Commentary
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Channel Commentary: Relevant Comments for VARs, Resellers and Solution ProvidersSee what's on the minds of Channel Insider's editors and market experts as they analyze the technology trends VARs, system builders and solution providers need to navigate to ensure channel success.
IBM`s Mid-Market Push
Big Blue is posting notable progress in this market with industry solutions and business partner engagement, but have they simplified enough?
Symantec vs. McAfee: A Rivalry Renewed
Symantec partners will roll into Orlando this week to hear about new programs, products and initiatives that will in subtle and not so subtle ways be aimed at curbing the “Red Menace” known as McAfee. McAfee is investing in its channels to take share away from Big Yellow. It’s the renewal of an old rivalry.
Virtualization Is No Fad
Virtualization is an investment in the future, reducing the total cost of ownership, making an environment more flexible and capable, and offering the ability to migrate and control workloads with much greater precision.
IBM Mines VC Community for Diamonds
IBM's Claudia Fan Munce plays matchmaker at IBM, bringing select VC-backed ISVs into the IBM fold and connecting them to other IBM business partners to get their solutions to market.
Windows 7: The End of an Era
The launch of Windows 7 may redeem Microsoft for the mistakes it made with Vista. However, Windows 7 may mark the end of the upgrade-refresh cycle as the cloud continues to takeover the computing world.
Gartner's Glimpse of 2010 IT Issues
Gartner's IT Expo & Symposium is being held this week in Orlando, Fla. During the opening keynote address, Gartner's leading analysts made some predictions and recommendations for IT. Gartner's findings may foretell what business issues and budget restraints VARs could be facing in 2010. Channel Insider takes a deeper look.
Microsoft, Danger, T-Mobile Outage Highlights Need for Backup, Even in the Cloud
Microsoft/Danger and T-Mobile's recent outage translated into a data loss for customers, and users who hadn't backed up their Sidekick data were out of luck.
Warmenhoven's New Role: Channel Ambassador
The former NetApp CEO is now working as a channel evangelist, convincing integrators, carriers and services companies to standardize their offerings on his company's technology. His role and mission could be a harbinger for the hardware industry.
HP Doubles Down Data Center Bet
HP's latest enhancements to its PartnerONE program are aimed at increasing its focus on data center solutions through its enterprise channel partners and keep it on course in the competitive data center battle.
Virtualization's Impact on Managed Services
Does shifting your customers infrastructure to the cloud obviate the need for systems management and monitoring services that lie at the core of what MSPs do?
Red Hat Swimming Against the Tide
Despite a recession that has bitten pretty much everyone with the same ruthless precision, Red Hat has managed to show six straight quarters of escalating subscription sales. What gives?
Dell's Services Play: Necessary But Late
Dell paid a huge price to buy Perot Systems and with services not a traditional part of the PC maker's DNA it will be interesting to see how it manages and integrates the new assets.
Stimulating Future Customers
Michigan solution provider Tech Experts is launching its own economic stimulus program by offering free hosted e-mail to small businesses struggling to survive. While there are no catches or obligations, the program may just cultivate new, loyal customers for when the economy recovers.
Avoiding Jihad in Favor of Business Acumen
Virtualization is sparking a religious war between fans of VMWare vs. those of Microsoft. But both sides might be focusing on the wrong thing.
White Boxes Plus HAAS Have Potential
Custom-built computers and servers have suffered the same commoditization as their branded counterparts. That trend may ultimate work in its favor by giving hardware as a service (HAAS) providers an affordable platform for standardizing customer infrastructures at a lower total cost of ownership.
Virtualization Gives SMBs Control
By virtualizing server environments, cost-conscious small customers can say no to constant hardware upgrades and hold onto functioning software longer.
Partners Commanding Their Own Channels
Vendors have pushed the concept of peer-to-peer partnerships, but solution providers have found such arrangements difficult to initiate and manage. Many solution providers are instead building their own channel programs to standardize and regulate peer-level partnerships.
IBM Sets Sights on Sun's Partners
In the wake of Oracle’s recent acquisition of Sun Microsystems, longtime Sun rival IBM has made no secret of its plans to woo Sun's channel partners and customers. Is Big Blue the right fit?
Star Wars: Big Time Vendor Rivalries
Whether it’s the edginess caused by the recession, the increasing convergence of technologies and solutions or the rush to lead in new markets like cloud computing, competitive furor among many of the major IT vendors is at an all-time high. Former friends have turned foe and in some cases the tone has gotten personal. Read on for some of the more interesting vendor rivalries to watch today.
Manufacturing a Road to Recovery
The U.S. and global economies remain far from healthy, but there are signs of hope and, surprisingly, manufacturing is one of those glimmers. Design and engineering software makers and solution providers are seeing increasing opportunities in factories and plants, which may be early signs of the recession cloud breaking. >> Read More From Our Commentary News Archive
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