Storage

Dell Offers Storage Financing Through Partners (0) May 14, 2012 In the first credit extension to storage partners, Dell is offering zero-percent financing on SMB purchases of its EqualLogic products. The program is a sign of Dell getting more aggressive in the SMB market and staking out greater storage market share through solution providers.
GFI Brings MSPs Managed Backup (0) May 4, 2012 GFI MAX Managed Online Backup is designed to provide MSPs with a 'business-class' backup solution that is easy to deploy and manage. Dr. Alistair Forbes discusses GFI's channel focus.
Google Drive Is Really About Entanglement (0) April 26, 2012 The arrival of Google Drive has the IT world comparing and contrasting cloud storage offerings. But Google Drive isn't about cloud data, it's about encouraging user entanglement.
WAN Optimization has a ‘Virtual Future’ (3) April 25, 2012 Hardware solutions dominate the WAN optimization market. But challenger Silver Peak believes the tide is changing toward virtual solutions. The company expects virtualized WAN optimization solutions to reach parity with hardware within the next two years.
CA ARCserve Hits Amazon Marketplace (0) April 23, 2012 CA Technologies brings CA ARCserve Backup and D2D solutions to Amazon's Web Services marketplace.
Lumenate-Troubadour: A Deal that Makes Sense (0) April 20, 2012 If you want a textbook example of an acquisition that makes sense and will drive accelerated sales growth, look no further than Dallas-based storage specialist Lumenate’s purchased of Houston-based networking and security specialist Troubadour.
Is A Condensed Cloud the End of Backup? (0) April 17, 2012 Storage and backup has become so incredibly ubiquitous, it may be time to ask a particularly prickly question: has the expansion of backup solutions reached a critical mass? It's not unlikely that a massive resizing of available solutions may happen in the very near future.
VCE, vBlock Future in Question (11) April 13, 2012 EMC and its manufacturing partners made a big deal of the launch of VSPEX, the new virtualization reference framework that allows for customized deployments. The launch does have many forecasting the future of not just vBlock, but the VCE joint venture designed to support the virtualized data center in a box.
EMC Intends VSPEX for Data Center Flexibility (1) April 12, 2012 Unlike its existing vBlock fixed virtualization solutions, EMC says VSPEX – designed and delivered entirely by the channel – will give partners and customers the option of building virtualization solutions that meet their specific infrastructure and optional needs.
Cisco, NetApp Expand FlexPod to Midmarket (0) April 11, 2012 Cisco and NetApp are making their storage and data center FlexPod virtualization solutions available to companies with 100 to 500 users. The move comes on the eve of EMC’s expansion of its virtualization framework, signally increased competition on all levels in the data center.
Google Drive to Disrupt Box.net, Dropbox (2) April 5, 2012 With the advent of Google Drive around the corner, what will happen to the paradigm of the cloud-based data world if Google undercuts the entire cloud storage market with free solutions?
Rorke Data Shakes Up Select Partner Program (0) April 4, 2012 Rorke Data reworks their Select Partner Program to encourage joint-partner collaboration and capture data demands in emerging vertical markets.
HP Storage Initiatives Boost Channel (0) March 26, 2012 HP is hoping to give its storage channel a bit of a one-two punch with the launch of two sales initiatives designed to invigorate growth and give its U.S. channel partners a leg up over storage competitors.
Symantec Channel Chief Cochran Departs (0) March 16, 2012 Security and storage vendor Symantec announced its longtime Americas channel chief Randy Cochran is departing. His successor is a Symantec veteran who has been driving the company’s cloud computing initiative.
Axcient Accentuates Image to Reflect Ambition (0) March 16, 2012 Axcient, a backup and recovery service provider, is a small, young company with high ambitious. It just completed a 10-city roadshow with Hewlett-Packard, attracting hundreds of would-be partners across the country. But a more significant sign of its ambition is a big billboard on a California highway. It’s a sign of where Axcient is going.
