Channel Pro says: "Cloud Distribution launches storage business"

Bruce Hockin and Grant Reddin to head up Cloud Distribution Storage after quitting channelfusion

Cloud Distribution has announced a dedicated storage and virtualisation division to be headed up by distribution veterans Bruce Hockin and Grant Reddin.

Hockin and Reddin quit the distribution company they established last year, channelfusion, after a disagreement with the two other shareholders in the business.

Hockin tells Channel Pro: “There was a difference of opinion as to the direction [channelfusion] should go, so we felt it was untenable for us to remain in business so we resigned.”

The pair was then quickly picked up by Cloud Distribution, to lead its new spon-off storage division.

Says the former Avnet exec: “The first thing we’re going to do is talk to the existing Cloud Distribution partner set that may have been buying storage elsewhere. It’s new customers, new vendors, and a familiar strategy.”

Cloud Distribution Storage already has a line-up of vendors that includes Fusion ioControl Storage, Datacore, Maxta and Talon Storage.

Adam Davison, director at Cloud Distribution comments: “The storage market has undergone rapid evolution with technologies such as flash and cloud being real catalysts for change. IDC recently reported that the market for emerging storage technologies is absolutely booming. The emergence of software-defined storage, serverSAN and hybrid array technologies has revolutionised the market with many flash vendors witnessing an astonishing 400+ percent growth.

“At Cloud we see this as a great opportunity and we are delighted that Bruce and Grant are going to drive our storage business forward.” 

Davison says the firm expects to reveal new additions to its storage portfolio soon: “We have had a number storage players approach us over the last few years that have seen how we take new and exciting technologies to market and they wanted us to do that for them. We graciously declined as we weren’t in storage at the time, so we do have a number of ongoing conversations with storage vendors.”

“We’re constantly monitoring the market to find out what the next technology is. What those trends are in order to help resellers identify those trends and solve customer challenges,” adds Hockin.

To make room for the new technology stack, Cloud Distribution has merged its mobile enterprise and security into a new enterprise security unit.

http://www.channelpro.co.uk/news/8801/cloud-distribution-launches-storage-business

CRN says: "Hockin and Reddin to drive storage for Cloud Distribution"

Bullish VAD Cloud Distribution has enlisted storage channel luminaries Bruce Hockin and Grant Reddin to head up its new storage arm.

The duo have joined Cloud - which was recently crowned the UK's fourth fastest-growing private tech company - after resigning their posts at channelfusion, a storage VAD they set up last year after leaving Avnet.

Talking to CRN, Cloud Distribution director Adam Davison said his firm had harboured ambitions to break into storage for 18 months but had been waiting for the right time to pounce. Storage will now become Cloud Distribution's fifth ‘solution stack', alongside LAN & Wireless, WAN & Datacentre, Enterprise Mobility and Security.

"We wanted to make sure that when we jumped into the market, it didn't dilute the momentum in our existing business," Davison said.

"An opportunity came along with Grant and Bruce. We wanted to get into storage, they had resigned from their posts and we saw an opportunity to form a new division."

Hockin (pictured above) said he and Reddin (pictured below) had taken the difficult decision to walk away from channelfusion due to a difference over strategy with its two other shareholders.

"We had a difference of opinion as to which direction to go in and decided to resign our positions in the company," he said.

"There is a huge, huge opportunity in storage and we see collaborating with Cloud Distribution as a fantastic way to get a better part of that. They have a really strong set up and as storage is net-new for them we will help diversify their go-to-market."

One other former channelfusion employee will join the new team.

Cloud Distribution Storage will initially work with vendors Talon Storage, Fusion ioControl Storage, Datacore and Maxta, the latter three of which Hockin and Reddin worked with at channelfusion. These vendors approached Cloud after learning of Hockin and Reddin's plans, Davison stressed.

More storage vendors will be added, Davison added.

"Over the last 18 months, we've been approached by a number of storage vendors and at that point it wasn't appropriate to work with them," he said. "Now we have a dedicated team, those vendors that have approached us are on our list of people to communicate with."

The new team will immediately be able to draw on Cloud's services, including its partner enablement tools, Davison added.

"From a product and services perspective we are ready to go," he said.

CRN phoned channelfusion's switchboard for comment but our calls went unreturned.

http://www.channelweb.co.uk/crn-uk/news/2379480/hockin-and-reddin-to-drive-storage-for-cloud-distribution

Cloud Distribution launches new storage business!

New division will distribute next generation storage, virtualisation and services to resellers

Reading, UK, 5th November 2014 – Security and networking next-generation value added distributor (VAD) Cloud Distribution today announced the formation of a dedicated storage division and the availability of its new storage and virtualisation solution stack.  Cloud Distribution Storage will be headed up by industry veterans, Bruce Hockin and Grant Reddin, and will be marketed via Cloud Distribution as an additional stack to its existing portfolio.  The new division will be based in Cloud’s head offices in Green Park, which means the team can leverage all of Cloud’s services, including its partner enablement tools.

