Dubai, UAE – 14th March 2012 - Avnet Technology Solutions, the global IT solutions distribution leader and an operating group of Avnet, Inc. (NYSE:AVT), today announced that it has expanded its distribution agreement with VMware, Inc. (NYSE: VMW), the global leader in virtualization and cloud computing products, solutions and services. Avnet Technology Solutions can now offer VMware’s complete portfolio of virtualization solutions to its value-added reseller (VAR) partners across the Middle East and North Africa region.

Avnet began its distribution partnership with VMware in the U.S. in 2007 and over recent years has been successful in expanding the partnership across Europe with distribution agreements in place in France, Romania, Turkey, Poland, Hungary, Ireland and the Czech Republic.

"Avnet Technology Solutions has a strong presence in the Middle East and Africa, which we believe will add considerable value to VMware in this region," said Jean-Philippe Barleaza, SEMEA channel, alliances and general business director, VMware. "The services and support Avnet provides will enable partners to take their customers to the next level of virtualization, including management solutions and end-user computing."

By working with Avnet and VMware, channel partners can develop and deliver complete virtualization solutions that significantly improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of their end customers' IT operations. Benefits for Avnet's resellers in the Middle East and North Africa region include:

§ The flexibility to provide comprehensive solutions;
§ Support to help accelerate sales in the virtualization market for VMware solutions, including tools, training, resources and guidance;
§ Access to complementary products and services to create complete data centre solutions for their customers;
§ Timely and cost-effective solutions configuration and integration support from certified Avnet engineers.

“By expanding our relationship with VMware in the Middle East, Avnet is connecting partners to new markets, new customers and new solutions to help them grow their businesses," said Henry Godwin, regional managing director, Avnet Technology Solutions, Middle East and Africa. "VMware is the perfect complement to Avnet’s portfolio. This agreement demonstrates our commitment to providing our partners with products and services that enable them to deliver an enhanced range of enterprise solutions to their end customers. These solutions, combined with resources, tools and high quality, local customer service from Avnet, will help our partners to optimize new opportunities in this growth technology area.”

To learn more about Avnet and VMware, please visit http://www.ts.avnet.com/ae
or contact us at vmware-mea@avnet.com

About VMware
www.vmware.com

About Avnet Technology Solutions
www.ts.avnet.com/ae
www.ats.avnet.com

Avnet Technology Solutions
Martina Kirchner, Marketing Manager Middle East & Africa
T: +971 (0)4 438 7319
E: martina.kirchner@avnet.com