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With Twitter constantly churning new tweets, email delivering new bits of news and the phone ringing with the latest buzz, Channelnomics isn’t at a loss for material. What did we learn today? Here are five interesting tidbits that crossed my desk today, in no particular order.

Cisco Rolling Out Cloud, Security Surprises
February is turning out to be a busy month for Cisco Systems, as it prepares to roll out a new channel cloud program to partners and, by some accounts, a big push in security products. According to CRN’s indomitable Steve Burke, Cisco will unveil a new cloud channel program at its annual Partner Summit in New Orleans later this month. Specifics on what the program will look like are thin, but Cisco’s U.S. channel chief Jim Sherriff compared it to existing value incentive program (VIP) and opportunity incentive program (OIP). Sherriff places the cloud data center opportunity at $45 billion and believes partners are the best route to market.

Rumor also has it Cisco will unveil its first next-generation firewall at next week’s RSA Conference in San Francisco. The market for these multifunction devices is crowded with players including Palo Alto Networks, McAfee and Barracuda Networks. Some people believe Cisco will accelerate adoption of these security appliances, lifting the fortunes of rivals. Frankly, Cisco’s security business needs a shot in the arm, and a next-gen firewall just might be the thing to do it.

Oh, by the way Cisco partners, Cisco created a new Twitter handle for the U.S.: @CiscoUS

Quest Pushes into Identity Management, Compliance
Quest Software is moving into security by acquiring a minority stake in startup SecureAuth. According to the Orange County Business Journal, Quest’s investment is less than $10 million. SecureAuth, based in Aliso Viejo has already raised $11 in venture funding. SecureAuth specializes in identity management and access to applications and devices by known users. The move is interesting for Quest, which makes management software for platforms developed by Oracle, Microsoft and others. Quest has ambitions in the managed services market, but this strategic relationship will extend its capabilities in compliance around middleware, operating system and database solutions.

Jobs Out of Office, Not out of Touch
Should any of us be surprised that Apple chief Steve Jobs remains involved in day-to-day operations of the company even though he’s on medical leave? In December, he turned over control of the company to COO Tim Cook while he departed for an indeterminate amount of time. The Wall Street Journal reports Jobs is active in design, sales and product development issues, phoning into the office from his home. Anyone who runs a business knows that it’s not just difficult to take time off – for medical purposes or otherwise – you often don’t want to. Jobs has done an amazing job rebuilding Apple into the powerhouse that it is. There was little chance he was simply walking away.

Microsoft, Nokia Dancing on Smartphone Partnership
Let’s be honest, even with Windows Phone 7’s improvements Microsoft is still a follower in the smartphone market to rivals RIM, Apple and Google Android. Nokia, once the leader in cellphone handsets, also lost the initiative to rivals Apple, RIM, Motorola and Samsung. So tying the two companies together would be an improvement? Microsoft CEO Steve Jobs and Nokia CEO Stephen Elop (a former Microsoft executive) seem to think so (see video, below) All week long, the two companies have been talking about their partnership to field new devices powered by Windows Phone 7. Investors and analysts aren’t convinced, though. According to Reuters, analysts want to see these phones in the field before jumping on board. Microsoft needs a strong partner to get back into the smartphone game; whether Nokia – described by CEO Stephen Elop as a “standing on a burning platform” – is the vehicle remains uncertain.

NetApp Lands Growing Cloud Partner
Quest (no relation to Quest Software) has signed up as a preferred partner for cloud services with storage specialist NetApp. Quest, a Sacramento-based company with 120 employees and $80 million in revenue, will work with NetApp to deliver virtual data centers, disaster recovery, virtual desktops and application development services. “Quest is one of several innovative organizations in NetApp’s expanding partner program ecosystem that plays a role in bringing cloud services to market,” said Julie Parrish, vice president of Global Channel Sales at NetApp. This partnership is indicative of NetApp’s strategy to sell into the cloud, meaning NetApp sells equipment to the companies selling services to end users.

Busy Conference Week Ahead
The RSA Conference, the biggest security event of the year, will take place next week in San Francisco. I will be in attendance and speaking on Tuesday about “the Death of Signature-based Antivirus.” At the same time, IBM will be hosting its senior partners at an event in Orlando. While I won’t be able to attend the IBM event, I will be monitoring from afar with great interest. If you’re at RSA, shoot me an email (lmwalsh@the2112group.com) and let’s connect.