Channelnomics

 

News

  • Junosphere Bolstered With Platform Tweaks (0) May 17, 2012 Juniper equipped its Junosphere cloud offering with added partnerships and a few platform enhancements, all aimed at facilitating greater ease of use for partners and accelerating adoption of cloud and virtual infrastructure for customers.
  • HP, Oracle and Technology Roadmaps (0) May 17, 2012 Newly released documents in the legal tit-for-tat between Hewlett-Packard and Oracle reveals HP once considered buying Sun Microsystems to replace its Itanium servers. The ongoing court battle is showing the channel how important published technology roadmaps are.
  • Services May Unlock Unified Comm's Potential (0) May 17, 2012 Unified communications – the integration of various forms of digital messaging in a single platform – remains of high interest among businesses, but adoption is still relatively low. A new CompTIA study finds the attachment of cloud and managed services may open the door for greater unified communications adoption.
  • Enterasys SuperDrive: Partners And The Future (0) May 17, 2012 At Enterasys SuperDrive 2012, partners are buzzing about the OneFabric networking portfolio while Enterasys celebrates its growth in the marketplace. Is Enterasys a rising star on the networking scene?
  • CA Process Automation 4 Arrives (0) May 16, 2012 CA Technologies launches CA Process Automation 4, bringing a unified network automation platform for physical, virtual and cloud environments.
  • Spiceworks Community Tops 2 Million Users (0) May 16, 2012 Spiceworks, the IT professional social network glued together by management tools and peer collaboration, recently added its 2 millionth member and saw user activity time jump more than 200 percent. This social network may be a tempest in a teapot for how its changing the way IT buyers and sellers interact.
  • Reports: Enterprises Embracing BYOD Trend (0) May 16, 2012 Enterprise organizations have moved well past the acceptance phase to embrace the BYOD trend, creating swaths of opportunity for the channel to create holistic and scalable mobile security policies and management services for their customers.
  • Insider: Cloud, Not Recession, Haunts Cisco (0) May 16, 2012 Cisco is planning to roll out more cloud products, including its new Cloud Connect in June, to capitalize on this ever-expanding opportunity. However, its recently pessimistic outlook, says one insider, has more to do with cloud disruptions to its core networking business than global economics. It’s a rationale, noteworthy counterargument.
  • NetSuite Launches Commerce-as-a-Service (0) May 16, 2012 NetSuite launches the commerce-as-a-service platform "NetSuite SuiteCommerce," enabling both retail and corporate sales outfits to enhance customer service and customer experiences through a fully integrated ERP/CRM solution.
  • Lenovo SMB Incentives Just Might Work (0) May 16, 2012 Lenovo has claimed the number two spot in the PC manufacturing market and is looking to dethrone rival Hewlett-Packard by attacking the SMB market with new products and partner sales support. Driving this activity are incentives that just might work.
  • Nvidia Brings GPU To The Cloud (0) May 16, 2012 Nvidia launches the Nvidia VGX platform, a cloud-based GPU that can deliver real-time 3D rendering and highly responsive graphic applications to virtualized environments and the cloud. Cloud-based GPUs could turn thin clients into powerhouses and reshape what MSPs can provide their customers.
  • In Defense of Ballmer and Chambers (0) May 15, 2012 Forbes names Microsoft's Steve Ballmer as the worst CEO in America, and Cisco CEO John Chambers isn’t far behind on a list of five corporate head-honchos that “should have been fired already.” There’s a strong argument for why they’re on the list. There’s also a strong counterargument.
  • Sophos Targets SMB With Security Suite Launch (2) May 15, 2012 Sophos has launched a set of comprehensive security suites directly targeting the SMB, which will likely give partners an easy in-road into lower markets by touting affordability and comprehensive functions bundled in one package.
  • SSDs: A Hidden Channel Opportunity (0) May 15, 2012 Solid state storage is a hidden opportunity in the channel, especially as SSD prices are set to drop inside 2012. Partners can reach out to old and new customers by offering huge performance gains from application severs to storage devices.
  • Managed Print and Trickle-down Economics (2) May 15, 2012 Printer vendors are pushing their managed print services (MPS) hard to what is often a reluctant market. Could the secret to managed print finally taking off be a trickle-down effect from large enterprises and organizations adopting first and inspiring SMBs to follow?
  • Microsoft Study Says Cloud Brings Security (0) May 15, 2012 A new Microsoft study shows a correlation between cloud adoption and enhanced security measures. The channel has yet another opportunity to capitalize on the ever-expanding world of cloud services.
  • LifeSize Looks to Change Telepresence Equation (0) May 15, 2012 LifeSize is looking to disrupt the telepresence video conference market with its new Unity line of high-definition products that provide “telepresence-like quality” at a fraction of the cost and deployment hassle.
  • Intel's New Xeons Spark Server Surge (0) May 14, 2012 Intel launches three new series of Xeon CPUs designed to bring super-high performance computing to severs everywhere and provide powerful 'green' CPUs ideal for workstation environments.
  • Cloud EMRs Entice Healthcare Providers (0) May 14, 2012 A study finds SaaS EMRs are increasingly attractive offerings for healthcare organizations because of their ease of use and cost-effectiveness. This opens opportunities for partners to expand practices in healthcare security arenas.
  • 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.
  • Kaspersky Rallies Troops for $1 Billion Run (3) May 14, 2012 Russian security vendor Kaspersky Lab is looking to top the $1 billion sales-bookings mark by 2014 and, soon after, become the world’s second largest security vendor. It’s an ambitious goal supported by near-fanatical partners. The lingering question: How will Kaspersky fuel this growth with only organic product and market development?
  • Symantec: Cloud Adoption Drives Data Recovery (0) May 14, 2012 A new Symantec survey of SMBs reveals that the adoption of cloud, virtualization and mobility is driving the adoption of disaster recovery solutions. As SMBs move towards enterprise-style technology, this could represent an opportunity for partners to bundle disaster recovery offerings with existing cloud, virtualization and mobility solutions.
  • Cisco & Intel: Two Differing Economic Forecasts (0) May 14, 2012 Cisco CEO John Chambers raised a red flag during the company’s latest earnings report, saying the summer quarter would be softer than previously expected. Intel CEO Paul Otellini countered, saying economic conditions are good but not great. The truth is somewhere between.
  • Amazon Welcomes SQL, .NET ISVs to AWS (0) May 11, 2012 Amazon launches support for SQL Server and ASP .NET to Amazon Web Services, inviting a world of Windows developers to take advantage of Amazon's cloud capabilities.
  • Microsoft Extends Solution Incentives Program (0) May 11, 2012 While Microsoft was vague on the reasons for extending its Solution Incentives program, the move will give Microsoft Partner Network resellers an additional six months to meet stated sales goals and reap up to 30 percent extra margin in strategic product categories.
  • Don’t Be Afraid to Trim Partner Ranks (1) May 11, 2012 Partner profitability, training and enablement, and sales support are sacrosanct principles in the channel. And, accordingly, many people falsely believe participation in partner programs is a guarantee and right. But, nothing could be further from the truth.
  • Kaspersky: McAfee Losing Focus Under Intel (1) May 11, 2012 The Russian security company boasts double-digit, faster-than-market growth, fueled by endpoint security sales. By comparison, Kaspersky pointed out how McAfee is in decline following its acquisition by Intel. The numbers don’t tell the whole story, though.
  • Revisiting the Chasm, Again and Again (3) May 11, 2012 For all the talk about market development, technology maturation and selling technology into verticals, too few solution providers truly understand this lifecycle or how to use it to their advantage. The starting point hasn’t changed in two decades: Pickup “Crossing the Chasm.”
  • Ncomputing Brings Citrix HDX to the Masses (1) May 11, 2012 Ncomputing's new thin-client duo promises to deliver high definition virtualization content that won't break the bank.
  • McAfee Targets SMBs with Cloud Services (0) May 11, 2012 McAfee is looking to bolster its midmarket fortunes with new products and services tailored specifically for the SMB market. Likewise, it’s offering channel partners new incentives and support for attacking and capturing more SMB opportunities.
  • Axcient Cancels Out Cloud Downtime (0) May 11, 2012 Axcient's Cloud Continuity platform can instantly and seamless transfer an SMB to a cloud continuity server in the event of data center failure. Axcient's in-house backup technology is proving itself a key differentiator in the channel.
  • The HP Cloud Arrives For Open Beta (0) May 10, 2012 HP finally unleashes the HP Cloud, a public beta of its cloud infrastructure platform to compete with the likes of Amazon and Rackspace. How will HP's public and open beta help build success for the budding cloud platform?
  • PCI Council Launches Reseller Cert Program (0) May 10, 2012 Channel partners and integrators with a compliance niche can add another tool to their portfolio with the launch of a new PCI DSS cert that aims to provide specialized training on the secure installation and maintenance of validated payment applications.
  • Inside the Great Huawei Threat (3) May 10, 2012 China’s Huawei Technologies is a repeat target of criticism by competitors and governments as a competitive and security threat. The reality is Huawei is just getting started in the U.S. market and channel, and it’s taking a deliberate approach to building its presence.
  • 6fusion Moves Closer To Hypervisor Agnosticism (0) May 10, 2012 6fusion introduces open-source Xen and Citrix Xen support to the UC6 cloud management platform, allowing IT admins and MSPs to mitigate the headaches associated with multiple hypervisor environments and obviate vendor lock-in.
  • Can BYOD Survive the End of Subsidies? (0) May 10, 2012 Consumers can’t get enough of smartphones and tablets, and that’s driving IT vendors and solution providers to adopt mobile device management. What many consumers don’t know is their devices are heavily subsidized by carriers, who are growing tired of paying for hardware. Will BYOD continue if subsidies are curtailed?
  • How Wyse's New Moves Benefit Dell (0) May 10, 2012 Wyse's new thin client and MDM solutions will provide a considerable bump to Dell, giving it a new competitive edge in the virtualization and enterprise space. Will Dell ultimately compete at the same level as HP, IBM and Oracle?
  • Dell Goes Direct With Unidesk Virtualization (1) May 9, 2012 Dell's latest partnership with Unidesk could signal much bigger moves from Dell in the virtualization space.
  • Cisco Study: Companies Fear Cloud Migration (0) May 9, 2012 A Cisco cloud migration study found that a significant number of IT decision-makers are stymied to overcome infrastructure hurdles when embarking on cloud migration projects, leaving a wide-open gap for the channel to address an anticipated slew of networking, security and configuration challenges.
  • Citrix Urges Rethinking of IT Assumptions (0) May 9, 2012 Citrix believes a root cause of the problems in building, managing and securing cloud and mobile systems is solution providers and enterprises continue to apply conventional and dated assumptions about the IT operating environment. Citrix is encouraging partners and customers to do is change their thinking and assume everything is cloud and mobile.
  • Motorola Launches WLAN Cloud Service (0) May 9, 2012 Motorola Solutions is looking to empower partners with new tools for optimizing and securing business wireless networks with a new cloud-based service. The service is intended to insure businesses increasingly dependent upon cloud and mobile device have quality wireless network connectivity.
  • HP Plays Offense With Avnet, F5 Networks (0) May 9, 2012 HP teams up with Avnet to provide reseller access to Avnet's Data Center Lifecycle services. HP strengthens its existing networking portfolio with F5 Networks, bringing automated application optimization to HP's enterprise partners.
  • Vu, Vidtel Break through Video Garden Walls (2) May 9, 2012 The partnership between Vu TelePresence and Vidtel will enable users of the video conference technology to collaborate and communicate with non-Vu and competitive platform users, effectively breaking through the garden walls that limit many telepresence solutions.
  • ShoreTel Unloads Collaboration Cornucopia (0) May 9, 2012 ShoreTel unleashes the SA-400 with ShoreTel UC platform 12.3, in addition to the cloud-based UC management M5 Portal, plus a new remote monitoring system to ensure the stability of ShoreTel IP PBX systems.
  • WatchGuard Offers Virtual Product Lines (0) May 8, 2012 WatchGuard Technologies is tackling the virtualization space head on with an all out virtual revamp of its product lines--a move that could potentially attract new channel blood and give it a bit of a leg up over competing UTM vendors.
  • Dell, Red Hat Build Open Source Workstations (0) May 8, 2012 Dell and Red Hat team up to ship Red Hat Enterprise Linux on Dell Precision Workstations and PowerEdge hardware. But is Red Hat the real winner in this open source partnership?
  • How Vendor Incentives Can Hurt Partners (1) May 8, 2012 IT vendors, particularly hardware companies, often talk about “incentives” such as rebates and promotional discounts as means for ensuring partner profitability. The reality is incentives can sometimes have more negative consequences and cut into partner profitability.
  • UNICOM Acquires Federal Reseller GTSI (0) May 8, 2012 UNICOM Systems sets its sights on GTSI, in an effort to expand UNICOM's presence in the IT channel and expand into the governmental sector.
  • Confirmed: Netbooks Are Still Dead (0) May 8, 2012 While Apple and Hewlett-Packard jostle for the top spot in PCs, netbooks – the onetime savior of the PC market – continues their precipitous slip in sales and market share. The replacement, no surprise, is business-class tablets. The big question: What will replace tablets?
  • F5 Networks Offers SPDY Application Delivery (0) May 8, 2012 F5 Networks introduces the SPDY Gateway, an appliance designed to optimize the Web and Web-based applications via Google's SPDY protocol. F5 networks is also leveraging SPDY as an effective way to optimize Web apps for mobile use, and for browsers that don't natively support SPDY.
  • Oracle Spotlights Partners at OpenWorld (0) May 7, 2012 Oracle hypes up partner specialization, education and certification for the Oracle PartnerNetwork Exchange at OpenWorld this year, as Oracle looks to leverage its partner network to better compete in the channel.
  • Unisys Unveils Security Suite, Partner Program (0) May 7, 2012 Unisys is making a bit of an about face by bulking up its channel team that paves the way for launch of its new partner program and expansion of its customer base for the release of its new Stealth Solution security suite.
  • Huawei, Synnex Strike U.S. Distribution Deal (0) May 7, 2012 Synnex will begin selling Huawei Technologies data center, switching and unified communications products to the U.S. channel. The deal is part of a concerted effort by Huawei to increase channel sales around the world.
  • Skype Stunting Microsoft, Nokia Turnaround (7) May 7, 2012 Nokia is blaming Microsoft’s ownership of Skype as the reason many carriers don’t want to carry the new Lumia smartphone powered by Windows Phone 7. There’s some truth to this excuse, but it’s more a reflection of what’s happening across the technology landscape in terms of allies becoming frienemies and competitors.
  • Zenith Infotech Barred from Selling Cloud Assets (0) May 7, 2012 An India court issued an injunction against the cloud and backup company after determining a previously submitted assessment of its asset value is incomplete. The ruling comes amid speculation that Zenith Infotech was getting ready to shed more assets.
  • Rethinking Differentiation Among VARs (1) May 7, 2012 The onset of new technologies is opening vast new opportunities for solution providers, managed service providers and systems integrators. The opportunity goes beyond just cloud computing. It's about building portfolios of services, products and values that provide a new level of differentiation from the conventional VAR of yesteryear.
  • The Fuzzy Future of Telepresence (7) May 5, 2012 Cisco pioneered the concept of the virtual conference room with telepresence. Rivals including Polycom and Hewlett-Packard have followed suit. They are magnificent systems that few can afford, and that’s the problem argues one pundit. Is this a harbinger for video conferencing?
  • Riverbed Offers Cost-Effective WAN Optimization (1) May 4, 2012 Riverbed launches the Steelhead 150 as a cost-effective physical or virtual WAN optimization appliance for small branch offices and the SMB. Cloud service providers may start adopting more optimization appliances, especially amid Riverbed's vCloud Connector partnership with VMware.
  • Cisco To Acquire Data Analytics Firm Truviso (0) May 4, 2012 Cisco revealed plans to acquire data analytics and business intelligence firm Truviso, which will give channel partners a few new analysis and reporting tools to add to their professional services tool belt.
  • Access One, Stratosphere Bridge Channel Divide (0) May 4, 2012 Telecom provider Access One is teaming with solution provider Stratosphere, aligning their mutual capabilities to meet market demands for telephony and IT solutions. The partnership is a great example of how IT and telephony solution providers can cross the channel divide to amplify their market potential.
  • 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.
  • Sprint Picks Zenprise for MDM Service (0) May 4, 2012 Sprint’s selection of Zenprise MobileManager for its new mobile device management service offering reflects the growing need and demand for enterprise-class management and security of smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices. It’s another sign the channel needs to step up MDM adoption.
  • HP 3PAR Promises 2X Virtualization Performance (0) May 4, 2012 HP promises to double physical server capacity for virtual machines through 3PAR storage technology. This unique solution has the potential to be cost effective in budget-strapped and space-constrained environments.
  • Tealeaf Steeps in IBM's Smarter Commerce (0) May 3, 2012 IBM picks up yet another analytics-based company with Tealeaf Technologies. IBM plans on using Tealeaf to augment its existing Smarter Commerce business with an advanced commerce analytics engine.
  • Juniper Unveils Mobile Security, Access Tools (0) May 3, 2012 Juniper Networks launched a slew of mobile security and management enhancements to its Simply Connected portfolio, which aim to give channel partners a few more tools to address security and access challenges stemming from the rising tide of BYOD.
  • Managed Print Takes Flight at Boeing (0) May 3, 2012 Xerox inks a deal to provide managed print services to aircraft manufacturing giant Boeing. The engagement, through Xerox’s Enterprise Print Services, will consolidate Boeing’s document management to save costs and improve productivity. Is managed print finally turning the page in terms of viability?
  • Cloud Services Can Eliminate IT Staff Risks (0) May 3, 2012 The Wall Street Journal suggest big companies are scrutinizing IT staff to weed out would-be hackers and data thieves. But a simple fix is already available: By outsourcing IT to the channel, the threat of rogue IT admins can be eliminated.
  • VMware View 5.1 Ready For Mobile Workforce (0) May 3, 2012 VMware View 5.1 arrives with new optimization features alongside the VMware Project Octopus Beta storage platform. With virtualization, cloud and storage capabilities under its belt, VMware readies itself for the mobile enterprise.
  • theCloud, ScaleXtreme Launch vCloud Partnership (0) May 3, 2012 ScaleXtreme's cloud automation services joins up with theCloud's hosting services, signalling that collaborations between cloud companies may become more commonplace in the not-to-distant future.
  • Check Point Unveils Free Antivirus and Firewall (1) May 2, 2012 Check Point Software Technologies launched a new free firewall and antivirus product, a move that could likely increase consumer brand awareness and give the company inroads into SMB and other lower market segments.
  • SHI Growth Powered by Services and SMB (1) May 2, 2012 SHI International, one of the largest solution provider organizations in North America, posted strong revenue growth for the first quarter, topping the previous record haul. The impressive numbers are fueled by surging SMB sales and services, showing how even large solution providers can play down-market.
  • ShoreTel Reorganizes Channel Leadership (0) May 2, 2012 ShoreTel reorganizes its channel leadership as it looks to broaden its UC reach across the globe and accelerate the move to the cloud.
  • Why Not Even The Channel Can Save RIM (1) May 2, 2012 RIM unleashes a BlackBerry 10 prototype device to developers in an effort to spur application development, which in turn, could spur adoption whenever a finalized device is released. But RIM is late to a game they are already losing, missing out on a golden opportunity to leverage the BYOD channel trend as a vehicle for success.
  • Google, Onix Finally Win Fed Cloud Contract (2) May 2, 2012 After a protracted legal and competitive battle between Microsoft and Google over the future of the federal cloud, the Department of the Interior decided to convert its 88,000 users to Gmail rather than Office 365. The win opens the door for cloud newcomers to challenge incumbents for federal business.
  • Report: Trend Micro is Cloud Security 'Leader' (2) May 1, 2012 Trend Micro is among those leading the charge in the global cloud security software market, according to TechNavio’s Global Cloud Security Software Market report.
  • Acer Gets Professional With New Display (0) May 1, 2012 Acer's new 24-inch IPS display is an ideal candidate for a variety of use cases, from governmental security monitors to digital signage displays.
  • Quest Software Boasts Robust Migration Services (0) May 1, 2012 Quest Software announces itself as a leading provider of Microsoft Office 365 migration. Are Quest Software's moves indicative of a recent change from public to private company or a company moving to cloud services? Or both?
  • Axcient Shows What It Takes to Build a Business (0) May 1, 2012 Cloud backup vendor Axcient expands management team with industry veterans. The additions are part of a master plan by founder Justin Moore for building a billion-dollar business. It’s a model that any channel business can – and should – follow.
  • Ingram Micro Cloud Summit: Focus On Services (0) May 1, 2012 Ingram Micro launches their third annual Cloud Summit. This year, Ingram Micro will focus heavily on how cloud technologies can help MSPs build their services up and out.
  • Ultrabooks Drive Lenovo's Enhanced Experience 3.0 (0) April 30, 2012 Lenovo's EE3 offers an optimized boot environment for PCs, shrinking boot time 40 percent. Is Lenovo gearing up for ultrabooks and Windows 8 tablets?
  • Symantec: Malicious Attacks Spike 81 Percent (0) April 30, 2012 Symantec's new Threat Report indicates the increasing need for channel partners to hone skills and expand security practices and highlights the need for more mobile device management and protection.
  • Zenith Infotech Launches Low-Cost Private Cloud (1) April 30, 2012 Embattled Zenith Infotech launches a new cloud infrastructure and backup service built on Intel and Microsoft technology that reportedly costs 70 percent less than comparable offerings. The new service is the result of a $38 million development project and comes as the company battles creditors over a $85 million debt default.
  • Enterasys MDM: One Appliance to Rule Them All (0) April 30, 2012 Enterasys introduces the Mobile Identity and Access Manager appliance, offering granular MDM controls based on 50 unique attributes. With a virtual appliance option and cloud-based controls, will this be the style of MDM to dominate the future?
  • HP Slate 8: A Future Mobile Accessory (0) April 30, 2012 The designs and specifications of the forthcoming Hewlett-Packard Slate 8 tablet powered by Windows 8 were leaked over the weekend. On the surface, this tablet looks impressive as a business and consumer device. It may also be a part of the next-generation of computing devices as accessories.
  • ePlus Expands into Video Managed Services (0) April 27, 2012 ePlus Technology, an integration and services company, is expanding its portfolio to include video managed services for collaboration and conferencing. It’s a good example of a solution provider filling the skills gaps in the marketplace.
  • HP Names Channel Leaders for New Division (0) April 27, 2012 Hewlett-Packard has drawn upon internal candidates to lead the channel charge for the merged Printing and Personal Systems (PPS) group.
  • Why Jabber Is All About Mobile Enterprise (0) April 27, 2012 Cisco's ambitions with Jabber may be to build a de-facto UC platform for the upcoming wave of mobile devices in the enterprise.
  • IBM's Big Appetite For Big Data (0) April 27, 2012 IBM is buying up all the big data technology it can in an effort to become an arbiter of all things big data.
  • OS33 Introduces MSP Cloud Initiative (0) April 26, 2012 In an effort to bring more MSPs into the cloud services fold, OS33 has opened up the ability for "Master MSPs" to resell services and infrastructure to smaller MSPs, in an effort to generate additional revenue and expand the reach of cloud services.
  • OKI Data Expands Total Managed Print to Canada (0) April 26, 2012 OKI Data expands its cloud-based managed print services offering, Total Managed Print portal, into the Canadian marketplace. As managed print grows in the cloud, will it become part of larger cloud stacks?
  • NetSuite Touts Growing Midmarket Channel (0) April 26, 2012 The cloud-based ERP market leader announced the addition of four major midmarket solution providers to its channel program, reflecting the growing market demand for cloud resources. It may really be an indication of the market’s desire for cloud options.
  • Consumerization Driving Unified Communications (0) April 26, 2012 A new report by IDG Enterprise finds the number of consumer devices flooding workplaces is driving the majority of unified communications and collaboration adoption. The good news for the channel: A best-of-breed approach is preferred, and there is no clear market leader, making unified communications an open-field opportunity.
  • 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.
  • Facebook Turns Security Distributor (1) April 26, 2012 The world’s largest social networking site is now offering its 900 million users antivirus solutions by leading security vendors including Symantec, McAfee and Trend Micro. The distribution and education alliance is intended to extend protection to the global Facebook network, but it’s also a sign of Facebook’s growing economic prowess and ambition.
  • Dell's New Workstations Pack a Punch (0) April 25, 2012 Dell's new Precision series of workstations come out swinging with the latest Xeon CPUs and the fastest graphics options from Nvidia.
  • SugarCRM's Sweet Deal With Ingram Micro (0) April 25, 2012 SugarCRM inked a deal with Ingram Micro to bring the new Sugar 6.5 platform to channel partners under Ingram's Advanced Computing Division. IBM resellers working with Ingram can also jump on board.
  • Autodesk Channels Customer Satisfaction (0) April 25, 2012 CAD and design software vendor Autodesk is tying partner compensation and benefits to customer satisfaction ratings and performance. Data shows happy customers lead to better partner financial performance. Funny thing: Partners need cajoling to get and accept this principle.
  • 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.
  • McAfee New SIEM Goes ‘Big Data’ for Security (0) April 25, 2012 McAfee released the first revamped security information and event management (SIEM) product following its acquisition of NitroSecurity. It includes integration with ePolicy Orchestrator to give businesses greater security analytics and situational awareness. It’s a big step in creating a “Big Data” engine for security.
  • CloudOpen Event Spreads Open-Source Gospel (1) April 25, 2012 The open-source gospel will be read at the inaugural CloudOpen event. Spun on by The Linux Foundation, CloudOpen will exist as a "parallel" conference alongside LinuxCon, in order to best spread the good news of open source.
  • No Stopping the Apple Juggernaut (0) April 24, 2012 Apple stunned the IT market by continuing to sell iPhones and iPads a blazing pace in Q1, driving up profits a staggering 94 percent. While Apple is continuing its winning streak, there are many challenges ahead and no indication where in which the channel may play.
  • Avnet Boosts IBM Partners With New Services (0) April 24, 2012 Avnet puts IBM partners on the fast track for deploying automation tools, social networking cloud platforms and new health care management portals, all thanks to the acquisition of Ascendant Technology.
  • Oracle Partners Team to Develop eDiscovery App (1) April 24, 2012 TEAM Informatics, Integro and EntropySoft collaborated to develop ‘Email Manager for Oracle,’ a software product that simplifies eDiscovery for legal proceedings. The teamwork is a great example of how solution providers can, and should, develop their own intellectual property to secure their value propositions and future revenue potential.
  • First Jenne Summit Shows UC Strength (1) April 24, 2012 Jenne Inc hosts its inaugural "Powering Partners Summit," bringing partner training, education and interaction to the UC partner community.
  • Dell Offers Partners Social Media Resources (0) April 24, 2012 Dell launches new social media training, support and resources to solution providers through its partner portal, building on its success as leveraging social tools to drive customer engagements and sales.
  • Huawei Profits Plummet Amid Market Pressure (0) April 24, 2012 China's IT equipment manufacturer saw annual profits fall 53 percent under pressure by competitors, government regulators and a soft communications market. Huawei executives insist the fall was anticipated and the company has turned the corner to become a portfolio vendor like Cisco and Dell.
  • How Microsoft Will Trump Android in Mobility (0) April 24, 2012 Google's Android is facing court challenges by Oracle over its use of Java, while customers are raising frustrations over their user experience. A combination of Android shortcomings and Google miscalculations will open the door for Microsoft to roar back in the mobility market. In the end, it's all about integration.
  • QlikTech Partners Build On Business Intelligence (0) April 23, 2012 QlikTech brings business intelligence to the market with QlikView, uniquely offered through specialized software integration with OEM channel partners.
  • CA ARCserve Hits Amazon Marketplace (0) April 23, 2012 CA Technologies brings CA ARCserve Backup and D2D solutions to Amazon's Web Services marketplace.
  • Apple, Google Poaching Lawsuit Worth Watching (1) April 23, 2012 A federal judge rejected a request by Apple, Google, Intel and other leading technology companies to dismiss an antitrust lawsuit brought by a group of software engineers alleging a conspiracy to limit IT job salaries and mobility. It’s worth watching for solution providers, who can use this lawsuit in their own talent recruiting.
  • 'Managed Services' Has Different Cloud Meaning (1) April 23, 2012 IT vendors and cloud service providers are talking up managed services as their preferred partnership model going forward in the cloud. This may sound like good news to the legions of MSPs in the channel. Trouble is, they’re not talking about that kind of managed services.
  • UTM Sales Pass $1B and May Have Plateaued (4) April 23, 2012 New market-sizing data from Gartner indicates the global unified threat management market passed the $1 billion sales market in 2011, driven by demand for appliances with firewall and intrusion prevention capabilities. Has the UTM market plateaued amid the rise of next-generation firewalls?
  • SAP Recruiting Partners To Expand Reach (0) April 23, 2012 SAP is focused heavily on expanding its partner program into key areas like mobility and data analytics as it looks to decrease direct sales involvement and expand market reach.
  • Earnings Quick Look: IBM, Intel and Microsoft (0) April 20, 2012 IBM, Intel and Microsoft post their quarterly earnings. What can we glean from the facts and figures and where are these companies headed?
  • Microsoft Extending Windows Intune’s Tentacles (0) April 20, 2012 At this week’s Microsoft Management Summit, the software company announced the next version of Windows Intune will include mobile device management capabilities including support for rival Android and Apple tablets and smartphones. Is this surrender or strategic genius?
  • The 21st Century Malware Malady (1) April 20, 2012 The ever-evolving threats of the 21st century require us to change the way we look at security. The channel has the potential to keep the entire world on lock down.
  • 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.
  • Amazon Doubles Down In The Cloud With APN (0) April 20, 2012 Amazon's new Partner Network Beta and Amazon Web Services Marketplace puts Amazon in the position to reach into the cloud marketplace using a two-pronged attack, both direct and with partners.
  • N-able's New RMM Offers MSPs Insight (0) April 19, 2012 N-able launches Report Manager 3.2, brining enhanced RMM tools to the MSP community. As SaaS and cloud offerings become more complex, RMM tools will need to follow suit.
  • Cisco Exploring Brokering Intra-Channel Teams (0) April 19, 2012 Cloud service providers are looking to extend their sales reach through resellers. The problem: Resellers have trust issues. Cisco, the common party between the two sides, is looking to play the role of peacemaker by brokering trusted relationships.
  • Microsoft Open Technologies Taps Open Source (0) April 18, 2012 Microsoft launches the Microsoft Open Technologies subsidiary, tasked with fostering the growth, adoption and continued interoperability of Microsoft's technology with the open-source community. Red Hat approves.
  • Sprint Takes On SMB Cloud Space (0) April 18, 2012 Sprint looks to enter the fast-paced world of the cloud by offering an SMB-focused SaaS platform with communication and connectivity options. Do telcos have an advantage since they carry the keys to connectivity ?
  • Ingram Appoints Anaya VP of Marketing (0) April 18, 2012 After a three-year stint away from the distributor, Jennifer Anaya is returning to her roots at Ingram, this time serving as vice president of marketing for North America. The appointment is a reflection of Ingram’s increasing focus on driving new opportunities and growth.
  • CA Brings All Partners under Unified Program (0) April 18, 2012 CA Technologies, a vendor undergoing a channel renaissance through its expanding cloud portfolio, is bringing its diverse network of partners under a single global program to better distribute development resources and ensure consistency in channel operations.
  • Cisco Applies Incentives to Drive Two Initiatives (0) April 18, 2012 At its annual global partner conference, Cisco announced two initiatives: Partner Plus to address midmarket opportunities, and Global Services Partner Programs to expand services sales. Both are driven by new rebates and sales incentives to support partner profitability.
  • Intel Preparing for ARM's Race (0) April 18, 2012 Intel's success in the mobility market may never come to pass. Can it really compete against the flexible nature of the ARM platform?
  • Office 365 Gets Small-Business Bump (1) April 17, 2012 Microsoft introduces the Small Business competency, designed to give partners an edge when selling Office 365 solutions. Can Microsoft grow this into its largest competency?
  • Windows 8: Just 3 Versions? (0) April 17, 2012 Microsoft announces three unique versions of Windows 8 and discusses its features. Will Windows 8 be Microsoft's best version of Windows yet?
  • Check Point Builds ‘Anti-Bot’ Intelligence Network (1) April 17, 2012 Check Point believes its new ThreatCloud security intelligence network will provide immediately actionable information to detect and thwart botnets and protect businesses from exploitation and cybercrime. A unique idea, though, it’s not.
  • TCI Building Network to Complement Porfolio (0) April 17, 2012 Technology Capital Investors is augmenting its portfolio of managed services and integrators with a network of complementary service providers across the country. The collaborative partner network could form a farm league of potential acquisitions for the private equity firm.
  • Unified Communications: An Integrator’s Dream (0) April 17, 2012 Unified communications suffers from a singular problem: There’s no one product that encompasses the full communications spectrum. That one issue is holding back progress in the unified communication channel. The reality is unified communications can be anything we want it to be. Here’s why.
  • 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.
  • DataMotion Launches Compliance-Ready PaaS (0) April 16, 2012 DataMotion's new PaaS offering brings pay-as-you-go compliance to a wide range of data center systems. Will compliance needs soon become de facto check-box features?
  • Cisco Evangelizing 'Business Transformation' (0) April 16, 2012 The annual Cisco Partner Summit officially kicks off tomorrow in San Diego, where the networking giant is expected to talk up its wide range of technologies and its own recovery from a tumultuous 2011. What will make this event different is Cisco technology being put in the context of business transformation delivered by partners.
