastructure-as a Service (IaaS) provider that offers unlimited private network traffic between all its facilities to significantly reduce users’ bandwidth costs, IBM claims.
 
“IBM Cloud offers a complete portfolio of infrastructure services, including bare metal servers, virtual servers, storage and networking,” said IBM Malaysia managing director Paul Moung.
 
“It can help the ISVs and SI partners achieve significant economies of scale in areas like costing on infrastructure maintenance, IT systems’ utilisation rates and enablement of multitenant application models,” he added.
 
Finance incentives
 
Avnet Malaysia said it will offer financial incentives to lower the barriers of entry and encourage participation in the ‘Cloud Onboarding Programme.’
 
Subsidised by MDeC, Avnet Malaysia will offer hosting credits for the development of enterprise-level SaaS solutions on IBM’s SoftLayer infrastructure.
 
“Avnet Malaysia’s ISVs and SI partners can claim up to RM15,000 (about US$4,000) of the total subscription fee to IBM SoftLayer’s platform, with the condition that all applicants must be MSC Malaysia status companies,” said Chiew.
 
In addition, ISVs established for fewer than five years with an annual revenue lower than RM33 million (less than US$10 million) are eligible for the IBM Global Entrepreneurs Programme, which will offer them complimentary access to all IBM software worth not more than RM660,000 (US$200,000) at no cost.
 
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