Ingram Micro Offers New 'Live Online' Training, Certifications and Virtual Labs to Save Partners Time, Money and Travel Costs

Distributor's VPN Dynamics subsidiary offers channel partners new, high-end technical training, certifications and virtual labs from major manufacturers Citrix Systems, CheckPoint Software Technologies, Juniper Networks, Meru, SonicWALL, VMware and Websense

SANTA CLARA, Calif., July 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Ingram Micro (NYSE: IM) today announced a lineup of new and affordable "Live Online" training, certifications and virtual labs offered by VPN Dynamics, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ingram Micro. A complete list of the Live Online training, which includes several of the industry's leading networking, security and virtualization manufacturers, is available at http://www.vpndynamics.com.

According to Ken Bast, vice president, vendor management, Ingram Micro U.S., these new, instructor-led online classrooms will minimize travel expenses and make it much easier and more cost-effective for service providers to train technicians and end-users on high-demand technologies, such as networking, security and virtualization.

"Our channel partners can also resell these offerings to their end-user clients, which in turn helps to build up their service margins and strengthen their role as the trusted IT provider," Bast says.

The new Live Online training, certifications and virtual lab courses are available now to Ingram Micro solution provider partners in the U.S. and Canada. All Live Online courses are conducted in real-time and led by highly trained instructors, and include 24 hours of sandbox time so participants can demo the equipment at leisure. Featured manufacturers include Citrix Systems, CheckPoint Software Technologies, Juniper Networks, Meru, SonicWALL, VMware, and Websense.

To ensure participants receive a positive, one-on-one training experience, all online classrooms are kept small (six people or fewer per class) and are backed by VPN Dynamics' Live Online Guarantee: If a participant is not satisfied with the online training, he or she will receive a voucher to retake the class in person at the Santa Clara training facilities.

"The right training and certifications can make all the difference for solution providers who are actively selling higher-end technologies, such as network infrastructure, security and server virtualization," says Bast. "Whether it is better pricing, more qualified leads, or stronger support resources such as MDFs and field engineers, there's no question that vendors invest in the partners who invest in them. Equally important is the business value training brings to solution providers by way of expertise, advantage, and the keen ability to close deals and align the business need with the right technology solution."

"The training our technicians receive through VPN Dynamics is top-notch," says David L. Prince, president of Databranch, Inc., an Olean, N.Y.-based SonicWALL partner and member of Ingram Micro's VentureTech Network. "These new online training courses and virtual labs come at a perfect time -- especially given the rise in travel costs. Training our technicians is an ongoing, but necessary investment that holds a significant ROI for us and our clients. It's great to have a partner like Ingram Micro who recognizes the necessity, but also looks for ways to make it easier -- and in this case, more profitable -- to extend our expertise and value."

For more information about Ingram Micro's new Live Online training courses, visit http://www.vpndynamics.com or call (866) 367-8761.

About VPN Dynamics

VPN Dynamics is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ingram Micro Inc. and a leading provider of networking, security, virtualization training and services. Solution providers and their customers benefit from VPN Dynamics' proven ability to simplify network security by providing knowledge and education through the life cycle of networking, security and virtualization products.

VPN Dynamics is an authorized training provider for Citrix Systems, Check Point Software Technologies, Juniper Networks, Meru, SonicWALL and Websense products. For more information, visit http://www.vpndynamics.com.

About Ingram Micro

As a vital link in the technology value chain, Ingram Micro creates sales and profitability opportunities for vendors and resellers through unique marketing programs, outsourced logistics services, technical support, financial services, and product aggregation and distribution. The company serves 150 countries and is the only broad-based global IT distributor with operations in Asia. Visit http://www.ingrammicro.com.

SOURCE Ingram Micro

Released July 7, 2008