  • LabTech Releases 2012 Updated RMM Platform (0) April 16, 2012 LabTech Software unveils its 2012 remote monitoring and management platform, which features mobile device management capabilities, out-of-the-box ease of deployment and new reporting tools.
  • Citrix Acquisition Of Podio Signals SaaS Shift (0) April 16, 2012 Citrix's acquisition of Podio may signal a larger shift in the SaaS productivity world. Will the SaaS market start competing on levels of integration and differentiation?
  • ZyXEL Throws Late Pitch to SonicWall Partners (0) April 16, 2012 ZyXEL is the second security appliance vendor to offer SonicWall partners a safe haven rather than joining the Dell PartnerDirect program. The initiative is late to the game and fraught with pitfalls for SonicWall and ZyXEL partners alike.
  • PC Sales as a Market Barometer (1) April 13, 2012 Hewlett-Packard retook the top spot in quarterly PC sales as global shipments of notebooks and desktops ticked up nearly 2 percent between January and March. Much is being made of PC sales numbers, making them the new barometer for the IT industry. And there’s good reason for it.
  • The OpenStack Foundation Is Formed (0) April 13, 2012 The OpenStack Foundation is formed as major industry vendors sign on to help spur the adoption and development of one of the major open-source cloud infrastructure platforms.
  • 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.
  • Google Wallet: A Channel Opportunity (0) April 13, 2012 Google Wallet is impressive, but proliferation remains low as mobile phones slowly adopt NFC technology. Is now the perfect time for channel partners to gear up solutions and services wrapped around NFC payments?
  • CompTIA Reaffirms Strength of Community (0) April 13, 2012 The 2012 CompTIA Annual Member Meeting showcased the strength of vendors and solution providers of all levels coming together to solve common problems and advance the industry. CompTIA is evolving into the town common of the channel.
  • Gartner: iPad Still King in 2016 (0) April 13, 2012 A recent Gartner projection places Apple's iPad as the leading tablet well into 2016. But what does that say about other tablet contenders?
  • Xerox’s Gillam Receives Lifetime Achievement (0) April 12, 2012 Gary Gillam, vice president of North America channels at Xerox and a fixture in the channel for the better part of three decades, was honored by CompTIA for his contributions to the industry. He plans to retire in June.
  • 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.
  • Synnex Pads CLOUDSolv With SoftLayer (0) April 12, 2012 Synnex and SoftLayer team up to bring SoftLayer's instant-on cloud technology for VARs looking to provision their own clouds, without investing in the infrastructure.
  • XP's Demise Means Windows 8 Opportunities (0) April 12, 2012 As Microsoft kills off Windows XP and Windows Vista support, what kind of unique channel opportunities arise as the transition Windows 8 becomes inevitable?
  • Microsoft Realigns Cloud Certifications (0) April 11, 2012 Microsoft launches three new of cloud certifications designed to focus on "real-world" solutions for the cloud. Microsoft believes they can spur smarter and more advanced cloud adoption.
  • 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.
  • IBM Introduces PureSystems Family (0) April 11, 2012 IBM launches the PureSystems Family, converging virtualization, cloud services, storage and networking into one unit. IBM's Mark Hennessy discusses the new systems and channel implications.
  • 1/3 of IT Budgets Spent on Cloud Computing (0) April 11, 2012 A new IDG report finds businesses are spending one-third of their IT budgets on cloud computing, mostly in storage and private cloud solutions. While cloud adoption is accelerating, solution providers still report trouble finding their way to the clouds.
  • HP Offers Converged Cloud For Enterprise (0) April 11, 2012 HP launches a huge conglomerated portfolio of managed cloud services dubbed HP Converged Cloud. It's aimed specifically at growing enterprise businesses, but will the channel come out and play?
  • Best Buy Reorganizes As CEO Resigns (2) April 10, 2012 Best Buy's CEO Brian Dunn resigns as internal company reorganizations adapt to the digital world. Will Best Buy find new profitability through systems integration services in the channel?
  • McAfee's Agentless MOVE AV Protects VMs (0) April 10, 2012 McAfee launches a new agentless version of MOVE AV designed to provide complete VM protection while offloading scanning and monitoring processes to a virtual appliance. Does this hint at future plans with Intel?
  • Google's Cloud Empire Could Unite Everything (0) April 10, 2012 Could a hypothetical Google Unified reshape the relationship consumers, channel partners and vendors have with each other? Will cloud service integrators supplant traditional VARs and MSPs?
  • Honoring Commodore Inventor Jack Tramiel (0) April 10, 2012 Jack Tramiel, the founder of Commodore International, passes away at 83. His lasting legacy lives on, thanks to the immense popularity of the Commodore 64.
  • Huawei and the Matter of Trust (0) April 10, 2012 Cisco CEO John Chambers said Huawei Technologies doesn’t play fair, raising again the issue of trust that dogs the company and locks it out of big deals. How will this Chinese giant overcome the mistrust and misgivings that will inhibit sales and market development?
  • Lenovo Launches Energy-Efficient ThinkStations (0) April 9, 2012 Lenovo lines up a trio of new Xeon-powered ThinkStation computers designed to bring power efficiency and powerful computing to the workplace for an easy price.
  • Sophos Installs New Channel Chief (0) April 9, 2012 Sophos management tells Channelnomics the changing of channel leadership is not an indication of a strategy shift. Rather, the installation of a new channel chief comes as the security vendor continues to integrate acquired companies and refine channel relationships.
  • Avnet Attacks Aftermarket Opportunities (0) April 9, 2012 Avnet continues its push into the aftermarket world with the launch of Avnet Integrated Resources division, designed to provide an end-to-end lifecycle management system for companies and service providers. Will the aftermarket become the next big channel trend?
  • Palo Alto Networks Files for IPO (3) April 9, 2012 Palo Alto Networks, the juggernaut of the next-generation firewall segment, took a step closer to going public on Friday. Banks are lined up to underwrite a $175 million IPO – but the public offering could come with good and bad news for channel partners.
  • Open Data Center Alliance Simplifies the Cloud (0) April 9, 2012 The Open Data Center Alliance offers guidelines and tools for the long-term development of cloud technology, focusing on security, scalability, identity management and more. But can the ODCA pull it off?
  • BoxTone Launches Mobility Management Network (0) April 6, 2012 BoxTone is looking beyond mobile device management and security to deliver enterprise mobility management (EMM), which extends MDM to include application sourcing and management. The program positions BoxTone as an enterprise mobility aggregation point.
  • What Will Dell Buy Next? (0) April 6, 2012 Dell bought three companies in the past week and five since the beginning of the year. Three of them deal with data and applications – specifically in cloud computing. Where is Dell going next? If building a portfolio of end-to-end solutions is the end game, there are many options for spending Dell’s $18 billion war chest.
  • Microsoft Streamlines Virtualization Management (0) April 6, 2012 Microsoft launches UE-V, a user-account management platform for Hyper-V Windows virtualization environments, along with App-V 5.0 for virtualizing more complex applications.
  • CA Brings Backup to Ingram Micro Cloud (0) April 6, 2012 CA Technologies brings MSP licensing models and ARCserve D2D On Demand to the Ingram Micro Cloud Marketplace. Will distribution companies become arbiters of all cloud services?
  • Mac Malware Dispels Invulnerability of All Devices (0) April 6, 2012 More than 600,000 Macs are infected by the Flashback Trojan, which disables many of the native OS X security protections. While not unique, the mass infection shows Mac users can no longer be cavalier about malware and vulnerability threats. Nor can mobile users.
  • Google Taps MSPexcellence for Enablement  (0) April 5, 2012 Google Apps partners with MSPexcellence for the Cloud Solutions Provider (CSP) program, designed to help Google Apps resellers and MSPs become CPSs, with Google Apps driving the heart of business revenue.
  • Inside CDW’s Slow Transformation Strategy (0) April 5, 2012 It’s been five years since CDW bought systems integrator Berbee and dove into the strategic side of the channel. Since then, it’s made steady progress toward transforming its direct-market reselling business to systems and services. And it’s in no hurry to completely upend its model.
  • A Word about M&A in the Channel (1) April 5, 2012 Nary a day goes by when a headline doesn’t pop up of some solution provider buying a peer or a vendor buying another vendor – and there’s no signs of the deals abating. Since the beginning of the year, more than $10 billion has been spent on M&A activity. But not all M&A deals are the same, and their implications for the channel are vastly different.
  • 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.
  • Ingram Micro, HP Focus On Turnkey Health Care (0) April 4, 2012 Ingram Micro and Hewlett-Packard team up to provide "turnkey" health care solutions through HP workstations and tablets running health care software.
  • MDM is a Growing Vendor Battleground (4) April 4, 2012 Research in Motion yesterday started shipping its universal mobile management application, while Sophos bought German mobility leader DIALOGS. Networking, security and mobility vendors are racing to field mobile device management solutions. While there’s already a pecking order, no one company dominates this growing segment.
  • Cisco, EMC Double-Down on Cloud Education (0) April 4, 2012 Cisco and EMC team up to educate the IT world about building out the cloud. Can individual training help spur continued cloud growth?
  • New Dell Program Simplifies OEM Ecosystem (0) April 4, 2012 Dell’s new OEM Partner Program provides manufacturing and logistical support to other vendors looking to leverage Dell hardware and software resources. The new program works with equipment manufacturers, distributors and solution providers to expedite solutions' route to market.
  • Citrix CloudStack Floats Into Apache Territory (0) April 4, 2012 Citrix looks to bring CloudStack to the Apache Software Foundation, making it a certified and open-source platform. Can CloudStack gain the same level of success and momentum as Hadoop before it?
  • 6fusion Continues To Fuse Cloud With Channel (0) April 3, 2012 6fusion looks to capture a larger segment of the enterprise with a new VAR-centric cloud program, in addition to a new MSP program designed to streamline MSP implementation of public and hybrid IaaS services.
  • Intel Has a New Rival-in-the-Making: Samsung (0) April 3, 2012 For years, Intel has focused much of its competitive energies at keeping AMD at bay. Now, it may be facing a new threat in Samsung, which is bulking up its processor design resources in what some believe is a prelude to developing processors. Samsung taking on Intel could have serious implications for the channel – mostly positive.
  • N-able N-sists N-central 8.2 Is Best Yet (0) April 3, 2012 N-Able launches N-central 8.2, promising simple and enhanced functionality, plus new backup and remote management capabilities. N-able is calling 8.2 a "partner-lead" release, but does it deliver?
  • Last Chance to take the Channel Conflict Survey (0) April 3, 2012 The 2112 Channel Conflict study is producing interesting insights into the level of conflict between vendors and partners. The study isn’t done yet, and there’s still time to participate. Take the 2112 Channel Conflict survey today.
  • Best Buy’s Geek Squad Evolving into Integrator (2) April 3, 2012 Revel Systems is leaning on Best Buy’s Geek Squad to install its mobile point-of-sales systems in restaurants across the U.S. The partnership, along with Geek Squad’s new channel program, shows how the services arm is evolving into an integrator and contract services company. It’s another clue as to where Best Buy is going, too.
  • OS33 Looks to Unify Cloud Management (0) April 3, 2012 OS33 introduces a new "Webtop" unified portal for the consumption, reporting and billing of multi-vendor cloud solutions, making it easier for MSPs to manage their customers' resources while handling the onslaught of SaaS.
  • Dell+Wyse Focus on End-To-End Solutions (0) April 2, 2012 Dell acquires Wyse as it looks to capture the growing demand for thin clients and cloud computing, but can Dell's desire for end-to-end infrastructure solutions capture the real cloud opportunity?
  • 3 Meetings Too Long to Explain Cloud (1) April 2, 2012 Cloud computing is everywhere. Unfortunately, the marketing and hype isn’t translating to understanding in the market. New research shows it takes service providers three meetings to explain cloud computing to customers – a process that takes weeks and delays sales.
  • Dell Buying Thin-Client Vendor Wyse Technology (0) April 2, 2012 Dell will announce later this morning its intent to buy Wyse Technology, a leader in thin-client software and hardware solutions. The deal is another in a string of strategic acquisitions transforming Dell into an enterprise portfolio IT supplier.
  • Blackberry’s Redemption Not in the Channel (0) April 2, 2012 Research in Motion, the beleaguered maker of Blackberry smartphones, is vowing to stay in the consumer market while refocusing on its enterprise core. Regardless of its future path, RIM’s future and hopes for reversing its slide likely rests on channel partners pulling through against Apple and Android.
  • HP Expands ‘Blue Carpet’ Concierge Program (1) April 2, 2012 Hewlett-Packard is expanding its Blue Carpet program to provide U.S. partners with a centralized resource for finding product and promotional materials, as well as sales incentive programs. Blue Carpet will provide rewards directly to partners sales teams for sales made across the HP portfolio.
  • Cloud Gaining Ground In SMB: Study (0) March 30, 2012 A Microsoft study indicates cloud business will continue to gain traction in SMBs over the next five years, suggesting channel partners and cloud providers could have opportunities to expand their practice into lower market segments.
  • CenturyLink Consolidates Channel Programs (0) March 30, 2012 Telecom provider CenturyLink is reshaping its channel programs for growth and a better reflection of operational reorganization just shy of the one-year mark of its acquisitions of Qwest Communications and Savvis.
  • Foxconn Economics: We’re All Going to Pay (0) March 30, 2012 Electronics manufacturer Foxconn pledges to improve wages, work hours and working conditions for its 2.1 million employees manufacturing Apple products. Here’s the secret: The changes will affect more than just the price of iPhones and iPads, as Foxconn also works with Hewlett-Packard, Dell and many other IT companies.
  • Is ‘McAfee Inside’ Intel’s New Secret Weapon? (1) March 30, 2012 Security vendor McAfee had a big presence at the Intel Solutions Summit this week in New Orleans. Intel executives repeatedly cited McAfee’s security technology as instrumental to its future roadmap, and called security challenges a $23 billion opportunity. Is the integration of McAfee one of Intel’s secret weapons for enabling the platform of the future?
  • Red Hat Revenue Soars With Cloud Push (0) March 29, 2012 Red Hat is reaping the benefits of record sales revenues for its fourth quarter and full fiscal year, driven in part by rising demand for cloud and open-source architectures.
  • Dell Unveils New Cloud Certification (0) March 29, 2012 Dell is giving its service providers the opportunity to expand their own practices and leverage customer trust with its new Cloud Services and Solutions Certification, which enables partners to combine their services with Dell's technology.
  • Samsung Fashions Managed Print Initiative (1) March 29, 2012 Samsung has a new managed print services reseller program fueled by vendor partner solutions – and aimed to compete with Xerox, Oki Data and Lexmark – to convert a still-not-convinced channel that MPS is a money maker.
  • Windows 8 on the Right Side of Innovation (0) March 29, 2012 Apple stole much of the innovation spotlight in recent years with the iPhone and iPad, leaving many to wonder if Microsoft lost its mojo. Windows 8 and the new iPad may prove that Microsoft is on the right side of innovation, and Apple has tripped over the innovator's dilemma.
  • 10 Surprising Cloud Channel Stats (1) March 29, 2012 The Cloud & Technology Transformation Alliance’s annual State of the Channel Cloud report has some startling data about the rate of cloud adoption among solution providers and where the channel is going next. Here are 10 surprising cloud channel stats from this research.
  • Box Launch Addresses Mobile Collaboration (0) March 28, 2012 Box's OneCloud launch could give channel partners a way to enhance their mobile management portfolio with a slew of iOS apps dedicated to secure cloud collaboration on the iPhone and iPad.
  • Cisco To Acquire ClearAccess (0) March 28, 2012 Cisco said it planned to acquire ClearAccess, which aims to give its service provider partners a leg up in managing and integrating mobile, cloud and other residential devices for their customers.
  • Virtual Firewall Support with MSPs in Mind (1) March 28, 2012 Targeting an increasing number of MSPs working with next-generation firewalls, ManageEngine is bulking up its firewall log analysis software with support for virtual firewall market competitors Cisco, Check Point and Fortinet.
  • nCircle Launches MSSP Program (0) March 28, 2012 Information risk and compliance firm nCircle is hoping to drive new revenue streams for its partners, add new clients and increase customer retention with the launch of a new MSSP program around its PureCloud vulnerability scanning service.
  • Cloud Channel Poised for Rapid Expansion (1) March 28, 2012 The Cloud & Technology Transformation Alliance (CTTA) released the results of its second annual State of the Cloud Channel study, finding that IT solution providers and telephony agents continue to slowly build cloud computing practices and are poised for rapid growth over the next 12 months.
  • Study: Telecom-Channel Partnerships Profitable (0) March 27, 2012 The telecom world is increasingly relying on channel partnerships to stay competitive, acquire new customers and create new revenue streams, driven in part by the emergence of cloud computing and a greater demand for services.
  • Report: Security Woes Undid Huawei Symantec (1) March 27, 2012 Symantec is on the eve of ending its four-year joint venture with China’s Huawei Technologies in what’s being called a strategic business decision. A new report, however, pegs the reason as Symantec being concerned about the U.S. government not sharing security data because of its relationship with a China company.
  • Avnet-Ascendant Deal About Staffing Shortfalls (0) March 27, 2012 Enterprise distributor Avnet says its purchase of software integrator Ascendant Technology is about building up capacity for supporting solution providers’ professional services. It’s also a reflection of a bigger staffing problem in the channel.
  • Geek Squad Patrolling Channel for Partners (0) March 26, 2012 Geek Squad, the repair and maintenance service of retailer Best Buy, is looking for a few good partners as referral agents to feed is army of 20,000 service agents across the United States. The choice of this launch is telling for its intent and implications for the channel.
  • 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.
  • Tablets Facing Same Fate as Netbooks (0) March 26, 2012 Apple’s iPad will remain the dominant tablet for the next five years, but a flood of low-cost tablets and the rise of ultralight notebooks will transform the market dynamics again. The shift has the potential of rendering conventional tablets obsolete as quickly as tablets dispatched netbooks.
  • Polycom Sees Video Chance in Network Refresh (0) March 26, 2012 Polycom sees an opportunity to drive broader video-conferencing adoption by teaming up with Hewlett-Packard and Microsoft, and driving sales as businesses refresh the networking infrastructure. In this case, high-capacity switches could drag video adoption.
  • Telepresence an Immediate $22B Opportunity (0) March 26, 2012 Video conferencing and telepresence equipment sales continue to accelerate with cumulative sales over the next five years, climbing to $22 billion. Expectations are increasing demand, and simplified systems will create a surge in channel sales.
  • Intel Helps Integrators with Manufacturing (0) March 23, 2012 Custom PCs and devices are getting harder to build as components get smaller and motherboards more compressed. Intel is helping its network of custom integrators and white box builders keep up with the pace of innovation by matching them with regional and local manufacturing partners.
  • Ingram Launches New Mobility Unit (0) March 23, 2012 Ingram Micro named Michael Romero to head its North America effort in mobility technology development and sales. The appointment comes as Ingram Micro and other distributors look to penetrate the exploding mobility market and bring opportunities to its channel partners.
  • Symantec Expands Mobile Management Portfolio (0) March 23, 2012 Symantec has acquired Nukona, an innovative supplier of mobile application management solutions, to extend its capabilities in enabling ‘Bring Your Own Device’ to work policies. The addition complements earlier mobility acquisitions, and positions Big Yellow and its partners to capitalize on a $7 billion market opportunity.
  • Quest's New PacketTrap Integrates RMM, PSA (1) March 22, 2012 Quest Software is looking to disrupt the conventional managed services market with the release of its new remote monitoring and management (RMM) tool, PacketTrap 6.2, which boast deep integration with the company’s newly acquired professional services and automation (PSA) platform. The move may not pose a challenge to ConnectWise and Autotask.
  • HotLink Recruiting Virtualization VARs (0) March 22, 2012 Seven months after its official launch, virtual platform provider HotLink is looking to recruit channel partners with a new program featuring incentives and training for VARs that can deliver tiered virtualization solutions to VMware customers.
  • Kaspersky Taps Doggett to Run Channels (2) March 22, 2012 After a brief sabbatical from the industry, former Sophos channel chief Chris Doggett is returning to head the reseller programs at Kaspersky Lab. He is one of several new faces at Team Green as the company adds new resources to fuel growth.
  • Zenith Infotech Begins Selling Telepresence (0) March 21, 2012 Zenith Infotech has said it shed its managed services business to focus on cloud and backup services. However, it’s quietly started selling the video conferencing and telepresence products of its sister company, Vu Technologies. The cross-selling comes as the company is fighting to stave off liquidation in an India court battle.
  • Intel Bets Big on Ultrabooks, Mobility (0) March 21, 2012 At its annual partner summit, Intel showed off the technology driving the next generation of ultrabooks and mobile devices. The processor and component vendor believes the future will be the convergence of PCs and tablets into a consolidated computing device.
  • F5 Packs Security ‘Vault’ with Incentives (0) March 21, 2012 F5 Networks is eyeing growth in its security solutions business with the launch of its Vault partner program, pegged as an opportunity for partners to increase footprints in the security market with incentives, training and rewards for joint sales.
  • Xerox Leads Managed Print Market (0) March 21, 2012 A new report by IDC place Xerox atop of crowded field of printer vendors plying the managed print service segment. While MPS is growing, the adoption curve is still shallow and slow, reflecting the market’s reluctance to support printing as a service.
  • What Problems at Oracle? Profits Up 18% (0) March 20, 2012 The database and software giant reported stronger than expected earnings today for the latest quarter, putting it on pace for its operating margins ever. While earnings didn’t quite meet analyst expectations, it’s enough to quell at least some critics.
  • Report: HP Merges Printer and PC Groups (2) March 20, 2012 Hewlett-Packard is reportedly moving its vaunted printing and imaging group under the beleaguered personal computer group in a measure to cut-cost and increase operational efficiency. The reorganization will result in the departure of a long-time HP leader.
  • Riverbed Floats More Resources to Partners (0) March 20, 2012 Riverbed Technology is optimizing its channel program by focusing on specialties around its core products, more partner enablement resources and a holistic view of the market. What it’s aiming at is a $10 billion opportunity that's contingent on satisfying business value.
  • Best Buy Becoming the Next CDW (0) March 20, 2012 Best Buy for Business announced it is now carrying business-class Dell laptops, desktops and other equipment. A closer look at BBFB shows the division is becoming a volume outlet just as large as CDW and other direct market resellers.
  • Level Platforms Brings MDM to MSPs (0) March 20, 2012 Level Platforms reports positive response to its Managed Workplace 2012, particularly among managed service providers interested in new capabilities such as mobile device management for the growing fleet of smartphones and tablets.
  • Oracle Performance Lulls Raising Questions (0) March 19, 2012 Oracle’s prowess in the software market is coming into question with a series of financial performance issues that have analysts raising questions. Some analysts are pointing to Sun Microsystems as the source of problems. Perhaps the real problem resides in the feud with HP.
  • Help Us Quantify Channel Conflict (0) March 19, 2012 The 2112 Group and Channelnomics are studying the level and sources of channel conflict. Take our survey today and get a chance of winning a new Kindle Fire. It’s not an iPad, but it’s still pretty cool. The data this survey will produce is priceless.
  • Office 365 Price Cuts a Cloud Harbinger (0) March 19, 2012 Solution providers reacted with surprise last week when Microsoft lowered the price of Office 365 by 20 percent as a means to lure more businesses to the cloud-based application suite. The initial price cut isn’t as bad as what it signifies for the future cloud in the channel.
  • CA, ScaleMatrix Team Up on Backup (0) March 19, 2012 Just about a month after introducing its first channel partner program, cloud hosting provider ScaleMatrix has signed a deal with CA Technologies aimed at expanding backup offerings for service providers.
  • 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.
  • Making Sense of the iPad Craze (0) March 16, 2012 Throngs of Apple loyalists will queue outside retail stores across the U.S. today in hopes of getting their hands on one of the new iPads. While the latest release solidifies Apple’s leadership in tablets, it’s actually a turning point in the next era of computing.
  • M5 Adds Biz Intelligence to Hosted VoIP (0) March 16, 2012 Hosted unified communications provider M5 Networks is partnering with InsightSquared to deliver a new SMB-focused analytics solution aimed at making it easier for partners to manage and utilize data. It’s another notch in a growing solutions and partner portfolio for M5.
  • Panda Security on Partner Recruitment Drive (0) March 15, 2012 Panda Security is touting “simplicity, power and control” tools, as well as new partnerships with the likes of Microsoft, to attract channel partners as it builds market momentum in a competitive year for security software dollars.
  • Blue Coat Staying in WAN Optimization Market (1) March 15, 2012 In response to rumors and buzz, Blue Coat says it will remain in the WAN optimization market and is amending its channel program to make it easier for solution providers to specialize in its security and network acceleration products.
  • Cyberoam Appeals to SonicWall Partners (0) March 15, 2012 Security hardware vendor Cyberoam is appealing to SonicWall partners and end-user customers disenfranchised by the Dell acquisition to join its channel program and use its products. This is the first of what will soon be a flood of competitive displacement efforts following the Dell-SonicWall deal.
  • 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.
  • Symantec Trial Brings MDM Need into Focus (2) March 14, 2012 “The Symantec Smartphone Honey Stick Project” revealed how readily people will try to access data and applications on lost smartphones. The remedy is better mobile device management, which is quickly growing into a multi-billion-dollar opportunity for solution providers.
  • Dell to SonicWall Partners: Give Us a Chance (0) March 14, 2012 SonicWall partners were quick to react to news that Dell was buying their firewall and security vendor as the cornerstone of a new security initiative. Many solution providers are dubious about being incorporated into Dell, while SonicWall and Dell management say the deal is good for the channel. There is reason for optimism.
  • 2112 Names Teresa Varela VP of Client Relations (0) March 14, 2012 The 2112 Group, publisher of Channelnomics and provider of channel business services, has appointed channel sales and business development veteran Teresa Varela to head up the new sales and client relations division.
  • Channel Cloud Development, Maturation Lagging (0) March 14, 2012 Cloud computing in the channel is lagging behind the greater IT market. While IT vendors and enterprises continue to develop new cloud products and services at a blistering pace, solution providers and telephony agents are slow to pick up on cloud opportunities.
  • CompTIA: IT Skills Gaps Widening (2) March 13, 2012 A new CompTIA study finds businesses, particularly SMBs, are increasingly stymied and hurt by the lack of skills among their IT staff, especially in emerging technologies and applications. Many businesses are planning to step up training programs. It’s also an opportunity for the channel in managed and professional services.
  • Dell Acquires Firewall Vendor SonicWall (7) March 13, 2012 Dell is acquiring security hardware vendor SonicWall for an undisclosed sum from private equity firm Thoma Bravo. The deal ends months of speculation over whether Dell would acquire one of three firewall and unified threat management vendors. More than 15,000 channel partners will be folded into the Dell PartnerDirect program.
  • HP, Lenovo Extend PC Managed Services (1) March 13, 2012 The two PC giants are extending their capabilities through partnerships to deploy, provision and manage PCs in business environments. HP is working with LANDesk, while Lenovo is pairing up with BMC Software. The two initiatives reflect the accelerating automation trend.
  • Microsoft Closing Windows Mobile Marketplace (0) March 12, 2012 Microsoft is shutting down its Windows Mobile Marketplace that supports Windows Mobile 6.x phones and embedded devices as part of its gradual phasing out of the legacy operating system. Still unclear is the future of enterprise and embedded devices on the older platform.
  • Apple Looks to Corner Tablet Market with iPad (0) March 12, 2012 Apple’s new iPad is more than a regular product release; it’s a strategy intended to sop up market demand for all tablets, creating a barrier to entry for other would-be competitors, namely Samsung and Microsoft.
  • New iPad Ship Date Slips Under Heavy Demand (0) March 11, 2012 Apple has pushed back the ship date for i Pad online orders to March 19 in the U.S. and won’t ship European orders for two to three weeks due to high pre-order demand. The only availability on the scheduled March 16 release date is through retail Apple Stores, where enthusiasm among Geniuses isn’t high.
  • Quest Joins Litany of Vendors Going Private (2) March 9, 2012 Quest Software announced this morning a $2 billion deal with Insight Venture Partners to take the publicly traded software company private. Quest is joining the ranks of Avaya, CDW, SonicWall, Blue Coat and others in exiting the public markets.
  • iPad HD Bad News for Business Networks (0) March 9, 2012 The big selling point of the new Apple iPad is its high-resolution screen. The bandwidth required to support its video and display improvements could crush many corporate network’s bandwidth. That’s the downside. The upside: Businesses need to upgrade their networks anyway.
  • Siemens Offers OpenScape UC as a Service (0) March 9, 2012 In a deal with Ingram Micro Services, Siemens Communications will start offering its OpenScape unified communications platform as a service to be resold through the channel. The service offering aims to tap into the growing demand for hosted VoIP, communications and collaboration services.
  • Cisco, Symantec, McAfee Top in Mobile Security (1) March 9, 2012 A new Infonetic report finds Cisco, Symantec and McAfee rated top in mobile device security by business IT decision makers. While that’s no surprise, the report is deceptive in that the mobile security field is young and there are numerous vendors vying for a piece of this opportunity. In other words, it’s not a solid top three.
  • Huawei Launches New Global Channel (0) March 8, 2012 The Chinese manufacturer is creating a new enterprise channel program designed to accelerate sales and market-share growth among service providers and systems integrators. The intent is to dramatically increase presence and sales in key markets, making Huawei a more competitive force to market leaders such as Cisco and Hewlett-Packard.
  • LifeSize Video Added to Switchvox UC Phones (1) March 8, 2012 Digium is updating its Switchvox UC business phones to include LifeSize HD video conference capabilities directed at small to midsized businesses. The move adds to evolving channel options amid an upswing in demand for UC video applications.
  • iPad’s Origins Weren’t With Apple (1) March 8, 2012 Apple chief Tim Cook says the new iPad is redefining the tablet category created by the iconic brand. Truth be told, Apple wasn’t the first IT company to field tablet with a touchscreen interface, nor was Apple first with the concept of a wireless tablet. Those honors go to two other companies who had these products and ideas nearly 20 years ago.
  • SAP Brings Practical Business Apps to the Cloud (0) March 8, 2012 Business software and analytics powerhouse SAP is pushing more practical business applications to the cloud design to increase the productivity of mobile sales and logistics professionals. The new offerings show how business applications are migrating to the cloud.
  • Apple’s iPad Announcement Marks PC Era’s End (0) March 7, 2012 Apple CEO Tim Cook uttered the phrase “post-PC world” more than a dozen times in the first five minutes of a presentation introducing a slew of new products, including the iPad 3. Is this truly the end of the PC era, and will the world be ruled by mobile, personalized devices?
  • Study: EMR Driving Up Health Care Costs (0) March 7, 2012 Electronic medical record-keeping systems have been touted as a means for controlling and reducing health care costs. A new study, though, finds physicians using EMR are actually ordering more tests, which is increasing patient and insurance costs. From a channel perspective, this is good news.
  • EarthLink Evolves Cloud Workspace Services (0) March 7, 2012 The addition of independenceIT’s cloud workspace to Earthlink’s IT Services is another nod in favor of the transition away from traditional IT to the cloud. For Earthlink channel partners, the deal means new cloud SMB desktop services.
  • Sage Pricing Changes Concern Partners (2) March 7, 2012 The ERP and CRM software vendor is changing its licensing scheme to user-based pricing and giving customers the option to pay on a recurring monthly plan. Sage says this will increase partner yields, while solution providers see it eating into their profitability. The conflict is a reflection of the cloud transition challenges facing the channel.
  • Cloud Sherpas Makes Monster Merger (0) March 6, 2012 The Google premier reseller has nabbed $20 million in fresh funding and is merging with GlobalOne, a Saleforce.com platinum business consulting firm. The new firm will have extended capabilities and global reach in cloud professional and application services. This could be the blueprint for the solution provider of the future.
  • Brocade Unveils ‘Effortless Network’ Switches (0) March 6, 2012 The new switches designed for campus and large LAN deployments are the cornerstone of Brocade’s continuing effort to expand its partner ranks. Through innovative new products, Brocade is looking to make a dent in the Cisco and Juniper channels.
  • NetEnrich Focuses on Mid-market Opportunities (0) March 6, 2012 Seeing capacity and capabilities gaps in the mid-market segment of the channel and end-user markets, NetEnrich crafted a new Mission Critical Operations package that provides infrastructure, applications and professional services as a remotely delivered and managed service.
  • Google Partners Evolve to Carve Cloud Territory (0) March 6, 2012 A variety of strengthened channel partnerships is adding competitive market muscle to the already partner-popular and expanding cloud world of Google Apps. CloudLock is one of the most recent, with expanded features to its cloud-based security software built specifically for Google Apps.
  • Social Media Changing IT Marketing, Buying (0) March 5, 2012 Social networks are changing the way people communicate and are quickly changing the way businesses research and buy technology. In this exclusive 2112 Report, we detail how 'converged media' will open new marketing and sales opportunities for IT vendors and solution providers.
  • China’s Rising Wages May Drive Up IT Prices (1) March 5, 2012 Electronics manufacturing giant Foxconn is cleaning up working conditions in its China factories by reducing worker hours and raising salaries. The investments will likely result in higher IT prices that get passed on to solution providers and customers. It’s not the only thing driving up IT prices.
  • Diskeeper Resets under Condusiv Brand (0) March 5, 2012 New CEO Jerry Baldwin is changing the name of his company from Diskeeper to Condusiv Technologies, a branding that better reflects the company’s future direction in virtualization optimization and endpoint performance management. It’s a bold move for a company with a rich legacy.