Bruce Hockin and Grant Reddin, who together have over thirty five years of channel distribution expertise, have been appointed to run the new division. The focus will be on delivering a dedicated storage and virtualisation solution stack and services comprising high performance next generation storage technologies within the virtualisation and big data space.  Cloud Distribution Storage boasts an enviable line up of disruptive and next-generation storage vendors including Fusion ioControl Storage, Datacore, Maxta and Talon Storage.

Bruce Hockin, Director for Cloud Distribution Storage comments: “We see this as a great opportunity to be part of a rapidly growing and highly disruptive distribution business. I’ve been particularly impressed with Cloud’s rapid growth, the calibre of the team and its partner enablement programmes.”

The new solution stack is available immediately for partners to take advantage of this new line up of disruptive storage technologies.  The division, which includes two dedicated sales and one pre-sales staff, will focus on growing and supporting storage vendors and partners which means the rest of the team can continue to build on the rapid growth experienced to date in Cloud’s security and networking portfolio.

“Cloud Distribution is well-recognised for bringing disruptive and emerging technologies into the UK. The launch of its new Storage and Virtualisation division not only reinforces this strategy and approach but it also demonstrates to us that Cloud is committed to the long term growth of its vendor relationships.  Over the past couple of years, I’ve been particularly impressed with how quickly the team at Cloud have grasped the strategic importance and benefits of our RemoteFAST™ solution,” said Andrew Mullen, Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Talon.

Adam Davison, Director for Cloud Distribution comments: “The storage market has undergone rapid evolution with technologies such as flash and cloud being real catalysts for change. IDC recently reported that the market for emerging storage technologies is absolutely booming.   The emergence of software-defined storage, serverSAN and hybrid array technologies has revolutionised the market with many flash vendors witnessing an astonishing 400%+ growth.  At Cloud we see this as a great opportunity and we are delighted that Bruce and Grant are going to drive our storage business forward.” 

-END-

About Cloud Distribution

Cloud Distribution is a value-added distributor of disruptive next-generation security and networking solutions that VARs can take to market quickly and easily. It currently distributes A10 Networks, Aerohive, Cisco Meraki, Cloud4Wi, Exinda, Lacoon, Lastline, Maas360, Peplink, Talon, Watchdox and Watchful. Its portfolio of disruptive security and networking solutions helps resellers to differentiate themselves from the competition and create new markets to sell in.  The company was founded in 2009 by senior executives with a wealth of experience in the security, networking and optimisation space. Its philosophy is to take innovative, cutting-edge vendors into the UK market by recruiting and working together with skilled, reputable, market making partners.  For further information please visit www.cloud-distribution.com or follow us on Twitter @cloudtweeters.

http://www.sourcewire.com/news/84965/cloud-distribution-launches-new-storage-business#.VFnohfmsWCo

CRN says "Cloud Distribution outgrows offices"

Cloud Distribution has moved into new digs in Reading to accommodate its growth.

The security and networking distributor, which recently ranked fourth in the Tech Track 100 index, has set up shop in Reading's Green Park, one junction closer to London than its old base in Theale.

Cloud director Adam Davison said the VAD had taken on nine new staff in 2014 so far and is looking to expand further.

"We outgrew where we were and were bursting at the seams," he said. "We're now in Reading's Silicon Valley and will be keeping company with people such as Cisco, Huawei and Symantec."
The new base features Cloud's first-ever permanent training facilities and will soon also house a demonstration suite.

At the same time, Cloud has launched a partner enablement portal and a refreshed website, which Davison claimed marks it out from the competition.

"A lot of distributors' websites are really an advertisement for their vendors and I think a lot of that space is paid for out of vendor marketing funds," he said. "With ours, partners can immediately see the tools that will facilitate them taking new products to market as well as understanding very clearly the solutions from our vendors."

All these changes are designed to support Cloud as it morphs from its roots as a Meraki distributor to one focusing on a portfolio of vendors straddling the areas of security, enterprise mobility, LAN and WAN, Davison added.

http://www.channelweb.co.uk/crn-uk/news/2370465/cloud-distribution-outgrows-offices

Get Reading posts Cloud Distribution Business Profile

'Cloud Distribution is all about spotting new, innovative and potentially disruptive security and networking technologies and bringing them to the UK market'

The business: Cloud Distribution, 450 Brook Drive, Green Park, Reading, (01635) 800 410. www.cloud-distribution.com, greg@cloud-distribution.com.

The boss: Greg Harris, sales director, co-founded Cloud Distribution with business partner Scott Dobson in 2009.