Software Storage Sales Hot and Getting Hotter (0) March 15, 2012 A pair of market reports released this week emphasize opportunities in a global storage software market expected to surge beyond record-breaking sales of 2011. That growth is being targeted in partner moves among key vendors including IBM, EMC and Symantec.
New Dell Servers, Storage Signal Turning Point (0) February 28, 2012 Dell unveiled twelfth-generation servers and tenth generation storage appliances in San Francisco yesterday mostly as a preview of products that will soon be available. It was also a preview of the enterprise-focused portfolio company Dell is evolving into – or at least, a ‘non-PC’ vendor.
HP Can Declare ‘Mission Accomplished’ (0) February 16, 2012 Hewlett-Packard figuratively limped into Las Vegas for its Global Partner Conference, still suffering from the hangover of the 2011 management debacle. CEO Meg Whitman, her management team and a raft of new products and channel initiatives have lifted the dark cloud hanging over the vaunted vendor.
VMware: The Intersection of the Channel (0) February 14, 2012 At the VMware Partner Exchange in Las Vegas, vendors across all technology segments are craning to showcase how their hardware and software support or enhance VMware’s virtualization tools. The goal is acceleration and expansion of channel programs and penetration of existing accounts.
Dell Wants Partners to Sell Across Portfolio (0) February 3, 2012 The unexpected announcement that former CA CEO John Swainson is heading to Dell to head up a new software unit surprised many in the technology market and channel. What shouldn’t come as a surprise are Dell’s ambitions to become a portfolio technology company. The challenge: Getting partners to recognize the value of the portfolio.
Symantec Hardware Unaffected by Huawei Deal (2) February 3, 2012 Symantec is reassuring partners that its line of backup appliances will be unaffected by its joint-venture Huawei Technologies’ shut down. Hardware, Symantec says, is a growing part of its portfolio.
Huawei Symantec Quietly Shuts Down U.S. Ops (0) February 2, 2012 Huawei Symantec has all but shut down its U.S. operations to clear the way for the purchase of its assets by its parent company, Huawei Technologies. Officially, the company remains open until March, but partners are already being supported by offshore offices and a skeleton crew in California.
Overland Boasts 400% Jump in Channel Ranks (0) January 27, 2012 The storage appliance vendor says the number of registered partners in its worldwide channel network surged in 2011. Drawing new partners in is a combination of product features and channel programs that made sales easier and more profitable. It shows that technology and channel programs cannot stand independently.
Hard Drive Prices Beginning to Subside (0) January 26, 2012 Hard drive price spikes are beginning to recede as supply chains start returning to normal following last fall’s devastating floods in Thailand. While availability is getting easier, supply and price stabilization will still take time.
Hard Drive Prices Won't Recede Until 2013 (7) January 12, 2012 The fall flooding in Thailand that destroyed much of the global hard drive manufacturing capacity by suppliers such as Hitachi and Western Digital continues to drive up prices that won’t of servers, storage appliances and PCs. The price hikes won’t recede until 2012, analysts say.
Oracle: A Networking Company? (0) January 11, 2012 Brocade Communications has reportedly received bids in the latest chapter of trying to sell itself. Speculation is Brocade will go private through a private equity sale. However, some say a vendor like Oracle or IBM could snap up the networking and storage switch company to compete against the likes of Hewlett-Packard and Cisco.
Acer, Lenovo Launching Cloud Synch Services (1) January 9, 2012 Looking to meet the growing demand for greater access to data from multiple and mobile devices, Acer and Lenovo are launching versions of their own cloud-based file synchronization services. These services are fast becoming as essential to computing devices as hard drives once were.
Oracle Building Channel Empire on HP Talent (0) January 6, 2012 Tom LaRocca is the latest high-profile Hewlett-Packard channel executive to defect to Oracle. It’s a significant loss, but may speak more about Oracle’s long-term market and channel ambitions. The lawsuits should start any minute.
