Arrow is making managed storage services for NetApp Keystone available worldwide. In doing so, the distributor is adding a management layer to NetApp’s existing Partner XaaS offering. Channel partners and MSPs can deliver Storage-as-a-Service, while Arrow takes on management throughout the lifecycle.
Arrow developed the services in collaboration with NetApp. According to Arrow, it is the first distributor to offer such a service. The offering builds on the Partner XaaS programme with NetApp Keystone, the consumption model through which NetApp delivers storage as a service. Arrow adds a lifecycle management layer on top. The company says this enables channel partners to deliver storage services to business customers with a lower operational burden and predictable costs.
What the service includes
The managed storage services consist of a number of components that Arrow handles on the partner’s behalf. These include end-to-end lifecycle management, monitoring and operational support, and optimisation based on NetApp Data Infrastructure Insights (DII). The package also includes cyber resilience and data protection services, performance and capacity optimisation, and advisory services in the form of periodic service reviews.
The customer has a single point of contact that remains responsible throughout the entire lifecycle. Arrow says this allows it to turn customers’ storage consumption into a fully managed service. As an MSP or reseller, you deliver the Keystone environment to your customer, while day-to-day management can sit with the distributor.
Recurring revenue through the channel
Mike Martin, General Manager Global Services at Arrow Enterprise Computing Solutions, says channel partners are increasingly looking for ways to grow recurring revenue and deepen customer relationships. According to Martin, the offering is tailored specifically to that need. Arrow expects it to simplify the delivery of Storage-as-a-Service and accelerate customer adoption.
Alvaro Celis, Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial, Partner and Ecosystem Officer at NetApp, says customers are looking for solutions that allow them to focus on their core business. Celis lists the fundamentals such a service must cover: operations, data, security, flexibility, scalability and manageability. He sees this shift as an opportunity for NetApp’s partner ecosystem to build longer customer relationships. NetApp expects the combination of Keystone with Arrow’s managed services to enable partners to bring Storage-as-a-Service to market faster.
Shift towards consumption models
With this offering, Arrow is responding to the shift from one-off hardware sales to storage billed on a consumption basis. For partners without in-house storage specialists, a management layer at the distributor lowers the barrier to offering such a model. On the other hand, part of the management, and with it part of the customer value, moves to Arrow. Arrow does not disclose in the announcement how margins and responsibilities will be divided between partner and distributor in practice.
Availability
The offering is available worldwide, including to partners in the Netherlands. Channel partners looking to expand their Storage-as-a-Service portfolio can get in touch with their Arrow contact. Arrow Electronics reported worldwide revenue of 31 billion dollars for 2025.
This article was originally published in Dutch on MSP Business. Read the original →
