Express Data lands XenSource

Express Data has rounded out its server portfolio by signing a sole distribution agreement with US-based virtualisation software vendor, XenSource.

The distributor is selling the company's XenEnterprise virtualisation software that lets users run many virtual machines on the one computer.

XenSource developed the product based on the industry’s open source Xen hypervisor (a free virtual machine monitor for x86, Intel Itanium and PowerPC architectures that allows multiple guest operating systems on the same computer hardware).

The product competes against proprietary virtualisation systems developed by EMC-owned VMWare.

Ian Kelly (pictured), communications division manager of Express Data said the software complements the distributor's server-centric computing and virtualisation product line-up, whcih includes Cisco, Microsoft, IBM, Citrix, Novell, CA, Symantec and Wyse software lines.

“We were looking for a product that had the market strength of VMware. We chose XenEnterprise because it was well known to our existing vendors.

“Some of our resellers have also been hoping the product would become available locally. “The offering completes our line of server-centric and virtualisation product,” he said.

Kelly said will need to go through a sales certification course before they can sell the product.

“They also need to complete a technical certification courses as part of a long term strategy,” he said.

Sales training will be provided via the XenSource Web site. Express Data will hold one-day technical training courses across major cities on behalf of the vendor.