  • Big Data’s Big Channel Opportunity (0) March 2, 2012 Stephen Colbert recently noted how big data is giving retailers the ability to peer into our private lives. He’s right, and there’s more opportunity for solution providers who can deploy and support systems that collect and analyze copious volumes of innocuous data.
  • Epson Signals Move Toward Managed Print Services (1) March 2, 2012 Epson is adding color printers to its ImageWay Partner Program and offering incentives to attract new partners as it gears up to organize new products, solutions, channel programs and services aimed at the managed print services market.
  • Google Leads Service Providers in Cloud (0) March 2, 2012 In the Cloud & Technology Transformation Alliance’s State of the Cloud Channel report, Google leads the pack of hosting companies, carriers and service providers as best to partner with. Others ranking high in partnership ratings include Rackspace, CenturyLink and AT&T.
  • Microsoft May Rise Again with Windows 8 (0) March 1, 2012 A strange juxtaposition is happening in the technology continuum, as Microsoft is suddenly getting all the buzz over the forthcoming release of Windows 8 and Apple is the one fighting for attention lackluster releases, such as the iPad 3 and Mac OS Mountain Lion. Microsoft may yet regain the initiative, as it’s long stated.
  • Autotask Ties Up with Cisco OnPlus Service (2) March 1, 2012 Autotask is integrating its professional services automation software platform with with Cisco’s hosted network management service, OnPlus. The alliance will make it easier for managed service providers to resell and support OnPlus accounts, and make it easier for Cisco to penetrate the managed services market.
  • DataCore Targets Hyper-V Partners for Growth (0) March 1, 2012 DataCore is pushing hard to compete in a fast-growing storage hypervisor and virtualization market. Its latest effort is a restructured channel program and recruitment effort targeting partners such as resellers, system integrators and appliance system developers.
  • Next-Generation Firewalls Take Center Stage (3) February 29, 2012 At the RSA Conference this week a cavalcade of security appliance vendors are showing off their next-generation firewalls. While Palo Alto Networks has been the darling of this emerging market, it now has plenty of strong competition vying for the channel’s attention and the opportunity to replace aging legacy firewalls.
  • Axcient Gears Up for Channel Expansion (0) February 29, 2012 With a revamped partner program and an alliance with Hewlett-Packard, cloud backup specialist Axcient is looking to expand its channel beyond a core managed service provider base and attract larger, more traditional VARs to its ranks.
  • Cisco Seeks to Inspire Marketing Innovation (0) February 29, 2012 In her first big coming out party, Cisco’s new head of global channel marketing, Amanda Jobbins, is hosting hundreds of partners in Las Vegas at Velocity, an event retooled as a starting point of inspired marketing innovation and ongoing execution. The goal: sustained, innovative promotion of value.
  • IBM Partners in a Cloud State of Mind (0) February 29, 2012 IBM has a lot to talk about this week, and much of it relates to Big Blue’s promise of cloud computing. Partnerships with interesting results, more focused partner resources and targeted incentives expand and better organize IBM’s increasingly comprehensive cloud infrastructure.
  • RSA Conference Buzz is All About Mobility (1) February 28, 2012 Cloud security, hacktivism and advanced persistent threats are significant items on the RSA Conference agenda. Mobility, though, is overshadowing all these topics at the world’s largest security confab, as vendors and solution providers look to capitalize on the consumerization and mobile device revolution.
  • 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.
  • AT&T Considering Toll-Free Mobile Apps (0) February 28, 2012 The wireless carrier is developing a new program through which mobile application developers would pay data transport fees instead of customers. Though app developers are decrying the concept, there’s merit in the idea for app developers and mobile users alike.
  • CTTA Spring Summit Sold Out (0) February 27, 2012 The Cloud & Technology Transformation Alliance’s annual Spring Summit in Las Vegas has sold out under high demand by solution providers and telephony agents for insights, best practices and community support for cloud computing in the channel.
  • Study: On-Premise IT Targeted More Than Cloud (0) February 27, 2012 A new study conducted by managed security service provider Alert Logic finds cloud environments attract a fair amount of hacker activity and security threats, but not at the same level or frequency as on-premise environments. The conclusion: Cloud security concerns may be misplaced.
  • Microsoft New LAR Deal Reg Portal Struggles (1) February 27, 2012 Microsoft's Partner Sales Exchange deal registration portal, the much-anticipated system designed to protect large account resellers from losing sales to undercutting competitors, is struggling to keep up with initial demand. Even when the bugs are worked out, some partners are questioning whether the system’s intent will live up to its promises.
  • Creditors Want Zenith Infotech to Liquidate (0) February 27, 2012 Bondholders suing Zenith Infotech want the cloud and backup company liquidated to pay off nearly $85 million in defaulted debt payments. The India-based company, with its substantial U.S. partner network, maintains that it wants to renegotiate the debt.
  • Continuum Hits the Road, Inks Deal with LogMeIn (0) February 24, 2012 Continuum is charting a clearer market path this week via an exclusive deal with LogMeIn, and in-person partner meetings offering introductory trials on existing solutions and a sneak peak at what’s next.
  • Palo Alto Expands Alliances in IPO Run-Up (2) February 24, 2012 Among the crop of much-anticipated tech IPOs this year is Palo Alto Networks, the market-leading and channel-darling next-generation firewall vendor. While no IPO date has been set, Palo Alto Networks is expanding its tech alliance roster – and that’s probably for more than just extending interoperability with complementary vendors.
  • Oracle Sues Two VARs over Gray Market Support (1) February 23, 2012 Oracle has filed federal lawsuits against ServiceKey and DLT Federal Business Systems Corp. for allegedly misrepresenting their partner status and offering unauthorized support for Sun hardware and software products. The lawsuits are part of a broader crackdown on gray market services.
  • Tech Data’s TDMobility Adds Carrier Partnerships (0) February 23, 2012 New agreements with AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint quicken Tech Data’s pace to keep up with other distributors in competitive bids to offer partners simpler, more profitable routes to the mobile market.
  • Hard Drive Shortages Blamed for HP, Dell Earnings Miss (2) February 23, 2012 While hard drive shortages are beginning to ease, the Thailand floods that caused the supply chain disruptions are being blamed, in part, for Hewlett-Packard’s and Dell’s poor quarterly earnings. And it’s not just the earnings of the two PC vendors that are being impacted.
  • Avnet Prescribes Oracle Health Care Solutions (0) February 22, 2012 Avnet Technology Solutions has joined forces with Oracle to engage its IT solution provider community with Oracle health care solutions designed with small and mid-sized hospitals in mind.
  • The VAR at Whitney Houston’s Funeral (0) February 22, 2012 New Jersey-based solution provider PowerSolution worked behind the scenes at the New Hope Church to ensure the small congregation's Web site and IT resources could handle the surging in traffic as it host the musical superstar’s final farewell.
  • Zscaler Takes Web Security to the Cloud (2) February 22, 2012 Looking to challenge conventional secure Web gateways and Web-filtering vendors, Zscaler unveiled a new channel program built around the delivery of Web content security via the cloud. The intent is making Zscaler and its partner ecosystem the equivalent of Salesforce.com in cloud security providers.
  • Top 5 Distributors for Cloud Enablement (0) February 21, 2012 Solution providers give Ingram Micro top marks in cloud partnerships among distributors by a wide margin. However, the distribution preference reveals a big gap in distribution cloud cover.
  • Mobile Device, Data Traffic Poised to Soar (0) February 21, 2012 Solution providers need to get ready for opportunities in the explosive growth of smartphone and tablet sales, along with an accompanying boom in mobile data traffic — with mobile cloud use accounting nearly three-quarters of that traffic — by 2016.
  • Huawei Spends $6B with U.S. Suppliers (0) February 21, 2012 Huawei Technologies is spending big with U.S. chip and component suppliers in what is probably a prelude to greater North America expansion and an effort to improve its corporate image.
  • Infoblox Empowers Channel Automation (0) February 20, 2012 Infoblox is relaunching its channel program to bring more focus and resources toward the enablement of partners in IT infrastructure automation. The program is a nice balance of incentives and knowledge transfer for technology that does require a fair amount of change.
  • Brocade Sale Appears Off the Table (0) February 20, 2012 Private-equity firm Blackstone Group has reportedly dropped interest in Brocade Communications because the networking company’s value has risen too high to make a leverage buyout feasible. Channel sales may be part of what’s buoying Brocade to self-sufficiency.
  • Logic Backs Cisco’s Objection to Skype Deal (1) February 20, 2012 Cisco is appealing to the European Union, which has a history of regulatory advocacy in technology, to impose requirements on Microsoft to ensure openness in future generations of video telephony and communications. There’s good logic behind Cisco’s argument, and it will ultimately benefit resellers.
  • FishNet Takes SIEM to the Cloud (0) February 17, 2012 Integrator FishNet Security is launching a new security service that combines security information management with other leading data integrity and monitoring technologies to provide a comprehensive, enterprise-class managed service.
  • Quest’s Quest for Complete Managed Services (0) February 17, 2012 Quest Software is adding professional services automation (PSA) capabilities to its PacketTrap managed services platform through the acquisition of BlueFolder. The intent is to build a more complete managed services offering by merging PSA with RMM. The deal reveals divergent trends in the managed services approach.
  • GreenPages Leads CA’s Cloud Partner Pack (0) February 17, 2012 CA’s newest cloud “accelerator” solution holds infrastructure-as-a-service opportunities for solution providers. GreenPages Technology Solutions is CA’s first U.S. partner out of the gate with it.
  • ‘New to You’ Networking Gear Gaining Popularity (2) February 17, 2012 Used and refurbished networking equipment represents a fraction of the switches and routers sold each year. Increasingly, though, the secondary market is getting a second look as businesses seek savings and consistency in their IT spending. Just ask Network Hardware Resale, which had a record year.
  • FireMon, Rapid7 Partner to Reduce Risk (0) February 16, 2012 FireMon is integrating its innovative Risk Analyzer application with Rapid 7’s vulnerability management and penetration testing tools. The result of this partnership is a solution that provides solution providers and end users with deeper, more intelligent insights into their risk exposure.
  • Virtualization Model May Solve IT Talent Shortage (3) February 16, 2012 Third Tier, a solution provider that offers technical support and assistance to peers, is changing its business model to make IT talent more accessible and affordable. It’s one of many such “talent benches” in the channel, and their collective success may be a sign of the need to virtualize tech talent.
  • 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.
  • Parallels Targets Burgeoning SMB Cloud (0) February 16, 2012 Parallels unleashed a string of new software, services capabilities and technology partnerships this week with the aim of enabling service providers with ammunition to capture a growing $2.4 billion SMB cloud opportunity.
  • Two MSP Buyouts Reveal Divergent Trends (0) February 15, 2012 Technology Capital Investors bought another regional managed services company this week, Savid Technologies. All Covered, a division of Konica Minolta, likewise bought regional MSP Service Assurance. The two deals look similar from a technology and service area perspective, but differ in the end goal. And that reveals two trends in managed services consolidation.
  • New Programs Show Channel Retains Luster (0) February 15, 2012 Pundits say the channel’s best days are behind it as cloud computing and emerging technologies make it easier for vendors and customers to buy direct. But a flurry of new channel programs and enhancements to existing programs show the indirect model is alive and well on all fronts.
  • Ingram Offers Pay-As-You-Go VMware Licenses (0) February 15, 2012 Ingram Micro has earned global distribution rights to sell VMware pay-as-you-go licensing. The goal, say both vendor and distributor, is aimed at simplifying sales and streamlining costs for better partner margins.
  • HP Makes ProLiant Gen8 Servers Smarter (0) February 14, 2012 At its Global Partner Conference, Hewlett-Packard unveiled a sweeping refresh of its ProLiant servers in Gen8, which includes numerous technology improvements and attached services that make monitoring, administration and maintenance easier. The technology may put HP into conflict with some of its partners.
  • 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.
  • Microsoft Leads Vendors in Cloud Partnership (0) February 14, 2012 In new exclusive research by the Cloud & Technology Transformation Alliance, Microsoft leads the pack of IT vendors when it comes to forming productive partnerships in cloud computing with solution providers.
  • HP Making Big Moves to Penetrate Clouds (0) February 13, 2012 At its Global Partner Conference, Hewlett-Packard is unveiling a host of new programs and initiatives designed to stimulate cloud product and service adoption. Referral incentives between resellers and service providers is a bold move to accelerate cloud adoption; and it has a real chance of succeeding.
  • Microsoft Secret Tablet Weapon: Security (0) February 13, 2012 While the mobile and tablet markets are dominated by Apple and Android, Microsoft may have a secret weapon – a lure – to attract Windows 8 adopters and defectors: superior security.
  • HP Mission: Winning Back the Faithful (0) February 13, 2012 Hewlett-Packard will hold its largest gathering of partners since Meg Whitman took the helm and the company started correcting the mistakes of its devastating summer meltdown. The big objective: restore confidence and momentum in the channel.
  • HootSuite’s Channel Beckons VARs Social Future (0) February 10, 2012 HootSuite, the dashboard that brings metrics and management to the Twitter, Facebook and social universe, has launched a new channel program to enable solution providers to deliver its application to businesses. The program is a harbinger of the channel’s social future.
  • Digium’s New IP Phones Aimed at Midmarket (0) February 10, 2012 Described as a bold move by some industry watchers, Digium has launched its own line of IP phones. Execs say the step opens mid-market opportunities, reduces total cost of ownership and presents better margins for both Digium and its partners.
  • Microsoft Using Mobile to Gain in CRM (0) February 9, 2012 Microsoft is releasing an update to Dynamics CRM to extend accessibility to virtually any mobile device via the cloud and enhance productivity through social communications features. The update is part of a long-running push to bolster its CRM market share against Oracle and Salesforce.com.
  • Lenovo Profits Dragged by Hard Drive Shortages (0) February 9, 2012 Lenovo saw sales and market share soar in the last quarter. Slightly dampening profitability, though, are higher hard drive costs, which are expected to remain high. More interesting though is where Lenovo is seeing its growth – and it’s not entirely developing markets.
  • F5 Extends BIG-IP Virtualization Support (0) February 9, 2012 F5 Networks has over the last year grown its revenue and expanded its partner support programs. Now with VDI poised for primetime, F5 is also expanding its BIG-IP support for Citrix XenDesktop, VMware View and Microsoft Virtual Desktop Infrastructure.
  • Intermec Sharpens Channel Focus on Solutions (0) February 8, 2012 Intermec is refining its channel program with new focus and improved incentives in mind as more VARs and ISVs embrace rugged mobile enterprise devices.
  • Logitech Peripheral Strategy Paying Off (0) February 8, 2012 Last year, Logitech – best known for keyboards and mice sold through retailers – embarked on a strategy of being the agnostic peripheral supplier for video and unified communications. The strategy appears to be paying off as the vendor is attracting scores of partners to its nascent channel program.
  • Kaspersky Repositioning for Renewed Growth (1) February 8, 2012 Eugene Kaspersky, founder and CEO of the Russian security company that bears his name, is stepping back from plans to take the vendor public. Instead, he’s refocusing the company with aims of becoming the #3 security vendor in the U.S.
  • Microsoft's Other Mobile Problem (1) February 7, 2012 Microsoft went “all in” on Windows Phone 7 to reverse its fortunes against Google's Android and Apple’s iOS in the smartphones wars. Left out of the battle, though, was Windows Mobile, the operating system for rugged devices, a sector Microsoft thought was secure. Not only is that position being threatened, Microsoft may have already lost the ruggedized market.
  • HP Resurfaces Mercury LoadRunner (1) February 7, 2012 Hewlett-Packard is making its LoadRunner-in-the-Cloud available to partners for testing the performance of custom, hosted and mobile applications. It’s also flexing its software muscle – which few solution providers or customers recognize.
  • Backup Vendors Aim for Unity, Simplicity (2) February 7, 2012 Symantec and Acronis are trumpeting the need for more cost- and operationally effective backup systems that unify virtual and physical data stores. Each is taking a different approach to solving the backup complexity issue and capture what some reports indicate is a huge untapped market for the channel.
  • Resellers See IDM as Security Woes Solution (2) February 6, 2012 As security breaches and the cost of data compromises reach new highs, solution providers are looking for new technologies to counter security risks. According to a SafeNet survey, that solution may be identity management and authentication.
  • Surging Smartphone Sales Usher In MDM Era (0) February 6, 2012 For the first time, smartphone sales surpassed shipments of client PCs – including tablets – to become the world’s most prolific computing platform. Over the next three years, more than 1 trillion smartphones will enter service, compelling businesses to adopt mobile device management.
  • Xerox Unveils IaaS, Backup SMB Cloud Services (0) February 3, 2012 Move over copiers. Standby printers. Xerox is getting into the SMB cloud in a big way by offering infrastructure and data backup services through channel partners. The new offering is a significant step in the company’s effort to diversify from its document management legacy.
  • 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.
  • Now Available: 2011 Influencers Yearbook (0) February 2, 2012 Channelnomics announced the winners of its inaugural 2011 Influencer Awards last month. We’ve compiled the full list into a convenient Influencers Yearbook, now available for download.
  • January Channel Sales Explode (0) February 2, 2012 While hard to quantify, reports are streaming into Channelnomics from solution providers experiencing unusually high sales and request for quotes in what’s normally a low period of the year. The sudden surge is a good omen for 2012.
  • ShoreTel Expands Hosted UC with M5 Deal (1) February 2, 2012 ShoreTel’s acquisition of hosted UC solution provider M5 gives partners a new choice between on-premise or cloud-based solutions. And its expansion to the cloud continues a growth streak that's turning heads in a red-hot hosted VoIP market.
  • 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.
  • D-Link Affirms Channel Commitment in Revamp (0) February 1, 2012 A month after the departure of its North American president and channel veteran Nick Tidd, D-Link is promoting enhancements to its channel resources and reaffirming its commitment to working with partners.
  • Beyond Vendor Growth Reports (2) February 1, 2012 Several vendors are reporting record growth in 2011, a reflection of their success in the previous year and momentum going into 2012. Strong, positive numbers are a means for building confidence in partners and customers, but solution providers should look beyond them when forming partnerships.
  • Avnet Dives into Asset Disposal, Used Sales (0) February 1, 2012 Avnet is acquiring Canvas Systems, a specialist in asset disposal and used equipment sales. The move follows Ingram Micro’s partnership with U.S. Micro to offer equipment disposal services through solution providers. The two programs show the growing need for safe hardware disposal, as well as the growing pre-owned equipment market.
  • LifeSize Introduces Flexible Video Conferencing (0) January 31, 2012 The new video conferencing package provides end users with the ability to buy hardware or software solutions that contain all the applications they need without use or capacity preconditions. LifeSize believes the flexibility and cost containment will differentiate it from other video conferencing vendors.
  • Continuant Scores Win in Avaya Antitrust Lawsuit (0) January 31, 2012 A New Jersey federal court has dismissed motions by Avaya that would end the lawsuit brought by independent service provider Continuant. The case will go to trial, and the outcome could change the way vendors and customers work with “authorized” partners.
  • MySQL at Vanguard of Oracle Channel Changes (0) January 31, 2012 Partner innovation is front and center as Oracle recharges its competitive spirit bolstered by back-to-back partner summits, a new partner catalog, online forums—and a reaffirmation of its commitment to MySQL.
  • Quest Aims for Greater VDI Share (0) January 30, 2012 Quest Software is looking to grab more market share in the burgeoning virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) segment with vWorkspace 7.5, which boasts easier management and lower costs. It’s part of an ongoing market trend that will see greater adoption of what’s often called “the other virtualization.”
  • Avaya Extends Collaboration to iPad (0) January 30, 2012 Avaya moves its mobility strategy forward with the availability of Flare Communicator for the iPad, and reveals plans to expand to other consumer devices and operating systems later this year. Avaya isn’t the only collaboration vendor embracing tablets.
  • Cloud Heating Up Security Competition (1) January 30, 2012 McAfee is emphatically denying rival Symantec’s claims of winning over several large enterprise customers in the last quarter. The truth is that security vendors and their partners are constantly trading customers in a tit-for-tat competitive game that's only getting more intense as the battleground shifts to the cloud.
  • 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.
  • Symantec Warns of MDF Hucksters (0) January 27, 2012 In an obscure note to partners, Symantec warned of an unauthorized, unidentified third-party proffering market development funds its behalf. The cautionary note should get all solution providers thinking about the business services hoisted upon them.
  • 6Fusion Exemplifies Benefits for Cloud Metering (0) January 26, 2012 Cost savings and efficiency are qualities commonly attributed to cloud computing. 6Fusion’s new UC6 Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) federation platform demonstrates these benefits are near-impossible without the ability to meter cloud utilization and performance.
  • 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.
  • Rethinking ‘Distressed’ Solution Providers (0) January 26, 2012 Persistent talk about channel consolidation is fueled by the stream of merger and acquisition announcements among managed service providers. One buyer’s strategy is to look for “distressed” companies. That word has negative connotations; the reality isn’t all that bad.
  • Move over MS Word, Cloud Apps are Charging (1) January 25, 2012 Smartsheets, a cloud-based spreadsheet vendor, and IBM with its new Docs word processor are challenging Microsoft in office productivity software. There’s more to these challenges than meets the eye, and the volume of competitive launches to MS Office is signaling a potential sea change in the market.
  • Microsoft Rolls Out Dynamics Marketing Initiative (0) January 25, 2012 Several months after a soft launch to connect solution providers with Microsoft Dynamics-savvy marketing vendors to bolster new business opportunities, the Microsoft Dynamics Marketing Services Bureau is up and running.
  • Who’s Bigger than Apple? Not Many (0) January 25, 2012 Apple raked in more than $46.33 billion in the last quarter on surging iPhone and iPad sales. It made more profit than Google made money and has more in the bank than the U.S. government. The lesson can’t be missed: Success isn’t Apple’s technology, but rather what its technology does.
  • Avnet Helping VARs Reach the Data Center (0) January 24, 2012 Avnet’s new SolutionsPath Engagement Services is a business planning and execution program designed to augment solution providers’ capabilities and resources in developing, selling and supporting cloud and data center services.
  • Level Platforms Gets into NOC Business (0) January 24, 2012 Level Platforms, the company best known for providing the remote control tools that enable managed services, is evolving to provide network operations center and comprehensive help desk services. The move will enhance its software offerings, as well as place it in direct competition with some managed services allies.
  • SourceFire Bolsters Antivirus with Cloud Service (3) January 24, 2012 Sourcefire’s FireAMP is touted as a cloud-based approach capable of identifying and scoring malware threats missed by other security layers and conventional antivirus software. It also gives channel partners their first subscription-based service.
  • Tech Data StreamOne Evolves Software Delivery (0) January 24, 2012 The distributor’s new StreamOne platform is more than an app store and software distribution service. It’s a potential hub for creating new routes to market for independent software vendors and simplifying the process of acquiring applications that could to the evolution of “system providers.”
  • RIM Faces Long Road to Redemption (0) January 23, 2012 Research in Motion, maker of the BlackBerry smartphone, is replacing its co-CEOs Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis today. The task of turning around the vendor falls to Thorsten Heins, who is faced with sliding market share and customer satisfaction ratings. Could RIM become the first casualty of the mobility era?
  • Questioning the Value of Partner Conferences (7) January 23, 2012 Not a week goes by without some sort of partner or channel conference. Solution providers could easily spend 52 weeks on the road attending these events. The question: Should they?
  • IT Buyers No Longer Looking at Tech in Isolation (0) January 23, 2012 Business analytics is the technology most on the minds of CIOs recently surveyed by Gartner. Along with mobility, cloud and social business, the survey reveals a shift in IT organizations newly focused on combining these forces to change the way a business interacts externally.
  • The Changing Role of Global Channel Chiefs (1) January 20, 2012 Avaya says it will not fill the global channel chief office being vacated by Jeremy Butt, and it’s not alone. A number of vendors are foregoing global channel leadership in favor of regional commands, putting channel management closer to the partners. Even when a global executive exists, the real influence is in the regions.
  • Earnings Reports Point to Robust IT Spending (0) January 20, 2012 Microsoft, IBM and Intel reported better-than-expected earnings, driven largely by business sales. The solid financial performance – attributed in part to partners – reflects how businesses are once again investing in technology. This bodes well for 2012 channel sales.
  • Polycom, IBM Partner on Video Conferencing (0) January 20, 2012 Polycom this week placed its competitive feet to the fire with a Big Blue partnership and a host of new "video everywhere" solutions. IDC expects major growth in the videoconferencing market over the next five years, bolstered by unified communications, collaboration applications, telepresence systems, and desktop and mobile devices supporting video.
  • Spierkel Out, Monie In as Ingram CEO (0) January 19, 2012 Greg Spierkel is stepping down as chief executive of Ingram Micro, ceding his office to the company’s president and chief operating officer, Alain Monie. Early indications are the management change will not result in a dramatic shift in Ingram operations and strategy.
  • Cisco Server Milestone a Significant Turning Point (0) January 19, 2012 In a little less than three years, Cisco has gone from a cold-start entry to a major player with 10,000 customers in the server market. Better yet, Cisco and its partners are generating more than $1 billion in revenue through virtualized servers, proving that the legacy networking giant can learn new tricks.
  • ShoreTel Shores Up Channel Program, Resources (0) January 19, 2012 ShoreTel enhances its certification and partner dashboard with automated resources and business intelligence dashboards. The combination gives partners greater clarity on their standing with ShoreTel, relative performance with customers and direction on operational improvements.
  • Webroot Exiting Email Security, Archiving (8) January 19, 2012 Webroot is getting out of the email security and archiving business, telling partners it will now focus on providing endpoint anti-malware software. The move is jarring to some partners who are coping with the shift in providers and places them in the stream of the already crowded endpoint security market.
  • Juniper Turns to Partners to Combat Cisco (0) January 18, 2012 At its first global partner conference in Las Vegas, Juniper executives appealed to channel partners to help compete with and take business from rival Cisco in what’s been positioned as an innovator against a legacy company. It’s a growing sign that networking market competition is heating up since Cisco refocused. But it’s not just Cisco that Juniper must worry about.
  • Google, Partner Win Another Big State Contract (0) January 18, 2012 Utah is the latest state to adopt cloud-based email and collaboration, and the choice of Google Apps for Government through partner Tempus Nova is a reversal from a string of setbacks suffered by the service. Google and its partners are showing they can compete and win government deals against the likes of Microsoft and IBM.
  • Symantec Pushes Deeper into Data Governance (0) January 17, 2012 Big Yellow’s acquisition of LiveOffice for cloud-based archiving adds another significant piece to its eDiscovery and data governance portfolio. Symantec’s development of this area reflects the increasing need for greater integrated controls in data integrity and management, which is an emerging opportunity for the channel in the cloud era.
  • Konica Minolta Jumps into Managed Services (0) January 17, 2012 Konica Minolta is joining Xerox and Oki Data in the managed print services field. Its new managed IT and managed print services have high ambitions for growth through its dealer and partner community.
  • Lenovo Sees Partners as Key to U.S. Success (0) January 17, 2012 Lenovo is pushing its “four screens” strategy around the world in which PCs, smartphones, tablets and smart TVs are the fabric of everyone’s computing infrastructure. But that strategy won’t manifest in the U.S. until Lenovo elevates its brand awareness and reputation. To do that, Lenovo is turning to PCs and partners.
  • SOPA’s Threat to the Channel (0) January 16, 2012 Opposition against the so-called “Stop Online Privacy Act” is growing, as tech giants such as Google and Facebook come out against it. Even the White House is calling for changes in the law. A mass protest is planned for Wednesday, as many domains will go dark to show the chilling effect of this law. If enacted, SOPA could shut down wide swaths of the channel, too.
  • IBM Eyes Partners to Expand Social Business (0) January 16, 2012 This week’s launch of IBM Connect in parallel with Lotusphere is offering topics from what it means to be a social business to creating better business outcomes, and reveals a clearer path to IBM’s shift to social business via partners and the developing tech workforce.
  • Tale of Two Product Launches: Apple vs. HP (1) January 16, 2012 Last summer, Hewlett-Packard stopped sales of TouchPad because no one wanted them. In China, Apple has suspended sales of its popular iPhone 4S because too many people want them. The two vendors are a perfect contrast of “need” vs. “want” in product sales.
  • Report: SaaS Vendors Need Local Partners (4) January 13, 2012 Global Industry Analysts reports businesses are rapidly increasing investments in Web-based applications, and the market will hit $26 billion by 2015. Multinationals are aligning directly with vendors, where SMBs are working with local partners. That means the cloud must go through the channel.
  • Rise of the Partner Community Manager (3) January 13, 2012 Dave Sobel is the latest member of an executive club known as vendor partner community directors. Only a few vendors have such positions, but the evolution of communities as part of vendor channel programs could make such jobs indispensable.
  • Smart TVs Need Channel Fine-Tuning (0) January 13, 2012 Lenovo, LG, Samsung and Sharp unveiled smart TVs armed with voice, facial and gesture recognition capabilities at CES this week – highlighted by deeper computer connectivity and interface innovations. But where's the opportunity for the channel?
  • HP Clings to Top Spot in PCs (0) January 12, 2012 Lenovo, Dell and Apple continue to increase their PC market share, while leader Hewlett-Packard nearly lost its title as the King of the PC world. The latest PC sales numbers reflect HP’s precarious position, as well as the volatility in this commoditized market.
  • Total Defense Initiates a Pepsi Challenge (2) January 12, 2012 Total Defense, the antivirus vendor spun off by CA Technologies last year, is challenging the rest of the security industry to prove the value of their products by giving its customers a money-back guarantee. It’s a good deal for customers, but partners may get left holding the bag.
  • Reach for the Cloud, Get a Kindle Fire (0) January 12, 2012 The Cloud & Technology Transformation Alliance – a project of The 2112 Group and Channel Partners magazine – is looking to gauge the state of cloud computing in the channel. Our research is coming to a close, but there’s still time to take our survey and earn a chance to win a Kindle Fire.
  • 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.
  • McAfee Appoints New Global Channel Chief (0) January 11, 2012 McAfee and channel veteran Gavin Struthers will take the reins of the McAfee global channel, succeeding Alex Thurber, who left the post last week for a sales position at Tripwire. His priorities: people, profitability and relevance.
  • 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.
  • Microsoft’s 2012 Challenge: Beating Itself (0) January 10, 2012 Microsoft is finally getting good reviews for new products, such as Windows Phone 7 Mango and the forthcoming Windows 8 with Metro GUI. What it’s unable to shake is a reputation of lethargy and the complacency of customers. In other words, Microsoft has to beat itself before it can compete with Google, Apple and others.
  • McAfee Channel Chief Out, Heads for Tripwire (1) January 10, 2012 Alex Thurber, credited with turning around McAfee’s channel program and image, left the company after nearly three years on the job to take over sales at niche security vendor Tripwire.
  • HP: Channelnomics 2011 Influencer of the Year (1) January 9, 2012 The day has finally come where Channelnomics announces its 2011 Influencer of the Year. We’ve already conferred honors on 44 people and companies who’ve had a profound impact on the channel in the past year and will likely affect the industry in 2012. But no other company or person has shaped channel thinking and action like the Influencer of the Year, and for good reason.
  • BT, Microsoft Launch Hosted Lync Pilot (0) January 9, 2012 Microsoft’s partnership with British Telecom to offer Lync Voice to BT’s U.S. customers as a hosted cloud service is being view by industry watchers as yet another sign that unified communications, and managed cloud services, are attracting the attention of small to mid-sized businesses.
  • 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.
  • Channelnomics 2011 Influencers Awards: Part 4 (0) January 6, 2012 As Channelnomics closes in on its Influencer of the Year Award announcement, we pause to recognize those individuals and companies that didn’t make the final cut. The channel and technology industry have no shortage of influential people, and this list hardly does justice for those who deserve recognition for their contributions. Think of this list as full of people you should know and watch in 2012 and beyond.
  • 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.
  • Xerox Makes Major Move in Managed Print (0) January 6, 2012 Xerox’s acquisition of a Canadian managed print services provider kicks off what is predicted to be a competitive, breakout year for MPS vendors and channel partners – in a market IDC has predicted will steadily climb to $42 billion globally by 2014.
  • Lessons from Cisco's Discontinued Umi (1) January 5, 2012 It should be no surprise that Cisco Systems shuttered its consumer telepresence product Umi under the weight of Skype’s popularity and Microsoft’s partner muscle. Moving forward, the biggest beneficiaries should be channel partners of both companies as Cisco continues its readjustment and gets back to its core strengths.
  • Channelnomics 2011 Influencers Awards: Part 3 (1) January 5, 2012 The influencer awards continue to roll out with winners today in Systems, Security, Managed Services and Cloud Computing. Winners in these categories are doing more than just influencing the channel, but the industry as a whole, making this installment significant in the march to the unveiling of the Influencer of the Year.
  • All-in-One PC Sales Surge; Apple Leads Pack (1) January 5, 2012 As tablets dominate the mobile-computing conversation and PC vendors shift their attention to ultralight notebooks, desktops – particularly the all-in-one variety – are undergoing a bit of a renaissance, and Apple is enjoying the lion’s share of the revival.
  • Channelnomics 2011 Influencers Awards: Part 2 (9) January 4, 2012 Channelnomics continues conferring its inaugural 2011 Influencers of the Year awards by unveiling winners in four categories: Distribution, Europe, Voice/Data Networking and Channel Business.
  • Survey Reveals PCI Compliance Gaps (0) January 4, 2012 A Gartner survey of IT managers revealed a surprisingly high number admitting to not being PCI-compliant – despite the fact that many tech security providers target their products and services to support PCI-related compliance initiatives.
