Apple is one profitable company. The firm announced recently that during the fourth quarter (its fiscal first quarter), it generated a whopping $46.33 billion in revenue and a profit of $13.06 billion. The company’s revenue figure nearly doubled the sales it posted in the same period back in 2010, and its profit was more than double the figure in the prior year. All that has helped Apple grow its cash coffers to nearly $100 billion. Apple’s success is a far cry from its sad state of affairs back in the 1990s. At that time, co-founder Steve Jobs had to step in to fix things, and there was a point when industry observers weren’t sure if Apple’s doors would be padlocked or not. But through hard work, tough choices, and some really neat ideas, Steve Jobs was able to turn things around at Apple. Now, the company is the world’s largest, and its profitability is soaring. How has Apple achieved such profitability? Here’s a look.

Research In Motion, at long last, has a new CEO in Thorsten Heins. The two men he replaces, Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie, led the company through its most difficult times, and according to most investors, did nothing to help the firm weather the storm. Whether or not Heins will be able to change that, however, remains to be seen. If the "Bold Team" is any indication, the answer is probably no. The fact is, Heins sounds like more of the same at RIM, saying that although changes need to be made, he doesn’t believe anything drastic must be done. What’s worse, Heins says that he believes his company’s current mobile strategy is working, and will continue to work, in the coming years. Unfortunately for Heins, he’s just plain wrong. RIM is in deep trouble right now. And the more Heins talks, the more it might make some of the company’s supporters believe he doesn’t have what it takes to make the right moves to save RIM. Here’s a look at why Research In Motion’s new CEO Thorsten Heins won’t be able to fix his ailing mobile company.

A recent survey conducted by the IT employment experts at Dice found that in 2011, IT wages increased by a little over 2 percent. However, that tepid growth wasn’t ironclad for everyone. Professionals with 11 years or more experience were able to get bigger raises and Dice found that knowledge and proficiency in the following eight technologies garnered six-figure incomes and higher-than average growth last year. According to Alice Hill, managing director of Dice.com, there are a number of factors that have pushed up demand for these skills. “This looks like a push towards enterprise java — with WebSphere, JBoss and WebLogic showing outsized gains,” Hill says. “Not to mention, a continuation of the trends we’ve seen toward tech professionals helping their companies gain more insight into their cost structures, customer behavior and emerging trends. If tech professionals spark companies to win by harnessing their data, that’s when the tech department is no longer seen as a cost center, but a strategic partner in meeting companies’ goals.” Here’s a look at the eight skills that will most likely provide job seekers with a six figure income.

Job hunting has become ever more complex in the age of social media. Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, blogs and ever more ways to stay connected and show off the good (and the bad) of your personal and professional skills have changed the very nature of job hunting and recruitment. The changes aren’t over with, either, and according to one recruitment specialist, the best practices for using social media to further your career have evolved in the last six months. There have been dramatic changes in the social media world, and if job hunters want to get ahead, they have to understand how to take advantage of those changes, said David Perry, co-author of “Guerrilla Marketing For Job Hunters 3.0” and managing director of management consulting firm Perry-Martel International. With a little bit of effort and virtual elbow grease, digital dirt can be cleaned up and the best public image can be presented to recruiters, which Perry said is of utmost importance today since the best jobs don’t get advertised. “This is not hard stuff. It just requires some forethought,” Perry said. Here are Perry’s tips for thriving in today’s job market using social media.

It may only be the end of the first month of the year, but already channel executives are on the move. Whether they’re jumping ship from their current employers and heading off to new opportunities or moving up within their own organizations, January has already been an active month for promotions, lateral moves and new employment opportunities for channel executives.

Talk about the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) has been everywhere lately. That’s because several major Web sites, including Firefox, Wikipedia, Google, and others, publicly protested the bill. Since then, the lawmakers behind both SOPA and the Protect IP Act (PIPA) have decided to postpone deliberations on modifying them in the hopes of reaching an accord with critics. Even though those bills have been put on hold, there’s a good chance that they will come back in some form or another. Simply put, SOPA is a major issue that could have a profoundly negative impact on the Internet. Here’s a look at why SOPA is such a major issue for anyone who uses the Internet.

Google started out with a simple goal -- to deliver the best search engine in the business -- and since achieving that has expanded into, well, just about everything.. From advertising to mobile operating systems to even desktop operating systems, Google is pushing for a leadership position in each and every market. If that sounds familiar, it’s because Microsoft tried something similar in the 1990s. And although the company was somewhat successful in achieving that goal, it was met with stiff criticism for trying to take over the world. Critics considered Microsoft the “evil empire.” In retrospect, that actually wasn’t the case. And many of the innovations that we enjoy today are thanks to Microsoft’s efforts. But now as Google makes a stronger push into so many markets, could this search giant be bent on world domination? Here’s a look at Google’s march towards even greater power and influence.

Whether you are taking the train into your city office, driving to a customer site or visiting a potential client across the country, traveling these days can be a major hassle. From traffic to road construction to airport security, delays and lines are all part of the package. But your smartphone or tablet can lend a hand with a set of useful apps to help you to navigate through unfamiliar airports and cities, avoid police speed traps on the road, find decent restaurants, make reservations, impress that client, and still get back home with your sanity intact. Here’s a look at some of our favorite apps for the air and road.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has the next 12 months to prove himself. Or maybe less. Among investors, confidence in Ballmer is slipping. He may not believe that matters much. After all, they’ve been complaining about him for years. But a difficult 2012 for Microsoft could be the final straw that makes for the board replace him with someone new. Ballmer has a little time to make things right and. a host of products are coming this year to help him achieve his goal of turning Microsoft around and cementing its position as the dominant company in the industry again. On his to-do list, Ballmer must get Windows 8-based tablets on store shelves, prove his Nokia deal makes sense, and deliver improvements to his company’s cloud solutions to take on Google. It’s do or die time. Here’s what Ballmer must prove if he wants to save his job.

Each year, the Consumer Electronics Show comes to Las Vegas in January. And each year, Apple is the only major consumer electronics company that doesn’t go to the show. The move is debated by people who believe the company should attend and give the show more legitimacy, while others argue that it only devalues Apple’s brand. All the while, Apple has stayed quiet on the issue, deciding instead to pretend like CES doesn’t exist. But just because Apple isn’t there, it doesn’t mean the Cupertino, Calif.-based company doesn’t have something to teach those firms that are. From how they should market their products to the value of secrecy, Apple’s business practices can be held up as a template for other companies. After all, Apple is wildly successful and generates billions of dollars in profit every quarter. Isn’t that something every other company at CES is trying to achieve? Here’s a look at how Apple could teach CES exhibitors a thing or two about doing a better job of promoting their products both at the huge event and all the rest of the year:

As the CES circus completely takes over Vegas this week, computer geeks over the nation are about to get the lowdown on latest lustworthy gadgets, gizmos and apps making their way onto the market in 2012. Based on our advanced intelligence, Channel Insider predicts the following seven product categories to make the biggest splash on the show floor and maybe even in partners' daily lives.

