These vendors will underpin Dicker's cloud play

Dicker Data has revealed the first wave of vendors that will populate its upcoming cloud marketplace, set to launch later this year.

The distributor has singled out Microsoft, Citrix, HP, Trustwave, Arcserve, SAP and Shoretel as partners with products to distribute via the cloud. Microsoft, Cisco and Citrix received special mention as the vendors underwriting the distie’s cloud launch.

In total, Dicker Data has 13 vendor partners where it is distributing cloud-based solutions.

Dicker Data expects to launch its cloud marketplace in the second half of the 2015 financial year, with today’s investor presentation describing the launch as one of its “top initiatives” for the year.

The portal will use an aggregator model, offering a services catalogue from several cloud and application vendors, with monthly and annual billing. This will include infrastructure, security and compliance, business continuity, applications and services. 

The distie will both sell and aggregate subscription licensing to service providers. This will include recursive billing, automated invoicing based on commitments, tracking of historical orders for trends, and live pricing and stock availability. Dicker Data provides Microsoft SPLA licensing.

Westcon, Ingram Micro Australia and Distribution Central are vying for a slice of the fledgling cloud distribution space.

Vendors on Westcon's cloud roster include AWS, Symantec, Cisco, Face Me, Virsae, Purple Wifi and Clod DC. Distribution Central’s cloud strategy involves some vendors it doesn’t otherwise distribute, while Ingram Micro has kicked-off its cloud portal with various Office 356 services, including SkyKick migration services.

Revenue growth

Unaudited results published in today's investor presentation show Dicker earned $529.3 million in revenue in the first half of the 2015 financial year, an increase of $31 million or 6.2 percent on the six months to December 2014.

The unaudited results show underlying net profit after tax is up $5.3 million to $9.7 million.

While Dicker’s revenue from foundation vendor partnerships has grown significantly, so too has revenue from new partnerships with Western Digital, Belkin, Asus and Fujitsu – revenue from those partners accounts for 8 percent of total growth since 2010.