Posts Tagged ‘IBM’

IBM is looking to shed underperforming business units and products, trim jobs and cut expenses to reach its earnings goals. In the process, Big Blue will likely turn to channel partners for more support in selling and supporting cloud computing, Big Data and data protection products.

Avnet’s evolution from traditional technology distributor to complete IT solutions and services provider continues with today’s unveiling of Avnet Services, a segment withinits rapidly growing Avnet Technology Solutions unit.

Last year, Salesforce’s worldwide CRM software annual revenue grew 26 percent to $2.5 billion, overtaking SAP’s CRM sales figure of $2.3 billion, which only grew by 0.1 percent over the same period. The pair’s market share for 2012 stood at 14 and 12.9 percent, respectively.

Dell — calling itself a software and service company — has come out swinging with releases around BI, mobility and productivity. But Round Rock underscores that its transformation wouldn’t be complete without a unified channel.

HP is building out a comprehensive security stack, and the latest installment is the release of a TippingPoint next-generation IPS line. But the real channel value will be in how well the solution integrates with other security offerings in HP’s portfolio.

The analyst firm notes that 2012 marks the first time that semiconductor revenue for mobile devices surpassed that of PCs and notebooks.

HP is upping its burgeoning security prowess with the launch of an updated URl inspection tool, WebInspect, indicating the PC manufacturer is building out its software stack to create opportunities for its security channel.

Published reports indicate Lenovo is in talks with IBM to buy its underperforming Series X low-end server business. If the deal comes to pass, it will fundamentally reshape the server market and channel.

Lenovo’s server business is small but growing, and the company has big plans for the SMB server market. But to get there, it needs to move the channel community from being aware of its offerings, to being engaged.

Channel veteran Frank Vitagliano becomes Dell’s newest vice president of channel sales, a move sure to give the company even more channel credibility for what has already become a formidable partner program at the traditionally direct-sales vendor.