The Consumer Electronics Show is the biggest event of the year for the technology industry today. Well over 100,000 people attend to get the scoop on the newest innovations in technology, from computers and smartphones to televisions to off-the-wall gadgets. But are the Consumer Electronics Show’s best days behind it? Microsoft recently announced that this year’s keynote address at CES will be its last. Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam dropped out of a keynote event he was planning to host. It appears that the wheels are coming off CES, and right now, the organization behind it -- the Consumer Electronics Association -- has no easy way to fix it. Simply put, times are tough at CES. And by the look of things, it appears the technology industry’s biggest show is on a road to failure. Here’s a look at why, after so many years of success, CES is on its way to becoming the next COMDEX.

What’s better than a tablet or a netbook? An ultrabook! These slim and light PCs have all of the power and functionality of your full computer, unlike the underpowered netbook, and the convenience and comfort of a real keyboard, unlike your tablet. Yet they retain the portability and lightness of both these devices to offer consumers and business users alike a gadget that provides both power and mobility – an unbeatable combination. And prices of some of these ultrabooks are comparable to the higher end iPad tablets. Maybe that’s why this new ultrabook category of devices is all the rage this year at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. While several vendors have already been hawking ultrabooks, others are debuting at CES 2012. Here’s a look at some of the ultrabooks you available now and ones you can expect to see, and covet, at CES.

Maybe your special someone was especially generous this year, getting you a tablet or smartphone as a holiday gift. Or maybe you just treated yourself. But now that the holidays are over and it’s back-to-work time, chances are you don’t want to leave those cool new toys at home. You’ve probably even figured out ways that they could help you be more productive at work. But that doesn’t mean your new gadgets are welcome in your company’s IT environment. You may find if you bring that stuff into the office, you’re in a bit of trouble with the IT guys. But when did you ever let that stop you. Here’s a look at some of the products you might have received over the holidays, and why your IT staff just doesn’t want you to bring them to the office. (Or if you are in the IT department, here’s what you can expect your users trying to sneak onto the network.)

As web application and social media booms continue to fuel the Internet economy, businesses may view mobile devices as the driver for all that growth. But the mighty data center is what makes it all happen on the back end. It’s the workhorse behind the cloud. Emerson Network Power recently pulled together some statistics to provide a picture of how the data center keeps businesses rolling. “Over the last several years, advances in technology, an increased reliance on the internet and social media as well as an increased focus on energy management initiatives have had a significant impact on the data center world,” said Scott Barbour, business leader of Emerson Network Power. “Data centers are the unsung heroes.”

While IT security merger and acquisitions activity has slowed down since 2010, this year nevertheless saw some noteworthy deals close. Not only did we see some major plays for managed security services dominance, but also purchases that will have significance on the realms of security monitoring and cloud security in the year to come. From Dell to McAfee to Symantec to IBM, plenty of deals were done in 2011 as vendors sought to strengthen their hands in the always growing security market. Here’s a look at some of the top IT security M&A deals of 2011.

While consultants, software vendors and business outsourcing providers generally help their customers solve IT issues, they very often can be the source of problems, too. And the biggest nightmare may be of a security breach that exposes the firm and its customers. Here’s a look at eight such breaches that happened in 2011, prime examples of how partners negligence can end up causing costly and embarrassing breaches of customer data.

With talk of Apple’s iPad 3 launching towards the beginning of 2012, there is rampant speculation about the technology giant’s plans. Will it offer up an iterative update that does little to make the iPad a more compelling offering the marketplace like it did with iPhone 4s? Or will Apple try to set a new standard (again) in the tablet market by delivering a product that follows through on its desire to be the very best in each market it competes in? We are hoping Apple will choose the latter course. But if it does, Apple must offer a host of improvements in the iPad 3 that not only makes new iPad recruits want the device, but also makes iPad 2 owners want to upgrade immediately. Here’s a look at the features the iPad 3 needs in order to set itself apart as the best tablet Apple has ever launched.

As we all finish out the year, now's about the time that the 'woulda, shoulda, coulda' mantra starts up from many business owners and executives who might regret some of their tax planning lapses over 2011. But the flip side of the coin is that 2012 brings new opportunities to streamline and even get ready to minimize liability during the upcoming tax season. The small business law experts at Rocket Lawyer offer up five tips to help small IT solution providers and SMBs in general effectively prepare for the tax man.

The year 2011 hasn’t been the most successful for Research In Motion. The mobile company tried to improve its position against Apple’s iPhone and Android, but to no avail. And in the tablet space, its BlackBerry PlayBook failed to live up to the hype of becoming the go-to slate for enterprise users. Meanwhile, as its financial performance has plummeted and its co-CEOs Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie continue to stubbornly stick to the same strategy, shareholders have grown tired of watching the company struggle. To say that it has been a difficult year would be an understatement. But there’s always 2012. In the next 12 months, RIM has the opportunity to fix its mistakes, right the wrongs of 2011, and go a long way in proving that it really does know what to do in order to be successful in the mobile space. Of course, it won’t be easy. Apple and Google are still looming large in the mobile market, and there is a good chance that those platforms will continue to creep into the enterprise. And since RIM’s tablet business is all but lost, there’s really no chance for the company to grow its business through that sector. So, as RIM looks to 2012, the company must resolve to change if it wants to compete and get back to being a top player in the mobile space. Here’s a look at how RIM can do that in 2012.

While the state of the economy may cause some channel partner executives to furrow their brows in worry over 2012 sales projections, security remains a vibrant bright spot for resellers and service providers across the board. In order to grow their businesses, security-focused channel partners would do well to follow the following trends predicted by experts to be top-of-mind among customer decision makers in the coming year.

Still working on a Windows XP machine? You’re not alone. Even though Windows 7 was released more than two years ago, plenty of users are still stuck on older operating systems. And that’s in spite of the fact that Microsoft plans to roll out Windows 8 in 2012. But that’s beginning to change, finally. Microsoft partner Softchoice recently released 'in the wild' data from over 1.6 million PC systems it managed over the past year to provide some perspective on what the real Windows 7 adoption rate is like in corporate North America. While Windows XP has been "an operating system that has been the 'comfortable pair of jeans' for corporate North American desktops for the better part of a decade," says Dean Williams, manager of services development. Here’s a look at the state of Windows.

