Fujitsu Siemens Computers is already a Third Party Maintainer (TPM) in a total of seven EMEA countries - Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Turkey, Russia and Finland - with a base of more than 8000 systems for which it provides on-site service and support on behalf of NetApp. In Germany, Fujitsu Siemens Computers also has Contracted Delivery Partner (CDP) status. This means that the company operates as a certified NetApp subcontractor, delivering support as well as a range of additional services, including status evaluations, planning and implementation. Over the longer term, this model is to be widened to incorporate other EMEA countries.

"The APSP agreement extends our portfolio of services in the storage services growth market", stated Dr. Helmut Beck, Vice President Storage at Fujitsu Siemens Computers. "Certification means we can now address customer needs even more effectively, and it enables us not just to offer tailored NetApp solutions but also to provide qualified implementation and support services."

"APSP status further underpins Fujitsu Siemens Computers' already outstanding collaboration with NetApp in Europe. It will benefit our joint customers, giving them access to a more extensive service offering as well as in-depth storage expertise", stated Andreas König, NetApp’s Senior Vice President and General Manager in Europe. "Particularly in light of today's tightening IT budgets, partners and end-customers cannot afford to make poor decisions and need high-quality advice and swift, expert implementation - all requirements that an organisation like Fujitsu Siemens Computers can easily fulfill."

Fujitsu Siemens Computers and NetApp have been working together successfully since 2000. To date, collaboration between the two companies in the area of service provisioning has been based on a OneTeam agreement. Fujitsu Siemens Computers also uses NetApp storage systems in a number of its infrastructure solutions, including "FlexFrame for my SAP" and "FlexFrame for Oracle".