Global ASP Interliant Inc. Wednesday (Feb 7) announced an agreement with Sun Microsystems Inc. (Nasdaq: SUNW) under which the two will promote Interliant’s managed service offerings to Sun’s direct sales force as well as through Sun-supported initiatives.
This agreement is the result of Interliant’s active engagement in several of Sun’s key iForce Initiatives, including the Sun Startup Accelerator Program and Sun’s Service Provider program, as an Elite Plus member. Together, these two efforts constitute a unique service offering for both the traditional brick and mortar enterprise as well as the Internet startup.
“It is rewarding to us that Sun has recognized the quality of our managed services and has provided a substantial commitment to our relationship, which can translate to significant revenues,” said Alan Shimel, Interliant’s VP for business development. “We’re excited about Sun’s validation of the ASP model and the prospect of co-marketing our solutions with Sun. Our collaborative efforts can go a long way toward spreading the word to potential small, midsize and large enterprise users about the dramatic benefits of the ASP model.”
The Sun Startup Accelerator initiative provides start-up companies with immediate access to a professionally managed development and testing environment to help jumpstart their Internet-based businesses. The accelerator environment is hosted by leading service providers like Interliant, who provide application and administration expertise.
Through the Startup Accelerator program, Sun will be providing Interliant with hardware and software, including a development environment consisting of rack-mounted, pre-configured Sun servers, including four Sun Enterprise 220 servers, two carrier-grade Netra T1 servers, two StorEdge D1000 disk arrays, and one Ultra 5, running on the Solaris Operating Environment, with other software technology from Sun. Interliant will use the equipment to provide collocation, data center management, Internet bandwidth, support and services for startup eBusiness companies.
“We are pleased with Interliant’s participation in Sun’s Startup Accelerator to deliver the advanced managed service offerings for companies to grow and expand their business,” said Elizabeth King, director, Service Provider Global Strategy & Programs, Sun. “We found Interliant to be a company whose strengths as a Service Provider both complement our Internet computing platform expertise and enable the packaging of complete Internet solutions for customers in a variety of industries.”
As an Elite Plus member of Sun’s Service Provider program, Interliant will work together with Sun to present customers with solutions that provide the reliability and manageability required to support mission-critical services of even the largest of enterprises within Interliant’s data centers. Interliant’s Service Provider Elite Plus status indicates that it has made a significant level of commitment to Sun’s product line and programs as well as a major investment in its own infrastructure to enhance operating efficiency and grow top-line revenues.
Sun’s iForce initiative brings together all of Sun’s eBusiness programs, products, services, and partners to build solutions aimed at customers ranging from startups to large enterprises. As an iForce member, Interliant will work with Sun to design and implement a seamless eBusiness strategy for developing startup eBusiness customers. Customers will benefit from a full service provider who enables their businesses with the product, services, solutions, roadmaps and partnerships they need to re-create themselves in the Internet era.