What is your business about? “Cloud Distribution is all about spotting new, innovative and potentially disruptive security and networking technologies and bringing them to the UK market.
“We have carefully selected technology companies that we wish to represent and we market through a well-selected and well-qualified group of re-sellers who work with the end-customer [businesses] to create and deploy the required IT solution.”

What products/services do you offer? “Our talented and committed pool of re-seller partners play a pivotal role in Cloud Distribution’s success and our business is geared towards providing products and services that help them build their own profitable businesses.
“First, the technology companies that we represent are grouped into four specific categories. This helps our re-sellers address specific technology challenges that their customers are facing. A good example is the cyber security group of products which includes a range of software to help business fight the increasing occurrence of hacking and data loss that we read about on an almost daily basis.
“Second, we have created an easy-to-use online portal which is designed to help our re-sellers at every stage of the sales cycle.”

How and when did you start you business? “I started the business at the end of 2009 with my partner, Scott Dobson. After 10 years working for Nokia, I took voluntary redundancy and was planning to spend the summer watching cricket. That didn’t pan out so well because shortly after that, over a beer in the local pub, Scott and I came up with the idea of forming our own company – and Cloud Distribution was born.”

How many staff do you employ? “We employ 19 people at our new offices in Green Park. Our team continues to grow with nine new faces joining the company this year alone across all business areas.”

Who are your customers? “The ultimate end-customers of the technology we represent are businesses of all sizes. However we don’t usually have a direct relationship with them because we partner with our network of re-sellers who effectively ‘own’ that customer relationship.”

What sets you apart from the competition? “Unlike other distributors, we opt to work with newer, innovative technology brands that might not be market-leaders today – but through our due diligence selection process we know they have the potential to be market-leaders tomorrow. We work closely with our re-seller community and have created tools to equip them with the things they need to generate a solid sales pipeline, close deals and make money.”

How has the recession affected business? “Since we started our business in 2009, it has gone from strength to strength. In fact we were just placed fourth in an annual Sunday Times listing of the UK’s 100 fastest growing private technology businesses. We know we are very fortunate as the uncertainty has not been this kind to everyone.”

How do you feel about the future? “We are immensely positive about the future. We have just moved to a bigger office in Green Park, we’re hiring across all areas and we’ve launched a new partner portal to support our re-sellers.”

http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/business/business-profile-cloud-distribution-7779836

Channel Pro says "Cloud Distribution steps up partner engagement"

Cloud Distribution celebrates growth, new premises and increased focus on partner services

Cloud Distribution has outlined an active 2014 with a move to bigger offices, new hires across all business units and the launch of both a partner enablement portal, and a new refreshed website.

The privately-owned distributor was ranked number 4 in the 14th annual Sunday Times Hiscox Tech Track 100 league last week, after growing the business 180 percent over the past three years.

Launched in 2009, Cloud Distribution has built upon its initial Cisco Meraki business with the addition of a number of new and disruptive technologies to its portfolio. Its current line-up includes A10 Networks, Aerohive, Cloud4Wi, Exinda, Lacoon, Lastline, Maas360, Peplink, Talon, Watchdox and Watchful.

Says Scott Dobson, founder and managing director of Cloud Distribution: “Our vendor portfolio is solid and our four technology solution stacks are proving a great success. 2013 was a tremendous year for Cloud Distribution and with the efforts we’re putting into building an A-class community of partners, I’m confident 2014 is going to be our best year yet.”

The distributor’s new portal provides access to free partner-enablement tools and services, from building qualified pipeline, generating marketing campaigns providing immediate lease quotes, registering deals, to access to professional support and maintenance services. This includes: Cloud Clarity VAR launch packs to facilitate a fast go-to-market strategy and Cloud Inside educational webinars; Cloud Altitude virtual marketing services and campaign-builder tool; Cloud Cover support and training and Cloud Capital leasing and Crowd and Cloud Club networking and incentive initiatives.

Cloud Distribution also now has a fully-staffed first line support team, which includes a white labelled maintenance and support service, as part of its Cloud Cover Professional services division.

The distributor says it expects to launch phase two of the portal in a number of weeks, where partners which will be able to create their own marketing campaigns – e-shots, webinars etc. – using customisable templates, and access a library of content, including videos and whitepapers. There will also be centralised deal registration, and more sales and technical training.

Meanwhile, the firm recently moved into new premises in Green Park, near Reading to cater for its 22 employees, and allow for future expansion. It also says interest in and uptake of its education and training services has also grown rapidly, and as a result, the new office includes a dedicated conference suite to ensure its partners are up-to-speed with the latest technology developments.


http://www.channelpro.co.uk/news/8686/cloud-distribution-steps-up-partner-engagement