  • 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.
  • ChannelEyes Opening a Little More Next Week (0) January 3, 2012 Solution providers and vendors will get their first real look at a social network designed specifically for the channel when ChannelEyes opens to early registrants. The service has much to prove as it rolls out.
  • SMBs Poised to Adopt Tablets; iPad First Choice (0) January 3, 2012 Tablets are primarily a consumer product, but a recent survey of SMBs reveals plans to purchase tablets this year, with the iPad at the top of the list. Reports this week of two more PC makers working to launch a Windows tablet with support for business and networking, meanwhile, will also likely be attractive to businesses and solution providers.
  • Top Tech CEOs of 2011 (1) January 2, 2012 Tons have been discussed and written about everyone on the Channelnomics’ list of Top CEOs for 2011, which we offer in no particular order. From Tim Cook taking the helm at Apple following the death of Steve Jobs to former eBay chief Meg Whitman stepping in as chief executive at HP, it’s been a busy year at the top.
  • Who will be the Top 5 Vendors in 2017? (1) January 2, 2012 Who will be the top 5 vendors five years from now? The first few response are always easy – but rounding out the list is where it gets tough and when some of the most obvious vendors fall off.
  • French Reseller Sues Apple for Unfair Practices (0) December 30, 2011 eBizcuss, France’s largest Apple reseller, alleges the maker of Mac and iPhones shorted product shipments and undercut pricing on enterprise bids to strengthen the position of its own direct sales efforts. The lawsuit is a rare sign of defiance by partners toward the vaunted Apple empire.
  • 7 Channel Resolutions for 2012 (0) December 30, 2011 The channel is entering 2012 with momentum and optimism. New opportunities abound for solution providers as the business community’s appetite for IT products and services increases. Here are a few of the resolutions the channel should make in the coming year.
  • Top 10 Channelnomics Stories of 2011 (1) December 29, 2011 This was a dramatic year for the technology market and the channel. It saw the emergence of new technologies and services; the rise of mobility, the stumbling of major vendors, and an endless series of lawsuits. What the big stories reveal is 2011 was a year of transition and transformation.
  • Security, Privacy Challenges Abound in 2012 (1) December 29, 2011 Privacy threats and Internet security will continue to dominate tech challenges of consumers, organizations, governments, vendors, and solution providers during 2012—a year in which the pace to deploy emerging solutions involving cloud computing, social networking and mobile devices will advance, along with the manner and numbers of hack attacks.
  • The Plague of Artificial Commoditization (3) December 28, 2011 Managed services was supposed to provide persistent and consistent high margins to offset the declining profitability of conventional hardware and software. Poor practices have created a climate of “artificial commodization,” in which service providers are contributing to the expedited demise of managed services profitability. 2112’s new report provides the prescription for countering this trend.
  • 20 Billion Mobile App Downloads and Counting (0) December 28, 2011 The holiday season pushed the number of Android and Apple downloads to record highs. The holiday shopping season reveals not just emerging opportunities in mobile app development, but the integration of holistic systems that include tablets and smartphones.
  • Channel Essential to Managed Print Development (0) December 27, 2011 Channel significance is peppered throughout IDC’s annual analysis of top global managed print services providers, specifically in language used to describe offerings and models finding the most success—vertical expertise, document workflow, business process, scale, consultative, streamline, mobile, security, and global support.
  • GoDaddy, SOPA and the Cloud Portability Need (1) December 27, 2011 The domain registrar withdrew support for the proposed Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), but not before thousands of accounts canceled. Customers say GoDaddy is making it hard for them to change providers. The episode is an example of the need and value of portability in cloud computing.
  • Apple Patents Fuel Cells for iPhones (1) December 26, 2011 Apple filed patents for what amounts to a hydrogen fuel cell small enough for smartphones and tablets. If perfected, the new power source could energize mobile devices for days or weeks at a time, changing the dynamics of mobility.
  • 'Twas the Night before Christmas in the Channel (0) December 23, 2011 Everyone knows that Santa travels around the world each Christmas delivering toys to girls and boys. What many don’t realize is technology makes it possible for Santa to make all those trinkets and embark on his annual journey. And, no surprise, most of these technologies are supported by the solution providers.
  • Oracle’s Bad Quarter a Harbinger of 2012 Trends (3) December 23, 2011 Oracle had a surprisingly bad fourth quarter. Not only are sales down, but sales cycles are getting longer – and it’s not just Oracle on the receiving end of this one-two punch. Analysts say it’s a sign of slowing tech spending, but perhaps it’s something else that isn’t so ominous.
  • Autotask Sells VARStreet Service Division (0) December 22, 2011 Professional services automation vendor Autotask is selling the VARStreet quoting and eCommerce business it bought two years ago back to the division's key employees. The sale marks the end to what was once called “a game changer” and singles Autotask’s need to focus on core products and open architectures to remain competitive.
  • Antivirus Sales Expected to Climb in 2012 (1) December 22, 2011 A Canalys market forecast projects the sale of antivirus software to climb 6.8 percent in the coming year. Moreover, the research firm sees a shift away from market leaders. The numbers may signal a growing rift in the security market, which will have significant consequences for solution providers.
  • Google Making Plans for Its Own Tablet (1) December 22, 2011 Google chairman Eric Schmidt says the search giant will field its own branded Android-based tablet in 2012, putting it in direct competition with Apple and ahead of Microsoft in the battle for the mobile computing marketplace. What are the channel implications?
  • How Does the Cloud Impact the Channel? (1) December 21, 2011 The Cloud & Technology Transformation Alliance wants to know how the cloud is changing the channel and solution provider business models. Our first “State of the Cloud Channel” study will reveal cloud adoption trends, impact on business models and revenue expectations.
  • 5 Considerations for Picking MDM Solutions (3) December 21, 2011 Mobility is poised to become the next big thing in technology, as more than 3 billion IP-enabled devices are set to flood the market in the next year alone. End users want mobile device management (MDM), so it’s up to solution providers to select the right platform. Here are a few thoughts on selecting mobile management solutions.
  • 2112, Channel Partners Expand Cloud Program (1) December 20, 2011 The newly rebranded Cloud & Technology Transformation Alliance will study the evolution of cloud computing, mobility and other emerging technologies in the channel to provide strategic guidance on developing sound, profitable business partnerships and practices.
  • FishNet Buys IDM Specialist Logic Trends (0) December 20, 2011 Leading security integrator FishNet Security is buying into the identity management market in a big way through the acquisition of Logic Trends. The combined company will extend FishNet’s security product and services capabilities and propel it past the $500 million mark.
  • 2011: The Year of the Tech Lawsuit (1) December 20, 2011 The year couldn’t end without one more trip to court, and this time it’s Juniper Networks slapping firewall challenger Palo Alto Networks with a patent infringement lawsuit. It’s just the latest legal maneuver in a year full of technology lawsuits and legal protests.
  • OKI, Agiliant Expand Managed Services Universe (0) December 20, 2011 The integration of managed network and print services solutions in the recent OKI Data/Agiliant alliance offers additional sales opportunities for the Business Technology Association channel, and is the latest in Agiliant’s late-2011 dive into the document services arena.
  • Juniper Alleges Patent Infringement by Palo Alto (0) December 19, 2011 Juniper Networks is suing upstart Palo Alto Networks for allegedly infringing on six firewall patents. The legal case could set the stage for a battle to control the next-generation firewall market.
  • Google’s LA Story: A Folly for Cloud Computing (0) December 19, 2011 The city of Los Angeles is getting a bargain in its adoption of Google Apps, after Google and CSC agreed to reduce rates and pay for legacy systems to ensure compliance with federal regulations. The experience shows the need for due diligence in cloud adoption and how compliance can derail even the best-intended systems.
  • D-Link Shakes Up North America Management (0) December 19, 2011 The networking vendor is saying goodbye to three senior managers, including North America president Nick Tidd. According to published reports, D-Link says it remains committed to building partnerships and fostering channel relationships.
  • Final Day for 2011 Influencer Nominations (0) December 19, 2011 Today is the last chance to nominate people and companies for the inaugural Channelnomics Influencer awards. Already dozens of nominees have been submitted for consideration.
  • CompTIA Offers Mobile App Security Certification (0) December 19, 2011 Security threats that continue to place everyone using mobile devices at risk are at the heart of a new joint effort by CompTIA and viaForensics. The goal: Develop security technologies and channel partner practices that are robust and pervasive enough to catch up to the market flood of mobile apps.
  • Cisco Redefines Professional Services Rules (0) December 16, 2011 In an effort to open billions of dollars in services opportunities, Cisco has released its new rules of engagement that promise partners clarity and consistency in how they go to market in support of Cisco products. Interesting are the companies Cisco is differentiating against.
  • In 2012: Cloud No Longer Optional for Software (0) December 16, 2011 Progress Software is forecasting demand for business process improvement next year via “cloud, collaboration and control.” Digging a little deeper, the enterprise software provider singles out hosting, integration, efficiency, collaboration, mobility and security as solutions expected to be most in demand as cloud-based organizational adoption shifts from trial runs to deployment.
  • The Rising Next-Gen Firewall Opportunity (2) December 16, 2011 The latest Gartner Magic Quadrant report paints a bright picture for next-generation firewall vendors, especially Check Point and Palo Alto Networks. It also raises some interesting questions about the future of network security among vendors, the channel, virtualized environments and midmarket buyers.
  • Faux VAR Indicted for Scamming $10m from HP (0) December 16, 2011 Mark Allan James faces charges of wire fraud and money laundering in a scheme to exploit Hewlett-Packard’s “Big Deal” incentive program to procure computers and other products at steep discounts for unauthorized resale.
  • Last Chance for 2011 Influencer Awards (0) December 15, 2011 Nominations keep rolling in for the 2011 Channelnomics Influencer Awards, which will recognize the people and companies that inspire others to greatness. Today is the deadline, but we have a surprise for everyone – an extension.
  • Business Collaboration is a Growing $3.5B Market (0) December 15, 2011 Cloud-based freemium services are spurring adoption in the enterprise social collaboration market, according to an ABI Research report released this week. Solution providers could capitalize through gap-bridging enterprise technologies.
  • 2112 Report: MSPs Need Price Integrity (1) December 15, 2011 The managed services business model is a revenue and profit engine, if executed properly. The problem is there’s little price integrity and the model isn’t producing. The 2112 Group, N-able and NetEnrich have teamed up to define “artificial commodization” in managed services and the prescription for returning value to the MSP model.
  • Thoma Bravo: The Potential Security Powerhouse (3) December 15, 2011 Private equity firm Thoma Bravo is spending a small fortune snapping up security vendors. The most recent is the acquisition of Blue Coat, which will join a portfolio that includes SonicWall, Entrust, LanDESK and TripWire. Thoma Bravo’s security strength and channel commitment makes us wonder if it should be treated as a virtual giant vendor.
  • New Cloud Cert Reflects Growing Need (1) December 14, 2011 CompTIA has launched new certification to test and credential IT professionals' cloud computing awareness of business and technical issues. The certification reflects the growing need for cloud-savvy practitioners at solution providers and end-user organizations.
  • Video Conferencing Wave Beginning to Crest (3) December 14, 2011 Avaya is reportedly eyeing Israel-based Radvision, giving it greater capability to compete against Cisco, Polycom and a host of others in the rapidly expanding video conferencing segment. The promise of ubiquitous video conferencing may have finally arrived.
  • Enterprises Love Android and Social Web Sites (2) December 14, 2011 The new quarterly Zscaler ThreatlabZ report finds global enterprise Android adoption skyrocketing among enterprise users, as is their visits via mobile devices to Facebook and Twitter. There’s definitely a security issue here, but an even greater mobile management opportunity.
  • Managed Telecom Services to Take Off in 2012 (0) December 13, 2011 A new market study from Insight Research forecasts global spending on managed telecom services, delivered by carriers and solution providers, alike in 2012 will reach nearly $140 billion, and that number is expected to soar to $266 billion by the end of 2016.
  • Cisco Enters Managed Services with OnPlus (0) December 13, 2011 Cisco calls its OnPlus an enhancing program that gives managed services a greater ability to manage network infrastructure. The reality is that OnPlus is Cisco’s foray into the remote monitoring and management segment, potentially competing against longtime alliance partners.
  • 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.
  • Zenith RMM No More; Now ‘Continuum’ (0) December 12, 2011 The managed services company formerly known as Zenith RMM is doing more than establishing an identity fully separate from its t, Zenith Infotech; it’s also going into competition with its former parent through a partnership with Datto.
  • HP Planning a WebOS Tablet, Again (0) December 12, 2011 Even as it prepares to launch a Windows 8-powered tablet next year, Hewlett-Packard is already looking forward to 2013 when a new WebOS tablet could reappear in the portfolio. Here’s why this idea may or may not fly.
  • Blue Coat Plans More Channel Investments (1) December 12, 2011 In the wake of last week’s $1.3 billion buyout of Blue Coat by a private equity firm, channel chief Laurie Usewicz says the security company is free to make more investments in the channel and realign expectations now that the company isn’t publicly traded.
  • Survey: Businesses Need Better Staff Controls (1) December 12, 2011 A survey of a surprisingly candid group of 300 IT professionals reveals an urgent enterprise need for solutions providers to help manage IT folks who can’t seem to control their curiosity.
  • Blue Coat Acquired for $1.3B by Thoma Bravo (1) December 9, 2011 The same private equity firm that bought SonicWall in 2010 is laying down $1.3 billion for Blue Coat, a specialist in Web security and WAN optimization. The deal reflects how increasingly dynamic the security sector is becoming amid increasing competition and threats.
  • Intermedia Milestone Reflects Cloud Migration (0) December 9, 2011 Weather service Earth Networks opened the 400,000th email account through Intermedia, the world’s largest Microsoft Exchange hosting provider. The continued growth of this partner- and cloud-enabler reflects the continued migration from on-premise to cloud email, as well as the value of add-on services.
  • HP Targets Cisco, Rivals in Networking Push (0) December 9, 2011 A bright spot in the Hewlett-Packard portfolio is networking, which saw a 5 percent sales increase and 3 percent market share gain in the last year. Now, HP is adding new incentives and enablement programs to its PartnerOne channel program to keep the momentum going. It’s a short- and long-term strategy.
  • Apple Continues Quest for Channel Chief (5) December 8, 2011 Apple’s designs on the business-to-business market are becoming increasingly transparent. It’s posted a former HP channel director to lead its UK and Ireland channel effort, and it continues to hunt for a “channel star” to run the global program.
  • CA Goes Consumption-Based Pricing for Backup (1) December 8, 2011 Looking to tap into the growing demand for data backup delivered by managed service providers, CA Technologies has launched a capacity-based pricing system that makes adoption by providers more economical. The general “pay-as-you-go” trend reflects true partnership in the services era.
  • Ruckus ChannelFly Quiets WiFi Noise (0) December 8, 2011 Ruckus Wireless has introduced ChannelFly RF channel selection technology that promises to maximize network capacity via smarter access points. If it delivers, the development should be welcome news to its growing list of channel partners — and mobile users everywhere — looking for a quieter, more reliable WiFi experience.
  • Google Piloting Chromebooks Channel Sales (0) December 7, 2011 Nearly six months after launching Chromebook through retail channels, Google business partners are getting a crack as selling the subscription-based devices through a pilot program. Already some solution providers are touting their ability to integrate Chromebooks with existing infrastructure.
  • Creditors: Zenith Infotech Avoiding Bond Payment (1) December 7, 2011 Legal arguments are underway in India over Zenith Infotech’s default on a $33 million bond payment. In court this week, creditors charged the cloud and backup vendor is purposely avoiding paying its debts, and alleged fraud in its handling of proceeds from the sale of its managed services division.
  • McAfee Trims Workforce in Refocusing Plan (0) December 6, 2011 The security vendor is laying off 3 percent of its workforce as part of a plan to refocus on undefined “core” business objectives and better compete against Symantec in the coming year. No word on whether the channel team is impacted. The other big change: Stuart McClure was named new CTO to replace the departed George Kurtz.
  • Report: Windows 8 Won’t Drive Upgrade Cycle (0) December 6, 2011 A new IDC report says Windows 8 will be “largely irrelevant” to businesses and current PC users and likely won’t spark an upgrade cycle. Instead, the analyst firm suggests, Microsoft’s hopes for the new operating system rest in cracking the elusive tablet market.
  • HP, Box Deal Shifts Endpoint Storage Equation (0) December 6, 2011 Hewlett-Packard announced yesterday that it will include Box cloud file synchronization applications embedded on select desktops. It’s the latest in a string of advancements of file sharing and synchronization services that are fast changing the endpoint storage equation.
  • Can’t Wait for ChannelEyes? Try These Networks (2) December 6, 2011 ChannelEyes, the new social network expressly for the channel, is still in development and won’t be generally available for some time. But there are options. If you want a professional social networking experience, try some of these existing options.
  • Accelerated Health Care IT Adoption Expected (0) December 5, 2011 Despite the government incentive programs, security regulations and channel initiatives, relatively little has been done to digitize the health care system. Vendors and government agencies believe that’s going to change – and the channel will be the beneficiary.
  • Kindle Fire Model May Return Value to Hardware (1) December 5, 2011 Amazon’s Kindle Fire is a bona fide hit, having sold nearly 4 million units in its first two weeks on the market. It’s being called the first creditable contender to the Apple iPad. It may also hold the answer to returning value to commoditized hardware.
  • Surging Apple Will Shift the Channel Landscape (0) December 2, 2011 Hewlett-Packard CEO Meg Whitman said earlier this week that Apple could overtake HP as the world’s largest PC manufacturer. This, of course, assumes iPad tablets are considered PCs. What could a new king of PCs mean for the channel?
  • 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.
  • Level Platforms Release Reflects RMM Evolution (3) December 2, 2011 Level Platforms earlier this week announced the release of Managed Workplace 2011 R3, which includes new features for managing printers and power management systems. Much has been made of the managed print options, but is the real story the evolution of RMM to business control panels?
  • WatchGuard, SonicWall Extend VPNs to iOS (0) December 1, 2011 SonicWall and WatchGuard Technologies become the latest security vendors to offer protection to Apple mobile devices such as the iPhone and iPad. Their secret weapon is the tried and true virtual private network.
  • Who is Your Biggest Influencer? (0) December 1, 2011 Channelnomics continues to process nominations for our Influencers of the Year awards. Only two weeks remain to make your nomination to recognize the most influential people and companies of the channel.
  • Retainer vs. Subscription: How to Charge? (4) December 1, 2011 In managed and cloud services, providers charge customers recurring fees in exchange for ongoing service delivery. Some companies call it a subscription. Some think this should be called a retainer to reflect the professional nature of the service. Which is best?
  • An End to Email as We Know It (1) December 1, 2011 Alternative tools such as social media, instant messaging and Web collaboration are putting pressure on email. The day may come when business email is a thing of the past. One big tech company has already implemented a "zero email" policy.
  • Salesforce: Shared Risk, Trust are Cloud Drivers (1) November 30, 2011 Salesforce.com is pushing more cloud services, development resources and mobile applications through the channel. Its model is one in which trust is paramount and shared risk is the path to profitability.
  • FireMon Redefines Risk to Lock Out Hackers (0) November 30, 2011 Boutique security vendor FireMon is looking to change the notion of risk management with its new innovative Risk Analyzer product, which looks at threats and assets under protection from a value perspective and prioritizes security actions to reduce exposure.
  • Windows Tablet DOA? Don’t Buy the Hype (1) November 30, 2011 Forrester Research is reporting that consumer desires for a Windows tablet is waning and Microsoft has missed a huge opportunity to enter the tablet market. No doubt survey numbers would say that amid the hype of competitive products. Microsoft has challenges, but this survey does not reflect reality.
  • Ex-McAfee CTO on Search for Better Security (1) November 29, 2011 George Kurtz, the former worldwide chief technology officer of McAfee, surprised the security community when he left his job with no new prospects. An entrepreneur at heart, Kurtz is now on a mission to redefine security technology and build the next great security vendor.
  • RIM Offers to Manage iOS, Android Devices (0) November 29, 2011 Research in Motion, the company behind BlackBerry, is expected to launch its Mobile Fusion platform that will extend management to iOS and Android smartphones and tablets. The new product is designed to stem customer defections. It’s also a sign of the increasing need for broad mobile device management.
  • 5 Reasons Arnie Bellini has the Right Strategy (0) November 29, 2011 ConnectWise is increasingly open about its quasi-mergers with complementary technology companies and has released a development roadmap that, with the support of LabTech and Quosal, form the next-generation automated management platform. In the process, CEO Arnie Bellini may have also paved the road for a new business development model.
  • x86 Servers Increasingly Dominate the Market (0) November 29, 2011 Third quarter server sales numbers are out, and HP and IBM are neck-and-neck for the title of market leader. But the real story in these numbers is how X86 servers are increasingly the dominant platform for the virtualized, media-rich and processing-intensive world.
  • 8 Things the Channel Can Learn from Apple (0) November 28, 2011 Black Friday and Cyber Monday proved Apple remains the brand to beat in the mobility and consumer segments. As the iPad-maker pivots toward the enterprise market, IT vendors and solution providers should take a hard look at some of the underpinnings of Apple’s success.
  • Major Vendors Increasing R&D Spending (1) November 28, 2011 Reports indicate major IT vendors including Hewlett-Packard, Dell and Acer are significantly stepping up investments in research and development. The money isn’t going into the “next big thing” per se, but rather how to capitalize on existing alternative technologies.
  • Things I'll Think About Over Thanksgiving (Part 3) (0) November 25, 2011 The Thanksgiving festivities are over and the tryptophan effects are lingering. The post-holiday daze is perfect for completing my thoughts on trends affecting the channel. Here’s the final installment of this series on what is and should change in the channel.
  • Things I’ll Think About Over Thanksgiving (Part 2) (0) November 24, 2011 Thanksgiving is upon us. The Macy's parade is rolling, turkey will soon be served and there will be football aplenty. And while the house is full of chattering people, I will have time to ponder the deep questions of the channel in the back of my mind. Here's a few more trends I'll be thinking about this Thanksgiving.
  • Is Mobile Antivirus a Scam? (2) November 23, 2011 All of the major security software vendors – Symantec, McAfee, Trend Micro, Sophos and Kaspersky Lab – have products for safeguarding smartphones and tablets from the ills of malware. While mobile malware is real, a Google engineer says it’s not prevalent and that security vendors should be ashamed of themselves.
  • Things I’ll Think About Over Thanksgiving (Part 1) (1) November 23, 2011 As we break for the extra-long holiday weekend, Channelnomics will use the downtime to pondering some of the trends affecting the channel today and into the coming year. Here’s what we’ll be thinking about while eating turkey, watching football and fighting crowds at the mall.
  • Mushroom Networks Growing a Wireless World (0) November 23, 2011 Mushroom Networks, the vendor with products like Truffle and PortaBella, is growing its channel program to deliver its bandwidth management and video streaming solutions to any wired and wireless location. Mushroom is leaning toward a future where wireless and portability are king.
  • Word! Bill Gates Slams WordPerfect in Court (1) November 22, 2011 In a $1 billion lawsuit, Novell claims Microsoft used unfair practices to lock out and eventually cut off market opportunities for WordPerfect. Microsoft founder Bill Gates says Word, the rival word processor, was simply better and WordPerfect’s management was inept. The lesson: Make a plan.
  • Zenith Infotech Posts Loss, Revealing Earnings (0) November 22, 2011 Besieged Zenith Infotech posted its first quarterly earnings report since defaulting on its huge bond payment in September. The report reveals more than just a quarterly loss, but some of the reason behind its financial troubles and, perhaps, what it earned from the sale of its managed services business.
  • 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.”
  • RIM’s Demise, Apple’s Rise: A Sales Potential (0) November 21, 2011 Research In Motion commanded the government market because of its security. Now, the government and enterprises are embracing Apple’s iPhone and iPad, and augmenting them with add-on management and security. This is giving rise to new channel opportunities for collateral technology sales.
  • Channelnomics Launches for '2011 Influencers' (0) November 21, 2011 Channelnomics is looking for the most influential people in the channel – the people who inspire new models, challenge conventional wisdom and drive excellence. We’re now accepting nominations for this ranking of influencers for 2011, as well as who will influence the channel – for better or worse – in 2012.
  • Time Again to Break Up Microsoft (0) November 21, 2011 The annual Microsoft shareholder meeting each November has become a time when investment bankers, investors and activists call for a breaking up of Windows (or other divisions) into smaller pieces and spinning them off. CEO Steve Ballmer consistently resists these motions, and with good reason.
  • Thailand Flooding Lifting Hard Drive Prices (0) November 21, 2011 Industry fears that the October floods, which nearly wiped out the global hard drive and component manufacturing center, would cause prices to rise as come to fruition. Computing equipment manufacturers are hoarding inventory and scrounging for supplies, causing price hikes – some say temporarily.
  • ‘Cake Boss’ Gets a New IT Boss in Exigent (1) November 18, 2011 The legendary New Jersey bakery behind television’s “Cake Boss” has selected Exigent Technologies to provide comprehensive IT support and management to its burgeoning business. The icing on the cake for Exigent is great publicity and vertical market development.
  • The Managed Services Pricing Debate Continues (6) November 18, 2011 Managed service providers are watching the average sale price fall, and profitability along with it. This trend led to a lively debate yesterday with folks from NetEnrich and N-Able, in which both the root causes and probable solutions for resolving the services pricing conundrum were batted around.
  • Nimsoft: MSPs Morphing from Chore to Core (0) November 18, 2011 Cloud computing is disrupting staid IT operations and changing customer expectations for the delivery of greater value. Nimsoft CEO Chris O’Malley believes the future of managed services isn’t in ‘chore’ break/fix services, but rather ‘core’ services that deliver greater business functionality and benefits.
  • Time to Occupy Innovation, Entrepreneurship (14) November 17, 2011 The folks making up ‘Occupy Wall Street’ say they’re protesting greed and corruption. My question – shared by many: What value are these protestors adding to the economy and society? It’s time for less protest and more innovation and entrepreneurship.
  • Kaseya Becomes a Reseller of a MSP Specialist (0) November 17, 2011 When Kaseya wanted to penetrate deeper into the financial services market with its IT automation solutions, it turned to one of its managed services partners – Safe Systems – for the technology solutions and know-how. The result, Kaseya is now a reseller for one of its MSPs.
  • Symantec Will Continue to Partner with Huawei (0) November 17, 2011 Earlier this week, Symantec sold its minority stake in its security and networking appliance joint-venture with Huawei Technologies, ending its experiment as a hardware manufacturer. However, Symantec’s channel team says Big Yellow will continue to work with Huawei and develop new appliances.
  • Cisco Turnabout Validates Secondary Market (0) November 17, 2011 Cisco's openly talking about the value of refurbished equipment demonstrates how used networking gear has a second-life value. But one critic says Cisco pricing and expectations show it still doesn’t understand the used sales model.
  • IBM, CA on a Cloud Collision Course (0) November 16, 2011 The major vendors are reaching for the clouds, but perhaps no two are on a more spectacular collision course than IBM and CA Technologies. And where this clash of the titans will happen is most likely in the channel as each vies for the same type of partners to take their offerings to market.
  • ClikCloud Offers Channel New Marketing Model (0) November 16, 2011 Former Kaseya marketing executive Dan Shapero has launched a new channel marketing service, ClikCloud, in which he hopes to relief solution providers and MSPs of one of their greatest fears in marketing: Expense.
  • The 'Dos Equis' Theory of Sales Compensation (2) November 16, 2011 Conventional wisdom says compensation – or commissions – is what influences salespeople's behavior. The real challenge is keeping them thirsty for selling more and repeat business. We’ll call this our "Dos Equis Rule of Channel Sales."
  • Brocade Investing in Partner Development (0) November 16, 2011 An interesting part of the changes to the Brocade Alliance Partner Network is an “enablement fund” program that provides partners with pre-sales funding for development and marketing. It’s one of the weapons Brocade is using recruit Cisco and HP partners.
  • CA Evolving IDM to Managed Services (1) November 15, 2011 CA Technologies unveiled two new cloud-based identity management products that will allow enterprises to better manage access hosted and on-premise resources. Eventually, these products will be made available to managed service providers, potentially breaking the enterprise IDM barrier.
  • Zenith Infotech Won’t Sell More Assets (0) November 15, 2011 At a court hearing yesterday, Zenith Infotech pledges not to sell its cloud computing or other assets while it appeals an order to disclose details of the sale of its managed services business.
  • 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.
  • Mobility’s Bright Channel Future (0) November 15, 2011 The proliferation of tablets and smartphones in the enterprise is only the beginning of a bright, prosperous future for mobility products and services among solution providers. Getting into this game starts with understanding where things are today and where they’re going over the next decade.
  • CA CEO: Now's the Time to Change the Rules (0) November 14, 2011 CA Technologies kicked off its annual CA World conference in Las Vegas with CEO Bill McCracken setting the tone of increasing speed to market and enabling faster business transformation in the cloud computing era.
  • LabTech Takes a Seat at the Big RMM Table (0) November 14, 2011 There’s no shortage of remote monitoring and management software vendors, but the pantheon of leaders in this segment has grown from three to four. The newest member: LabTech Software, which is increasingly aggressive and winning in the managed services market.
  • Former U.S. CIO: Cloud Will Disrupt Pro Services (0) November 14, 2011 Speaking at CA World, Vivek Kundra told the audience of 5,000 solution providers and end users that the cloud will be so disruptive to the procurement and delivery of technology that it will erode professional services opportunities.
  • Avaya Moves to Performance-Based Channel (0) November 11, 2011 Avaya unveiled changes to its channel program designed to reward partners who achieve superior customer satisfaction and business performance. At the same time, Avaya is looking to recruit more partners as it looks to expand its value-based sales model. In short, Avaya is getting aggressive.
  • Symantec Integrates AV, Backup with Four RMMs (0) November 11, 2011 Symantec has heeded partner requests to integrate its endpoint security and backup applications with leading remote monitoring and management tools. The move isn’t truly extraordinary, but it does advance the security vendor’s position in managed services and the SMB marketplace.
  • Zenith Infotech Appeals Disclosure Order (0) November 11, 2011 Reports out of India indicate Summit Partners is willing to disclose the terms of its acquisition that lead to the formation of Zenith RMM. However, Zenith Infotech is appealing a court order to disclose the sale of its managed services assets, hoping to keep the details confidential as it tries restructuring its debt.
  • BDR ‘Rescue Kits’ Distributed at IT Nation (3) November 10, 2011 Looking to capitalize on Zenith Infotech’s financial woes, eFolder is turning up the heat on its “BDR Rescue” program by distributing kits at the IT Nation conference. eFolder isn’t the only company targeting Zenith Infotech, but it’s among the few being so overt. The question: Is whether this is good business or poor taste?
  • 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?
  • Panasonic Gets Tough on Tablets (0) November 10, 2011 The new ToughPads aren’t typical tablets. They have all the functionality of an iPad, with the ruggedness of Panasonic's hardened ToughBook notebook computers. Panasonic is looking to give partners a tablet that can make a dent in government and enterprise environments, which demand durable computers.
  • The Gravity of ConnectWise IT Nation (2) November 9, 2011 A sold-out crowd is gathered in Florida for the seventh annual ConnectWise IT Nation. What started out as a user group event has evolved into a center of gravity in the channel and managed services community, as evidenced by the number of attendees and significant announcements.
  • CharTec Supports Backup to Legacy Boxes (1) November 9, 2011 End users have invested money in legacy backup and disaster recovery servers that they don’t want to sacrifice even when presented with a cost-saving service. CharTec is providing a solution for those customers by decoupling its BDR software while still selling it as a service.
  • Juniper, GE Developing Military-Grade Hardware (0) November 9, 2011 Juniper Networks is teaming up with GE Intelligence Platforms to develop and market military-grade, secure and rugged network devices for use in combat zones around the world to enhance battlefield communications and uninterrupted command and control.
  • HP Keeps WebOS Hanging in the Balance (1) November 9, 2011 A decision on the fate of WebOS, the operating system HP has kept in limbo since summer, was expected today. Instead, CEO Meg Whitman told employees the decision process is “complicated” and would take time. Complicated, indeed.
  • N-Able, NetEnrich Say ‘Get More’ to MSPs (1) November 8, 2011 The two managed services enablement vendors see the need for MSPs to evolve their businesses to more automated, advanced infrastructures and offerings. Their new alliance is designed to give MSPs the resources to optimize their businesses and move into more sophisticated, profitable services.
  • Palo Alto Extends Security to Apple Devices (1) November 8, 2011 Next-generation firewall pioneer Palo Alto Networks is extending security protection to iPads and iPhones through its GlobalProtect. It also adds new security appliances for branch offices and a new malware controller. These products show Palo Alto is moving beyond its core offerings.
  • Feds Grant Verizon $5B Managed Services Deal (0) November 8, 2011 The General Services Administration, the federal government’s procurement agency, has awarded Verizon Communications a nine-year, $5 billion contract to provide a basket of managed and professional IT services.
  • Zenith Infotech Needs to Clear the Air (0) November 7, 2011 COMMENTARY: Bad news tends to burn out as time goes on, but the story of Zenith Infotech’s bond default continues to linger despite the trickle of information. Perhaps it’s time for Zenith Infotech to break its silence now that it has air cover from the India courts.
  • Best Buy Nabs MindShift for MSP Play (1) November 7, 2011 Electronics retailer Best Buy is acquiring managed services powerhouse MindShift for $167 million in what is likely its largest move into the business-to-business channel since launching its small business division and buying Geek Squad. Could this be the shape of things to come as IT retail declines?
