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Find out the most critital events this week as well as the latest incentives to earn more on every deal. Refreshed weekly...guaranteed.

Get your Weekly Impact Report for highlights on the week's incentives, promotions and events.

Jennifer Garza / Marketing Consultant, IBM Solutions / 210-247-1328

A series of IBM PureSystems "Ask the Experts" Business Partner calls have been scheduled to run every Wednesday from 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. EDT through the end of June. This is your opportunity to pose questions live to IBM PureSystems subject matter experts.

Our first weekly call, which begins on May 16, will address unanswered questions brought up during our previous call on May 3. Then, we will open the call up to the audience for additional questions about the IBM PureSystems Family portfolio.

Call-in details

Title: IBM PureSystems "Ask the Experts" Business Partner Weekly Call Recurring Wednesdays through 2Q 2012

Dates: May 16, 23, and 30, June 6, 13, 20, and 27
Time: 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. EDT
Dial in: 888-282-4105 or 1-517-623-4918,
PC: PureSystems

Replays will be available through Sept. 30, 2012 as follows:
May 16: 800-879-7632, PC: 5252
May 23: 800-896-3841, PC: 5252
May 30: 866-509-6766, PC 5252
June 6: 800-224-1051, PC 5252
June 13: 866-508-6481, PC 5252
June 20: 866-489-2845, PC 5252
June 27: 888-473-0114, PC 5252

If you didn't have an opportunity to attend the IBM PureSystems Business Partner Update Call on April 19 and the IBM PureSystems "Ask the Experts" Business Partner Call on May 3, we encourage you to listen to the replays available on PartnerWorld. These calls provide valuable information and address many questions about the IBM PureSystems Family portfolio.

We look forward to having you join us on these calls and to helping you better understand and position our PureSystems solutions with your clients.

Michelle Mastromonaco / Contract Ops Analyst / (210) 247-1740

Many customers are adding different types of end points that are screaming for management! If your customers are looking at mobility, BYOD, Patch and Lifecycle solutions then IBM’s Endpoint Manager (BigFix) might be an avenue of approach.

During the session we discussed:
- The Customer Challenges with “Traditional” Endpoint Management
- Why IBM’s Endpoint Management offering brings together the best of Systems and Security Management
- How to attract that attention and engage with IBM Endpoint Management.

Access the replay by clicking below

Amy Garcia / Software Marketing Consultant / 210-247-1081

IBM has created a forum that specifically addresses your questions about Endpoint Manager for Mobile Devices. Become a member of the forum and enjoy these benefits:

- Ask questions in the forum
- Latest industry research
- Competitive knowledge
- View completed RFP's
here to join!






Internal Mobile Device Management Hotline is an open forum for all you Mobile Device Sales needs
Fridays: 11am -12pm EST
Dial-in: 888.426.6840
Password: 2426465
- Assistance with prospecting
- Deal strategy and win plans
- Competitive knowledge and insights
- Feature/function information
- How to propose and structure MDM demos and POC's

Amy Garcia / Software Marketing Consultant / 210-247-1081

Corporate IT is struggling to support the millions of employees now demanding access to their corporate networks via their own devices. IBM Endpoint Manager for Mobile Devices can help your clients meet this challenge and more.

Unlike 'point' mobile device management tools (which comprise their own management infrastructure, policies, reports, etc.), IBM Endpoint Manager helps IT manage ALL of a mobile workers' devices -- including laptops, smart phones and tablets -- plus all of an organization's PCs, Macs, Servers, ATMs, Kiosks, POS devices and more -- all from a single console and server.

Join live demonstrations on Friday afternoon beginning March 23rd – June 29th at 12:00 – 1:00 CT to see Endpoint Manager in action and have your questions answered by a technical expert.

To join the demos click here.Password: welcome
Audio : 888.426.6840 PC 47023116

Amy Garcia / Software Marketing Consultant / 210-247-1081

While historically viewed as a more conservative industry in terms of technology innovation, the energy market today presents a vast, and continually growing, opportunity for IT solution providers. Having already topped $22.1 billion in 2011, the utilities industry in North America is expected to grow at a four-year compound annual growth rate of 4.5 percent, reaching $23.9 billion in 2012.

Fueling this growth is a convergence of energy market demands, including:
• Expanding industry regulations and guidelines, like cyber security
• Aging workforce and infrastructure
• Heightened security concerns
• Increased pressure on operational efficiency and workforce productivity.

Gain insight on key industry drivers and how to best capitalize on this opportunity by viewing the replay below.

Amy Garcia / Software Marketing Consultant / 210-247-1081

EnergyPath University offers an in-depth training curriculum designed to give you the necessary information to effectively sell into energy and utilities end users and get your share of the projected $23.4 billion IT spend.

Energy Market Topics Addressed:
•In-depth insight into the trends and directions, market pressures and issues driving today’s opportunities in the Energy and Utilities market
•Real case studies and activities to differentiate your company and your solution
•Best practices to deliver smarter Utility solutions to serve your customers better

After this course, you will be able to:
•Describe the current trends in the Utilities market
•Identify the state of technology in the Utilities market and key industry challenges
•Describe the IT segments of the Utilities marketplace
•Explain the primary Utilities market focus areas for IT and why they have been targeted
•Name the responsibilities and top challenges/pain points of key Utilities stakeholders
•Identify ways you can prospect for new business in the Utilities market, and questions to ask during prospecting
•Build your credibility with a Utilities prospect
•Understand solutions you can sell now into the Utilities marketplace

Click below to register.

Amy Garcia / Software Marketing Consultant / 210-247-1081

The IM Tools and Resources webinar, was hosted on May 10th and provided a review of the numerous channel resources available for IBM Information Management Business Partners. This webinar will save you & your team a tremendous amount of time and provide you with links to help you grow your business.

