Exclusive: HP throws ProCurve distribution wide open

Ingram Micro loses exclusivity.

Dicker Data has secured the distribution rights to HP's ProCurve networking line, bringing to an end the exclusive arrangement with Ingram Micro.

CRN has been informed that the vendor has ended the exclusive agreement with Ingram Micro. Fellow HP server distributor Dicker Data has been waiting until a "notification period" had finished before it could start trading.

Ingram Micro has been contacted for comment.

Dicker Data refused to confirm or deny the news. "All I can say is it would make sense considering the way the enterprise market is going that all HP distributors get access to ProCurve [products]," said Dicker Data sales manager Chris Price.

Two other HP server distributors, Lynx Technology and Avnet, are rumoured to also have won the right to distribute the Pro Curve line.

At the time of press Avnet said it had nothing official to comment. Lynx Technology declined to comment.

Last year HP added networking to its internal Enterprise Servers and Storage division (now ESSN), which is run by Paul Robson, in a restructure that reflected the promotion of the ProCurve range to the front line.

Price said HP's acquisition of 3Com would plug a gap in its networking portfolio that was created by Cisco's decision to stop reselling products through HP.

In the past HP has manufactured more edge switches rather than core switches, said Price.

"With the 3Com purchase it's got some really good high-end kit. And when you combine that with the volume you get something really valuable," he said.

Dicker Data was HP's largest server and storage distributor in 2009. The distie was looking forward to adding networking to its range. "We do a lot of blade and a lot of SAN and so we are looking to enter the market via the expansion of the blade and SAN market into networking," said Price.

"If the IT and the comms room turn into one room, it does make a difference to have a one-stop shop," said Price. "That's where Cisco is going as well."

Dicker Data carries two other networking vendors; SMB-focused NetGear and fibre-switching specialist Blade Network Technology.