  • Bradford Networks Introduces Cloud-Based NAC (0) November 7, 2011 Bradford Networks may not be a household name in the channel, but it’s planning to make its presence known with a new cloud-based network access control (NAC) solution that makes the administration of what attaches to the network simpler and cost effective. And the route to market: managed service providers.
  • Dell Goes After Small Biz with PowerEdge Server (0) November 7, 2011 Dell wants to capture more small business server sales through the channel with a new product and program for partners to sell PowerEdge servers with Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2011. To make the program more attractive, Dell is throwing in some interesting incentives.
  • GM Hits the Road with Google Apps (0) November 4, 2011 General Motors isn’t confirming, but reports indicate the automotive giant is getting ready to ditch Microsoft in favor of Google Apps for email and collaboration for 100,000 of its users. If the reports prove true, the GM deal will be a huge win for Google and cloud computing.
  • Cisco Offers Up 'New to You' Gear (1) November 4, 2011 Cisco Systems is taking the wraps off its refurbished equipment division, promoting preowned and reclaimed equipment to partners for resale. Through the program, Cisco is trying to fill gaps in a $3 billion “new to you” networking equipment market.
  • CompTIA Board Re-Elects Chair, Adds Members (0) November 4, 2011 CompTIA added new members to its board of directors and re-elected Bob Godgart as chairman. The mix of representation on the board reflects the changing diversity of the channel and IT industry.
  • Syria Crackdown Aided by the Channel (0) November 4, 2011 Documents obtained by Bloomberg BusinessWeek find the Assad regime is getting prohibited U.S. and European security and storage equipment to use in systems for cracking down on protesters through an Italian partner. The disclosure reveals issues of ethics and corporate responsibility in politics and social justice.
  • OnForce Nets $5 Million Equity Investment (0) November 3, 2011 The technology talent network takes an investment from a venture capital firm to provide funding to accelerate growth and expand capacity. This may reflect that some of OnForce’s key initiatives are paying dividends.
  • File Synch Services Open New Opportunities (1) November 3, 2011 Backup is good for preserving and restoring data, but it’s not much of a mechanism for sharing files between devices and users. A growing number of file synchronization services including Dropbox, Box.net and YouSendIt are looking to the channel to grow their subscriber base and break out of their consumer roots.
  • Zenith RMM Chief: We’re Moving On (3) November 3, 2011 Zenith Infotech remains embroiled in a debt and legal crisis, but its spinoff company – Zenith RMM – sees its involvement in the controversy coming to an end now that India courts have ordered the disclosure of its acquisition.
  • Microsoft: Cloud for Gold Mandate Overstated (0) November 3, 2011 Microsoft says statements made by channel leaders about requiring partners to sell cloud services to maintain their gold status were misinterpreted and overstated. However, the software giant says cloud requirements may happen in time.
  • IBM Looks to Redefine ‘Managed Services’ (0) November 2, 2011 Big Blue is finding traction in the midmarket through “next-generation business partners” who not only deliver conventional managed services but also application and business services. Midmarket general manager Andy Monshaw believes it’s the next stage in channel evolution.
  • Court Orders Zenith to Disclose RMM Sale Details (1) November 2, 2011 Zenith Infotech has lost its first legal engagement with shareholders and creditors over the default of $85 million in bond payments and the sale of its remote monitoring and management assets to Summit Partners. The creditors’ goal: reversing the RMM sale.
  • 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.
  • HP Exec: WebOS Fate Not in the Balance (1) November 1, 2011 The head of Hewlett-Packard’s Personal Systems Group says the company isn’t looking to shed WebOS, the mobile operating system acquired from Palm. All other indications are HP will shutter the product by the end of November.
  • Avaya Refocuses on Collaboration Value (2) October 31, 2011 Avaya is shifting its attention to more than just talking about communications and collaboration; it’s staking its value proposition on the quality of service that enables connectivity for advanced collaboration applications. In fact, Avaya wants to be known as a “collaboration” company.
  • GFI, SolarWinds Enabling MSPs to Reach Clouds (1) October 31, 2011 Competition is heating up in the managed services segment, and the new battleground is application management – on-premise and in the cloud. GFI Software’s latest acquisition and SolarWinds' newest product reflect the evolution of managed services from servers to software.
  • HP Still Weighing Fate of WebOS (1) October 31, 2011 Hewlett-Packard gave its PC business a reprieve last week by deciding not to jettison it. WebOS, the operating system of its ill-fated TouchPad tablet, may not be so lucky.
  • Channel Convergence and Shrinking Pies (0) October 28, 2011 Vendors, publications and analysts are talking about “channel convergence” – the coming together of different technology channels to grow opportunities and meet customer needs. Not only has this been happening, but it’s accelerating because of basic economics. Or more succinctly, everyone wants a second piece of pie.
  • Google Changes Chromebook Model (1) October 28, 2011 Google is breaking with its subscription-only pricing model for Chromebooks by allowing businesses and schools to do upfront purchases. The change and the continued silence on channel availability do not bode well for Chromebook’s fortunes.
  • No Surprise, HP Stays with PCs (1) October 27, 2011 Hewlett-Packard made it official: It’s sticking with the PC business. The announcement ends two months of speculation about the fate of the $40 billion business that HP considered selling or spinning off. The company is also planning to return to the tablet market. The question is, “What’s next?”
  • Rethinking Social Media in Channel Marketing (0) October 27, 2011 Facebook and Twitter changed the way people communicate and maintain relationships. Social networks are now beginning to change the way businesses evaluate products and make purchasing decisions. The shift will make “social specialists” a necessity in vendor and solution provider organizations.
  • No Word on Zenith Infotech Court Case (1) October 27, 2011 The wires are eerily quiet on what happened yesterday in India when Zenith Infotech and its creditors went to court over the bond default. On this side of the world, the buzz is quite high as competitors continue to pick at Zenith Infotech’s partner channel.
  • Cisco Expands TelePresence to SMBs (1) October 26, 2011 Cisco is gearing up to make its TelePresence video conferencing service available to SMBs through partners and expand access to video conferencing beyond the TelePresence network. Cisco's positioning in the TelePresence expansion is a market-leading change – and it’s actually part of a broad industry effort to increase video-conferencing adoption.
  • IBM Names Rometty Successor to CEO Post (0) October 26, 2011 The long-anticipated changing of the guard at Big Blue became reality yesterday when Virginia Rometty was named the successor to the Sam Palmisano. The appointment breaks the executive gender barrier at IBM, but few other changes are expected.
  • Dell Survey: End Users Skittish on HP’s Future (0) October 26, 2011 A new IDC study commissioned by Dell finds end users are concerned about the leadership changes and strategic direction at Hewlett-Packard. Despite HP’s efforts to right its ship, end users say their concerns are deep enough to switch vendors.
  • MSPs Undersell, Underprice Managed Services (13) October 25, 2011 A new CompTIA study finds end users are reaping tremendous financial benefits from managed services. The trouble is that managed service providers are finding themselves in a price war not with competitors, but with customers unwilling to pay. That disconnect between the providers and the consumers is hurting the market.
  • Citrix Brings SMB Virtual Desktops to Channel (0) October 25, 2011 Citrix Systems is pushing its virtual desktop technology into the SMB market with a new offering that makes deployments easier and more affordable. Better yet, the new VDI-in-a-Box is tailor-made for channel sales and managed services.
  • Oracle, RightNow Deal about Cloud Options (0) October 25, 2011 Oracle is making its first cloud acquisition with RightNow Technologies for $1.5 billion. The software-as-a-service company gives Oracle a competitive weapon against rival Salesforce.com, but this deal is more about choice and options than the transition to cloud computing.
  • In Defense of Venture Capital in the Channel (1) October 24, 2011 The Zenith Infotech bond default is raising many questions about the financial stability and viability of many companies on which channel partners rely. Some Zenith Infotech competitors, most notably LabTech Software, are using this opportunity to pick up business. But the troubles at Zenith Infotech are no reason to indict debt or capital investments as means for growth.
  • HP’s PC Decision May Not End Turmoil (0) October 24, 2011 Hewlett-Packard continues to send out signals that this week it will resolve whether it’s keeping or shedding its $40 billion personal computer business. All indications are PCs are staying, but that may not end doubts about HP stability and will not keep competitors from hammering at HP’s channel.
  • Zenith RMM Gets Own Domain (0) October 21, 2011 Another sign of Zenith RMM’s continued separation from its embattled former owner, Zenith Infotech, continues as the two companies now have distinctly separate domains. Is a name change next?
  • Kaspersky, BitDefender Align with VMware (0) October 21, 2011 These European security vendors announce new products to protect VMware virtualized environments from malware and other security threats. The releases show the increasing importance of security efficiency in virtualization as well as VMware as a sales channel.
  • Microsoft Earnings High; Windows 8 Buzz Low (0) October 21, 2011 Microsoft posted record first quarter earnings driven by the strength of business software and server operating system sales. In the background, though, buzz is increasing that Windows 8 will fall flat with businesses when it’s released next year.
  • Spiceworks Expands Social Capabilities (0) October 20, 2011 Spiceworks already operates a large, closed social community built around its 1.7 million users. The addition of Spice Buttons and Spiceworks Connects, a service similar to Facebook’s “Like” and Google’s “G+” buttons, is enabling users to share content with peers. It could be a first step in transforming Spiceworks and the IT marketplace.
  • Managed Services Pricing Under Pressure (0) October 20, 2011 Managed service providers and the vendors that support them are seeing explosive growth opportunities over the next few years as more businesses look to outsource more IT functions. The problem is customers are pushing back on pricing, defying classic supply-side economics. Here’s why.
  • Zenith RMM Insulates Self from Zenith Infotech (1) October 19, 2011 Zenith Infotech remains silent on its bond default, but its spinoff company Zenith RMM is moving to distance itself from the distressed managed services vendor by developing alternative cloud offerings for partners and rebranding the company. Another Zenith company reports no problems or questions about its standing.
  • When Vendors Thin the Channel Partner Herd (1) October 19, 2011 McAfee Americas channel chief Fernando Quintero proudly announced the security vendor would shed nearly one-quarter of its partners over the next year to focus on solution providers investing and growing. It’s a prime example of how vendors want performing and dynamic partners in their channels.
  • Intel Explains to Partners Why It Bought McAfee (0) October 18, 2011 Renee James, senior vice president of Intel’s Software and Solutions Group, told partners attending the Focus conference in Las Vegas that the processor giant has no plans to assimilate, disrupt or change McAfee’s operations and channel. Instead, the two companies will collaborate on transforming security for the future.
  • Zenith Infotech Bond Woes Weigh on Channel (2) October 18, 2011 Information is hard to come by on how Zenith Infotech’s $33 million bond default will impact operations and partners. The India-based company is being tight-lipped, and that’s making partners anxious. Some are already looking to alternatives, and Zenith Infotech competitors are waiting with open arms.
  • 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.
  • DiFranco to VARs: Thank You for Your Patience (0) October 17, 2011 Stephen DiFranco, general manager of the beleaguered HP Personal Systems Group, took the opportunity for stage time at the Ingram Micro VentureTech Network to thank partners for their loyalty and patience as the process for determining the fate of HP’s PC business continues to unwind.
  • Zenith Infotech Default Potentially Bigger (5) October 17, 2011 A major investor in Zenith Infotech says the actual amount in default is $85 million, two-and-a-half times as much as originally reported, and that no effort is underway by the company’s management to negotiate a restructuring. The deepening financial crisis may soon embroil the spinoff, independent company, Zenith RMM in controversy.
  • CompTIA Organizes Channel March on Capitol (0) October 17, 2011 CompTIA will host a three-day Washington Fly-In, giving solution providers an opportunity to meet with Washington lawmakers and policy influencers about the issues that affect the technology industry and the channel. Call it an ‘Occupy Wall Street’-like event with a greater chance of success.
  • Zenith Infotech Defaults on Bond Payments (0) October 14, 2011 The India-based managed services company defaulted on $33 million bond payment. CEO Akash Saraf says the company is “financially sound” and negotiating with creditors. However, competitors are already questioning the company’s viability and looking to capitalize on defecting partners.
  • Symantec Partner-Led Pro Services Paying Off (0) October 14, 2011 More than a year has passed since Symantec turned over nearly all of its professional services engagements to channel partners. The result has been explosive partner growth as services opportunities lead to more customer engagements and greater product sales.
  • Dell Makes the Case It’s Turned Channel Corner (0) October 14, 2011 At the inaugural Dell World, CEO Michael Dell and other executives are making the case that the company best known for its direct sales model and consumer business has transformed itself into a portfolio company of end-to-end technology solutions that sells through the channel.
  • Symantec Opens Managed Security to Partners (0) October 13, 2011 Through a new specialization program, Symantec is enabling its partners to resell its managed security services. The specialization and referral program is a step toward greater enablement of channel-driven managed services.
  • 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.
  • PC Sales Rise; Changing Value Metrics Needed (1) October 13, 2011 Despite its precarious position, Hewlett-Packard saw PC sales increase in the third quarter. Lenovo had double-digit gains, and the overall PC market grew. But does any of this matter when there’s no profit in PCs? It’s time to rethink the PC value equation.
  • Cisco, Citrix Enhance VDI Experience (1) October 12, 2011 Cisco has long said video would drive future networking and data center technology adoption. The barrier is bandwidth, so it’s partnering with Citrix to leverage virtualization in making unified communications and video less bandwidth-intensive in virtual desktop implementations.
  • IBM Wants Partners to Get Cloud Smart (0) October 12, 2011 Big Blue has unveiled an arsenal of products, services and support programs designed to bring independent software vendors, integrators and resellers into the cloud era. It’s almost too much to digest. The “SmartCloud” could be a reflection of slow adoption rather than high channel demand.
  • Channel Influencing HP’s PC Reconsideration (0) October 12, 2011 Hewlett-Packard is moving closer to reversing course on jettisoning its PC business. The decision-making process and what appears an inevitable conclusion is being accelerated by pressure brought by partners looking to defect to rivals Dell and Lenovo.
  • World Anxious for Windows Tablets, Survey Says (2) October 12, 2011 A new study by the Boston Consulting Group shows strong preference for Microsoft Windows on tablets over the current market leader, Apple iOS. The data shows that Microsoft could do very well when it enters the tablet fray next year. And what’s good for Microsoft is good for its manufacturer and reseller partners.
  • 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.
  • Motorola Solutions Enters Tablet Market with ET1 (1) October 11, 2011 The new Android-powered tablet is purpose-built for business and industrial environments, clearly separating it from causal consumer competitors. If successful, the ET1 could redefine what “business tablet” means to the channel and end-user market.
  • GFI Redesigns Vipre to Displace AV Competitors (5) October 10, 2011 In its first release of an antivirus product since acquiring Sunbelt Software, GFI unveiled Vipre Antivirus Business 5.0, a package designed to displace competitive security applications with a rip-and-replace application. This release could help GFI move up the security ladder.
  • Microsoft Clears EU Hurdle in Skype Deal (0) October 10, 2011 With European regulators essentially paving the way for Microsoft to close on its $8.5 billion acquisition of Skype, the new era of Microsoft communications may finally begin. Skype is a significant addition to the Microsoft portfolio – and one that could ultimately benefit solution providers.
  • The McDonald's Rule of Cloud Computing (0) October 10, 2011 Everyone is talking about cloud computing as the wave of the future. The reality, though, is few end users are buying cloud services. The channel needs these offerings to give customers the option; just like McDonald’s offers salads but still sells mostly fries.
  • 30% of SMBs Clueless about Managed Services (1) October 7, 2011 A new study by Techaisle finds managed service providers are increasingly engaging end users with managed service offerings. The findings reinforce the need for more sales and marketing activity in the channel’s managed services segment.
  • A More Channel-Friendly Apple in Post-Jobs Era (1) October 7, 2011 Apple has partners, but it remains at best apathetic toward the channel. The restricted channel established under Steve Jobs is a reflection of his need for control. In the post-Jobs era, will Apple now be free to explore broader channel partnerships?
  • Kaspersky Hits Milestone in Enterprise Quest (1) October 7, 2011 The Russian security software company best known for its consumer and SMB applications released two new suites – Kaspersky Endpoint Security 8 and Kaspersky Security Center – designed to make its applications better for existing customers and more attractive to enterprise prospects. It’s also looking for new strategic partners to propel it into the enterprise market.
  • Cloud Paradox: Margins and Compensation (2) October 6, 2011 Cloud computing promises sustained profitability, but building a business around the cloud is proving challenging to channel partners. Two issues they struggle with: margins and compensation. The Cloud Convergence Council’s new report details how channel partners feel about margins and compensation, and offers some solutions to overcome these challenges.
  • Microsoft Proves VARs Needed for Tech Support (3) October 6, 2011 It all started with a problem in a new Outlook installation. Microsoft’s tech support failed to resolve the flaw and demonstrate good customer service. The experience is a vivid demonstration as to why Microsoft will always need channel partners.
  • Steve Jobs Passes into Legend (0) October 5, 2011 Apple announced the passing of its cofounder and former chief executive after a long battle with cancer. He leaves a legacy of technical innovation and business excellence. His life is an example of what determination, vision and focus can achieve.
  • Huawei Challenges Cisco Channel Dominance (1) October 5, 2011 The Chinese networking and switching equipment company that keeps Cisco awake at night has formally launched a channel program as the foundation of its expansion in the North American market.
  • RIM Looks to IT Channel to Reverse Fortunes (0) October 5, 2011 Research In Motion (RIM), makers of the Blackberry, is partnering with Tech Data to deliver end-to-end smartphone solutions for resale through the IT channel. The deal comes as Blackberry continues to lose sales and market share to competitors, most notably Apple and Google.
  • LifeSize Brings Video Conferencing to iOS 5 (0) October 5, 2011 The high-definition video conferencing specialist now supports Apple iOS 5 and will soon support iPhone 4S, enabling business users of these popular smartphones to connect to its collaboration platform. Will smartphones be the catalyst for video conferencing adoption?
  • HP Will Stay in the Tablet Business (0) October 5, 2011 Speaking at a European channel conference, Hewlett-Packard executive and board member Ann Livermore says the company will field a non-webOS tablet in the near future and will only spinoff the Personal Systems Group if it makes business sense. Is the retraction the channel’s been waiting for?
  • IBM Follows McAfee into SIEM Market (0) October 4, 2011 Just an hour after McAfee announced it was buying security information event management specialist NitroSecurity, IBM announced its acquisition of rival Q1 Labs.
  • McAfee Buys SIEM Specialist NitroSecurity (0) October 4, 2011 McAfee is buying security information and event management specialist NitroSecurity to bolster its capabilities in managing security vulnerabilities and event response. It will also bolster its competitive position against potential rival Hewlett-Packard.
  • Symantec Unveils First DLP for iPads (0) October 4, 2011 Tablets are fast becoming the portable computing platform of choice, making them a tempting target for data theft. Symantec addresses tablet security concerns with the first data loss protection package for the Apple iPad, giving security solution providers a product for the tablet market.
  • 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.
  • Google Opens First Retail Store in London (1) October 3, 2011 Google is taking a page out of the Apple playbook by opening a retail outlet called ‘Chrome Zone’ to promote and sell its products. Will it find the same success Apple did with its retail outlets? Microsoft hasn’t so far.
  • HP Competitors Smell Blood in the Water (1) October 3, 2011 Oracle is planning a massive push to capture disaffected Hewlett-Packard partners. And it’s not alone. Nearly every HP competitor is preparing partner and customer competitive displacement efforts to capitalize on the tech giant’s misfortunes and chaos. But this doesn’t mean HP partners should jump ship. Here’s why.
  • DLT Creates ‘GovDefenders’ Education Portal (0) October 3, 2011 The government systems integration leader is backing a new security and education portal designed specifically for federal IT administrators. The site is about informing, not selling, which makes it unique in an era of fast-paced sales and metrics-driven marketing programs. But DLT believes it’s worth the investment and that it will pay off in the long run. Here’s why.
  • Is Microsoft Next Up for Major Shakeup? (0) October 3, 2011 Sagging financial and stock performance first forced Cisco and then Hewlett-Packard to shakeup their management, organization and go-to-market strategies. Microsoft has been under shareholder pressure for more than a year. Now it’s fallen behind IBM in market valuation. Is Microsoft next for a reshuffle?
  • Godgart Starts Batting His ‘ChannelEyes’ (0) September 30, 2011 At SMB Nation this weekend, Bob Godgart and friends are starting to show off his new venture, ChannelEyes, a social network expressly for the channel community that’s designed to act as a master partner portal to vendor assets and communications.
  • Reports: Amazon May Buy WebOS (2) September 30, 2011 As Hewlett-Packard continues to go through its leadership and strategic transition throws, stability seems elusive. The latest disruption: the potential sale of the former Palm business to Amazon. It’s a sign that instability is here for a while.
  • Microsoft Delays New LAR Deal Registration (0) September 30, 2011 Challenges in developing a new system that protects the big transactions registered by large account resellers is forcing Microsoft to hold off unveiling that program until March 2012. The new fee structure to incent LARs goes in effect tomorrow.
  • Everything Channel No Longer ‘Everything’ (1) September 29, 2011 The publisher of CRN and producer of the XChange events changes its name for the third time in five years. Its new name: UBM Channel.
  • Godgart Resigns Autotask Chairmanship (0) September 29, 2011 Bob Godgart, the founder and form CEO of Autotask, has severed his final tie to the company to pursue other, still-undisclosed ventures.
  • Zenith RMM Details Future Ambitions (1) September 29, 2011 The new managed services company spun off from Zenith Infotech plans to develop and expand the capabilities of its remote monitoring and management platform to include support for cloud, virtualization, and Apple and mobile devices. Focus is what the new company is founded on, the management team says.
  • Spiceworks Adds Shopping Cart to Dashboard (0) September 29, 2011 Spiceworks, a management tools and social networking company servicing 1.6 million IT professionals, is launching a new shopping cart function that will allow Hewlett-Packard printer users to monitor, manage and buy printer ink and toner. The new program has flavors of managed print services and is the foundation of converting Spiceworks into an alternative channel.
  • LabTech Program Focuses on MSP Profitability (0) September 29, 2011 The remote monitoring and management software specialists launched its Business Transformation Division, a new effort to develop tools and resources to assist managed service providers in maturing and expanding their businesses.
  • Zenith Infotech Spins Off RMM Division (0) September 28, 2011 Zenith InfoTech, a pioneer in remote backup and hosted managed services, is spinning off its remote monitoring and management products into a separate company called Zenith RMM. The new company will focus on continued development of RMM tools and work closely with its sister company in enabling channel partners.
  • Security Services Growth Continues Unabated (0) September 28, 2011 Ceaseless threats, increased risk with mobility and the migration to the cloud are driving businesses on all levels to adopt security services to augment or replace their data protection, according to a new market forecast. For the channel, it’s not necessarily good news, especially as one profitable segment of security services is expected to tumble.
  • Apple Cuts iPad Orders; iPhone 5 Imminent (0) September 28, 2011 Apple is summoning the press to its headquarters next Tuesday for the presumed launched of the iPhone 5. It’s also cutting its fourth quarter iPad orders by 25 percent. Is there something besides the obvious at play here?
  • HP: Managed Print More Than Printers (0) September 27, 2011 Printer vendors are struggling to gain real traction in the adoption of managed print in the channel. The stumbling block is often getting partners and customers to see the model’s value. HP’s Scott Dunsire says managed print is more than printers; it’s workflow and document management, too.
  • Google Drops Lawsuit for Government Cloud (0) September 27, 2011 Google and its reseller partner have formally ended their legal quest to undo the Microsoft-only cloud email contract awarded by the Department of the Interior. The lawsuit may signal a shift in the battle for the federal cloud.
  • Whitman: HP Will Resolve PC Fate by Year End (0) September 26, 2011 New HP CEO Meg Whitman isn’t wasting time trying to restore confidence in the beleaguered vendor. She’s promising partners and investors a resolution on whether the PC business unit will be spun off, kept or sold by the end of the year.
  • Switch Competition May Squeeze Resellers (0) September 26, 2011 Sales of Ethernet switches are increasing, as is competition between major vendors – most notably Cisco and Hewlett-Packard. The result is a decline in average sale prices, which could ultimately hurt solution providers caught between the buyer’s market and market-share hungry vendors.
  • Cloud Salaries Rich for Those Who Get Paid (0) September 26, 2011 Selling cloud computing comes with a certain safety net, as the average salary is above or in line with average sales professional salaries. What’s surprising is the number of solution providers who offer no base salary to their cloud salespeople.
  • HP: Anatomy of Meltdown to Recovery (1) September 25, 2011 Hewlett-Packard made probably one of the worst series of blunders in business and technology history. Now under new leadership, the company is trying to restore its image and standing. Here is Channelnomic’s recounting of HP’s fall from grace and road to recovery.
  • Channel Remains Resilient to Economic Woes (0) September 23, 2011 The stock market is on a roller coaster; the U.S. and Europe are under heavy debt pressure; and the U.S. economy is nearing a stall. Despite all this, solution providers in the channel remain relatively stable, according to the distributors supporting them. But what’s keeping the channel stable may hold them back in the future.
  • Oracle Goes Small with Database Appliance (0) September 23, 2011 The new Oracle Database Appliance comes prepackaged with Oracle Database 11g and an ‘pay-as-you-grow’ model, a combination of technology and sales designed to make it easier for the channel to sell and small enterprises to buy. It’s also a reflection of the growing interest in future-proofing customer bases.
  • It’s Official: Whitman In, Apotheker Out at HP (1) September 22, 2011 Hewlett-Packard’s Board of Directors did today what many suspected they were up to – they fired short-time CEO Leo Apotheker and installed director Meg Whitman to lead the company. Now comes the hard part: fixing the mess. Here’s the channel perspective.
  • GTDC Recognizes ‘Rising Stars” Vendors (0) September 22, 2011 The fastest-growing vendors selling hardware and software products through distribution were recognized for their superior growth by the Global Technology Distribution Council. The Rising Stars had a few surprise winners. What are Apple and Dell doing here?
  • ‘Apotheker Demise Watch’ Enters Day 2 at HP (0) September 22, 2011 Hewlett-Packard’s board of directors yesterday deliberated without resolution the fate of its beleaguered CEO Leo Apotheker. In the court of tech and business public opinion, the judgment against HP is clearly resounding.
  • The Untapped Professional Services Opportunity (0) September 22, 2011 Solution providers are watching margins erode as more legacy applications move to the cloud or become commoditized. The profitability answer is often found in professional services. But vendors and distributors say too few solution providers are investing in pro-services capabilities.
  • Reports: Apotheker on the Outs at HP (0) September 21, 2011 Several media outlets are reporting the Hewlett-Packard board of directors is considering ousting CEO Leo Apotheker. A decision could come as early as this afternoon.
  • IBM Marries Smart Commerce, Cloud Services (0) September 21, 2011 Big Blue has long been a proponent of enabling holistic customer experiences. IBM is launching a new cloud program to make it easier for partners to deliver cloud services in support of commerce activities. It’s also a means for getting partners to standardize on IBM cloud tools.
  • Disties See 'Flexible' HP PC Business Emerging (0) September 21, 2011 Hewlett-Packard’s Todd Bradley attends the Global Technology Distributor Council’s annual summit to assure distribution partners and peers of its intent to preserve its Personal Systems Group as a viable business entity. The consensus: HP PCs will survive and rebound, and likely be more flexible.
  • Cloud Service Depot Becoming Cloud's Center (0) September 20, 2011 Cloud Services Depot, the regional aggregator of cloud services for resale by channel partners, is fast transforming itself into an enabler of cloud and hosted services through its ability to integrate service providers with solution providers' existing management tools. The latest example: supporting 6Fusion.
  • Insight Buys Services Specialist Ensynch (0) September 20, 2011 Direct market reseller Insight acquired Microsoft professional services specialist Ensynch to bolster its ability to deliver products and services to its buyers. It’s yet another example of a DMR trying to change its stripes. Will it work this time?
  • Ingram Launches Transformation Alliance (0) September 19, 2011 Ingram Micro’s European division spearheaded the development of the Channel Transformation Alliance, a program designed to bring vendors together to develop materials, training and support for solution providers entering the cloud marketplace. If successful, the program could go global.
  • Zenprise Builds Channel to Tap Mobility Trend (0) September 19, 2011 As more consumer and mixed-use devices find their way into enterprise environments, IT managers are looking for a way to exercise control over data and applications. Zenprise is forming a new channel to push its mobile management applications to this growing market segment.
  • Cloud Email: A Two-Horse Race? (1) September 19, 2011 Email is one of the more pervasive service offerings in cloud computing that’s dominated by a handful of suppliers. A new Gartner report suggests cloud email is actually a race between Google and Microsoft, with all others – including IBM and VMware – falling by the wayside.
  • McAfee, Intel Strategy Coming into Focus (1) September 16, 2011 McAfee and Intel are busy making a series of product and technology development announcements that will culminate at McAfee’s annual Focus security conference in October. At Focus, partners will get a first-hand look at the future of these integrated companies.
  • D-Link Offers Channel IP Video Surveillance Tech (0) September 16, 2011 The consumer and commercial networking vendor its making its IP video products available to channel partners. These products have the potential of opening new channels and greater levels of collaboration between IT and video channel partners.
  • HP Chair: Call PC Spinoff 'HP' (1) September 15, 2011 Hewlett-Packard Chairman Ray Lane is lobbying to spinoff off the company’s personal computer unit as a separate company, and he wants that company to retain the HP moniker. It sounds reasonable, but probably isn't the best idea. Here’s why.
  • Accuvant Forms All-Star Advisory Board (0) September 15, 2011 The rapidly expanding security integrator has assembled an advisory board of well-known enterprise and government security experts to help with business development and accelerate growth.
  • Cloud Leads to Deeper Customer Engagements (0) September 15, 2011 A new report by AMI-Partners finds solution providers who adopt cloud services quickly expand their footprint within customer organizations with additional services. Sound familiar? It should. It’s the same trajectory as managed services.
  • SonicWall Makes Services More Affordable (1) September 14, 2011 SonicWall is addressing the lack of capital in the channel through its new FlexSpend program, which makes the establishment and support of managed security services practices more affordable.
  • Verizon Morphing into a Solution Provider (0) September 14, 2011 Verizon Wireless took the wraps off a new initiative, the Verizon Wireless Private Applications Store, a new initiative to provide businesses with applications for mobile devices. The initiative shows how wireless carriers are evolving into technology companies with multiple value propositions.
  • Tufin Extends Support for Next-Gen Firewalls (0) September 14, 2011 Tufin Technologies' latest release of its firewall management platform includes several improvements, including support for Palo Alto Networks’ next-generation firewalls. The complementary product reflects the increasing viability of next-gen firewalls in enterprise and midmarket deployments.
  • ConnectWise Expands Tech Support to 24/7 (0) September 13, 2011 ConnectWise is extending technical support to its professional services automation (PSA) software users to 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It’s recognition that there are no 9-to-5 workplaces, but perhaps something much larger.
  • Cisco Attacks Juniper’s Product Record (0) September 13, 2011 Refocused by restructuring, Cisco is taking the gloves off and going after competitors. The first target: Juniper. The weapon: A Web site that berates Juniper’s product release and innovation track record. It’s a sign that Cisco is coming out swinging.
  • Autotask Community Gets New Leader (0) September 13, 2011 Len DiCostanzo will assume the mantle of the Autotask Community, succeeding Jay McBain as the leader of the sprawling network of managed service and solution providers using the company’s professional services automation tools.
  • TCI Pursues Channel Investment Strategy (0) September 12, 2011 Technology Capital Investors acquired a stake in Bravura Networks, adding another managed service provider to its portfolio of channel companies. It’s part of an overarching strategy to develop regional IT companies, and possibly a template for accelerating channel growth.
  • Jenne Sees Convergence in Video Conferencing (0) September 12, 2011 The niche distributor reports increasing demand for video conferencing technology. What’s surprising is where this demand is coming from: small businesses through telephony and audio/video reseller channels.
  • Cisco Counterfeiter Gets 5 Years in Jail (0) September 12, 2011 Chun-Yu Zhao, who posed as a legitimate Cisco reseller, will spend the next five years in jail and lose most of her assets as punishment for an elaborate scheme to manufacture and import millions of dollars in bogus Cisco networking gear.
  • HP Bolsters Managed Print Services Capacity (1) September 9, 2011 Hewlett-Packard is increasing its capacity to deliver and support managed print services through the acquisition of Printelligent. HP, like other printer vendors, is gearing up to capitalize on projected demand for managed print that has yet to truly materialize.
  • 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.
  • IBM Offers SMBs $1 Billion in IT Financing (0) September 8, 2011 Big Blue unveiled an ambitious and large $1 billion financing pool to help small and midsized businesses adopt advanced technologies such as analytics and cloud services. It’s yet another IBM push beyond enterprise. Will this time be different?
  • 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.
  • Clarification on Google Web Security (0) September 7, 2011 While Google is shutting down its Web Security service, its Postini services continue unaffected. Here’s the update.
  • eGastalt Plies Geometric Compliance Strategy (0) September 7, 2011 Rather than just targeting health care providers with its governance and regulatory compliance tool, eGastalt is leveraging the compliance requirements of business associations to spur geometric adoption of its products and channel opportunities. Call it the “Fabarge” strategy.