Channelnomics 2011 Influencers Awards: Part I (1) January 3, 2012 Today, we unveil the first round of our Channelnomics 2011 Influencers awards, in which we recognize those special people and businesses that – for better or worse – influence the thinking and operations of the channel over the last year. We will publish our winners all this week. Up first, associations and channel groups, mobility, and storage.
Dell Aims Low to Battle Cisco in Data Centers (0) December 21, 2011 A new report suggests Dell’s key weapon in its battle plan for war with Cisco in the data center is low pricing and attached sales. The idea: Attack with servers and drag low-cost networking gear to undercut Cisco’s premium advantage. This battle will have significant cost implications for solution providers, too.
Hard Drive Shortage has Unexpected Benefits (0) December 13, 2011 The PC industry is reeling from the hard drive supply chain disruptions caused by flooding in Thailand. The bright spot in this logistical disaster is the unexpected rise of ultralight computers that don’t have hard drives and cloud-based storage systems.
Gartner’s IT Predictions Hold Channel Promise (1) December 2, 2011 It’s December, so it’s time for the prognosticators at Gartner to publish their annual list of things-to-come in IT. This year’s forecast is heavy in predictions for cloud computing, mobility, security and managed services. While some of the list may seem daunting, it’s full of great possibilities for the channel.
HP Enters the Year of Rebuilding Cautiously (0) November 22, 2011 Hewlett-Packard released its year-end earnings. While much focus is on its struggling PC business, the financial statement reveals HP is feeling pressure across the portfolio. Management is resetting expectations as it enters a year of “rebuiliding.”
Huawei Buys Out Symantec in Joint Venture (1) November 15, 2011 China telecom equipment giant Huawei Technologies is giving Symantec more than a 100 percent return to buy full interest in their hardware joint venture, Huawei Symantec. Expectations are the company will be absorbed into Huawei.
NetApp, Blue Coat Face Inquiry on Syria Dealings (1) November 10, 2011 Federal lawmakers are asking the State and Commerce departments to investigate NetApp and Blue Coat’s complicity in the sale of equipment to the Syrian government intended to support spying on dissidents. The bigger question: Who bears responsibility for reseller sales – the vendor, the reseller or both?
Axcient Brings Cloud Backup to SMB Channel (0) November 1, 2011 Axcient is addressing the data backup and business continuity needs of small and midsized businesses while creating another managed services opportunity for solution providers with its new Cloud Continuity offering.
Dell, EMC Part Ways in Reseller Alliance (0) October 18, 2011 After making more than $2 billion in acquiring its own storage products, Dell has ended its decade long reseller relationship with EMC. The long-anticipated move likely means greater collisions as these two companies collide in the storage market. In the background, this alliance ending is an example of channel success.
HP Revamps, Enhances PartnerOne Program (0) October 13, 2011 Hewlett-Packard is enhancing its channel program to provide partners with more specializations, resources and simplified processes. The stated goal is to give partners more opportunity and predictable profits. The unstated goal is keeping PartnerOne energized and viable amid turmoil engulfing the company.
Overland Simplifies Storage with SnapServer DX (0) October 11, 2011 Overland Storage is making a channel statement with the release of SnapServer DX, an affordable and expanding storage device priced for all market segments: Storage hardware and services can be low-cost and profitable.
Box.net Closes $81 Million for Development (1) October 11, 2011 The file-sharing and storage company closed a long-anticipated venture funding round with more than double the cash it initially announced in August. Now it has the fuel to build out the business, potentially with channel partners. But is there hockey-stick growth in this service segment?
OS33 Bridges Clouds for Unified File Systems (0) October 11, 2011 The cloud-enablement platform that’s making it easier for managed service providers to deliver cloud-based services is now bridging the gap between cloud storage providers. Its new Cloud Drive enables MSPs and end users to provision, manage and access data hosted by different storage providers.
