Business Services Industry

Avnet Technology Solutions to Deliver Comprehensive Business Intelligence Solutions Using SAS® Software and HP Technology

Business Wire, Nov 28, 2006

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Avnet Technology Solutions, Americas, a value-added distributor of enterprise computing products, software and services and an operating group of Avnet, Inc. (NYSE: AVT), has signed an agreement with SAS to bring HP value-added reseller (VAR) partners together with SAS sales representatives to provide complete business intelligence solutions. Focused initially on the U.S., Avnet will help its channel partners jointly go to market with SAS, a leader in business intelligence, to deliver solutions that include HP server and storage technology with SAS([R]) Enterprise BI Server software to companies seeking to integrate and analyze data from across the enterprise.

"As a leading independent software vendor in business intelligence and analytics, SAS is the logical choice for Avnet's successful HP ISV Alliance Program," said Rick Alvarez, vice president and general manager, HP Business Unit, Avnet Technology Solutions, Americas. "Avnet will help our HP reseller partners sell advanced HP server and storage technologies in support of sales of SAS' powerful business intelligence tools. These complete solutions will enable our partners' customers to obtain fast, simple access to data for a more accurate picture of their businesses."

Under the agreement, SAS will provide SAS Enterprise BI Server, a fully integrated and comprehensive suite of business intelligence software that addresses the needs of IT management as well as business users. Avnet will deliver solutions and services that complement SAS' products, including:

* high-performance HP Integrity servers based on the Intel Itanium processor and storage;

* additional third-party software for database management and analytics; and

* education, sales, marketing, financing and implementation services.

SAS is a member of Avnet's ISV Alliance Program. This program brings together selected ISVs and Avnet partners and enables its partners to support the infrastructure requirements (i.e., hardware, services and related software) of each ISV throughout the sales cycle. Avnet works with HP to provide joint go-to-market strategies that maximize the return on investment for both ISVs and partners and provide the end-user customer with a complete solution. By providing its partners with training, lead generation programs and financing services, Avnet's HP ISV Alliance helps ensure success in closing business intelligence sales.

"By leveraging SAS' already strong relationship with HP, Avnet is providing its resellers with significant business and technology value that enables their customers to build comprehensive enterprise intelligence environments," said Miles Mahoney, vice president of SAS' Strategic Alliances & Channels division. "This mutual partnership gives businesses the opportunity to streamline their technology infrastructure with only two vendors Co SAS and HP Co and to make business decisions more quickly and with greater confidence."

"As end-user demand for integration and analysis of business information and simplified, on-demand reporting increases, so does the need for storage and servers that support business intelligence," said Joe Nadler, vice president, Business Critical Servers, Americas, HP. "HP is committed to helping resellers meet those needs."

"This agreement supports AdvizeX's focus on delivering enterprise solutions," said Marc Sarazin, executive vice president of Sales and Marketing, AdvizeX Technologies. "Avnet's ISV Alliance Program and the agreement with SAS will generate incremental opportunities for us in the business intelligence space and allow us to enter the sales cycle in a consultative manner. We look forward to partnering with SAS account executives in a win-win relationship."

About Avnet Technology Solutions

Avnet Technology Solutions is a value-added distributor of enterprise computing products, software and services and an operating group of Avnet, Inc. representing $4.99 billion in annual revenue, with locations in more than 30 countries. As a global technology sales and marketing organization, Avnet Technology Solutions has sales divisions focused on specific customer segments and a select line card strategy enabling an exceptional level of attention to the needs of its customers and suppliers.

About Avnet

With more than 250 locations serving customers in 70 countries worldwide, Avnet markets, distributes and adds value to the products of the world's leading electronic component suppliers, enterprise computer manufacturers and embedded subsystem providers. Additionally, Avnet brings a breadth and depth of service capabilities, such as supply-chain optimization, logistics solutions, product assembly, device programming, computer system integration and engineering design assistance. For the fiscal year ended July 1, 2006, Avnet generated revenue of $14.25 billion. Visit www.avnet.com/.>