  • Cloud is No Channel Bonanza, Yet (6) September 7, 2011 Conflicting surveys by CompTIA and the Cloud Convergence Council find wide ranges of cloud value and revenue performance among solution providers. The reality is that the cloud is transforming the way the channel delivers IT services, but it’s not the revenue gold mine producing vast fortunes at wildly accelerated rates.
  • Tablets Bringing an End to Channel Stuffing (0) September 6, 2011 Lenovo is disputing Samsung’s Tab tablet sales claims, saying the number sold is vastly dwarfed by the number shipped. Hewlett-Packard pulled the plug on its TouchPad tablet as retail partners started revolting on unsold inventory. Could the tablet wars reveal a growing intolerance to channel stuffing?
  • Google Exits Security Services (0) September 6, 2011 As part of a major restructuring, Google announced it was shutting down Web Security, the successor program to Postini's email and Web security services the search giant acquired in 2007. In total, 10 products are heading to the trash heap.
  • Samsung Not a Contender for HP’s PC Business (0) September 5, 2011 The Korean electronics giant has eliminated any speculation that it’s interested in Hewlett-Packard’s Personal Systems Group or its WebOS mobile operating system. The dwindling list of potential suitors makes a spinoff more likely.
  • Brocade Pioneers Hardware Subscriptions (1) September 2, 2011 Brocade is attempting to change the networking game by offering its switching gear on a monthly subscription basis. This isn’t just another lease, but rather a new model in which partners and end users can more easily acquire, deploy and change equipment.
  • Google’s Federal Cloud Protest Moves Forward (0) September 2, 2011 A federal court is expected to issue a ruling next week ordering the Department of the Interior to hire an independent expert to determine if Google Apps meets the government’s cloud security requirements. The decision is a blow to Microsoft’s dominance in the federal IT market.
  • Lawsuits, Protests and Other Conflict Resolutions (0) September 2, 2011 Solution providers often feel at a disadvantage when vendors change the terms of partner agreements, especially when it costs them money. Every business has options for conflict resolution, and not all of them require going to court.
  • McBain Departing Autotask, Destination Unknown (0) September 1, 2011 Jay McBain, considered one of the rising stars in the channel executive ranks, is departing Autotask after less than a year as head of strategic development. His next move is still a mystery.
  • Ingram Forms Exclusive Health Care Network (0) September 1, 2011 The new Ingram Micro Healthcare Partner Network provides serious health care solution providers with resources to learn, collaborate and extend their reach into this massive vertical.
  • Palisade Tries Free DLP to Jumpstart Adoption (0) September 1, 2011 Palisade Systems, the SMB security company, is offering its PacketSure data loss prevention solution free to the first 500 customers in a bid to jumpstart adoption of the data protection technology and prove it’s not “too expensive” for SMBs.
  • Deconstructing HP: Anatomy of a Meltdown (0) August 31, 2011 Hewlett-Packard may be the largest technology company in the world, but it’s shaken its foundation and partner confidence with its radical transformation strategy and erratic decisions regarding core products, such as the TouchPad. Channelnomics is monitoring HP’s progress as it tries to right its ship.
  • Public Sector Channel Continues to Weaken (0) August 31, 2011 SAIC threatens layoffs if a federal IT contract isn’t renewed. It’s yet another indicator of the weakening government IT marketplace as cash-strapped federal, state and local agencies look to cut spending.
  • TouchPads Redux: A Rationale Explanation (1) August 31, 2011 Here we go again. Hewlett-Packard is reviving the damned TouchPad for one last manufacturing run to meet “stunning” demand. While this may seem like a reversal, there’s a more likely and contractual explanation for this tablet’s resurrection.
  • The VAR Guy Gets Acquired (2) August 30, 2011 Nine Lives Media, the channel media company that’s home to several poplar blogs including The VAR Guy and MSPmentor, sells its properties to Penton Media. Going forward, The VAR Guy will blog under the umbrella of the Penton Technology Group.
  • TeamLogic, Network Box Partner on Security (0) August 30, 2011 The new alliance between the TeamLogic IT network of franchised service and solution providers and Network Box USA will bring comprehensive security services to small business across the country.
  • Update: HP Resurrects TouchPad (1) August 30, 2011 The TouchPad was declared dead less than two weeks ago, but there’s already talk of it making a comeback. Such notions will do nothing for restoring confidence in the vendor, which appears increasingly hapless and directionless.
  • VMworld: Ground Zero for ‘Cloud’ Backlash (0) August 29, 2011 The virtualization faithful are gathering in Las Vegas this week, and scores of tech companies are using the event as an opportunity to talk about their latest offerings, partner strategies and services offerings. The word everyone may try to avoid: “Cloud.”
  • NetEnrich Enables SMB Cloud Services (0) August 29, 2011 The cloud services provider to the channel launches a new program design to make it easier for solution providers to adopt and manage hosted infrastructure on behalf of their SMB customers.
  • Hurricane Irene's Business Continuity Lessons (0) August 29, 2011 The first major hurricane to hit the Northeast in more than a quarter century didn’t pack the punch many forecasters had predicted, but it did leave an impression. Here are a few thoughts following the storm of the summer.
  • HTG Prepares to Respond to Hurricane Irene (0) August 26, 2011 HTG Peer Groups and its ‘Hands That Give’ are providing East Coast VARs with hurricane preparedness guidance and is standing by to lend recovery assistance in the event of disaster.
  • Mobile Security Poised for Big Growth (1) August 26, 2011 The proliferation of mobile devices, such as increasingly powerful smartphones and tablets, will create more demand for mobile security solutions. A new report indicates the market will top $14.4 billion worldwide by 2017.
  • Steve Jobs: Lessons and Legacy (0) August 25, 2011 Apple’s founder and chief guru is resigning as his health deteriorates. What he leaves behind is a legacy of lessons in success that all businesses – vendor and solution providers like – can draw inspiration and guidance.
  • IBM Brings Business Analytics to Partners (0) August 24, 2011 Big Blue launched a new initiative to enable partners to sell and support its Netezza business analytics and intelligence appliances. The program includes training, marketing support and financing. Can IBM catch the business intelligence wave with Netezza?
  • Report: Samsung Interested in HP’s PCs (1) August 24, 2011 The Korean electronics giant is reportedly looking to increase PC production capacity and may be interested in acquiring Hewlett-Packard’s PC division should it officially come on the market. The move would dramatically shift the balance of market power in the PC world.
  • How Sales Pros Grow Solution Providers (0) August 23, 2011 Solution providers have a tendency to view their business development through the lens of technology. As a result, sales typically gets short shrift. Some solution providers are discovering the reason to invest in sales professionals – and it’s all about growth.
  • Cisco Gets Small with New WebEx Offering (1) August 23, 2011 Cisco is pushing a lightweight version of its online collaboration platform that targets small businesses. The catch: It’s a direct sale only.
  • Veeam Looks to Tap Microsoft Channel (0) August 23, 2011 Veeam, a virtualization management specialist, is moving beyond its roots of enhancing VMware implementations by adding support for Microsoft’s Hyper-V. The initiative could augment Microsoft virtualization and give Veeam access to a strong channel of new partners.
  • Partners Can’t Ignore HP FUD (1) August 22, 2011 Hewlett-Packard’s shift in strategic direction – including the announced intention to exit the PC business – has cast a pale over channel partners. HP can reassure its partners, but solution providers simply can’t ignore the uncertainty or the impact it will have on their businesses.
  • Palo Alto Networks Expands MSP, OEM Channels (0) August 22, 2011 Taking a page from the playbook that has driven growth at other security vendors, next-generation firewall vendor Palo Alto Networks is expanding its relationships with service providers and alliance partners to sell its products through multiple channels.
  • HP Transition: The Winners and Losers (0) August 22, 2011 The debate over what Hewlett-Packard accomplished last week when it announced it was exiting the PC business continues, but it’s clear that the outcome will change the IT landscape. Here are the winners and losers, so far.
  • One HP Problem Solved: TouchPads Sold Out (1) August 20, 2011 It took just hours after HP lowered the price of its doomed tablet for collectors and bargain hunters to snap up the $99 TouchPads.
  • TouchPad Fire Sale Begins (1) August 20, 2011 Another sad marker in the upheaval at Hewlett-Packard, the computing giant is slashing the price of its doomed tablet in an apparent attempt to burn off unsold inventory.
  • Blue Coat Shakes Up Leadership (1) August 19, 2011 Amid sagging sales and poor financial performance, Blue Coat’s CEO and head of sales resigned. The security and WAN optimization vendor is moving quickly to fill the leadership vacuum, announcing Greg Clark will take over management in September.
  • By the Way, Apple Won (2) August 19, 2011 For those keeping score at home, Apple is looking a lot like the 2007 New England Patriots – undefeatable except for that big game. Hewlett-Packard’s retreat from PCs and perhaps consumer products shows a rift forming between the consumer and enterprise IT markets.
  • HP Undertakes Restructuring, New Direction (0) August 18, 2011 Hewlett-Packard shocked the tech world by confirming it may exit the personal computer business, a market segment it dominates, and focus on software and services bolstered by the $10 billion acquisition of data management vendor Autonomy.
  • We Were Wrong about HP TouchPad, WebOS (2) August 18, 2011 Hewlett-Packard seems on the verge of a major restructuring and refocusing. The tech world is waiting details that may include the spinoff of its PC division. What’s known so far is the TouchPad tablet and the WebOS smartphones are the first casualties.
  • Synnex Launches Renewal Management Tool (0) August 18, 2011 The new RENEWSolv platform provides Synnex solution providers with a free, automated management tool for tracking and acting upon software license and service contract renewals. It’s a good example of how poor renewal processes continues to plague the channel.
  • Box.net Raises $35m for Expansion (0) August 18, 2011 The content and collaboration cloud service takes in another $35 million to fuel its growth, including the development of new alliance and channel partners. The investment reflects increasing opportunity in cloud-based file sharing and data synchronization.
  • PSAs are More Than Managed Services (4) August 17, 2011 Autotask, ConnectWise and TigerPaw built their businesses and reputations by providing professional services automation software that married nicely to the managed services model. The bond is so tight that the market – the media in particular – overlooks PSA’s applicability to other channel models.
  • Toshiba, Lexmark Partner on Managed Print (0) August 17, 2011 Laptop manufacturer Toshiba is working with printer specialist Lexmark on bringing managed print services to its channel partners. The program provides Toshiba partners with a holistic office management solution.
  • How Data Dispels Faulty Sales Assumptions (0) August 16, 2011 Solution providers often assume they have a special relationship with their customers. They’re often right, as many have been selling into accounts for years. But, according to Ingram Micro’s Kirk Robinson, many solution providers fail to see who else is selling into those accounts.
  • Google-Moto: A Catalyst for Convergence (0) August 16, 2011 Google is gambling on Motorola Mobility giving it the ability to create holistic mobile solutions and patents to fend off rivals. Google may be building a bridge between the IT and telephony channels to create a new converged world.
  • Value of Managed Services Lost on SMBs (1) August 16, 2011 Managed services has the power of reducing the cost and labor burden of IT on business operations. But a new study reveals many managed service providers continue to struggle in conveying the value of their offerings to small and midsized businesses. The saving grace: cloud computing, perhaps.
  • McAfee Amps Up Deal Reg Profitability (0) August 15, 2011 Calling it the company’s biggest investment ever in partner profitability, McAfee announces an increase in margins for approved deal registered sales, giving security solution providers up to 25 percent of the sale.
  • The PC is Dead, Long Live the PC (1) August 12, 2011 Today markets the 30th anniversary of IBM’s first personal computer, the 5150, which essentially launched the PC era. Ironically, one of its inventors is heralding the death of PCs, saying these venerable machines are fast going the way of typewriters and CRT monitors.
  • Waiting for Managed Print to Go Mainstream (0) August 11, 2011 Xerox and other printer vendors tout the profitability and sustainable revenues that come with managed print services. Yet, there’s no denying that after years of offering managed print it remains a peripheral offering and there’s no telling when it will go mainstream.
  • 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?
  • MSP Enablers Report Strong Growth (0) August 10, 2011 Managed services continue to drive strong growth across the channel, as reflected by statements issued by leading vendors N-Able and ConnectWise. These reports aren’t a reflection of a peak, but rather continued and sustainable growth potential.
  • Consensus: Cisco Reorg Will Make It Stronger (1) August 10, 2011 Thousands of Cisco employees started getting pink slips last week as the networking giant moves to slim down costs and increase focus on core products. Employees, partners, customers and competitors believe the reorganization will make Cisco stronger.
  • Apple Reins Supreme as Most Valuable (0) August 9, 2011 Thanks to market forces and ever-increasing sales, Apple has surpassed its latest milestone – becoming the world’s most valuable company by overtaking ExxonMobil. Here's why it doesn't matter.
  • Networking Vendors Brace for Government Cuts (0) August 9, 2011 Debt reduction measures by the U.S. and other world governments are expected to slash spending on IT infrastructure projects, which will hit the networking vendor and its channel partners hard.
  • iPad Rivals Stand Better Chance in Europe (0) August 9, 2011 A Forrester reports suggests tablet rivals to the Apple iPad would stand a better chance of gaining market traction in Europe. It's a classic strategy of going where the competition isn't -- and a lesson for all in the technology channel.
  • VMware Adding DLP to vShield Security Product (0) August 9, 2011 The virtualization market leader is expected to announce the addition of data loss prevention technology to its vShield security suite that protects its hypervisor. This DLP implementation isn’t expected to be a robust offering, but may be enough to change people’s minds about the security technology.
  • The Prosecution of Peter Alfred-Adekeye (1) August 8, 2011 The former Cisco engineer turned channel entrepreneur has been tied up in legal battles for years with his former employer and the U.S. government. Now, he faces a new round of court challenges following his indictment on hacking charges. What makes Alfred-Adekeye the most prosecuted man in the channel?
  • Ingram Expands Services with Security, RMM (0) August 8, 2011 The Ingram Micro Services Division is bolstering its portfolio with new cloud security and remote monitoring and management tools from Symantec, Trend Micro and N-Able. The expansion reflects a larger trend of solution providers wanting more services support from distributors.
  • More Than One Cloud for Making Money (0) August 8, 2011 Everyone talks about ‘the cloud’ as if it rains cash from a single source. In the cloud computing era, there’s more than one way to make money in cloud services and more than one cloud to sell.
  • Tech Mission: Elimination of Jobs (2) August 5, 2011 The latest jobs report and Dow Jones plunge confirms what everyone already knows: The economy is fragile and not returning to health anytime soon. The government often looks to the tech industry as the means for job creation. The sad truth is that the tech industry’s mission is the elimination or devaluation of jobs.
  • Security Market, Opportunities Continue to Grow (0) August 5, 2011 Security has always been one of those segments watched for consolidation and commoditization – resulting in a lockout by a few large vendors. Surprisingly, the security segment came close to that market five years ago and has been retreating ever since.
  • GFI Loses Sales, Channel Chief Patricia Hume (0) August 4, 2011 Channel veteran Patricia Hume is leaving security vendor GFI Software after just six months as head of sales to join a software company specializing in applications for nonprofits.
  • Beating Apple iPad with Business Focus (0) August 4, 2011 Samsung is adding business software and features to its Tab tablets. Other tablet vendors, including Hewlett-Packard and Cisco, are intent on carving out a tablet niche in the business market through partners. Are business-class users the weak spot in Apple’s armor?
  • DLT Solutions Gives Back to Community (0) August 2, 2011 In celebration of its 20th year in business, government integrator DLT Solutions launches "DLT 20/20 Program," an initiative to give thousands of volunteer hours to the community.
  • A10 Networks Fires Back at Brocade (0) August 1, 2011 The network application delivery appliance vendor files a patent infringement counterclaim against Brocade. The legal manunever is in response to Brocade seeking a court order to prevent the sale of A10's core products.
  • 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.
  • Palo Alto Networks Finally Names New CEO (0) August 1, 2011 After more than seven months without a chief executive, the next-generation firewall vendor names a new leader – and it’s not, as many people speculated, McAfee’s Dave DeWalt.
  • Breaking Away from the Breakaway Agenda (0) July 29, 2011 Solution providers from around the country will gather in Washington next week for the annual CompTIA Breakaway Conference. CompTIA has put together a fine agenda, but it’s the side conversations that will matter.
  • Defending the Reseller Relationship (0) July 29, 2011 British blogger and Cisco certified network engineer Greg Ferro asks the question, “Who is the customer: the end user or the reseller?” He’s frustrated that resellers get more attention from vendors, and end users get lower quality. He’s wrong, but not entirely.
  • Oracle Wants HP to Drop Jones Lawsuit (0) July 29, 2011 In new court filings, lawyers say HP’s core evidence that former channel chief Adrian Jones stole trade secrets are “indisputably false.” The revelations are the latest twists in the ongoing legal battles between Oracle and HP.
  • Microsoft Finds a Sense of Humor in ‘Gmail Man’ (0) July 29, 2011 Microsoft isn’t exactly known for its creativity or humor when it comes to marketing. But, from somewhere, Microsoft found its funny bone and an ingenous way to dig at rival Google with its new “Gmail Man” campaign.
  • Dell SecureWorks Adds Next-Gen Firewalls (0) July 28, 2011 The managed security service provider arm of Dell is partnering with Palo Alto Networks to add next-generation firewalls to its portfolio. The deal is an interesting evolution in managed security services, as well as the capabilities of the respective companies.
  • Brocade Sues to Block A10 Networks Sales (0) July 28, 2011 Brocade wants U.S. courts to bar A10 Networks from selling network application control devices that include allegedly stolen code. If granted, the injunction would affect A10 and its partners.
  • RSA Breach, SecurID Trade-In Cost Revealed (0) July 28, 2011 Hackers not only sullied RSA’s stellar reputation in the security community, but also cost the company a bundle. Reports indicate the breach and the subsequent SecurID replacement program cost $66 million.
  • 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.
  • Ecosystem Developing Around Google Apps (1) July 27, 2011 Defining the size of the Google Apps market is exceedingly difficult. But the growing number of Google Apps specialists and add-on resources is a strong indicator that the online productivity suite is increasingly becoming a significant platform.
  • Report: RMM Users are More Profitable (2) July 27, 2011 Managed service advocates tout their model as being more profitable than conventional break/fix VARs. A new report by The 2112 Group and Corelytics finds that users of remote monitoring and management (RMM) tools are more profitable than their non-user counterparts. And the RMM benefits aren’t exclusive to managed service providers.
  • Cloud Security Starts at the Endpoint (0) July 26, 2011 Security concerns remain the chief obstacle in cloud adoption. End users don’t trust the security of cloud providers, but that shouldn’t be their only concern. Perhaps cloud security starts with the end user and their ubiquitous endpoints.
  • Ingram Micro Offers Credit Card Services (1) July 26, 2011 Distribution giant Ingram Micro is enhancing the value of point-of-sales (POS) solutions by offering complementary credit card processing services that provide annuity revenue.
  • Capgemini Offers Social Media as a Service (0) July 26, 2011 Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+ are treasure-troves of intelligence on what businesses are saying about their technology suppliers and solution providers. Capgemini’s new service provides customers with real-time social insights for immediate adjustments to sales and marketing messaging. Is this the dawn of a new managed service?
  • Fortinet Growth Powered by Referrals (0) July 25, 2011 The unified threat management (UTM) specialist posted revenue growth of 35 percent and a whopping 111 percent increase in profits for the last quarter. Much of the growth is being driven by customer referrals to Fortinet and its partners. The experience should get everyone thinking about their customer relationships and the number of referrals they're getting.
  • Cyberinsurance Demand, Supply is High (0) July 25, 2011 The recent rash of high-profile security breaches at major corporations is prompting businesses to seek cybersecurity insurance to cover potential losses and expenses should they be hacked. Prices are moderating because of the increasing number of suppliers. Is now the time to recommend cybersecurity insurance?
  • IBM, Microsoft: Elephants Can Still Dance (0) July 22, 2011 Former IBM CEO Lou Gerstner titled his book on Big Blue’s 1990s turnaround “Who Says Elephants Can’t Dance?” Microsoft might want to borrow that phrase after posting its yearend record earnings report, proving it’s not dead yet. In fact, old and new IT vendors are enjoying tremendous growth despite naysayers and a sluggish economy.
  • Buy Google Apps, Get a Tablet Free (2) July 22, 2011 Excel Micro, a Google Apps integrator, is enticing new customers to adopt the search engine giant’s business-class service with add-on security features and productivity customizations. The added incentive is a free tablet. The catch: It’s not an iPad2.
  • Cisco Reorganizes Worldwide Channel (0) July 21, 2011 As part of its sweeping $1 billion cost-cutting reorganization, Cisco is consolidating its Worldwide Channel Organization and shuffling leadership to get more aggressive in targeting new opportunities to increase sales and revenue.
  • 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.
  • Vendor Guarantees New Partners RFID Revenue (0) July 21, 2011 ODIN, a maker of RFID management software, is launching a new channel program to attract partners that don't have extensive RFID technology. The intent is to expand the channel ranks and enable sales. The reward: guaranteed revenue – with conditions, of course.
  • Dell Buys Force10, Enters Networking (0) July 20, 2011 Dell is looking to complement its Compellent and EqualLogic storage properties by entering the data networking market through the acquisition of Force10 Networks.
  • Channel Struggles with Cloud Commissions (1) July 20, 2011 The preliminary results of a new study by the Cloud Convergence Council found more than half the channel wrestles with making cloud compensations worthwhile for salespeople.
  • LifeSize Launches Cloud Video Conferencing (4) July 20, 2011 LifeSize, a division of Logitech, is acquiring new assets and launching cloud-based infrastructure to expand the availability and make high-definition video conferencing more affordable. But will help make video conferencing more relevant to businesses?
  • 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.
  • RapidBuyr, TechTarget Partner on SMB IT Sales (0) July 19, 2011 Technology media company TechTarget will promote the discount IT buying service RapidBuyr to its 10 million registered users, providing participating vendors with a potentially fast channel for volume sales.
  • Updated Special Report: Deconstructing Cisco (0) July 19, 2011 Seemingly overnight, Cisco has gone from being the gem of Silicon Valley and the tech channel to a pariah searching to recapture its mojo and regain its vaunted position in the tech world. Channelnomics is following Cisco’s travails closely. Check out our ongoing series of reports.
  • What’s Your Cloud ARPU? (0) July 19, 2011 Cloud computing promises solution providers predictable and profitable recurring revenue. True financial return only comes when customers are engaged and expanding their service utilization – and the measurement for that is ‘average revenue per user.’
  • Cisco Announces 15% Workforce Reduction (0) July 18, 2011 It’s official. After months of speculation, Cisco announces its long-awaited restructuring that will result in a total of 11,500 jobs being eliminated around the world.
  • Channel Convergence is Real (0) July 18, 2011 Audio/visual and telephony channel conferences are attracting thousands of solution providers and IT vendors who see the potential of converged IT departments that handle everything from data networking to digital display. The IT channel needs to recognize that convergence of all things IP-based is real.
  • Check Point Appoints New President (0) July 18, 2011 Amnon Bar-Lev who oversees the global channel for the security company has been elevated to president. The promotion is a direct reflection of his channel management and nearly doubling revenue since joining the company.
  • Microsoft is Right on Cloud Billing (1) July 18, 2011 Partners have long complained about Microsoft not allowing them to bill independently for cloud services. Microsoft is actually doing the channel a service by providing stability and consistency in cloud pricing. Here’s why solution providers should embrace Microsoft’s cloud billing policies.
  • Chromebooks Sell Well, But Not to Businesses (1) July 18, 2011 Early indications are the Google Chromebooks produced by Acer and Samsung are selling well enough to stave off the “flop” label. But all sales are flowing through retail. Just when Chromebooks are coming to the channel for business sales is anyone’s guess, including Google’s manufacturing partners.
  • Sales of Desktop, Laptop PCs Slow (0) July 15, 2011 A sluggish economy and the onslaught of tablets is putting a damper on the sale of desktop and laptop PCs. The only winners in the latest PC data are Lenovo and Apple, which both saw market share climb. Is this the end of the PC era?
  • Federal Debt Ceiling Weighs Heavy on Channel (0) July 15, 2011 As President Obama and Washington lawmakers toy with default on the national debt, solution providers across the country are watching anxiously for the outcome. The repercussions of this debate will have ripple effects through the entire economy, including the tech sector.
  • Spiceworks Launches IT Quoting Service (0) July 14, 2011 Spiceworks’ new ‘Request for Quote’ feature automates the process for gathering information and pricing on IT products and services. It has the potential of simplifying the IT purchasing process for hundreds of thousands of small businesses, but it’s unclear if it provides value to the vendors and channel.
  • Vendors Push Partners Deeper into Pro Services (0) July 14, 2011 Hewlett-Packard unveiled its new ServiceOne initiative enabling partners to deliver more professional services. Symantec and Cisco already have similar programs in place. ServiceOne is another example of how vendors are finding it better to lower their costs and ensure high-quality service support to customers through the channel.
  • iPhone Gets Tailor-Made Antivirus App (0) July 13, 2011 French security vendor Intego is release the first antivirus application for the Apple iPhone. Malware threats to smartphones is on the rise. Intego's app is a harbinger of emerging channel opportunities in mobile security.
  • Windows Phone 7: A Market Leader? (0) July 13, 2011 Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer basically said it all about Windows Phone 7’s market share: “We’ve gone from very small to very small.” And yet, Microsoft executives at the Worldwide Partner Conference are predicting a surge in adoption that will make Windows mobile platform a true Android rival.
  • McAfee’s DeWalt Resigns; Destination Unknown (2) July 12, 2011 McAfee appoints Michael DeCesare and Todd Gebhard co-presidents in the newly created Office of the President, which will succeed the management function vacated by DeWalt. DeWalt will remain engaged with McAfee, but has given no other indications of future employment.
  • Analyst: Cisco Could Cut 5,000 Jobs in August (0) July 12, 2011 Cisco is looking to restructure its entire business and focus on core, profitable technologies, while simultaneously cutting as much as $1 billion from operating expenses. The move could result in the elimination of thousands of jobs.
  • Quest Consolidates Partners into One Program (0) July 11, 2011 Quest Software grew through the acquisition of dozens of companies, each with their own channel programs. Under the new “Partner Circle Program,” Quest solution providers will operate under a unified framework that will give them access to new products and opportunities.
  • 8 Things to Watch for at Microsoft WPC (0) July 11, 2011 Microsoft opens its annual Worldwide Partner Conference in Los Angeles, where as many as 15,000 solution providers will gather to hear about products and strategy. Channelnomics is monitoring the confab and has eight things it’s looking forward to hearing about.
  • webOS and the Future of Mobility (0) July 8, 2011 Hewlett-Packard isn’t shrugging off bad reviews of its TouchPad tablet and underlying operating system. Instead, it’s using those reviews to improve its products – and that shows HP’s ambitions to be an operating system company and the true future of computing.
  • How Compensation Drives Behavior (0) July 7, 2011 People may love their jobs and professions, but they are motivated and act upon rewards in their compensation plans. Here’s an example of how compensation planning can change individual behavior and team dynamics.
  • Symantec Banking on SEP 12 Antivirus Revival (1) July 7, 2011 It’s no secret Big Yellow stumbled in recent years in antivirus and endpoint security, and rivals have taken advantage. Now, the security market leader is pinning its hopes for reversing its antivirus fortunes on Symantec Endpoint Protection 12, a vastly improved suite of security tools.
  • Microsoft Willing to Pay for Office 365 Users (0) July 6, 2011 Microsoft is pinning much of its cloud hopes on Office 365 – the Web-based alternative of its multibillion-dollar productivity software suite. A new report reveals Microsoft is willing to pay customers to choose Office 365 over rival Google Apps. And there’s good news for partners in this program.
  • Aerohive Discovers Value of VAR Promoters (0) July 6, 2011 The WiFi networking specialist is displacing Cisco at Folio Investing, thanks in large part to the recommendation of one of its partners, Alliance Technology. The deal shows the power partners have in influence purchasing decisions.
  • Twitter Hacks, Spoofs Can Happen to Anyone (0) July 5, 2011 Fox News, the bastion of conservative political reporting, had its Twitter account hacked and several erroneous reports about Pres. Obama tweeted over the holiday weekend. It was a high-profile attack, but not an unusual one, as one solution provider discovered. The tide of Twitter hacks is once again exposing the reputational damage such incidents can cause.
  • Dimension Data Extends Cloud Capabilities with OpSource Buy (0) July 1, 2011 Dimension Data, the global systems integrator owned by NTT Communications, bought OpSource for an undisclosed sum. Some analysts say it's part of the cloud consolidation trend. In reality, the deal is more about extending capabilities and value propositions.
  • Challenges Ahead for iPad Rivals (1) June 30, 2011 Hewlett-Packard debuts its first tablet, the TouchPad, tomorrow and Cisco is releasing its improved Cius business tablet at the end of July. Both vendors have high hopes their product will rival the Apple iPad, but it’s a tall order to dethrone the market leader. Does either of these tablets stand a chance?
  • Reports: Channel Incentive Programs Fall Short (2) June 30, 2011 Vendors concoct incentives and marketing programs to motivate solution providers to sell more of their products and services. But two new reports find that channel incentive programs often fall short of their objectives and sometimes have unintentional negative consequences.
  • Box.net Channelizes Cloud Collaboration (0) June 29, 2011 The cloud-based content and collaboration services company launched a new channel program enabling partners to sell and support its solutions. The program is an example of the increasing importance of the cloud in data and user mobility.
  • 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 Launches iQuote to Ease Product Ordering (0) June 28, 2011 Hewlett-Packard and application developer Channelcentral.net have developed iQuote, a system that will help solution providers select and order HP products with greater ease and accuracy. HP hopes the system will evolve to support a broader ecosystem of products, applications and services.
  • Microsoft Goes to the Cloud with Office 365 (0) June 28, 2011 The cloud-based version of the Office productivity suite becomes generally available today, giving partners and businesses an alternative to the on-premise software version. Is Office 365 enough to bolster Microsoft’s cloud fortunes?
  • Logitech Morphs from Keyboards to UComm (0) June 27, 2011 The peripherals vendor is trying to change the way the world views it as a supplier of keyboards and web camera to a platform and enabler of unified communications. Its and partnership with Jabra is just the first step. Will the channel be able to see beyond the wireless mouse?
  • Microsoft Delays Partner Revenue Monitoring (0) June 27, 2011 Microsoft will not roll out a new online tracking system for monitoring partner sales and revenue performance until October 2012, a year past its intended release date. Partners will still have to report revenues through existing manual processes.
  • Wyoming Officially First State on Google Apps (0) June 24, 2011 The “Equality State” is famous for its firsts. It was the first to give women the right to vote. It’s home to the first national park in the world. And it’s now officially the first state on Google Apps. It’s the latest big win for Google in its cloud ambitions.
  • Apple, OnForce Partner to Support SMBs (3) June 24, 2011 SMB customers buying Macs and iPads through Apple Stores have the option for on-site installation and technical support provided by qualified technicians in the OnForce network. Could this be a catalyst of bringing Apple deeper into the channel?
  • Cloud Spending: The Numbers are Big, Irrelevant (1) June 23, 2011 Analyst firms have released new projections on business spending on cloud services. These reports share three common characteristics: They’re all big numbers, they all focus on 2015 as the milestone year, and they all disagree. Do any of these forecasts really matter?
  • WPC: Why Should Microsoft Partners Attend (1) June 22, 2011 Today is the deadline for partners to suggest themes and topics for Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer’s Worldwide Partner Conference keynote. While there are many issues facing Microsoft and its community channel partners, perhaps the biggest issue is “why attend WPC at all.”
  • 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.
  • Kaspersky Looks to Ingram for Channel Growth (1) June 21, 2011 Kaspersky Lab has signed on with Ingram Micro as its second broadline distributor. The security vendor looks to leverage the vendor to capture more share of the channel and market.
  • In Tablets, Apple Remains the One to Beat (0) June 20, 2011 Hewlett-Packard is preparing to launch a full-court press for its TouchPad running WebOS, with the goal of making it the tablet of choice -- a tall goal considering the experience of other vendors' attempts to undermine Apple iPad’s dominance.
  • Microsoft Risks Alienating ISVs with Windows 8 (0) June 20, 2011 Microsoft is crafting a more Web-centric operating system to succeed Windows 7. While early reviews are impressive, the new OS breaks legacy compatibility, and that puts much at risk for legions of ISVs and application developers.
  • NSA, Carriers Partner to Defend Contractors (0) June 17, 2011 The government’s top spy agency is embarking on a program to work with carriers to filter attacks against the nation’s top defense contractors before hackers ever get close to military and government secrets. It’s not a new idea. It’s about safety in numbers, a model that’s already in place in the security channel.
  • Acer Expands Benefits for Top Partners (0) June 17, 2011 The world’s number two PC company is revamping its Acer Channel Excellence program to incent its best partners with better discounts and access to new support resources to spur sales and productivity. The catch: commitment to sales goals.
  • Bill Gates: Rejecting Legacy, Embracing Planning (1) June 17, 2011 Microsoft Founder Bill Gates – now the second richest man in the world – gave a rare interview promoting his philanthropy and personal philosophy, in which he rejected the notion of “legacy building.” He’s right; the pursuit of legacy can distract business leaders. That doesn’t mean they shouldn’t do it.
  • IBM at 100 Years Remains a Channel Incubator (0) June 16, 2011 In the last century, Big Blue has more than develop technologies that changed the world; it has created the products, business models and opportunities that made the modern IT channel.
  • Dell Simplifies Virtualization with vStart (0) June 16, 2011 Dell aims to expand its foothold in virtualization and empower partners by offering plug-and-play virtualization hardware and software stacks purpose-built for enterprise deployments that will accelerate the speed of adoption and deployment of virtualization technologies.