Equus, Symform Team Up for Flat-Rate Backup (0) October 4, 2011 Equus MSP Solutions is teaming up with cloud storage service provider Symform and backup software vendor StorageCraft to create a new hardware-as-a-service storage offering with unlimited capacity for a flat monthly rate.
Dell Channel Momentum, Confidence Increasing (0) September 9, 2011 Once the channel pariah, Dell has not only established a channel presence, but is fast becoming a channel leader. And channel chief Greg Davis is looking to displace Hewlett-Packard as the channel’s biggest PC vendor.
SMBs Leave Ample Opportunity with Virtualization (0) September 8, 2011 A new Symantec study finds virtualization adoption among small and midsized businesses is increasing, but most are overlooking critical security and backup functions. That’s spells opportunity for solution providers.
Looming Cloud Storage Price Wars (5) August 11, 2011 Barracuda Networks recently doubled the capacity of its backup storage service while keeping prices steady. Other cloud storage services are wrestling with what customers are willing to pay and the cost of operations. Will this add up to a cloud storage price war?
HP, Oracle on Divergent Channel Courses (0) August 1, 2011 As the two tech giants continue to slug it out in court over executives, intellectual property rights and contractual obligations, the strategic choices each company is making in their respective channels may determine the outcome of this war.
Symform Launches Freemium Cloud Storage (1) July 27, 2011 The cloud storage vendor is looking to disrupt the market with a 100-gigabyte freemium offering to partners and customers. The intent is to show price disparities and reveal channel opportunities in this service.
Dell in Networking: Winners and Losers (1) July 21, 2011 Dell’s unsurprising entry in the data networking market through the acquisition of Force10 Networks will shake up the overall IT market and channel. Here are a few thoughts on the winners, losers and potential game changers in the dynamic competitive landscape.
Huawei Symantec Seeks ‘Wingmen’ (1) July 19, 2011 The joint-venture between China’s Huawei Technologies and the U.S.’s Symantec held its first partner summit this week, where it unveiled its new “Wingman Partner Program.” Evidence continues to mount for why Huawei Symantec is the vendor to watch.
Oracle Wants ISVs to Support Exadata (0) June 29, 2011 The database giant is looking to bolster its hardware sales by giving independent software vendors incentives and support for developing certified applications for its Exadata and Exalogic platforms. Oracle is just the latest vendor looking to extend its value with the help of software partners.
HP Targets SMBs with Raft of Products, Services (0) June 22, 2011 Hewlett-Packard sees a $234 billion opportunity in the SMB marketplace, and intends to capitalize on it through a series of new hardware, software and service programs designed to make technology easier for solution providers to sell and small businesses adopt.
Dell Loves the Channel, and It Should (3) June 13, 2011 Five years after racing into the channel to reverse its sagging fortunes, Dell now credits more than one-quarter of its commercial revenue as coming through partners. Dell still has trust issues among solution providers, but it’s made an amazing transformation to become “channel-friendly.”
Symantec Gets Legal with eDiscovery Acquisition (0) May 20, 2011 Big Yellow is diving into eDiscovery through the acquisition of long-time technology partner Clearwell Systems. The new product line will give Symantec a play in the legal compliance market and potentially enhance its existing security and storage products.
7 Machine-to-Machine Channel Opportunities (0) May 2, 2011 The Internet will have more than 50 billion connected devices by 2020, but only a fraction will be human interfaces. Machine-to-machine connections are poised to skyrocket, opening new opportunities for products, software, professional services and cloud engagements.
Symform Introduces Flat-Rate Cloud Storage (0) April 26, 2011 While several cloud storage providers are retreating under pressure of high costs and low sales, Symform is looking to disrupt the market with flat-rate pricing for infinitely scalable services delivered through the channel.
Huawei Symantec, QLogic Form Alliance (0) April 25, 2011 Huawei Symantec will begin selling QLogic fibre channel switches to bolster its storage portfolio. The alliance gives Huawei Symantec firepower in building out its global footprint and, ultimately, taking on entrenched rivals.
