IBM South Africa has appointed PQ Africa`s Persetel as a Tier 1 Solutions Provider for its Systems/390 range of mainframe enterprise servers. The multi-national has also extended Persetel`s contract to supply IBM`s NUMA-Q technology and in addition the other Web Server Division product RS/6000. It has also given the specialist integrator Tier 2 access to other IBM solutions including the AS/400 and Netfinity ranges.
Both companies have hailed the agreement, saying customers will benefit from the co-operation. Persetel has traditional strengths in high-end solutions with a wide range of products and services aimed at the data centre market. Gary Carroll, head of IBM Server Division at IBM South Africa, says the appointment was made based on Persetel`s skills in this area.
*We looked at the experience Persetel has delivering solutions to high-end customers and it made sense to work with them, he says. Persetel`s Tier 1 appointment will provide many opportunities for like-minded businesses to partner together with them to win deals. This move should be seen as a strong reinforcement of IBM`s worldwide intent to substantially increase the volume of business through channel partners.
"As part of our global distribution model, IBM SA is committed to collaborating with other IT players in the South African market. IBM SA is pleased to welcome PQ Africa as a business partner for a number of IBM products available to the South African market. This initiative will allow both companies to expand their portfolio of offerings, allowing our customers additional options in their choice of solutions."
Persetel director for business development Keith Roberts says the catalyst that led to the agreement being signed was originally the Sequent business, which Persetel has represented in the South African market since 1995. When IBM acquired Sequent last year, it gave the former adversaries the opportunity to talk about business relationships for the first time.
When we discussed the Sequent business last year, we quickly realised that by working together in other areas, we could do great things for our customers, says Roberts. As an established partner of Sequent, we have built up skills and a client base for NUMA-Q solutions over the last five years. Access to the entire S/390 and RS/6000 ranges will strengthen our abilities to provide a wide range of solutions to enterprise customers.
"We have an extensive and loyal customer base in South Africa and many contractual commitments for support and services. Clearly we will be honouring those commitments in full. The partnership with IBM SA will allow us to service our customer base even more fully than before and we look forward to the opportunities that this represents".
Both companies expect the appointment to boost their respective market shares in a number of areas.
The established, high-end NUMA-Q server coupled with the new and highly successful IBM RS/6000 S80 server will strongly reinforce IBM`s position in the data centre. Persetel also believes that the expansion in its product set, thanks to this agreement, represents a strong endorsement of Project Monterey as an emerging UNIX standard. As the traditional boundaries between strategic platforms become blurred, we are now in a position to offer world-class solutions on MVS, Unix or Windows NT concludes Roberts.
Share
PQ Africa
Persetel Q Data Africa (Pty) Limited (PQ Africa) was formed as a result of the merger of the business activities of Persetel Holdings Limited and Q Data Limited. Comparex Holdings Limited has a 50% minus one share interest in PQ Africa who represents Comparex`s Southern African and other African interests. The black empowerment group NITAC (the National IT Acquisition Consortium), led by Real Africa Holdings Limited, holds a controlling interest of 50% plus one share in PQ Africa.
PQ Africa is the leading provider of competitive, innovative and flexible business solutions based on Information and Communications Technology ("ICT"). These comprehensive solutions include systems integration, consulting, package implementation, software development, outsourcing, hardware, software, peripherals, voice, video and data communication systems, customer relationship management solutions, and networking equipment and services. Internet solutions include the development and deployment of electronic commerce and electronic data interchange-based solutions and digital authentication.
Through direct representation of the world`s foremost product manufacturers and an extensive support organisation, PQ Africa provides the appropriate technology, skill, and expertise to meet clients business requirements.
Persetel (Pty) Limited
Persetel (Pty) Limited was formed in June 1999 through the merger of Persetel Open Systems and Persetel Mainframe Systems to supply guaranteed, business-critical data centre solutions.
A subsidiary of IT giant PQ Africa, Persetel is a leading player in the South African data centre industry, with particular strengths in enterprise-wide business-critical systems, including enterprise storage, storage area networks, data warehousing and Customer Relationship Management (CRM). By adding real business value to its customers, Persetel`s business-focused technology solutions reduce the risk normally associated with the implementation of complex data centre solutions.
Competitive advantage, service excellence and improved profitability have long been the cornerstones of Persetel`s business. Thanks to a carefully selected range of leading-edge products, strategic alliances and partnerships, Persetel is able to provide greater choice, better business value and tailor-made solutions for its customers. Persetel`s head office is in Sandton, with regional offices in Pretoria, Cape Town and Durban. The company also has the ability to draw on skills from within the PQ Africa group and from its business partners world-wide.