  • The Rebirth of Hacker Meritocracy (1) June 16, 2011 The takedown of the CIA and U.S. Senate Web sites were not about profit or espionage, but rather a demonstration of hacker skills. These incidents could portend a return of the hacker meritocracy, in which digital underground disrupts business to gain credibility in the eyes of their peers.
  • 2112, Virgo Renew Cloud Partnership (0) June 16, 2011 The 2112 Group, publisher of Channelnomics, and Virgo Publishing, publisher of Channel Partners magazine, have committed to continuing joint research and community development on the convergence of the IT and telephony channels in cloud computing.
  • Cloud is Changing Who Buys IT (1) June 15, 2011 Businesses have always had ‘rogue’ IT spending by line of business managers. Cloud computing is making rogue IT spending easier by eliminating the need for physical support and not impacting capital budgets. This shift will change how solution providers approach customers and identify selling opportunities.
  • CharTec Aims to Train Next-Generation MSPs (2) June 15, 2011 The hardware-as-a-service company is expanding its training efforts to enable partners to better execute on the managed services model. CEO Alex Rogers has high hopes for using training to grow his business and expand the managed services universe.
  • Microsoft Putting Info in Partners’ Hands (0) June 14, 2011 Getting the right channel and product information is always challenging for solution providers, especially when dealing with larger vendors. Microsoft’s new apps is pushing information right to partners smartphones.
  • Autotask: It Pays to be a Friend (0) June 14, 2011 The professional services automation company launches a new program that rewards partners and supporters up to $1,000 for referring new customers. The program is a reminder of what every company should be aiming for: fanatical users.
  • 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.”
  • Slowing Economy Something to Worry About (2) June 13, 2011 Wall Street has given up nearly all of its gains on the year, job growth is slowing and inflation is creeping up. Economists are worried the global and U.S. economies are slowing and we’re entering a “correction.” Should the channel worry? You bet.
  • Converging Channels Bring New Competition (2) June 10, 2011 IT solution providers are increasingly bumping into new competitors, such as photocopier dealers who are offering network and desktop support services alongside their toner replacement services. New competition should be concerning, but the real issue is how solution providers can maintain and expand their share of customers’ wallets.
  • Channel Peer Groups Gaining Strength, Clout (0) June 10, 2011 HTG Peer Groups adds new workgroups for larger solution providers to exchange experiences and best practices. It’s part of a continuing movement that’s giving independent communities more clout in driving channel development.
  • Video Conferencing Finally Gets Hot (2) June 9, 2011 Vu Telepresence claims taking a chunk of the U.S. video conferencing market. This, plus moves by Polycom and Microsoft and the potential of a new upstart, could signal that video has finally arrived in the channel.
  • iCloud and the Art of Changing Expectations (0) June 8, 2011 Solution providers are wondering whether Apple’s iCloud is a threat to their emerging opportunities in cloud computing. It’s likely not a threat, but could change the way businesses want to consume cloud services.
  • Fujitsu Launches Nuclear-Free Cloud (0) June 7, 2011 Fujitsu recently launched a free beta of its global infrastructure-as-a-service offering. And, believe it or not, it’s a nuclear-free zone in the cloud. There’s a lesson here on how service providers should think about the use of their clouds.
  • Amid Hacking Swarm, Change Passwords Quick (1) June 7, 2011 Hackers are targeting high-profile corporations, government agencies and public email services. One of the simplest ways to safeguard network assets and data is changing passwords. Isn’t it time you had a talk with your customers?
  • Defining ‘Channel Friendly’ and Other Meaningless Terms (0) June 6, 2011 Many vendors claim to be ‘channel friendly.’ Others will claim to be ‘channel-centric.’ In practical terms, these monikers are virtually meaningless. What matters is how vendors and solution providers execute their partnerships.
  • A Cisco Foe also May Be a Savior (0) June 6, 2011 Rivals Juniper Networks and Hewlett-Packard are steadily eroding Cisco’s core routing and switching market with better, lower prices. Perhaps part of the answer for Cisco to keep customers from defecting is embracing one of its long-time foes: the secondary refurbishing market.
  • New Credentials Instill MSP Professionalism (5) June 3, 2011 Through two different credentialing efforts, CompTIA and MSPAlliance are setting new standards for managed and cloud services performance and excellence. The respective credentials are intended to provide MSPs with standards and market differentiators. Here's a look at their benefits and shortcomings, and what they ultimately mean for the channel.
  • Kaspersky Signs Monster Enterprise Deal (2) June 2, 2011 Kaspersky is no longer just a consumer and SMB security vendor. The Russian company signed German chemical giant BASF for endpoint protection. Security competitors take note: Kaspersky has arrived in the enterprise market. Can it build on this win and gain momentum?
  • Distributors' Cloud Strategy Turns to Facilitation (4) June 2, 2011 Ingram Micro announces the new Cloud Marketplace at its first cloud computing summit. It's the latest in a string of distribution initiatives designed to make it easier and more effective for solution providers to build and sustain robust cloud computing practices.
  • Exploring Cloud Value and Compensation Models (0) June 1, 2011 Cloud computing is attractive to end users because of its economics -- lower costs and affordability. Cloud computing is attractive to solution providers and vendors because of its predictable revenue model. But how do solution providers and vendors demonstrate the value behind the price of their cloud services? How do cloud companies compensate salespeople? And what's the revenue model for cloud in the channel? These remain issues open for debate.
  • Apple 101: Jobs' Success Factors (2) June 1, 2011 Things are going strong at Apple – and there are many management and business philosophy lessons all organizations can learn from the example of Steve Jobs and his 25,000+ employees.
  • Microsoft Loyalists Need to See the Light (2) May 31, 2011 Technology innovations and competitive pressure are causing much pain among Microsoft professionals who grudgingly want to hold on to their Windows client-server architecture. Now is the time to get on the right side of history and embrace change.
  • Rethinking Internet Risk Exposure (0) May 31, 2011 Attacks on Lockheed Martin, PBS and Sony underscore the “Willie Sutton” rule: Hack where the money is. Here’s what it means for solution providers safeguarding their clients digital assets.
  • Cloud Sherpas: Exemplifying Google Partnership (0) May 27, 2011 Google Apps is currently sold by conventional VARs and managed service providers. In the near future, success in the Google channel will require application development capabilities. Cloud Sherpa is an early example of this future channel state.
  • The True Value of Low-Value Service Renewals (0) May 26, 2011 Service contract tracking service MaintenanceNet releases Auto Quotes, a tool for automating the renewal process for high-volume, low-value warranties and support contracts. The service is designed for large vendors, but the underlying principles hold tremendous value for every solution provider.
  • 6 Best Practices for Resolving Supplier Conflicts (1) May 25, 2011 Solution providers and vendors aren’t perfect. Mistakes in service and product delivery happen all the time. Equally important to how disputes are resolved is how they are addressed. Here are six best practices for resolving grievances without resorting to mudslinging.
  • Equus Makes Hardware Acquisition Better (0) May 25, 2011 Equus Managed Services Solutions is launching a new program to make hardware-as-a-service more affordable and easier to acquire. It may also have a better model than Google’s Chromebooks.
  • Kinect is Microsoft’s Windows 8 Secret Weapon (0) May 24, 2011 Microsoft has scored big with gamers with its Kinect motion interface device. As Microsoft looks to launch Windows 8, it wants to incorporate more “natural user interface” technologies – and Kinect is potentially the game changer in Windows business applications and channel opportunities.
  • Autotask Aims for Professionalism, Simplicity (0) May 24, 2011 The professional services automation vendor is looking to make its product simpler and easier to use, which will result in a greater business benefit to its managed services customers. What’s required is a greater degree of business planning and execution on user’s part, and that’s the underlying message of this week’s CommLive conference.
  • Chromebooks in the Channel Worth the Wait (1) May 23, 2011 Google and its laptop partners Acer and Samsung are prepping for the June launch of the Chromebooks through the retail channel. The business versions will be sold exclusively through the Google channel, but not until fall. Trust us, it’s worth the wait.
  • Solutions Desire Shift Roles in Value Chain (0) May 23, 2011 Vendors see the need to create holistic technology solutions to combat commoditization and maintain affinity with end users. Some channel partners may see this as potentially disruptive to their business, but vendors’ move toward solutions could provide stronger technology foundations for resellers and integrators.
  • Sophos Hails New Channel Chief, Steve Hale (0) May 20, 2011 Channel veteran Steve Hale will assume leadership of the Sophos partner program. His arrival comes as Sophos is experiencing a renewed interest with new product launches and the acquisition of unified threat management vendor Astaro.
  • 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.
  • Linksys, WebEx for Sale, but Who’s Buying? (0) May 19, 2011 Speculation continues to build that Cisco will sell off its Linksys and WebEx product links. As unfathomable as that sounds, it’s harder to come up with a short list of could be the buyers.
  • GTDC: Channel Health Continues to Improve (0) May 19, 2011 The Global Technology Distribution Council reports steep increases in technology product sales through distribution and reseller channels, and it’s not just low-end products.
  • Is Cisco Giving Up Linksys? (0) May 18, 2011 Conflicting reports indicate Cisco is looking to give its Linksys consumer and SMB networking business the ‘Flip’ treatment, selling off the unit focus on enterprise products.
  • Dell and HP: A Tale of Two Titans (0) May 18, 2011 HP is looking to trim costs amid a sour performance outlook, while Dell is enjoying an upswing in enterprise business. The latest earnings reports from these two titans reveal pivotal transformation trends in the technology industry and channel.
  • Auto-Renewals Preserve Cloud Value (1) May 17, 2011 Managed services and cloud providers face pricing pressures every time a contract expires. NetEnrich’s Justin Crotty says “auto-renewing contracts” are the answer to services commoditization.
  • Cisco Layoffs, Chance for Channel Births (1) May 16, 2011 Analysts and market observers expect Cisco to shed 4,000 jobs to trim expenses. The result may be an influx of new talent and business models in the channel. And those vendor-born VARs will have certain advantages.
  • CA Jumping Out of Antivirus is No Surprise (0) May 16, 2011 Venture capital firm Updata Partners will form a new company called “Total Defense,” making a run at the highly competitive antivirus market. CA isn’t exactly a leader in the security market, raising questions why it took so long to get out of the market and how well Total Defense will succeed in the new enterprise.
  • UTM Security Appliances are Dead (2) May 13, 2011 WatchGuard Technologies jumped into the next-generation firewall market, joining other firewall and unified threat management vendors in evolving to application-centric security protection. Does the continued evolution of next-generation firewall products spell doom for unified threat management (UTM) appliances?
  • Google Chromebook: The Channel Outlook (0) May 12, 2011 Google is clearly gunning for Microsoft’s vaunted Windows cash-cow with partner-built laptops powered by low-cost, easy to use, Web-integrated operating system. It may also take a dent out of Apple’s PC business, in the process. Here are a few thoughts about Google’s disruptive ambitions and what they mean to the channel.
  • Microsoft, Nokia Mobility Market Shares Slide (0) May 12, 2011 Since the release of Windows Phone 7 six months ago, Microsoft’s share in the mobility and smartphone market have declined. Its new partner in smartphones, Nokia, is also seeing precipitous declines in its market share. Can the two companies reverse the slide and challenge Google Android and Apple iPhone?
  • Riverbed, Akamai Partner on WAN Optimization (0) May 11, 2011 WAN Optimization appliance vendor Riverbed Technologies is teaming up with Internet acceleration service provider Akamai Technologies to speed application performance across private networks and public clouds.
  • Microsoft, Partners will Win with Skype (0) May 11, 2011 Microsoft is shelling out $8.5 billion to acquire online communications company Skype and its global community of 650 million users. There are many reasons for this expensive acquisition, but stickiness with customers for all of Microsoft’s products is the ultimate justification. And that will eventually help Microsoft partners.
  • GFI Takes Aim at Barracuda, Google (0) May 10, 2011 GFI Software is no longer content in operating in the periphery of the security marketplace, and it looking to pick a fight with two substantially larger rivals, Barracuda Networks and Google in the lucrative email security segment.
  • Channelnomics Launches New Newsletter (0) May 9, 2011 Beginning today, all of Channelnomics analyses and research will be available through a twice-weekly email newsletter.
  • CA, VCE Team Up on Virtual Desktops (0) May 9, 2011 The company built on mainframe management is steadily increasing its footprint in cloud and virtualization technologies. Its joining with VCE on virtual desktops is further proof of the software company’s intent to move away from its previous isolation and assert itself as a major player in the cloud era. What still needs work is its channel strategy.
  • Interop Forecast: Cloudy with Chance of Rain (0) May 9, 2011 The annual Interop confab in Las Vegas is replete with talks and exhibits about cloud computing. This undoubtedly means a lot of unnecessary marketing spin by vendors who want to stake a claim in the cloud. What’s needed is a reality check on the limits of cloud computing.
  • Cisco VAR Gets Prison Time for Warranty Fraud (0) May 6, 2011 Iheanyi Frank Chinasa, the owner of a Md. hardware reseller, will spend the next seven years behind bars for defrauding Cisco of $27 million in networking equipment. Here’s how he did it, and why it will hurt law-abiding solution providers.
  • Sophos Bags Astaro, Gets into UTM Business (1) May 6, 2011 Sophos is acquiring German unified threat management appliance vendor Astaro for an undisclosed sum. The combined companies will offer “more complete security solutions” sought by customers. The deal also has the potential of reshaping the security competition landscape.
  • Red Hat Powered by Balanced Channel (0) May 5, 2011 The open-source software powerhouse credits channel partners for fueling its growth through a stable balance of direct and indirect sales. The real story is how Red Hat has built a collaborative, integrated community of resellers and software partners to ensure its marketplace relevancy.
  • Report: IT Spending Crunch Finally Over (0) May 5, 2011 Increasingly stronger IT vendor earnings reports reflect that investments in new technology are on the rise, according to the Maven Wave Partners IT Investment Index. The recovery is so strong that IT investments will reach a new all-time high by the end of 2012.
  • Amazon Outage, Sony Breach and Cloud Futures (0) May 4, 2011 An Amazon Web Services failure knocked dozens of Web sites and businesses offline for hours. Sony is reeling from a massive security breach that compromised millions of user accounts. Many believe the rash of cloud computing incidents will slow services adoption. The more likely outcome is realistic cloud adoption, and that will create opportunities for solution providers.
  • Is It Time for a New Channel Nomenclature? (3) May 3, 2011 “Solution provider” is the generic term applied to all businesses and individuals in the channel. But is it too generic? Does it really describe what VARs, MSPs, integrators and others provide end users? Perhaps it’s time to come up with a new name.
  • 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.
  • At bin Laden Raid, the Channel was There (0) May 2, 2011 A Pakistani computer consultant had no idea he was bearing witness to history when he tweeted a complaint about noisy helicopters flying over his home in Abbottabad. Only later did he discover what happened just down the road.
  • Intacct Credits Channel for Growth (0) April 29, 2011 The cloud-based financial intelligence platform added 20 new reseller partners in the first quarter, which helped push channel-driven business to a tenfold increase over the previous year. Is there a secret ingredient to this success?
  • IT Consultant Legal Drama Made for Reality TV (2) April 29, 2011 Law enforcement officials allege computer consultant William Lanham bilked the New York City Public Schools out of $3.6 million to fuel a lavish lifestyle. The particulars of the case – a complex fraud scheme involving IBM and Verizon, an estranged wife and a fleet of fast cars – is even too rich for some titillating reality TV shows.
  • Spiceworks Evolving into a Reseller, Broker (0) April 28, 2011 The social network/free tool IT management tools provider raised another $25 million in capital to fund its development of commerce capabilities to sell IT products and services to its 1.4 million users. In other words, it’s going to become a reseller.
  • Cisco’s Goes into ‘Mythbuster’ Mode (1) April 27, 2011 Cisco is launching its “When Good Enough Is Not Good Enough” communications blitz to convince customers and partners that they shouldn’t buy or support lower-cost alternatives. Cisco’s figured out it’s fighting a war of perceptions, but may not have figured those perceptions are based on its core value.
  • CenturyLink Bolsters Its Cloud with Savvis Buy (0) April 27, 2011 The newly minted third-largest U.S. teleco adds more hosting and managed cloud capacity to its portfolio through the $2.5 billion Savvis acquisition. Best bet is other large acquisitions will follow quickly.
  • 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.
  • Placing Limits on Vendor-Partner Relationships (3) April 25, 2011 Hewlett-Packard channel chief Stephen DiFranco wants partners to bring the vendor into every account for an opportunity to sell the full breadth of its portfolio. If they don’t, HP will find a way around them. Is there a limit to how much a solution provider should grant their vendor suppliers?
  • Report: Kaspersky’s Son Freed, Unharmed (0) April 24, 2011 Russian authorities confirm the son of Kaspersky Lab founder and CEO Eugene Kaspersky was freed and unharmed five days after being kidnapped. At least four suspects are in custody.
  • Kaspersky Lab Operating "Business as Usual" Amid Family Crisis (0) April 22, 2011 Reports are conflicting, but all indications are the son of Eugene Kaspersky, founder of Kaspersky Lab and popular executive figure in the IT channel, is missing and some reports indicate this is a kidnapping case.
  • FireMon Shows Benefit of Differentiation (0) April 22, 2011 The spinoff of integrator FishNet Security acquired threat visualization specialist Saperix to augment its capabilities and one-up competitors. The goal isn’t just differentiation, but powering continual growth.
  • Channelinsight Points to Growing Regulatory Burden (0) April 21, 2011 The partner relationship management (PRM) vendor is touting its ability to probe deeper into solution provider business activities to reveal regulatory gaps for its vendor subscribers. This points to a growing compliance burden being born by solution providers.
  • Sprint-Clearwire Deal Reflects Cloud Mobility (0) April 20, 2011 Over the next two years, Sprint Nextel will pay Clearwire more than $1 billion for access to its 4G network. The deal is as much about enabling the mobile cloud as it is about inter-carrier competition with AT&T and Verizon Wireless. Deals such as this may also accelerate cloud convergence.
  • Microsoft Office 365 Well Positioned for Channel (0) April 19, 2011 The newly released beta-version of the online productivity suite isn’t easy to deploy and configure, and that means opportunity for solution providers. Here’s how Microsoft has done a good job of positioning Office 365 for the channel.
  • Autodesk Taps Software Suites to Drive Business-Level Professional Services (0) April 18, 2011 Autodesk, a specialist in design and visualization software, is doubling down on professional services delivered through the channel to drive incremental revenue. The catalysts are new products and software suites that don’t require but benefit from add-on professional services.
  • Success is Often a Matter of Choice (0) April 15, 2011 No business can do everything. No business can execute on every opportunity. Solution providers must make choices about what they can do and what’s best for their business. Here’s how I was reminded of these axioms.
  • Flip Demise a Sign of Accelerated Obsolescence (0) April 13, 2011 Cisco is spending nearly $300 million to shut down Flip, the revolutionary, easy-to-use handheld video recorder after just two years in the market. Many observers are focused on Cisco’s retreat from the consumer market, but perhaps this is more about accelerated obsolescence.
  • The PSA-Cloud Integration Imperative (5) April 13, 2011 Professional services automation software such as Autotask, ConnectWise and TigerPaw made the administration of managed services businesses easier and more efficient. Now they’re fast becoming a prerequisite for emerging cloud platforms.
  • Feds Doubt Google Security Certification (1) April 12, 2011 Google was dealt a setback in its bid to displace Microsoft as the provider of cloud-based email to the Department of the Interior when Justice officials disputed the cloud vendor’s claims of having an essential federal security certification. It’s another interesting turn in a legal case with serious ramifications for cloud computing and partner relationships.
  • Barracuda Networks Breach Bites Partners (1) April 12, 2011 An untold number of Barracuda Networks partners are learning that their email addresses were compromised following a breach of the security vendors’ network last weekend by a fairly common hacking method.
  • BYOC: Selling to Consumers through Businesses (0) April 11, 2011 The “Bring Your Own Computer” to work trend is prompting businesses to supplement the costs of their employee’s consumer devices. Imaginative solution providers may find lucrative opportunities selling through their accounts to their employees. After all, why should the Geeks and Geniuses get all these BYOC sales?
  • Update: Government Open, VARs Uneasy (0) April 11, 2011 Congress and the White House avoided a government shutdown, ensuring contractors including IT solution providers will get paid for their work. But the deal doesn’t mean IT budgets are safe. Many government VARs believe IT spending will be slashed in ongoing deficit reduction talks.
  • Government VARs Brace for Fed Shutdown (0) April 8, 2011 If Congress and the White House can’t come to a budget resolution by midnight, the federal government will shut down. When that happens, all federal spending will cease, effectively shutting out all government VARs and IT service providers until the impasse is over.
  • Microsoft-Toyota Deal a Spark of Future Mobility (0) April 8, 2011 Microsoft and Toyota announced a partnership to develop integrated systems for extending onboard and cloud-based applications to vehicles. The partnership has tremendous potential for building a new foundation of channel service and support opportunities.
  • 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.
  • HP Sues another Defector, So What (0) April 7, 2011 Hewlett-Packard reportedly filed a lawsuit against former North America channel chief Adrian Jones for the alleged theft of proprietary documents and trade secrets. For those playing “fantasy vendor” or “insider baseball,” this is good drama. For all others, it’s a distraction.
  • Smart Grid Managed Services Growing Fast (0) April 7, 2011 Smart gird technologies, systems that provide energy management and sustainability, are creating new opportunities for managed service providers. A new report forecasts smart grid managed services will grow into a multi-billion market as electric utilities require outside support for their complex systems.
  • Cisco Admits Problems, Partners Welcome Change (2) April 6, 2011 Cisco partners are hopeful John Chambers’ memo admitting mistakes in market strategy and product execution haven't hurt the company – and, by extension, the channel. Many partners believe the acknowledgment of a problem is the first step in long awaited improvements.
  • DLT Exemplifies Consistency in Focus, Execution (0) April 6, 2011 In the past three years of recession and federal budget cuts, the government integrator has increased its revenue nearly $300 million through focus and execution on innovation and value. Its business philosophy is worthy of replication by all solution providers.
  • Epsilon Breach Fuels Targeted Attack Threat (4) April 5, 2011 The massive security breach has exposed emails of numerous major corporations, raising the potential for a wave of spear-phishing and social engineering attacks. Security solution providers should mobilize to raise the level awareness around this old and easily understood threats.
  • Acquisition Threat Casts Pale over Cloud (0) April 4, 2011 Rackspace CEO Lanham Napier declares the hosting company will remain independent amid buyout rumors. But every mid-tier hosting and cloud company is a potential target, and that will complicate cloud strategy and adoption among solution providers.
  • McBain’s Goal: Reinventing Communities (3) April 4, 2011 Autotask’s senior vice president of strategy and market development believes rethinking the concept of channel communities and creating more knowledge exchange will benefit vendors and solution providers in the technology value chain. Part of the solution could be reviving “The Faberge Effect.”
  • 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.
  • 7 Top Services Delivered Via Network Connections (1) April 1, 2011 While many MSPs strive to be all things IT to their clients, the reality is that customers’ comfort level with handing the IT reins to an outsider can vary from task to task and business to business. So what managed services are getting the most attention? Here are 7 top services delivered over the network.
  • 7 Tips for MSP Looking to be Acquired (1) March 31, 2011 Managed services consolidation is real, as larger companies are looking to roll up MSPs to increase their reach and capabilities. But MSPs aren’t fetching the sale prices they thought they’d get. Here are a few tips for MSPs looking to sell their business to ensure they get good valuations.
  • 5 Open Questions on HP’s Cloud Ambitions (0) March 30, 2011 Hewlett-Packard used this week’s Americas Partner Conference to unveil its ambitious cloud-computing initiatives and channel support programs. While no one thinks HP will fail, several questions remain about how HP will succeed in the cloud.
  • HP’s Cloudy Future in Cloud Computing (0) March 30, 2011 Hewlett-Packard unveiled its new channel cloud program this week at the Americas Partner Conference in Las Vegas. HP’s cloud goals are ambitious, but not revolutionary. Here’s a look at how HP is playing it safe.
  • 5 Considerations for MSPs When Crafting SLAs (0) March 28, 2011 Carefully developing an SLA not only sets clear boundaries and responsibilities for service delivery, it can give an MSP a deeper understanding of the customer’s business and the impact IT services have on customer business processes. In order to get the most from your SLAs, be sure to consider these five factors when developing such agreements.
  • Cloud is a Big Deal among Small Businesses (1) March 28, 2011 A new study by Microsoft reveals small businesses are adopting cloud services at an accelerated rate. The numbers suggest a ripe opportunity for more than just cloud-based email – cloud-based voice, too.
  • Microsoft Channel Generates $580 Billion in 2010 (0) March 25, 2011 Solution providers and business partners produced nearly 10 times the revenue of Microsoft in 2010, demonstrating the vitality of the community amid economic and competitive pressure. A new report reflects the health of Microsoft as well as the value of the channel.
  • 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?
  • CIOs: Vendor Wars Don’t Bother Us (1) March 24, 2011 Hewlett-Packard is crying foul over Oracle’s decision to drop the Intel Itanium processors – the latest salvo in an ongoing vendor war. But a group of IT directors and CIOs at a roundtable say such conflicts breed competition.
  • Risk Intolerance Limits Channel Development (3) March 23, 2011 Solution providers want new opportunities and revenue streams, but vendors are exceedingly frustrated by the channel’s inability to accept risk as part of their business equation. And the channel is missing out because of its risk intolerance.
  • PC Connection Expands Services Capacity (0) March 22, 2011 The New Hampshire-based direct market reseller bought ValCom Technology, a provider of infrastructure management and onsite managed services, bolstering its services capacity. The deal may send another signal of the changing dynamics of DMRs.
  • Nobody Is Going to Tweet You a Paycheck (5) March 21, 2011 The ties in social media are too weak and superficial to contribute much to everyday business, at least right now. So, stop worrying about Twitter and Facebook.
  • Why CharTec’s Agent Sales Deal Makes Sense (0) March 18, 2011 The hardware-as-a-service vendor is looking to leverage a large network of telephony agents to augment and increase sales of its managed service providers. The deal, designed with little conflict, could pave the way for future intra-channel collaboration.
  • Using Disasters as a Marketing Tool (1) March 17, 2011 Tasteless jokes and ill-conceived remarks about the Japan earthquake are costing people their jobs. But the severity of the crisis shouldn’t preclude solution providers from talking to customers about risk exposure.
  • Conflicting Channel Structures, Capabilities Hinder IT and Telephony Convergence (0) March 16, 2011 IT solution providers are increasingly offering voice services to customers. Telephony agents are also offering IT services with increasing regularity. But partnering with carriers isn’t as easy as with IT vendors, and that could hinder true convergence of these two channels.
  • 6 Truisms of the Managed Services Business (6) March 15, 2011 Managed services is a well-established business model. Surprisingly, though, not everyone in the channel has developed a managed services practice. For those just getting in the game, here are six truisms about the managed services business.
  • 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.
  • Japan Earthquake Disrupts Tech Supply Chain (0) March 15, 2011 Solution providers and tech vendors may feel part of the aftermath of the Japanese earthquake through supply chain disruptions. Analysts say shattered infrastructure in Japan could cause shortages in computer components and devices.
  • More Than Clouds in the Channel Future (0) March 14, 2011 Analysts project rapid revenue growth in cloud-computing services over the next five years. But even with this astronomical increase, cloud computing will remain just a fraction of total IT spending. This means cloud will be a piece of the IT puzzle, not the entire solution.
  • Dell Gets Serious about Managed Security (0) March 11, 2011 A month into its acquisition of SecureWork, Dell is pumping money and resources into the managed security service provider to bolster capacity. SecureWorks could add hundreds of jobs in the Atlanta area. It’s another sign of growing strength of managed services.
  • Report: Managed Telecom a $237B Opportunity (3) March 11, 2011 The recession permanently changed the way enterprises view managed telecom and IT services. A new report predicts spending on converged managed services will surge over the next five years as businesses look to shed costs by contracting support.
  • Cisco Doesn’t Want Your Services Business. So Who Does? (0) March 10, 2011 Chalk Cisco up among the likes of Oracle, Symantec and others who would rather collaborate with IT services partners than compete with them.
  • How Channel Talent Demand Hurts Partners (0) March 10, 2011 The gradually improving economy means vendors are expanding their resources to capture their “fair share” of the IT market pie. In other words: They’re hiring. But increasingly, hiring means they’re raiding competitors’ channel ranks for experienced people, which isn’t good news for solution providers.
  • HP WebOS is Bad News for Microsoft (2) March 9, 2011 Microsoft takes another blow as Hewlett-Packard – one of its biggest equipment partners – announces WebOS will be optional for all its PCs by 2012. HP’s move is more than just a shift in operating systems, it's a shift in computing philosophy.
  • Prepare for Increased Customer Demands in Cloud Services Deals (0) March 9, 2011 The cloud is serious business – and with that comes both opportunity and a new level of concern for cloud service providers trying to lure savvy-if-skittish CIOs. Are your contract cloud services enterprise-ready?
  • Health Care IT is more than EHR (2) March 8, 2011 Spurred by government stimulus dollars, health care organizations are expected to pour money into modernizing and expanding their information systems over the next several years. While many solution providers recognize the opportunity, too many see electronic healthcare record (EHR) systems as the primary opportunity. It’s actually just low-hanging fruit.
  • SMBs Like Retail for PCs. Is That So Bad? (0) March 8, 2011 There's some breathlessness in the channel press over a  new research report indicating SMBs are increasingly choosing the likes of Best Buy and Walmart over their local VAR when it comes time to buy a new desktop PC. Small analyst firm Techaisle o...
  • 5 Reasons Managed Service Providers are Well Positioned for the Cloud (2) March 8, 2011 Managed service providers and conventional solution providers are living in fear that cloud computing will render them obsolete. The cloud is disrupting the entire IT marketplace, but it’s not the end of the channel as we know it. Managed service providers are actually well positioned to adopt cloud products and drive Web-based services
  • Consultative Selling Critical to Cloud Success (0) March 7, 2011 The IT channel was built on bits and bytes – businesses that not only understood the technology they were selling, but had the acumen to expand the capabilities of that technology with their organic know-how. The telephony channel, on the other hand...
  • The Wisdom of Forgoing MDF (3) March 7, 2011 Vendors offer their partners financial support for marketing and lead generation through market development funds (MDF) and cooperative advertising programs. These programs offset the expensive costs of marketing, but can come at a price to the solution provider. Sometimes MDF just isn’t worth it. Here’s why.
  • How Apathetic Apple Hurts Solution Providers (3) March 7, 2011 Apple believes it can reject the channel and dictate terms to its few solution provider partners. But the experience of one local solution provider could be a harbinger of trouble headed for the tech-market darling.
  • Dealing with Big Vendors Will Always Be Difficult (8) March 4, 2011 Cisco and Hewlett-Packard each recognize the lucrative pool of potential sales in the small-business market, which is served primarily by small solution providers. The problem is that big vendors are rarely easy to work with. Both are launching programs to address this disconnect, but they won’t solve the whole problem.
  • Microsoft Getting 'InTune' with Managed Services (0) March 3, 2011 The forthcoming release of Windows InTune desktop management tool is Microsoft’s first real foray into the managed services market. Solution providers are not happy with the product or Microsoft’s strategy, but InTune may market a turning point in the managed services.
  • Cisco Strikes Defensive Posture at Summit (0) March 2, 2011 Cisco executive and channel leadership put on the hard sell to partners of the vendor’s legacy of leadership and ability to stay ahead of change. The tone and message are ones of defense against the rising tide of competitive and technology challenges.
  • Share Shifting in Managed Services (0) March 2, 2011 A fundamental disconnect exists between vendors and managed service providers in the true potential of the market – and it’s the vendors’ fault. Vendors need to realize they represent only a small percentage of an MSP's business, and their job is to earn a greater share.
  • Cisco Assigns Partners Cloud Designations (0) March 1, 2011 Cisco Systems kicked off its annual Partner Summit in New Orleans today with the launch of a new channel cloud-computing program through which solution providers at different stages of cloud development can earn credentials and support.
  • ‘McIntel’ is Official: Intel Closes McAfee Deal (1) February 28, 2011 At long last, Intel has closed its acquisition of security software vendor McAfee. The announcement sealing the deal contains few surprises, but several questions remain on how the two companies will work together and what it means to partners.
  • 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.
  • Validating Customer Satisfaction a Must (0) February 24, 2011 Solution providers, VARs and managed service providers are called trusted advisors because of their special relationship with their customers. Ensuring customers having that same perception is an imperative, as demonstrated by Partners Consulting Services.
  • Cisco Withdraws from Hosted Email Market (5) February 23, 2011 A little more than a year after launching Cisco Mail via the Webex platform, Cisco Systems is discontinuing the hosted service citing customer demand for new, advanced collaborative tools. Between the lines, there is much more at play.
  • 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.”
  • Top State Tech Economies (2) February 21, 2011 President Obama last week held a summit in California with the likes of Apple’s Steve Jobs, Google’s Eric Schmidt and Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg to discuss how the tech industry can contribute to jobs creation and economic recovery. Surprisingly, the tech industry isn’t as big a contributor to the U.S. economy as other industries, but it has a big impact on the state level.
  • Dr. Watson Will See You Soon (3) February 18, 2011 IBM and Nuance Communications are partnering to integrate speech-recognition technology with IBM’s artificial intelligence platform, better known as "Jeopardy!" champion Watson, for health care applications. This could solve some of the biggest problems facing health care solution providers.