We will include resources & links for:
Sales
Marketing & Events
Enablement / Certification
Trials & Demos

The replay is available now.

Mary Howe /

Join IBM to learn about one of the first members of this family, IBM PureFlex Systems.

This system is integrated by design with built-in expertise, enabling you to optimize performance, security, and control while still providing flexibility and open choice of applications. See how the entire IT process is simplified for you, to help get applications up and running in as little as four hours, taking months off of typical deployment times.

Wednesday, May 23
JFK Presidential Library and Museum
Boston, MA

Thursday, May 24
Partner meeting, Hampton Inn
Shakopee, MN

Customer meeting, Stonebrooke
Golf Club, Shakopee, MN

Thursday, May 31
Long Beach Marriott
Long Beach, CA

Tuesday, June 12
National Constitution Center
Philadelphia, PA

Wednesday, June 13
National Aquarium
Baltimore, MD

Thursday, June 14
Atlanta Marriott Perimeter Center,
Atlanta, GA

Tuesday, June 19
Dallas Cowboys Stadium
Arlington, TX

Thursday, June 21
The Stonegate
Hoffman Estates, IL


Click Here to Download Event Flyer and Registration

Stephanie Matthews / Strategic Marketing Consultant - IBM System x / 210-247-1361

IBM N series Solutions Call Series
Hosted by Avnet and NetApp

Interested in solving more data management challenges for your clients through IBM N series software functionality? If so, attend this call series...

May 3, 2012
2-3 p.m. Central
Topic: Streamline your Virtualized Environment through Storage Efficiency

May 10, 2012
2-3 p.m. Central
Topic: Reduce Costs, Improve Service Levels, Mitigate Risk and Simplify Management through IBM N series Backup & Recovery

May 17, 2012
2-3 p.m. Central
Topic: Can Application Dev/Test on IBM N series really be a Competitive Advantage?

May 24, 2012
2-3 p.m. Central
Topic: Leveraging Disaster Recovery as an Asset

Please click here for call login details!

We will address the following questions on each call…
-Who to call on?
-What questions to ask?
-What are the common business challenges?
-How IBM N series solves these challenges?
-Who has done this before?

Lora Koenig / Solution Marketing Consultant / (210) 247-1210

Build your pipeline with Avnet Marketing projects and programs!

The Q2 2012 Solutions Project Guide includes over 20 solution projects aligned by IBM Hardware and IBM Software brands positioned into high growth segments such as "mid-market" and solution areas such as Cloud and Business Analytics.

Review our marketing programs to help you build your inbound marketing tactics, close those critical deals, and grow your software business with Destination Industry and Destination Analytics.

We are also announcing our Premier Education Event, Compass in August which will include one of the first IBM sanctioned education and certification on IBM PureSystems.

Download Your Copy Today

Jennifer Garza / Marketing Consultant, IBM Solutions / 210-247-1328

Plan to join us to learn more about what TSS offerings are packaged as standard for the new solutions and other services that enhance support with each system. IBM will help you understand how to drive value and differentiation through TSS services proposed with each of the expert integrated systems.

These monthly TSS calls for Business Partners are held the second Thursday of each month at 12:00 noon ET. You are encouraged to mark your calendar now to hold the time on these dates.

Call Logistics:
Dates: May 10, June 14, July 12, August 9, September 13, October 11, November 8
Time: 12:00 noon - 1:00 p.m. ET
Call-in #: 888-889-5798
Passcode: muscleup2012

Charts will be posted prior to the call on the PartnerWorld Services training page (look under Technical Support Services).

If you have a suggestion for a topic, contact Dawn Givens at dgivens@us.ibm.com.

Michelle Mastromonaco / Contract Ops Analyst / (210) 247-1740

Action: Process Instructions for IBM Technical Support Services required for New IBM PureFlex System foundations

IBM Business Partners are required to include pre-defined Technical Support Services (TSS) with each initial sale of IBM PureFlex. Eligible IBM Business Partners can receive an additional discount on their hardware order from their authorized IBM U.S. Distributor when they acquire eligible new PUREFLEX System products for an End User.

In order to qualify as an IBM PureFlex System, all orders must include the minimum pre-defined Technical Support Services. The PureFlex discount bid code is dependent on ordering services.

Technical Support Service offering details in the IBM Services Assistant Tool (ISAT) and Contract Handling Information System (CHIS) have been updated to reflect the service options available and are listed in the attached pdf document: IBM PureFlex System - Technical Support Services

CALL TO ACTION:
Propose the pre-defined Technical Support Services with every new IBM PureFlex System and the sell the benefits to increase customer satisfaction and give your clients the support they need to be successful.

The use of eConfig is strongly recommend to create your PureFlex System foundation.

• Foundations will be visible in xConfig in April, but will not be orderable in XCC/HVEC. Any foundations configured in xConfig must be translated to eConfig. Techline can assist with this translation.
– If IBM Techline is engaged directly to help create a config, Techline will use eConfig not xConfig.

• No Foundations will be fulfilled in XCC / HVEC at announcement until IBM Storage is available in System x later in this year (target 3Q 2012).


For complete details on IBM PureFlex System and Business Partner Order Process, please refer to U.S. Channel Communication Letter CC1204-098, dated April 11, 2012, or visit PartnerWorld TSS web site at http://www.ibm.com/partnerworld/page/svc_com_sof_intsysexp

For Questions about this announcement, contact your IBM Distributor or Channel Services Specialist.

For Sales Engagement Support:
Mike Murl at mlmurl@us.ibm.com (East)
Mike Shivers at mdshive@us.ibm.com (West).

Michelle Mastromonaco / Contract Ops Analyst / (210) 247-1740