Why Build Intel-based Whitebox Servers PPT version

Editor's Notes

• #2: I’m here to talk to you today about an important sales opportunity – servers built on Intel® server products and systems. There are lots of reasons for your company to explore this avenue, but I want to share with you some of the most compelling reasons and address some concerns you may have.
• #3: There are a variety of different business situations that offer an excellent entry point into building your own servers. If your company has been doing well selling desktop solutions and you want to expand your product offerings, servers built using Intel® server products are a great extension of what you’re doing today. Or perhaps you’re already selling branded server systems but have found the margins to be tight or that your customers need a little more flexibility than your current suppliers can offer. Building the servers yourself is an excellent way to grow your business and better serve your customers. Wherever you’re starting from, if you want to become the single-source IT solution provider for your customers, expand your market share, and maximize revenues in a world of shrinking margins, building your own servers is a great way to extend your customer relationships.
• #4: In fact, customer demand for custom solutions is one of the best reasons to build your own servers. First, it allows you to control the server configuration to create unique solutions. In these instances, you are the expert resource for your customers. You help them address their unique needs and deliver the servers built specifically for them. It’s a great way to become indispensable. These unique configurations then allow you to target specific market segments. As you learn the needs of certain businesses or customer types, you can continue to address them more efficiently. One great product for giving you a head start is the Intel® Modular Server. This customizable business-in-a-box offers an assembled server solution ideal for medium businesses that you can easily customize for unique needs. And the Intel Modular Server is available only to Intel channel partners. We’ve also done a lot of work to make developing these custom solutions easier for you with validated hardware and software selections through the Intel® Enabled Server Acceleration Alliance. ESAA gives you immediate access to pre-tested hardware and software recipes that will give you a jump start in meeting your clients’ needs. With these certified solutions, you can save both money and development time.
• #5: Building your own servers using Intel® server products and systems also enables you to earn more. As the builder, you select the components, so you have more control over costs. For example, with Intel I/O modules, you have access to a component for less than market pricing, which allows you to differentiate and increase margins. Whether you find optimal pricing for individual elements or create a configuration that can address your clients’ needs at a lower cost, you have the upside of margin. And as margins in desktops tend to go down, servers offer an important opportunity for growth. Providing a unique solution also gives you an opportunity to sell those customers additional products. Your server solution could turn into sales of storage, RAID, add-in cards, or other components that your customers will need to complement their new server. If you sell to small businesses, you can also take advantage of free deployment assistance tools and Active System Console for health monitoring, or provide full-scale management with Microsoft System Center Essentials. And, finally, there are the money-making opportunities offered by being a service provider. Each Intel server board ships with a free copy of Microsoft System Center Essentials* and discounts for upgrading to a more comprehensive version of this manageability solution. By using these tools, you can offer to manage PC fleets for customers who already have desktops and laptops built with Intel® vPro™ technology. Providing services is an excellent way to generate recurring revenues. And Intel has already integrated Intel® Active Management Technology allowing Microsoft System Center Essentials to work with Intel vPro technology across desktops and servers.
• #6: Another important reason is that in an increasingly competitive market, building your own servers will help you differentiate from the competition. By building a server solution instead of just reselling a server system, you are creating greater affinity and preference for your company among your customers. This will ultimately be the reason your customers choose you and come back to you. This will become what your brand represents for them. Part of that brand perception will be the personal service that you are providing for them. You can offer the kind of local perspective, know-how, and responsiveness that a multinational corporation can’t. That means you can deliver more value to your customers. You can also provide one-of-a-kind products like the Intel® Modular Server, which is available only through the channel. Ultimately, your competitive advantage will come from being able to deliver truly customized solutions that your customers will ultimately depend on. It’s that reliance that’s the key to competitive advantage.
• #7: Finally, another great reason for building your own server solutions is that Intel makes the process much easier. At serverconfigurator.com, you have a one-stop resource for creating the server bill of materials and finding a distributor that can provide the complete BOM. Intel also puts you in complete control of parts consistency. Our tested hardware and operating system list makes selecting the right add-in hardware and supported operating systems easier. This also helps ensure consistency in parts at customer sites and an inventory of spares. Quick-start user guides offer simple steps for integrating Intel® server boards. Or you can select from pre-built and tested systems. Finally, Intel provides comprehensive technical and service support.
• #8: That’s because we don’t want the concern about having the necessary technical expertise to keep companies like yours from entertaining the idea of building your own servers. You can access significant technical resources from Intel. The solutions from the Intel® Enabled Server Acceleration Alliance will get you well on your way to creating the custom solutions that your customers demand. These are proven solutions tested on Intel® technology-based hardware, so you can be confident that they are going to work. Then there’s the Intel® Modular Server. Think of it as a great foundation for server solutions for small and medium businesses. This business-in-a-box is a great starting point for you to customize to meet your customers’ unique needs. Best of all, most of the heavy lifting has already been done for you. And finally, there’s the Intel® Authorized Integrator Program where you can go when you don’t have a specific type of expertise you need and find someone who does. These are resources well versed in Intel technology, so you know you’re getting a great resource that you can count on.
• #9: Another area of concern is service support. But, again Intel is here to help. Intel® products have undergone extensive testing and validation to ensure that you are providing your customers with solutions that offer world-class quality and reliability. In fact, all Intel® server products carry a three-year warranty, and with Intel® Advanced Warranty Replacement, replacement parts are shipped immediately without waiting for the return of defective parts. There is a business advantage to the service component as well. It’s an important part of building a relationship with your customers. You know them best. You can deliver the best service. And ultimately, that will be something they value about their relationship with you. With pass-through certification, you have the confidence of knowing that you are providing your customers with validated solutions. Finally, Intel provides constant Web and phone support to ensure that your questions are answered and all issues are resolved quickly and efficiently.
• #10: Our system builders say it best. READ THE QUOTES.
• #11: All of the advantages you gain from building servers clearly outweigh the challenges. Don’t let technical and service fears or customer unknowns hold you back. From closer customer relationships to additional earnings to greater competitiveness, the bottom line is you can’t afford not to build your own servers using Intel® server products and systems.