The year 2011 was a time of dramatic events and changes for the technology industry. From surprising new product introductions to declines of once-great giants of tech. Industry observers from enterprise IT professionals to end-users of technology to consumers found changes around every turn. There’s no telling what 2012 holds, but as we take a look back at 2011, it’s clear that it was a crucial turning point in the industry that could be pointed to as a time when the industry grew and became even greater, or slowly but surely started its decline. Here’s a look back at some of the stories that surprised us this year, and helped cement the idea that no matter what sort of predictions might come up at the beginning of a year, they tend to fall short to reality.

Research In Motion is officially in free-fall. The mobile company’s market share is on the decline, and its latest financial filing shows just how badly that drop is affecting its business. What’s more, the company’s co-CEOs Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie have stuck to their guns, and in the process, ensured that going forward, RIM will be a loser. But to simply blame RIM and its management would be a disservice to the companies that have worked tirelessly over the last several years to slowly but surely dismantle the handset maker. Companies such as Apple, Google, Samsung, and others, have ushered in a new era of the mobile market. And in the process, they’ve made RIM look like the also-ran, and a company that simply doesn’t know what to do to appeal to customers. Who would have thought as little as five years ago that RIM would be in the position it’s in now? The mobile company that once ruled is now hoping to survive. And so far, it hasn’t been offered a life line. Here’s a look at how competitors have single-handedly taken the fight to RIM and all but killed its chances of staying strong in the mobile market.

Google’s Android operating system has been nothing short of a marvel in the mobile market. Over the last year, the operating system has continued to capture market share, and Apple, trying to keep up, hasn’t been so successful. But it’s not alone. RIM’s BlackBerry operating system has lost all chance of taking a controlling stake in the market, and Windows Phone 7 is practically non-existent in the marketplace. Even with Android’s success, the operating system is causing significant trouble in the mobile market. From the fact that it’s totally dominant to the issue of multiple application stores, Android is as much helping the mobile ecosystem as it is hurting it. It’s rather unfortunate, but the major operating system that’s running the mobile space is also contributing, in some ways, to its troubles. Here’s a deeper look at Android and how the operating system is hurting the mobile market and the customer experience.

After a long delay that left WebOS in limbo, HP has finally decided what to do with the operating system. According to CEO Meg Whitman, HP will make the operating system open source, effectively giving it a life line and hoping that, with some help from outside developers, it can finally achieve the lofty goals Palm set out for it years ago. But whether or not HP’s decision to make WebOS an open source option for developers is a good one is up for debate. On one hand, it allows the operating system to stay in place, and it keeps people employed, which is fantastic. But on the other hand, HP had several other options available to it to make the best move possible with WebOS. And by the look of things, the company didn’t necessarily follow the right path with its decision. Here’s a look at why HP’s WebOS strategy won’t work, and why making the operating system open source could finally be the last nail in the platform’s coffin.

Every large, established company in the IT marketplace knows that it is time to get in the cloud or die trying. That means it’s also time for the big fish to gobble up the small, or the old guys to snap up the startups. With competition heating up, the amount of money it takes to get hold of these innovators has pushed past the clouds, well into the stratosphere. Some acquisitions were steals, others, career-enders. In the end, the big players all dipped deep in their wallets this year with the hope of being the best positioned for the year ahead. Here’s a look at the blockbuster deals of 2011

There's nothing scarier than the thought of a trusted employee walking out the door with your company’s most vital trade secrets or other intellectual property with the intention of turning it over to the competition. And yet it happens every day. Just who are these individuals with predilections for stealing trade secrets? Psychological profilers and employee risk management experts Dr. Eric Shaw and Dr. Harley Stock took a look at over 550 insider cases collected in summer 2011 by Carnegie Mellon University’s Computer Emergency Response Team. Here’s a look at what their Symantec-sponsored report revealed about the personalities of these thieves.

While IT compliance initiatives may not necessarily make your heart race the way news about an iPhone 5 would, they could make your CFO’s heart race. That’s because regulatory requirements are a big part of what's driving IT security spending and will continue to do so in 2012. IT solution providers are in a position to reap the rewards of this opportunity by helping customers prepare for changes in the coming year. Here’s a look at seven regulatory compliance changes that you should have on your radar for 2012.

It can sometimes feel like a leap of faith to put your most mission critical data in the cloud. Is it safe? What if there’s an outage? Well, not all cloud providers are the same, a fact vividly illustrated by a new report out from cloud storage consolidation experts at Nasuni. Nasuni conducted a number of tests on the nation's top 16 cloud service providers and found that only six of them earned a passing grade. Channel insider takes a look at the tests and the elite few who passed. And while Nasuni refused to reveal who failed, we'll take a look at which tests caused these unknown providers the most problems.

IT certifications have lost their value as a major career booster. According to IT employment and consulting firm Foote Partners (www.footepartners.com) in its quarterly IT Skills and Certifications Pay Index, the premium that employers pay for those certified in certain skills versus those without the certifications narrowed nearly universally over the last quarter, and the pay premium for all IT certifications dropped by 4.8 percent within the last twelve months ending in October 2011. Channel Insider takes a look at some of the winners and losers in IT certifications by category. Check out whether your certification is holding its value.

Although Apple hasn’t acknowledged that it’s doing so, the rumor mill continues to claim that the company is planning to launch a television in 2012. For those that have been following Apple for a while, talk of a television from the company is nothing new. For years now, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster has been saying that Apple would release a television of its own, but so far, it hasn’t, causing some to speculate that the iPhone maker won’t do so. However, earlier this year, Munster and his supporters were vindicated when Steve Jobs’ biography was released with a statement made by the Apple co-founder, indicating that he had finally “cracked” the code for developing an integrated television that would come with iCloud support. Since then, rumors have been swirling that the device will come with iCloud, feature several different screen sizes, and perhaps most importantly, revolutionize the way we enjoy entertainment in the living room. Here’s why Apple TV may be the company’s most impressive product yet.

Apple hasn’t tasted defeat in years. From the iPod’s launch, to the iPhone, to the iPad, the Cupertino, Calif.-based company has reinvented the form factor for portable computing and beat out competitors with ease. Most researchers and analysts believe that its success will continue in the years ahead, and the chances are good that they are right. But to simply assume that that will be the case is a mistake. Apple faces a host of threats to its operation right now from all sides. The technology giant might not enjoy as great of a year as shareholders and analysts expect. Here’s a look at some of the threats that could take Apple down in 2012.

For VARs, distributors and MSPs with a little money to spend, 2011 was a big year as companies across the channel consolidated and integrated. From big-box retailers like Best Buy looking to expand in the SMB market to distributors shedding “non-core assets” to companies on MSP-buying-binges, the channel was a hotbed of M&A activity. Why the moves to consolidate so quickly? Many companies were looking to build a greater presence in the cloud as the market begins to boom.

