Tech Data Opens Apple Lab
Apple Specialized Business Unit helps VARs explore and demonstrate business applications for Apple solutions.
Clearwater, Fla.-based Tech Data Corporation has opened the 450-square-foot Apple Lab, the latest addition to the company’s 6,000-square-foot technology solutions center. Resellers use the Tech Data solutions center to demonstrate an array of IT solutions in a hands-on environment for their end-user customers, as well as to train their own sales and technical employees on the channel’s latest technologies. Now, Apple resellers can bring their customers to the solutions center to demonstrate how Apple-based solutions can be deployed to support the IT needs of SMBs and larger corporate environments.
“With the rising popularity of the iPhone, iPod ,and Mac computers in the consumer market, users are very interested in learning how Apple products can be incorporated into their businesses,” says Tech Data Vice President, Client Systems Product Marketing Brian Davis. “That creates opportunities for Apple resellers. Today, Apple-based solutions can be deployed to support all mission-critical business applications. Seeing those solutions in action is the best way to sell them, and that’s why we built the Apple Lab.”
The Apple Lab is supported by Tech Data’s Apple Specialized Business Unit (SBU) and can be equipped to demonstrate an array of Apple-based SMB and enterprise business solutions, including:
- Server and desktop virtualization
- IP video surveillance
- Storage virtualization
- Point-of-sale
- Digital signage
- Mobility
- Windows on the Mac platform
- Storage area networks
- Professional audio/video editing and production
- Professional photography
The Apple Lab will feature a complete line of Apple products, including the iPod, iMac, Mac Mini, Mac Pro, Xserve, and Apple TV, as well as accessories, peripherals, and software from vendor partners developing solutions supported by the Mac platform. These vendors include Altec Lansing, Autodesk, Axiom, BakBone, Canon, Check Point, EMC Retrospect, FileMaker, Imation, LaCie, Microsoft, Parallels, Promise Technology, QLogic, Ricoh, SanDisk, Seagate, Tandberg Data, U.S. Robotics, Verbatim, and Western Digital.
The Apple Lab is available to resellers for onsite and remote solutions demonstrations, as well as technical and sales trainings. To learn more about the lab, Apple resellers can call the Apple SBU team at 800-237-8931, ext. 82038 or send e-mail to apple@techdata.com.
