At its iForce Partner Summit here this week Sun Microsystems will blitz solution providers with a slew of new offerings, including two low-cost leasing options to lure midmarket customers, Sun officials told CRN.
Sun also will unveil a registration program for partners to sign up all customer deals, said Bill Cate, director of the U.S. iForce program for Sun. The program ensures Sun can protect solution providers from competing with each other once one has secured an account, Cate said.
The leases mirror similar offerings IBM rolled out last fall to entice midsize businesses. Through the Sun ValuePlus program Business Accelerator Lease, solution providers can offer customers a 24-month, fair-market lease with low criteria for financing approval aimed at small and midsize businesses, said Cheryl Kelly, global director of iForce marketing for Sun.
Customers can lease up to US$250,000 of Sun hardware and support services, Kelly said. The lease is month to month, giving customers flexibility in when they want to end their lease, she added.
The financial terms of the lease are dependent on current finance rates through a third-party bank that is handling the financing, Kelly said.
News source: iTnews - Sun aims at midmarket with iForce