Managing changes in firewall rules is a necessary evil for security professionals. Many, however, don’t believe they have the time or resources to undertake the complicated and time-consuming steps necessary to make sure their corporate firewalls are up-to-date and secure. In reality, security professionals sometimes resort to cheating, shortcutting, or the old bubble-gum and duct-tape approach -- wasting both time and money in the long run for a few dollars and minutes saved now. Most audit cheaters cited lack of time, many also said that they felt the audit’s requirements were irrelevant to the business or they feared that the network security team would seem incompetent. And while the overworked network security staff struggles to keep up, attackers are poised to find a way in through any cracks. A recent survey of network security professionals conducted by Tufin Technologies shows just how big those cracks are, and the areas where security professionals are struggling.

Although many in the mobile market hate to admit it, Android is the go-to platform for millions of consumers around the globe. In fact, over the last year, the operating system has been adopted so rapidly that just about everyone is wondering if it might become the Windows of the mobile space—a totally dominant force. Research In Motion should be especially concerned about Android. The BlackBerry maker once stood atop the mobile enterprise space, easily outselling the competition. But since Apple's iPhone started shipping in 2007, and Android became a hot commodity with a 43% share of the smartphone market in the U.S., according to Nielsen, RIM’s products have become as fashionable as paperweights. To get its groove back, the company needs to figure out what to do. Luckily for RIM co-CEOs Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis, we have a few ideas. Rather than try to make the BlackBerry operating system as popular, it’s time RIM goes for Android. It might mean a major shift in strategy, but at this point, that’s precisely what the mobile company needs.

As technology specialists are called upon to help with line of business operations, the need for IT professionals with solid business skills continues to intensify. A recent study by IT employment and consulting firm Foote Partners showed that the best-paid IT workers are those who can get a handle on what it calls 'hybrid skills.' So what kind of business skills will boost your pay? Many of the most hotly sought after are management, methodology and process skills, according to Foote Partners' IT Skills and Certifications Pay Index. Here are 10 business skills that can earn IT workers premium pay.

Having taken over the company from Steve Jobs earlier this year, Apple CEO Tim Cook has several choices he will need to make as the company moves forward. Will he want to continue on the same path Apple has been heading down, staying on course? Or will he want to take a few risks and see if he can effectively lead a company that would seem to be on cruise-control? If Cook wants to make a mark and go down as one of the best Apple CEOs ever, he’ll need to choose the latter course and, as Apple itself said in an iconic ad, "think different". Sure, it would be easy to stick with the same strategy, but Apple has become a special company by taking chances. Some products missed the mark (think the Apple Newton) and others, like the iPad and iPhone, have become smashing successes. With boatloads of cash on hand and a host of products consumers are drooling over, what better time for the company to take a chance? Here we take a look at some of the risks we think Cook should take if he wants to step out of Steve Jobs' shadow.

According to security researchers, evidence is mounting that mobile devices are fast becoming a hotbed for malware and malfeasance as hackers look for ways to make money off of data and account information stored on mobile devices. With its open platform and mounting user base – as opposed to Apple's more closed-door policy for iOS apps – Android smartphone and tablets are increasingly attractive targets for mobile malware developers. Here we take a look at how Android malware is spreading, with information from organizations such as the Juniper Global Threat Center and Kaspersky Labs, and what types of attacks are most common.

If you're looking to wow customers with a little year-end thank you gift to go along with that company Christmas card, skip the bland paperweights and give them something they can really use (or eat!). With a little foresight and planning, it is possible for channel partners to buy memorable, affordable and tech-focused holiday goodies that won't immediately hit the 'circular file' upon opening. Here are some suggestions to get the creative juices flowing for fun, branded gifts to send out to your valued customers. All gifts are under $25 per item, with many coming in under $10, making them affordable holiday thank-yous that your customers will appreciate.

Amazon’s Kindle Fire has already taken the tablet market by storm, thanks to its low pricing, fine selection of integrated features, and the kind of marketing that even makes Apple take notice. But the latest rumors claim Amazon is thinking about bringing a new tablet to the market by the end of the second quarter of 2012 that would come with a bigger display -- 8.9 inches -- and feature the many services found in Amazon’s current slate. Other than that, though, little is known about the tablet, and so far, Amazon has not confirmed that it even has a new slate in the works. That shouldn’t stop us from speculating on the device, though. The 7-inch Kindle Fire is a fine device that has already captivated consumers around the U.S. And there is no reason to suggest the 8.9-inch Kindle Fire flavor won’t be able to do the same. In fact, it might just be the most successful Kindle Fire yet. Here’s why:

As the holidays fast approach, you might be thinking about some of the tech goodies to give to that someone special. But let’s face it. Unless your loved one already owns one, an iPad 2 would make the perfect gift. Here’s why you should turn forget about iPhone and iPod, ignore the Android-based tablets on store shelves, and forget about buying your loved one a television. From its simple design to its extensible functionality (think Angry Birds to email), the iPad 2 is the perfect holiday gift for that special someone this year. So, without further adieu, flip through the following slides to find out why Apple’s latest tablet is the device you should be buying for a loved one this holiday season. When they open the gift, you can be assured that they’ll be happy they got it.

Amazon’s Kindle Fire is on store shelves now for $199. And at that price, you can expect to get a pretty solid tablet that runs Android, comes with a 7-inch display, and allows access to the many Amazon services, including the Kindle e-book store and Prime Instant Video. But should you buy the Kindle Fire? After all, no tablet is perfect, and considering there are so many tablets on store shelves, including the iPad and Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, among others, making that decision is becoming increasingly difficult. Here’s a look at five positive features of the Amazon Kindle and five drawbacks to the Amazon tablet.

Tablets aren't just for Angry Birds anymore. They're becoming business productivity tools that solution providers will be asked to integrate into their customers' systems as the suite of business applications available expands beyond the basics. "Now, major software vendors are taking the tablet seriously and embracing the market, following where users want to take the platform," says David Willis, analyst and vice president with Gartner. "As media tablets become more common in business, ERP, CRM and other business application vendors are looking to sell tablet versions of their software, but they will not all be equally usable or functional." Successful business apps have been engineered by the vendor to function in a tablet-specific way that's useful, he says. "Businesses must evaluate tablet apps based on functionality and business process integration, user factors, system integration, management and security, application architecture and vendor viability." Here we take a look at the top 10 tablet business applications your customers are likely to ask for, according to Gartner.