  • Cyberwar: Why It Doesn’t Matter (3) February 18, 2011 Government officials, security vendor executives and industry experts spend much of their jaw movements on the topic of cyberwar and the threats to critical infrastructure. They’re not wrong, but they failed to connect the dots on why it matters – and that’s because it doesn’t.
  • Managed Services Confuse Larger Vendors (5) February 17, 2011 Large IT vendors, particularly software houses, are looking at managed services as the conduit to sustained revenue and profitability. But they’re not finding the riches they expected in what is – at least to them – a fractured marketplace that doesn’t live up to expectations. That’s a disconnect that could hurt the MSP segment.
  • IBM Cloud Specialties Reflect Complexity in Services Model and Channel's Value (0) February 16, 2011 Businesses are looking to cloud computing to simplify the cost and access to complex IT applications and resources. IBM’s new cloud specialties for channel partners reflect the skill sets needed to make complexity seem simple.
  • Arrow Pushes Peer Collaboration via ‘Virtual Bench’ (0) February 14, 2011 The distributor’s new collaborative network for IBM partners is the latest attempt to spark peer-level cooperation among solution providers in meeting end-user technology needs. It’s not unique, but comes at a time when businesses are looking for less complexity in buying more complex technologies.
  • Explaining Unusual Channel Revenue Spikes (1) February 14, 2011 Compared to the depths of the recession, 2010 was a relatively good year for solution providers. IT spending crept back to life, but something strange happened: unusual spikes in product and services revenue.
  • 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.
  • Wanted: Simplicity in Business Software, Systems (0) February 11, 2011 IT budgets are continuing to grow stronger as businesses feel more confident in their health to invest in IT systems and applications. But one analyst believes businesses will continue to put pressure on routine, operational spending initiatives in search of greater efficiency and productivity. It’s good and bad news for solution providers.
  • Creating Channel Barriers through Licenses (3) February 10, 2011 Many states require professionals to obtain and maintain certifications and licenses to ply their practices. This goes above and beyond the obvious lawyers, accountants and physicians. Jobs ranging from pet care to locksmiths require state credentials. Is it time to thin the channel ranks of poor performers by requiring tech licenses?
  • What to Call the Converged Cloud? (0) February 10, 2011 What’s the difference between “Infrastructure as a Service" (IaaS) and “Platform as a Service" (PaaS)? There’s a substantial difference, but probably not for much longer. In fact, the arbitrary lines drawn between many cloud-computing services is quickly blurring as service providers consolidate and simplify services.
  • 5 Things We Learned Today – February 9 (0) February 9, 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: Fishnet Security’s 15th anniversary milestone.
  • Enough with Bad Data Slide Shows (0) February 9, 2011 Web site slide shows are a good way of visualizing data useful for running solution provider businesses. But too often slides shows are traps for driving traffic with low value information. Enough already.
  • Big Cloud Acquisitions Are Not a Channel Threat (0) February 4, 2011 First came the massive buyout of managed hosting company Terremark Worldwide by Verizon Communications for $1.4 billion. Days later, media conglomerate and cable company Time Warner paid $230 million for managed application service provider Navisite. Suddenly, every large hosting company on the market is up for a land-grab in the cloud. Is this a game changer for the channel and cloud computing? Not yet, but these deals are harbingers of things to come.
  • Midmarket Businesses Want to Buy IT Locally (0) February 3, 2011 As much as IT vendors are reaching out and touching customers directly, the preference and confidence of IT buyers remains squarely with local solution providers who build relationships and offer expert guidance and support, according to a new study.
  • F5’s New Program Reflects Self-Sufficiency Trend (0) January 25, 2011 F5 Networks’ channel chief Dean Darwin is proud of his company’s increasing role as not only the glue that holds the data center together, but also the catalyst that makes its partners more profitable by enhancing the value of other products in their portfolio. The new training and accreditation program rolled out yesterday is as much about ensuring profitability of the partners as it is about F5’s viability.
  • IBM: 2011 is the Year of Business Intelligence (0) January 24, 2011 Former GE chief Jack Welch’s business axiom is well known but rarely practiced among small and midsized companies: “It can’t be managed if it can’t be managed.” But there’s growing evidence that midmarket companies are looking to business analytics and applications as critical tools for improving and growing their businesses.
  • Silicon Valley Rocked by Executive Musical Chairs (0) January 21, 2011 Tech giants Juniper Networks, Hewlett-Packard and Google shocked Silicon Valley with announcements of significant leadership changes – many that will trickle down to the channel. Executives playing musical chairs this time of the year isn’t new, but the pace and level of the changes is significant. Here’s a look at the latest leadership shakeups.
  • VARs should Hire on Earnings, Not Affordability (0) January 20, 2011 The unemployment rate is slowly beginning to fall as businesses across the country gain confidence in their ability to hire. Plans for growth will only go so far with existing staff and resources, making hiring a necessity. But when to hire remains an elusive conundrum for many solution providers, and many look at it from the wrong perspective: how much they can afford verses what the new hire will generate in revenue.
  • Steve Jobs’ Latest Lesson is Succession Planning (0) January 18, 2011 Steve Jobs is stepping down as CEO of Apple – at least temporarily – due to illness. Unlike the last medical leave in which he received a liver transplant, the fabled leader’s return is less clear and analysts are speculating that COO Tim Cook will assume the chief executive post later this year. Jobs’ impact on Apple’s success underscores the need in every company for sound and reasoned succession planning.
  • MSP Acquisition Wave Really Just the Tip (0) January 18, 2011 Recent news and commentary has upped marketplace buzz over the recent rash of MSP acquisitions. Apparently there’s a sales run on MSPs! Half-off and everything must go – my own MSP must be the only one not being bought. Sometimes, it’s best to take a look underneath all the hype to find a true trend.
  • 2112, Virgo Partner on Cloud Convergence (0) January 17, 2011 Two things you can say about the channel and cloud computing: Neither is monolithic and both are extremely dynamic. Just as there are many forms of clouds, so too are there many flavors in the channel. Two of those groupings are IT/data channel and the other telecom. The 2112 Group, publisher of this blog, and Virgo Publishing, parent company of Channel Partners magazine, have partnered to study the convergence of these two channels in the cloud.
  • ‘Who Owns the Customer’ Fuels Roaring Debate (1) January 13, 2011 This is a conversation without end: the debate over who ultimately owns the customer in the cloud-computing era. Several solution providers and vendors have weighed in on the issue, providing a bevy of perspectives on this critical channel issue.
  • Partners Should Study Microsoft Exodus Carefully (0) January 11, 2011 Thomas Jefferson famously wrote, “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.” Some interpret this statement by one of the United States’ more prominent Founding Fathers as meaning periodic revolution isn’t just good, it’s a necessity. Perhaps that’s one way to look at the string of high-profile departures at Microsoft, and that might concern some channel partners.
  • In Cloud Computing Era, Who Owns the Account? (0) January 10, 2011 In cloud computing, vendors are going to market with partners to reach end-user customers. But they’re often retaining the billing functions, which makes many solution providers nervous over account control and ownership. So the question becomes: Who owns the customer relationship in the cloud?
  • Solution Providers Should Start with Exit Strategies (2) January 6, 2011 In a recent conversation with a major technology vendor, the question came up as to what constitutes a real business. The acquisition of managed service provider Alpheon by mega-service provider mindSHIFT Technologies reminded me of my response to that question: “A real business is one with an exit plan.”
  • 12 Channel and Tech Leaders to Watch in 2011 (1) January 3, 2011 The new year promises a return to robust technology business sales and channel growth. New technologies are coming to the fore, new business models are maturing, and competition is stepping up. The channel is a collective of creative and innovative business and technology leaders who each contribute to the advancement of the industry. These 12 executives are the standouts worth watching in the coming year.
  • Closing the 2010 Books, Looking Forward to 2011 (0) December 31, 2010 It seems that each time we complete another trip around the sun, we talk about what a momentous year it’s been. This year, two thousand and ten Anno Domini, certainly was momentous. The IT industry and channel community began emerging from the devastating recession and new business models and technologies began taking root as core offerings. However, 2010 may go down as a bridging year – a period between two epochs – because bigger trends are yet to come in 2011 and beyond.
  • Update: McBain Lands at Autotask (0) December 24, 2010 An update to our blog post from Tuesday about Jay McBain: The mystery of his next job has been solved. He’s heading to Autotask to take the newly created job of senior vice president of strategy and market development.
  • Cisco Faces a Tough 2011 in Switching, Routing (1) December 22, 2010 It seems no company is safe from disruption, including the mighty Cisco. While the networking giant is dismissing the newly minted Hewlett-Packard channel marketing program designed to entice partners and customers to switch vendors, the program is just the latest sign that all good things must come to an end – including market leadership.
  • McBain Relinquishes Lenovo SMB Channel Post (0) December 21, 2010 Jay McBain, the rising star of the SMB channel, unexpectedly resigned from his post as director of small and medium business at Lenovo yesterday. His plans are not immediately known.
  • Finding New Opportunity in Cloud Computing (0) December 20, 2010 Channelnomics frequently writes about the cloud computing evolution and how it’s disrupting the conventional IT reseller channel. After all, the cloud is more than just technology; it’s a new business model and customer relationship philosophy. And, it’s opening new doors for traditional solution providers and vendors, as well as newcomers to the industry. And that’s what we want to explore next.
  • Autotask CEO Gives Up Post to Follow Vision (0) December 17, 2010 After nearly 10 years since founding Autotask, CEO and founder Bob Godgart is stepping aside and handing the reins of management to Mark Cattini. In making the announcement, Godgart said with a hint of laughter that it was time to bring in a “professional CEO” to run the business so he could “find what comes next.” While not his intent, Godgart is demonstrating remarkable awareness of the need for refreshing business leadership and gaining more by giving up control.
  • 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.
  • Dell Buying Its Way to Success in the Channel (0) December 14, 2010 Channel conversations about Dell still go something like this: “I do business with them, but I don’t trust them.” But the din of distrust and ambivalence may be waning for the former king of direct sales as its channel programs mature and more partners gravitate to its core. The catalyst for this change may be Dell’s acquisition of channel-friendly companies.
  • Cisco Pushes Financing to Change Value Proposition (0) December 13, 2010 At its Partner Velocity conference in Barcelona this last week, Cisco once again trotted out the benefits of solution providers using financing to close IT deals with budget-strapped customers. In reading the reports of Cisco’s message, it becomes clear that end users and solution providers remain disconnected from the value of financing IT.
  • Virtualization and iPads: A Killer Channel Combo (0) December 9, 2010 Tablets – led by Apple’s iPad – are hot. It took years for laptops to displace desktop PCs as the king of computing, and now it looks as though tablets will displace both PCs and notebooks within the next year to 18 months. While built with consumers in mind, tablets are quickly finding their way into the enterprise – carried by a not-so-surprising catalyst: virtualization.
  • MSPs Shouldn’t Snoop on Customers’ Networks (1) December 7, 2010 The required level of access managed service providers require to client infrastructures and data flows – the crown jewels of any business – makes trust a critical component of any managed services engagement. And this is what makes a string of conversations amongst MSPs about the ethics of monitoring customer data without their knowledge puzzling.
  • Channel Needs Less Cloud Debate, More Action (0) December 6, 2010 Many people in and around the channel are asking what impact cloud computing will have on conventional value-added resellers and solution providers. Actually, it’s a little more than inquisitive conversation and more like a looping dialogue that never quite advances understanding beyond the re-ignition of another round of debate. If Elvis were alive (and I’m not saying he isn’t), he might call an end to this ceaseless chatter by saying, “A little less conversation, a little more action.”
  • Reality Check Behind Channel Consolidation (0) December 3, 2010 The channel buzzed this week with the news that mega-integrator Logicalis was buying fellow Cisco partner Network Infrastructure Corporation (NIC). Actually, the channel buzzes whenever any solution provider buys a peer, and such deals feed the perceived frenzy over channel consolidation. But is intra-channel consolidation a myth or reality? It’s real, but not for everyone.
  • Great 2011 Success Tips from Purple Cow Ideas (0) December 2, 2010 Success in business – especially in the technology business – comes down to exercising common sense and focusing on execution. My British friend and collaborator Susanne Dansey, director of Purple Cow Ideas Management, dispenses some great advice for solution provider success in 2011 in her new video. Her tips are simple, but true. Solution providers on both sides of the pond should give it a look.
  • 7 Partner Gems from Microsoft’s Jon Roskill (1) December 1, 2010 Microsoft global channel chief Jon Roskill yesterday visited the software giant’s flagship retail store in Bellevue, Wash., for a town-hall-style meeting with partners and customers. Channelnomics was unable to attend the event, but we were monitoring via Twitter. Here seven highlights from his presentation.
  • Google, Partner Scores Big with Federal Agency (3) December 1, 2010 The Obama administration is pushing federal agencies to take a “cloud first” approach to solving IT problems effectively and at a lower cost. The Government Services Agency today became the first department to migrate its 15,000 employees to a Web-based email system – Google Apps. The contract win signals a growing opportunity in the federal market for cloud services and the heating up of the war between Google and Microsoft.
  • Cracking Small Business with Collaborative Sales (0) November 30, 2010 IT vendors and solution providers alike greedily eye the SMB and midmarket. Collectively, these market segments represent about 45 percent of all spending on tech goods and services. But capturing a worthwhile share of that market requires more than just good products. Consultative selling is seen as the means for getting customers to buy integrated systems with higher revenue yields, but perhaps that isn’t enough. Perhaps it’s time for “collaborative technology selling.”
  • Rapid Returns from Selling into the Cloud (1) November 29, 2010 The recent launch of WAN optimization products by Riverbed wasn’t revealing about the future of cloud computing, but rather the stark reality of the present impact the cloud and virtualized environments are having on the low-end of the channel. While service providers like AT&T and Amazon continue to reap huge shifts in revenue from cloud infrastructure services, smaller solution providers and traditional VARs struggle to find their way amongst the clouds. What many aren’t seeing is that the cloud is aggregating the IT marketplace in ways previously never seen.
  • 2011 Calendar Packed with Channel Events (0) November 26, 2010 Despite recurring protests there are too many channel conferences, 2011 is shaping up as a banner year for industry confabs, training events and networking functions.
  • Kutenda Shows Marketing Power through Marketing (0) November 24, 2010 If you’re surfing for information about the channel, managed services or technology marketing, it’s kind of hard to miss the ads and links for Kutenda, a new kind of marketing service built for the channel by a channel veteran. What makes this company unique is its demonstrating the benefits of marketing through its own platform. And that benefit is nothing short of a dynamic business that’s growing at a hockey stick rate.
  • Solving the Managed Print Services Mystery (1) November 23, 2010 Printer vendors such as Xerox, Hewlett-Packard, Lexmark, Oki Data and Ricoh have been pushing the concept of price-per-page printer services, or managed print services, for years. They model is simple and elegant: Solution providers actively monitor and service printer devices owned by their clients, and facilitate the sale of consumables – including paper. The business amounts to a recurring revenue stream. Despite that, only a relative fraction of channel is engaged in managed print. That’s the mystery.
  • New IBM Programs Enable Total IT Solutions (0) November 22, 2010 IBM is joining the chorus of vendors urging their partners to specialize in technology and vertical domains with the recent launch of its “IBM Software Value Plus Security Authorization” program. But Big Blue is putting a twist on its specialization initiatives by creating different tiers of specialization for different contributors to the value chain.
  • First RetroDex Reveals What’s Next in Tech (1) November 17, 2010 Last night, I had the privilege of keynoting the new RetroDex event at the Seattle Music Experience – a wonderful museum dedicated to pop music (and science fiction memorabilia). RetroDex is intended to provide a live compendium to the revived Comdex in virtual form. More than 150 attended to network and hear about what’s going to happen next in technology. Here are a couple of the highlights.
  • Price Stacking Hinders Peer Partnerships (2) November 17, 2010 We’ve heard it all before: Solution providers see rich opportunities in their service areas and customer engagements, but are constrained by their own limitations – lack of talent, expertise, vendor relationships, geographic reach and service capacity. Peer-to-peer partnerships are a means for overcoming limitations, if the partnering parties can overcome the price stacking problem.
  • Is Darwinism Narrowing the Tech Channel? (0) November 16, 2010 Forrester Research analyst Tim Harmon recently wrote in his blog that 12 to 15 percent of the channel will “wash out” as a result of the murky and unchartered migration to cloud computing services. That means 18,750 solution provider and reseller businesses will go under in North America alone. Is this a bad thing, or is a little Darwinism in the channel a potential benefit?
  • Microsoft, Apple Top 2010 Most Influential Vendors (0) November 11, 2010 Rumors of Microsoft’s pending demise are greatly exaggerated, but not unfounded according to a new survey that asked end users one simple question: “What one technology product or service impacted your business most in 2010?” Microsoft topped the responses, but it’s got company, namely rival Apple.
  • Autotask Provides Users with Introspective Ratings (1) November 10, 2010 We often hear about user and community rating systems as a measure of customer satisfaction. Stars, diamonds, smiley faces all serve as marks of excellence – or shame, depending on the experience – for users to gauge potential engagements with a service provider. But shouldn’t these same rating systems matter to managers and salespeople inside a service provider? Autotask seems to think so, judging by the new feature added to its professional services automation platform.
  • Symantec Reimagines the Whiteboard Experience (1) November 10, 2010 Over dinner one night last week in Las Vegas, my old friend Michael Parker – vice president of interactive marketing at Symantec — leans towards me and says, “You’re really going to like my digital whiteboard. It’s going to knock your socks off.” In less than 10 minutes, he showed me and hundreds of Symantec partners what he’s been cooking: an application that is essentially a virtual whiteboard.
  • How Asigra Nurtures Partners with Lead Gen (0) November 9, 2010 Asigra, the cloud-based backup software vendor, piqued my curiosity with this simple Tweet: “We are getting lots of requests from customers to refer them to our service providers. Let us know if we can help you.” Customers specifically asking for solution providers? Well, not exactly. But the 117-character message is a reflection of how Asigra has turned its marketing into an effective channel lead generation and partner nurturing program.
  • Broken Trust: VAR Charged With Extortion (1) November 9, 2010 It happens occasionally: An outlier VAR who violates the trust of his customer and gives the entire community a black eye. The most recent case is one of fraud and extortion in New York’s tony Westchester County, where a local computer dealer and repair shop bilked as much as $6 million from a world-famous pianist and legacy of an oil empire.
  • Symantec Rewards Partner Specialization (0) November 8, 2010 Technology vendors have been pushing the concept of specialization for years. The belief is specialization will lead partners to consultative selling and solution packaging. In other words: bigger deals. Symantec took a bold step last week in revisions to its partner program by restructuring partner levels and making specialization – not revenue – the primary qualifier.
  • Success Imperative: Marketing to Your Vendor (0) November 5, 2010 When Steve Barone, CEO of solution provider Creative Breakthroughs Inc., hired his marketing director Jim Hebler, he warned that more than half of Hebler’s time would be spent not marketing to end user accounts and prospects, but marketing to CBI’s biggest vendor partner, Symantec.
  • Small Solution Providers Learning the Benefits of Strategic Planning (0) November 5, 2010 After the ConnectWise Partner Summit and two days of HTG Peer Group meetings in Orlando this week, I’m getting a good sense of emerging trends, particularly in business planning.
  • Google Sues Feds over Microsoft Email Bid (0) November 2, 2010 Government resellers should watch the new legal battle launched by Google and one of its Google Apps resellers against the Department of the Interior over how the government should buy web-based email services. At issue: a government request-for-proposal specifying Microsoft as the supplier of cloud-based email services.
  • 5 Tips for Dealing with Difficult Purchasing Managers (1) November 1, 2010 You work on a deal for weeks. You cajole the CIO or IT manager into seeing your products and services as the best in the market. You make repeated presentations to IT and executive teams to sell them on how your proposal will meet their business’s need. And when the finish line is finally in sight — the shinning purchase order with all the digits following the dollar sign – you run into a wall commonly known as the purchasing manager, the scourge of the channel.
  • A Vote to Continue the Brazilian Boom (0) November 1, 2010 Few places are as tempting to the industrious entrepreneur looking to expand internationally as Brazil. The place is on track to boast the world’s fifth largest economy by the time the World Cup rolls into Rio in 2014. When the Olympic Games open there in 2016, Brazil should be a global economic powerhouse.
  • Channelnomics Welcomes Dave Sobel (1) November 1, 2010 I’m a sucker for a good conversation, and one of the better conversationalists I’ve come across in the channel is Dave Sobel, founder and CEO of Evolve Technologies. With Dave, I’m able to have deep technology chats, debates over channel trends and programs, and the needs of solution providers businesses. Dave is now bringing that conversation (at least his side of it) to Channelnomics as a contributing blogger.
  • Spiceworks Keeps Business Computing Personal (0) October 29, 2010 In social networks, blogs and news reports of late, there’s been much talk about the death of the personal computer. Analysts and pundits say smartphones, tablets and other portable devices will soon displace the stalwart PC as the primary means for access applications and processing data. While there’s truth to this trend, the fact is that computing is and will remain a personal experience. And that’s what makes Spiceworks’ new product so interesting.
  • Avnet: Planning, Execution Leads to Success (0) October 28, 2010 George S. Patton would have been a monster in the IT channel. He was brash and outspoken, but behind that rugged warrior veneer was a hardened, calculating strategist who knew how to make plans in the war room and translate them into action in the field. If Patton were at this week’s Avnet IBM Partner Summit in San Antonio, he would’ve recognized the excellence in planning and execution demonstrated by the Avnet Trusted Advisor Award winners.
  • A Good Time to Consider Raising Prices? (1) October 28, 2010 Times are tough. Sales are sluggish. The economy is limping along and nobody seems willing to commit a lot of capital to any long-term project. What’s a solution provider to do?
  • IBM Loves the Midmarket; This Is Not a Repeat (0) October 25, 2010 This headline on CRN caught my eye, last week: “IBM To Make Mid-market Channel Push.” Man, that sounds familiar. Where have I seen it before? Oh yeah, right here in my RSS reader. Every year. For the past seven years. At least.
  • Chris Gonsalves Joins the Channelnomics Team (0) October 25, 2010 Over the course of my career, I’ve had the privilege of working with many true professionals who exemplify their craft and persistently push the limits of their understanding of the industry and world around them. One of those individuals is Chris Gonsalves, a longtime colleague, collaborator, and friend who is joining Channelnomics as editorial director.
  • CSG Adding Live Networking to a Virtual Comdex (0) October 22, 2010 Everything Channel may be reviving Comdex as a virtual trade show, but Channel Services Group (CSG) is ensuring the in-person networking and celebration returns with two live events in Palo Alto and Seattle. Heading the event in the Pacific Northwest is yours truly.
  • The Jobless Recovery and Rise of the 1099 Economy (1) October 20, 2010 In case you haven’t heard, a funny thing happened on our way to economic recovery: no jobs. For the first time in economic history, we’re experiencing a recovery in which productivity and wealth is returning without the creation of jobs. What that means for IT vendors and solution providers is an increasing use of temporary workers, contractors and partners to fulfill the tasks once performed by in-house staff.
  • Ray Ozzie’s Legacy: A Spiritual Void at Microsoft (0) October 19, 2010 Yesterday, Microsoft announced chief technical officer Ray Ozzie was retiring after five years with the company. It’s a tremendous blow to Microsoft, considering Ozzie was Bill Gates’ handpicked successor to the company’s spiritual mantle. In the wake of his departure is a spiritual void.
  • More Tech Acquisitions on the Horizon (2) October 18, 2010 The October 11 issue of Bloomberg BusinessWeek (BBW) contains an interesting chart: “A Field Guide to Silicon Valley Takeover Bait.” More than 15 well-known and seemingly healthy companies are listed as potential acquisition targets, and the implications for the channel aren’t necessarily good as history has demonstrated.
  • Alternate Interpretation of Market Research (0) October 11, 2010 Oracle co-president Mark Hurd once said, “If you interrogate the numbers long enough, they will provide you the answer.” He was of course talking about business analytics – the study of market indicators, sales performance and customer trends. He was right; numbers don’t lie, but it’s all in how you interpret them.
  • Building Tech Brand Value (1) October 7, 2010 How much is a company’s brand worth? According to Bloomberg BusinessWeek, a lot –especially for technology companies, but not all tech companies (in other words, solution providers).
  • Consumerization’s Changing Meaning and Impact (0) October 5, 2010 While I was reading the newspaper in my Los Angeles hotel room yesterday morning, I spied an interesting little tidbit: Target is now selling the Apple iPad and hopes the new addition to its electronics section will be enough to draw more foot traffic into its stores. It’
  • Microsoft’s Dilemma: The Measure of Satisfaction (0) October 1, 2010 Microsoft is gearing up to measure customer satisfaction with its partners. It’s probably part of a long-standing vision by Microsoft to attach customer satisfaction to the compensation and rewards extended to its partners. And, it’s likely to fail.
  • Federal IT Witching Hour Is Upon Us Again (1) September 29, 2010 Rick Marcotte, president and CEO of DLT Solutions, sounded tired this morning, and there was no rest in sight for this solution provider catering to the federal government. You see, the last two weeks of September is the busiest time of the year for government VARs like DLT Solutions, for it is the close of the federal fiscal year.
  • Fear and Loving in Telecom Channel (0) September 28, 2010 Somewhere on the other side of the hill that flanks the IT channel reside our cousins – those strange people in the tribe known as the “telecom channel.” Oh, they are an exotic people, indeed, with all kinds of crazy notions of bandwidth, circuits and telephony services. But there are strange trends brewing in their camp – the rising adoption of cloud computing, collaboration and data networking services. And these trends are eroding the divide between the two channels.
  • My ‘Breakfast Club’ Rule for Business (1) September 23, 2010 Human beings are competitive by nature, especially when it comes to business. Sales reps, execs and business owners often can’t help but recount past accomplishments while exploring a partnership or alliance opportunity. Positioning is a matter of either demonstrating value or gaining the upper hand in talks. What solution providers and vendors need to beware of is overly grandiose claims of business successes, growth rates and sales wins. A surefire way of spotting such embellishments is when the success claims are difficult, if not impossible, to verify. I call these a violation of “The Breakfast Club Rule.”
  • Creative Disruption: An Absolute Necessity (1) September 15, 2010 No doubt the Verizon launch of an SMB cloud service is causing consternation among solution providers and hosted services rivals. Not only is another major competitor entering the marketplace, but it’s also changing the dynamics of the cloud computing model.
  • I’ve Seen the Past and Future, and It’s China (0) September 10, 2010 Along the banks of the Huangpu River in Shanghai stand the monuments to China’s neocolonial era. The art deco buildings were once occupied exclusively by the Westerners that traded in this port city and exploited the natural wealth of the Middle Kingdom. Today, these buildings are home to retail stores that bear high-end brands such as Versace, Armani and Cartier. Across the river in the Pudong section stands three of the tallest buildings in the world, flanked by scores of skyscrapers that dwarf anything found in Manhattan. The streets are clogged with endless streams of BMWs, Buicks and Toyotas. And everywhere you look are lights and mirrored facades.
  • Never Expend Energy that Your Competitors will Exert for You (0) September 8, 2010 I woke up this morning in my Shanghai hotel room to the story dominating all the business TV programs – Hewlett-Packard suing to prevent Mark Hurd from joining rising rival Oracle. Early indications are the lawsuit doesn’t stand a pray in hell of doing anything except costing money. But it’s likely to benefit one party – Oracle – and there’s a lesson for every company in this clash.
  • Prediction: Hurd’s Real Mission at Oracle (1) September 7, 2010 Surprise! Mark Hurd got a job, and it’s at Oracle. The news that Hurd will serve as co-president and director of the world’s second largest software company came about a month after his fall from grace at Hewlett-Packard. Few would have predicted this, and fewer will likely share my further predictions.
  • The Dream of ‘Channel Esperanto’ (1) September 6, 2010 I’m beginning to think that L. L. Zamenhof was right: We do need a universal language, such as his Esperanto. We need something that enables us to speak across the cultural and linguistic divides that separates nations, businesses and individual people. And, as you’ll see, this is sorely needed in the channel, and it’s one of the goals of the Channel Vanguard Council, an advisory group toCompTIA.
  • Applying Epicurean Philosophy to the Channel (0) September 3, 2010 Last week I whimsically tweeted for ideas on what I should write next on the Channelnomics blog. I got several interesting suggestions – and many that will materialize in future blog posts. One that stood out though was a challenged laid down by Scott Barlow, vice president of sales and marketing at security service provider Reflexion. His suggestion: “Applying the Epicurean Philosophy to the channel.”
  • Solve a Problem, Not an Idea (3) September 2, 2010 Fair or unfair, IT has a persistent reputation for not playing well in the sandbox with other business disciplines. Technologists are often accused of not listening or understanding the operational needs of the business. Business managers are persistent in restating their perception IT is a cost center that costs too much and doesn’t return enough in value to the enterprise.
  • New Ventures and Grand Designs (2) September 1, 2010 Today, September 1, marks the first full day of my new ventures, The 2112 Group and Channelnomics. Some of you may be confused by “first full day” since I’ve been writing this blog for a month now. I’ll explain why this is and what this new venture is all about. The past month has been a transition of worlds: my old life at Ziff Davis Enterprise and corporate publishing to my new life as an independent blogger and strategic business technology advisor. Now that the transition is over, I am launching headlong into this new venture (or adventure) called The 2112 Group and Channelnomics.
  • The Dynamic Nature of Technology Revenue (0) August 31, 2010 What is revenue? Until recently, I thought it was as simple as the money derived from sales of goods and services. Well, it is. But it’s much more complicated and dynamic than that definition.
  • Rethinking Compensation Models and Plans (0) August 30, 2010 At the CompTIA Breakaway conference in San Antonio earlier this month, my fellow Channel Vanguard Council (CVC) members and I shot a couple of videos about topics pertinent to vendors and solution providers alike. In this video, Ron Culler of Secure Designs, Lester Pierre of Wall Street Network and I talk about the changing nature of sales compensation models and planning, and how to balance compensation plans for the sale of products, professional services and recurring services.
  • Does VAR Mean ‘Value at Risk’? (4) August 26, 2010 The IT channel was established on a simple principle that became the iconic moniker of the industry: VAR (value-added reseller). Over the past several years, the term has given way to “solution provider,” a reflection of the incorporation of managed and cloud services as part of the reseller portfolio. Regardless of the term, the underlying principle remains the same: A reseller is adding value to the raw product supplied by vendors to enhance the value in the eyes of the customer.
  • The Secret Tommy Wald Uncovered (2) August 24, 2010 Disruption is often a tremendous catalyst for change. Unfortunately, most businesses don’t recognize they’re being hit with a disruptive wave until it’s already passed. Tommy Wald isn’t one of those people.
  • Channel Relativity: Stacking Up Against Peers (4) August 23, 2010 OK, here’s my first stab at what I call “channel relativity” – the need for solution providers to understand their position in the market relative to competitors and peers. Everyone in the channel wants to believe they’re performing well, but few truly understand their competitive or performance position relative to a control set or community of like peers. The best many can do is point to a random peer and say they’re performing as well or better.
  • What It Means When Vendors Go Direct (2) August 19, 2010 Barbara Darrow at TechTarget is reporting Oracle will cut more resellers from selling Sun Microsoft hardware come Oct. 15. The vendor is instead taking the business direct. There’s no surprise here, since Oracle has been telegraphing this strategy since it closed the acquisition of the ailing Sun business earlier this year. The decision made the Sun channel a rich fishing ground for Hewlett-Packard and IBM, who have snapped up many of the disenfranchised Sun partners.
  • Putting Security into Practice (0) August 17, 2010 At last week’s CompTIA Breakaway conference, I participated in a discussion on the need for national cybercrime legislation (I got to take the contrarian position – fun). Actually, I don’t believe in more cybercrime laws. We already have laws in 45 states and 38 bills moving through Congress that would impose some sort of IT security requirements on business. Instead, I prefer good old-fashioned common sense: Spend what you need to keep from losing more than you can afford. It’s really that simple.
  • Risk Acceptance vs. Risk Aversion in the Channel (3) August 16, 2010 One topic that drives me mad is when solution providers say they cannot grow. Many even feign they will never be more than several million dollars in revenue. The reasons vary from the cost of growth to the difficulty in growing a business to a general malaise about an inability to penetrate new markets. One solution provider I met that had more than $60 million in annual revenue said his company would never become a $1 billion business because that kind of revenue was reserved for product companies like his vendor partners.
  • A Lesson from Google: The Second Act Imperative (2) August 9, 2010 On my flight this morning to San Antonio for the CompTIA Breakaway conference, I read the Fortune cover story temptingly titled “Is Google Over?” Who can resist a headline like that? In the new era of cloud computing, Google is one of the titans, and it’s a company that’s disrupting the pillars of the old tech era – namely Microsoft and IBM. How could Google have reached the end of its line already?
  • HP’s Hurd: A Legacy of Metrics and Analytics (0) August 6, 2010 Hewlett-Packard shocked the business and technology worlds today when it announced the sudden and unexpected resignation of its chief executive officer, Mark Hurd, who conceded to using poor judgment in a relationship with a former contractor.
  • Distribution Proves its Value (0) August 5, 2010 Is distribution leading both the technology industry and the general economy out of the recession doldrums?
  • Launch of Channelnomics! (0) August 1, 2010 Weclome to Channelnomics, my new blog on issues and trends affecting the IT channel community. This is a new, independent venture of mine that coincides with my new life as a channel strategies and communications consultant.

 
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