Ingram Micro has refreshed its AI Center of Excellence in Singapore, adding infrastructure from NetApp and Cisco for companies that need to assess artificial intelligence applications before putting them into production. The distributor said the facility is designed to give enterprises and independent software vendors a managed setting in which applications can be tested against practical data, workflows and customer scenarios.
The upgraded center brings together computing, storage, networking and software infrastructure. For software developers, the facility is intended to provide a way to check and refine applications against operational requirements before commercial release. Enterprises can use the same environment to examine potential AI deployments before committing them to their own operations.
A test environment built around NetApp and Cisco
Ingram Micro said the center uses the NetApp Platform, with all-flash storage systems running NetApp ONTAP for data management. The facility also incorporates Cisco’s AI-Ready Data Center with Full-Stack Security and Observability, which the company describes as an infrastructure blueprint for AI workloads.
The two technology stacks are being used together as an evaluation environment. ISVs can test, validate and optimize their applications there, while enterprise users can assess how proposed AI solutions perform in scenarios closer to their intended operating conditions. Ingram Micro said this approach is meant to reduce deployment risk and give organizations more information before they make AI-related investments.
| Element | Role in the refreshed center |
|---|---|
| NetApp Platform | Provides the storage and data-management foundation |
| NetApp ONTAP | Runs on the center’s all-flash storage systems |
| Cisco AI-Ready Data Center with Full-Stack Security and Observability | Supplies the infrastructure blueprint for AI workloads |
| Xvantage | Provides access to validated AI solutions and flexible infrastructure purchasing |
Distribution and adoption support
The Singapore facility is also connected to Ingram Micro’s Xvantage platform. The distributor said Xvantage will provide access to validated AI solutions and flexible infrastructure purchasing options. That places the testing environment alongside a commercial channel through which participating organizations can review available solutions and infrastructure.
Ingram Micro is pairing the refreshed center with a Dedicated AI Services team to support adoption planning. The company presented the services component as part of a broader effort to help organizations move from experimental AI projects toward production deployments, while giving software vendors a path to prepare applications for commercial use.
Eunice Lau, Executive Managing Director, Ingram Micro Asia Pte Ltd, described the investment as a joint effort involving Ingram Micro, NetApp and Cisco. Her comments positioned the center as a resource for organizations working through the transition from AI pilot activity to operational deployment.
- Enterprises can evaluate AI applications before introducing them into their operations.
- Independent software vendors can validate applications against real-world requirements before commercial use.
- Ingram Micro’s channel resources combine the Singapore testing facility, Xvantage access and AI Services support.
For Ingram Micro, the expanded center adds a services and validation layer to its distribution role. Rather than limiting the engagement to infrastructure supply, the company is using the Singapore location to connect technology evaluation, application readiness and purchasing access across the AI deployment process.