As we navigate that critical time between tryptophan-induced naps and holiday cookie-induced comas it is time to think about those other turkeys besides the ones you just devoured: your kooky office mates. Holiday gift-exchange season is about to kick off in high form and it pays to get your game plan in order, especially if your target is of the geek persuasion. You aren't about to buy your Secret Santa recipient a new Kindle and you'll likely skip an expensive computer accessory for the white elephant gift exchange. Which is why we've run out and found some of the best gifts for under $30 that you can buy to keep your nerdy cubicle mates happy.

iPads, iPhones, Android, oh my! More employees are bringing their own devices to the office and connecting them to the corporate network. The practice poses a security risk to the network as well as a data loss risk if devices get lost. Imagine if your banker carried your social security number, account number and PINs on his iPad that he carted around everywhere with him. And what if he forgot it one day at the Starbucks? That insecurity of consumer devices in businesses is creating an enormous opportunity for IT solution providers. The trick is to provide the services customers need, but in an automated way so they don’t cost more than you can charge. Here’s a look at a host of tools that can help you get a handle on your customers’ mobile device management problems.

Now that the Amazon Kindle Fire is on store shelves, does it live up to the hype. After all, prior to its launch, just about everyone was saying that the tablet could be the kind of product that could dethrone the iPad 2, bring Android to the masses, and prove once and for all that there can be more than one company that can succeed in the tablet space. But before we get into our look at the experience of using the Kindle Fire, it’s worth noting that these are preliminary views on the device. I’ve only been using the tablet for 24 hours, and it’s quite possible that with more use, it could either become an even better mobile companion or be relegated to the back of my closet with the many other devices that, for one reason or another, fail to appeal to me any longer. So, taking that into account, take a look at these first impressions to Amazon’s new Kindle Fire tablet and the impression it provides to consumers as soon as they break it out of the box.

Motorola's ET1 tablet is designed for business, with a multi-user login feature, strong security, accessories to enable mobile POS, and better ROI than consumer tablets over a three year lifespan. The device also is superior in its management functions, enabling IT to remotely access, manage and provision thousands of devices, and even wipe them or shut them down if lost or stolen. The tablet is currently being piloted by a small group of unnamed retailers, but Channel Insider got a peek of the device recently at Motorola's offices. Take a look.

How will technology trends like mobility and social networking, have on the offices of tomorrow? According to the Workplace of the Future survey, conducted by office space design company Teknion, emerging technologies are already changing the places we work. Cisco, CoreNet Global, Jones Lang LaSall and Teknion recently presented the survey's findings at the CoreNet Global Summit in Atlanta, Ga. "By 2020, IT computing will be almost entirely outsourced to the Cloud, and the lines between business and personal technology will be blurred," said Richard Kadzis, vice president, Strategic Communications, CoreNet Global. "Since commercial real estate is hard-wired to major drivers like consumerism and social responsibility, facilities and workplaces will become an increasingly more important critical extension of the corporate brand."

With organizations drowning in threats such as Denial of Service (DoS) attacks that are not well buffeted by traditional firewall defenses, channel partners may have a huge opportunity with application delivery controllers (ADCs), known in the industry as next-generation load balancers, which organizations are using to do deep packet inspection to protect against advanced attacks. A recent survey conducted among 1,000 IT organizations around the world by Applied Research on behalf of F5 Networks found that the vast majority of these organizations are considering ADCs right now if they haven't already deployed.

As Thanksgiving nears and we all start thinking about some of the products that have helped make 2011 a memorable year, perhaps it’s also time to consider the many products, services, and people that saw failure this year. From tablets to HP’s former CEO, there were several cases of missteps and mistakes in 2011. Here’s brief look at some of those mistakes – 2011’s Tech Turkeys -- and why they happened.

Now that the Barnes & Noble Nook Tablet is getting ready to hit store shelves and the Amazon Kindle Fire is just around the corner, there are many consumers and even some enterprise users that are wondering which tablet they should buy. They want to know if the slightly more expensive Nook Tablet justifies the price or if all the hype surrounding the Nook Tablet is justified. By the look of things, the Kindle Fire seems to be a winner. It comes with a fantastic price tag -- $199 -- and features access to Amazon’s many services, including its Kindle e-book store, its cloud storage offering, and more. But the Nook Tablet, on the other hand, doesn’t look so promising. Sure, it has many of the same features as the Kindle Fire and in some cases, it trumps Amazon’s alternative. But when we consider the Nook Tablet from top to bottom, we quickly discover that it falls flat. Here’s why.

When it comes to companies that have so-called “fans,” nowhere is the battle more bitter than between the fans of Apple and of Google. Fans of those two companies have believed for years that their favorite company is the best, and the other is, well, a loser. However, such opinions don’t necessarily make much sense. The fact is both Apple and Google are doing an exceedingly fine job offering products and services that both consumers and enterprise users can get behind. And to fault either company for the many fine products they’re offering is a mistake, to say the least. And yet, the hatred continues. No matter what Apple does, Google fans can’t stand the iPhone maker. And no matter how many fine products and solutions Google offers up, Apple fans see no value in them. It’s a never-ending issue that, one way or another, fails to make customers see all the benefits out there. Here’s a look at some of the (awful) reasons Google fans can’t stand the iPhone. Take a look.

Just a year after it bought Palm and its webOS for over a billion dollars, HP announced plans to discontinue offering smartphones and tablets based on the webOS platform. Many thought that was the death knell for the webOS platform. But wait. A whole bunch of companies are reportedly interested in buying webOS from HP. Some experts say webOS’s extensive patent portfolio makes it a worthy investment for companies embroiled in the complex world of patent lawsuits. Others speculate that it could be turned into an underlying OS for some other platform or device. In any case, here’s a look at the potential buyers of webOS.

Electronics retailer Best Buy has apparently seen the writing on the wall regarding the future of technology sales. Acknowledging the growth of both mobility and managed services, as well as the decline of big box retail amid competition from a host of companies in those areas, the company has made a series of strategic announcements. Here's a look.

Hewlett-Packard has made the not-so-surprising decision to keep its PC business in place, and not spin it off. The company said that the decision should help HP reach new heights, but also put it on a course to success, even though several major threats remain. The decision also proved just how different former HP CEO Leo Apotheker and the company’s current chief executive Meg Whitman are. Apotheker thought that HP’s business relied upon the success or failure of software and solutions. But Whitman thinks that PCs must play an integral role in that. And she has decided to prove it. So, should HP have stuck with PCs? Absolutely. Although it might face some challenges in the coming months and years and margins won’t get any better, the company has what it takes to be successful in the PC business. Most importantly, it has a system already set up that should allow it to continue to lead that space for the foreseeable future. Here’s why HP’s decision to stick with PCs makes sense.

Earlier this month, channel partners got together to party ASCII Group-style at the annual awards bacchanalia that has its winners drink a boozy tribute to their success from a giant silver-gilt trophy cup. Held at the RIO in Las Vegas, this year's ASCII Cup award went to storage vendor Intronis for its work with the channel. Also honored were Autotask, Reflexion Networks, Hewlett Packard and Level Platforms. Channel Insider brings you the incriminating photos of the celebratory sips.