Spiceworks Adds Cloud Management Features (0) April 8, 2011 The provider of low-cost IT management tools gives its service providers and end users the ability to acquire and manage cloud services through Google and Rackspace. The new features could be a sign of new channel business models designed to support changing consumption trends.
Four Biz Lessons from the Final Four (0) April 1, 2011 The match-ups are set for the ultimate college hoops showdown. Here are four lessons from the Final Four for solution providers.
Standardized IT Services: As IBM Goes, So Goes the World (0) March 24, 2011 Technologies such as virtualization and cloud computing are making standardized platforms acceptable... even preferable. Enter IBM with new, pre-engineered delivery of like servers, storage, service-desk assets and more as a way to speed deployment and lower cost. Are you ready for this shift?
Channel Pushes Hardware, Software Sales to Pre-recession Levels (0) March 15, 2011 SMBs went on an IT hardware and software buying spree with resellers in 2010, pushing sales up 2 percent to nearly $59 billion.
Going to Cisco, Looking for Answers (2) February 28, 2011 The once mighty Cisco Systems, seemingly indomitable in its core technologies and unstoppable in its ancillary ventures, is looking shaky. Shareholders are questioning strategy and rivals are gaining ground. What answers will Cisco have for solution providers at this week’s Partner Summit in New Orleans?
Huawei Symantec: A Potentially Disruptive Force (0) February 28, 2011 The joint venture between Chinese manufacturing giant Hauwei Technologies and security giant Symantec is firmly planted in North America and looking to take on established market leaders Cisco, Juniper and EMC. The company has a lot of firepower and high ambitions, and a new partnership with Force10 Networks is adding more. Huawei Symantec is a potentially disruptive force, but many obstacles stand its way.
Acer Servers Underscores Attached Sales Model (3) February 22, 2011 Acer America has enjoyed tremendous success selling PCs through the channel. The launch of its servers and storage appliance is probably a reflection of the need to give partners more to sell and capture more sales through “attached sales.”
5 Things We Learned Today – February 11 (0) February 11, 2011 Here’s a look at some of the stories and trends that hit our radar screen that are relevant to the channel. My favorite: Microsoft tying up with Nokia in smartphones.
Cirtas Looks to Disrupt Storage with New Funding (0) January 25, 2011 Less than six months have passed since storage management innovator Cirtas Systems came out of stealth mode, but the company has already closed its second round of venture capital funding and is moving aggressively to expand its unique brand of hybrid cloud storage. While storage is anything but sexy, the Cirtas funding round reflects why data storage and management remains a huge opportunity.
667 Million-Billion Reasons to be Bullish on Storage (0) December 29, 2010 If there’s any technology that comes close to being recession-proof, it’s probably storage. There’s nothing sexy about IT storage – essentially the digital warehousing of information – except the numbers. And the numbers are astounding.
Cisco, NetApp ‘De-Risk’ Virtualized Data Centers (2) December 16, 2010 In a new video with NetApp global channel chief Julie Parrish, Cisco’s Wendy Bahr describes the two company’s jointly developed “FlexPod for VMware” as a means for “de-risking” the process of product developing for partners. By having tested and certified virtualized data center architecture, the two companies say solution providers are free to sell products with confidence and differentiate themselves from competition.
Storage Market Contracts as EMC Acquires Isilon (0) November 15, 2010 The long-rumored acquisition of Isilon Systems came to pass this morning with the announcement EMC bought the network-attached storage specialist for $2.25 billion cash. EMC believes the acquisition is an investment in scalable storage that will soon become a multi-billion business.
Self-Made Storage: You Can Do This. Should you? (0) November 5, 2010 When I was a kid, I took apart the little transistor radio my uncle used to keep up with our small-town news while he was shaving. Though I never managed to successfully reassemble it, earning me months of glares and stern warnings about my fitness for any sort of respectable craft, I was certain I’d stumbled on an important secret.