When it comes to cash, Apple is definitely in the money. At last count the iPhone-maker had more than $81 billion in cash reserves that it has yet to tap into. For years critics and analysts have wondered why Apple clings to its cash more fervently than Scrooge McDuck, but Apple merely shrugs them off and continues to rake in the Benjamins, moving on to launch its latest "next big thing." But is it time for Apple to start to consider putting some of that cash to good use? With all of the money it's sitting on, Apple can buy up major companies without fear of hurting its core business. What's more, it has enough cash to pay a serious dividend to shareholders that have stuck with the company through thick and thin. In the following slides, we take a look at what Apple could be doing with all of its cash. Some of these options might seem risky, while others seem like ideas ripe for the picking. It's time for Apple to put its cash to good use. Here is what we think they should do with all that money.

IBM‘s current CEO Sam Palmisano will be leaving the company at the end of the year and will be replaced with current IBM senior vice president Virginia Rometty starting January 1. Most say that the appointment of Rometty to the CEO position at IBM is a good one, considering she has played a key role in improving customer relations and setting IBM on a strategic path that has delivered to shareholders some of the best performance the company has ever seen.But simply following in Palmisano’s footsteps won’t be enough for Rometty. Quite the contrary, she has quite a bit of work cut out for her if she wants to keep IBM atop the technology industry. And although she shouldn’t do anything drastic that could potentially put the company in harm’s way, she should consider making several moves that, in the long-run, could improve IBM’s chances of success. Here’s a look at what IBM’s next CEO Virginia Rometty should do

Who is Virginia Rometty? Yes, she is the 30-year Big Blue veteran who will be taking the helm of the technology giant on January 1 2012 when current CEO Sam Palmisano retires. The 54-year-old IBM star had quite a career at IBM, helping the company through some of the most major changes in its history. Here’s a look at Rometty and her accomplished career at IBM.

Ghost in the machine? Blue Screen of Death? Or is there something even scarier? Gather ‘round, IT professionals, for some truly scary stories from the server room. In honor of Halloween, Channel Insider asked IT veterans to tell the tales of their scariest IT mishaps and embarrassments they've seen out in the field. Do you dare to read them all?

For some folks, a nasty divorce can be a worse ordeal than being trapped in a room full of feral ferrets. But if a new survey out from Websense is to be believed, many IT professionals would rate huge life changes like divorce, car accidents or moving homes over the pressure piled on by data protection duties. The survey polled over 1,000 IT managers from the US, Canada, the UK and Australia. We take a peek at the US respondents' answers.

As mobile devices continue to grow more powerful and more prevalent in the workplace, IT departments must learn to adjust to the risks they bring. According to the experts, the following types of devices pose the biggest threats to organizations large and small.

With the announcement of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, Google showed off its latest and greatest Android version, “Ice Cream Sandwich.” The operating system, which is the fourth generation of Google’s mobile platform should be rolled out to other devices in the coming months, and will likely be running on many of the Android-based smartphones that ship after the Galaxy Nexus is made available in November. Although Google has shown off the platform and has touted its quality, not much has been done to ensure consumers or enterprise users walk away with a keen sense of what it offers. In fact, Google has done a relatively poor job of filling users in on all the things that make the operating system special. But we’ve got you covered. Here’s a look at what makes Android 4.0, “Ice Cream Sandwich,” special.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer hasn’t always been the most complimentary when it comes to talking about Google. In fact, he has spent an inordinate amount of time over the last several years trying to take shots at Google. To Ballmer, Google is a major threat that needs to be dealt with each and every day. And he would like nothing more than to take the search giant down before, well, Google takes Microsoft down. Ballmer’s most recent shot over Google’s bow came at the Web 2.0 Summit recently when the CEO said that Android is “for computer scientists.” Windows Phone, he said, doesn’t require users to be a “computer scientist,” which in and of itself, makes the operating system a better choice. It was an odd statement and one that, as expected, caused some outcry from Android supporters. But those folks should realize that this is nothing new from Ballmer. And it’s just more proof that he doesn’t understand Android. Take a look at what Steve Ballmer doesn’t “get” about Android:

What technologies will be most strategic for organizations in 2012? Market research powerhouse Gartner has weighed in with its forecast, presented during the Gartner Symposium/ITxpo, with its list of strategic technologies that offer the potential for significant impact in the enterprise in the next three years. That means they may have a high potential for disruption to IT or the business, the need for a big investment, or the potential for a big penalty for those who are late to adopt. “These top 10 technologies will be strategic for most organizations, and IT leaders should use this list in their strategic planning process by reviewing the technologies and how they fit into their expected needs,” said David Cearley, vice president and Gartner fellow. Gartner recommends organizations begin exploratory projects to look at these technologies. Here’ are Gartner’s picks for the top 10 strategic technologies for 2012.

You may already know this, but it's tough times for technology professionals today. A new survey shows just over 51 percent of IT field service professionals said that reduced business spending and few IT service job opportunities has hurt their bottom lines. Online technology talent marketplace OnForce has launched this new quarterly study that measures business confidence. Called the OnForce IT Field Services Confidence Index, the study shows that entrepreneurs in IT field services are pessimistic about the current economic situation. “These small businesses are on the front lines of the IT industry and are a great indicator of what’s really happening in IT,” said Peter Cannone, CEO of OnForce. “This new index adds a clear, quantitative measure that will give the industry a way to move beyond broad generalizations and anecdotes.” Here's a look at what they said, including the silver linings reveal an underlying optimism.

After a long wait, Apple’s iCloud is finally available to users of the company’s products and services. And as the latest entrants to the service have undoubtedly found, the platform works exceedingly well both as a syncing tool and a storage option. What’s more, it appears that Apple is ready and willing to improve the platform to make it even more appealing in the future. But for those who haven’t tried out iCloud just yet or simply want to know more about it, the following slides should be quite helpful. We take a look at some of the finest aspects of iCloud, and talk about why the average Apple product user should want to take advantage of the free service. Could iCloud be better? Sure. Could it have more features? Of course. But for a first run, iCloud compares quite well to just about every other cloud-based service on the market. Flip through the following slides to learn more about iCloud and some of the key features that make it a worthwhile option for consumers and maybe even enterprise users.

Whenever there is talk of Google, the company’s supporters cheer the fact that they believe the search giant is making Microsoft look bad. They point to the firm’s dominance in search, its control of the advertising market, and its ability to succeed in the mobile space with Android as proof of that. And they hold no punches back when they say that Microsoft simply doesn’t have what it takes to compete on the same level as Google any longer. However, that might not be the case. Sure, Google is doing a better job of accepting the changing times, but Microsoft is still a major player in the industry, and a company that has the unique ability to succeed, even in the face of adversity. What’s more, there are several ways in which Microsoft is making Google look bad. And by the look of things, that won’t end anytime soon. Flip through the following slides to find out the ways in which Microsoft is doing what some thought impossible— making Google, a top company in the industry, look bad.

At its iPhone event last week, Apple failed to show off the iPhone 5, deciding instead to unveil its iPhone 4S. Although that device is quite nice in its own right, it fails to live up to the hype that surrounded the iPhone 5. According to rumors that cropped up before the event, the iPhone 5 was "supposed to" have a big display, 4G connectivity, and several other features that would have made it a hit among consumers and perhaps enterprise users, alike. But now that the iPhone 5 won’t be making his way to store shelves, consumers might be wondering when the device will finally do so. At this point, Apple isn’t talking, and it’s quite possible that the company won’t make any announcements for quite some time. But if history is to be one’s guide, it looks quite likely that the iPhone 5 will make its debut in 2012. By then, just about all the pieces will fall into place to make it the right time to release the device. Some might be wondering why Apple will wait until next year to release its iPhone 5. After all, those folks say, if it exists already, why shouldn’t it be coming out this year? Unfortunately, there are several reasons the iPhone 5 will need to wait until next year. Here’s why.

Apple showed off its iPhone 4S at an Oct. 4 event. The handset, which is the latest entrant in the company’s wildly popular iPhone line, comes with a host of improvements, including a dual-core processor, a new 64GB storage option, and the ability for owners to use the device anywhere around the world by connecting to GSM networks. What’s more, Apple has been able to deliver 4G-like speeds without requiring folks to connect to 4G networks. Best of all, the iPhone 4S has the same price as its predecessor, the iPhone 4. When the iPhone 4S launches on Oct. 14, speculation abounds that the device will perform extremely well at retail. Preorders are already very high. After all, the iPhone 4 has been quite popular, and the iPhone 4S is an upgrade over that device. Plus, as we head into the crucial holiday-shopping season, Apple has the right handset to succeed. But just because the company’s devices have succeeded in the past, it doesn’t automatically mean that the iPhone 4S will be a success. Quite the contrary, several factors will determine its success or failure in the mobile space. Here’s a look.

As the iPhone 4S prepares to hit store shelves, there are many Apple fans around the world that are excited to finally get their hands on it. Sure, it might not be the long-rumored iPhone 5, but it’s the next-best thing for many folks. And when it comes to Apple products, even the next-best thing is a worthwhile purchase for millions of people around the globe. But for Android owners, that’s not necessarily the case. Quite the contrary, Android owners aren’t all that impressed with the iPhone 4S, and see it more as a derivative addition to the mobile space, rather than something that the average person feels is truly groundbreaking. After all, those folks might say, they have handsets they’re already using that deliver much of the functionality being offered in the iPhone 4S. And in some cases, the devices offering that functionality are cheaper than Apple’s own option. Simply put, the iPhone 4S might not be for everyone, especially those who already own the latest Android-based products. Here’s a look at why the iPhone 4S isn’t impressing Android fans.

Sure, Steve Jobs founded, built and led a company that created revolutionary technology products – products that harnessed the power of technology for the non-technically inclined. You probably have an iPhone in your pocket or an iPad in your briefcase. But Jobs left us with much more than just products as his legacy. Your iPhone will be obsolete in a few years. But Steve Jobs’ words of wisdom live on. Jobs left us his vision and lessons of a lifetime of not compromising, pursuing an entrepreneurial dream, and reaching for the best. Here’s a look at Steve’s lessons to us all, in his own words.

Need more proof that outsourcing of IT services, from software to platforms, is growing? A new Gartner report notes that worldwide platform as a service revenue is growing at a rapid clip, and another survey conducted by the firm says that a huge majority of organizations are investing in or planning to invest in software as a service. Gartner surveyed 525 organizations in nine countries spanning 12 vertical industries in June and July about their use and plans for SaaS in the months and years ahead. Here’s a look at the breakdown.

Even though organizations know that employee use of social media puts their security at risk, many still allow employees to use these networks with little oversight or controls to truly mitigate those risks. That’s according to a new survey conducted on behalf of Websense. The Ponemon Institute survey queried over 4,600 IT decision makers and found that the majority of organizations do not enforce policies if they have them at all. What’s more, leadership mistakenly believes that traditional antivirus solutions are still a cure for the security risks that crop up due to use of social media. Here’s a look at what these IT decision makers said and the disconnect that could put their firms at risk.

All kinds of trouble is breaking loose at HP. The company has a new CEO -- its second in the last year -- and its stock price is plummeting. HP’s PC division is in shambles, and might soon be spun off to make the parent company more financially sound. The HP TouchPad has been discontinued, and WebOS is being all but ignored. To say that HP itself might be in trouble would be an understatement. But for potential suitors, HP’s troubles are turning out to be a good thing. Not only does the company’s declining stock price make it cheaper to acquire the firm, but shareholder complaints about the stock seem to indicate that if such a deal were offered, the PC giant would be more likely to accept a deal than ever before. Talk of an HP acquisition first cropped up recently when analysts, and then a report from Bloomberg suggested Oracle was at least considering acquiring HP. Neither firm has confirmed those details, of course, but the idea of such an acquisition is intriguing, to say the least. Here’s a look at some of the companies that could be strong contenders to acquire HP. And if they can’t buy HP outright, some of the following firms could potentially acquire one of HP’s divisions, like the PC business.

Amazon has officially unveiled its tablet, called the Kindle Fire. The Android-based device comes with a 7-inch, color, multitouch display, and allows users to access all kinds of content, including music, movies, e-books, and more. Even with all those features, the device is on sale for only $199, making it one of the most compelling tablet offers in the industry. As soon as the Kindle Fire was announced, the device was compared to Apple’s iPad 2, the leading device in the marketplace. However, Amazon has shied away from those comparisons, opting instead to say that the Fire is simply another entrant into the marketplace for consumers to consider. Perhaps Amazon is right to distance its tablet from the iPad. After all, Apple’s device has a bigger display, features a camera, supports 3G connectivity, and comes with Bluetooth. Amazon’s option, on the other hand, lacks all those features. Plus, at less than half the price of the cheapest iPad 2, it might be an unfair comparison to make. But even with its notable shortcomings, the Kindle Fire looks to be an outstanding option for just about any consumer. From its price to its selection of content, the device could very well become the next big thing in the tablet space.

Business and technology risks are on the rise in both quantity and complexity. That's according to a new survey conducted by Coleman Parkes Research on behalf of HP among 550 senior business and technology executives at midmarket companies. Meanwhile, most executives feel they still need to do a better job with IT security and plan to spend more in 2012 on this budget category. Here's a look at they what they said.

Effective collaboration among employees and business partners is essential in today’s business world. Maybe that’s why web conferencing is on the rise. Companies are making use of technology to hold meetings between people in different locations. Whether it’s voice only, voice and video, screen sharing or other functions, more workers are collaborating with the help of technology. Cisco WebEx alone hosts an average of 310,000 meetings per day. Although the market for web conferencing solutions is dominated by a very small number of major players, the number of different companies offering web conferencing services of various types is huge. From simple conferencing tools that do little more than enable desktop and application sharing to the more complex services that tie in audio (either call-out/in or VoIP), video (one-way or conferencing), IM (whether consumer or enterprise) and complete collaboration features, businesses have a lot of choice today when they need a web conferencing service. Prices vary widely, as well. Some companies offer part or all of their services for free, and others base their pricing on the features they offer. Here’s a look at eight web conferencing solutions for your business. Some will be familiar and others might be new, but there’s something for everybody.

After 11 months as CEO of HP, Leo Apotheker has finally been fired, and replaced with none other than former eBay CEO Meg Whitman. As with any other major move on the part of a huge company, the decision to place Whitman as CEO to replace Apotheker has been met with differing opinions. Some say it was a smart move, so she can help revive HP’s ailing consumer business. Others say that HP’s decision to hire Whitman as CEO will prove troublesome for the firm’s enterprise division and thus, should not have happened. Regardless, Whitman is now CEO. And although some might not like it, she will be the person to decide HP’s fate for the foreseeable future. When she does so, however, Whitman must be careful. HP is on the brink of disaster due to Apotheker’s outright inability to manage the firm in a beneficial way. Realizing that, if Whitman makes the wrong move, it could have a disastrous effect on HP’s business. But luckily for Whitman, we’ve prepared for her a short cheat sheet that she should consider as she starts making decisions. If she follows these strategies, things at HP will be much better in short order.

When CEO Leo Apotheker joined HP in November, he was expected to bring a fresh new look and feel to the business. Given his recent history as CEO of SAP, it seemed like the perfect time for the company to improve its standing in the software business and become a major force in the enterprise. At least when it came to the board’s feelings towards Apotheker, he seemed like the perfect choice. But in just the last 10 months, it has become quite clear that Apotheker isn’t ready to be leading as sophisticated a company as HP. His background in software did not prepare him for success in the PC business, and when it came to consumers, Apotheker seemed lost. Whereas Mark Hurd had some success, Apotheker has had none. And now, it’s abundantly clear that something must change. According to recent rumors, HP’s board is preparing to remove Apotheker. If it follows through with that plan, it would be a smart move. Simply put, Apotheker is not working out as HP’s CEO, and the time has come to find a suitable replacement.

Cynics, put this research in your pipes and smoke it: according to a new study out from Webroot, three quarters of employees really do try their best to adhere to company IT security policies. So those slackers out there who have eschewed the development of a comprehensive security policy document because 'they'll only try to get around it anyway' may need to find another excuse or just get with the program. The survey was conducted among 2,500 workers in the U.S., Australia and U.K. Here’s a closer look at what they said.

Some say the Age of the PC is over -- that the traditional PC is dead as products such as the iPad and other tablets attract more users from both the enterprise and among consumers. Tablet sales have climbed dramatically while PC sales indicate that we’ve indeed entered a mature market phase. Even the every reliable PC replacement cycle is failing to deliver like it used to. To add insult to injury the leader in PC sales, HP, is talking about potentially selling or spinning off its PC business. And critics point to the end of the Microsoft Windows era as PCs go the way of punch cards. But all that talk may be no more than just talk. The fact of the matter is, the PC Age is still here, and desktops and laptops will survive (and thrive) over the next several years. Sure, tablets are important, but they’re not taking parts of the pie from laptops; they’re making the pie bigger. Here’s why the death of PCs has been greatly exaggerated.

The Motorola Droid Bionic is all the rage in the Android marketplace right now. The device, which comes with a big, 4.3-inch qHD display, 4G connectivity, and Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread is widely recognized as the most compelling smartphone on the market right now, save for the iPhone 4. So far, the critics have celebrated its functionality, and as Google prepares to acquire Motorola Mobility, the Droid Bionic is being looked at as the device the search giant can build on when it takes control over the mobile vendor. All that excitement surrounding the Droid Bionic doesn’t fail, however, to recognize that the device could very well be a major contender with the iPhone 5 when Apple finally launches that smartphone. After all, they will likely both connect to the Web via 4G, they will both deliver the latest and greatest versions of their respective operating systems. And perhaps most importantly, they’re vying for the same customers. Simply put, the iPhone and Droid Bionic will be the mobile market’s best fight in the coming year. Here’s why.

Last month, HP made the surprising decision to discontinue its TouchPad tablet, all but kill off its mobile operating system, WebOS, and consider spinning off its PC business. According to HP, the decision to engage in such drastic measures was based in its desire to focus more on software and solutions, and at the end of the day, become a more well-rounded and financially stable company. Meanwhile, rumors surrounding the iPhone 5 continued to heat up. While HP was complaining about the state of the tablet business, reports said the iPhone 5 would come with a bigger display. As HP CEO Leo Apotheker talked about WebOS’ uncertain future, rumors of the iPhone 5 launching in October stole headlines. Simply put, for every company in trouble, there is another that’s wildly successful. And nowhere is that more apparent than in the technology industry between Apple and HP. That’s why, when the iPhone 5 launches, HP, if it were still competing in the mobile space, could have learned a thing or two about the mobile space. Apple has proven time and again that it knows what it’s doing in the smartphone market, and it will likely show that again when its next smartphone launches. Here’s a look at what HP should have learned from the iPhone 5 and Apple’s launch of its newest iOS device.

Can bitter rivals become marriage partners? HP (NYSE:HPQ) and Oracle (NASDAQ:ORCL) have done nothing but spar over the past year as Oracle hired ousted HP CEO Mark Hurd, HP lambasted Oracle for dropping support of the Intel Itanium platform, ex-HP channel chief Adrian Jones signed up with Oracle and Oracle CEO Larry Ellison publicly and colorfully criticized the HP board of directors on more than one occasion. Now as HP contemplates spinning off its PC business and has committed to paying way too much for a software company, one analyst points to several reasons why it may be a good idea for Oracle to acquire HP. Here's what Bernstein Research's Toni Sacconaghi says about why Oracle may want to acquire HP

Ever since the debut of Apple’s iPhone smartphone, mobile devices have traveled an unstoppable path towards market dominance, with their growth rate dwarfing that of PCs. Now users are using Apple iPad and a host of Android smartphones and tablets from names such as HTC, Lenovo, Dell and others. More people are accessing the internet on the go, too. So it should come as no surprise that as PC market growth has slowed, the momentum of people accessing the Internet via PCs versus accessing the Internet via their mobile devices has shifted. Indeed, IDC is predicting a shift of tectonic proportions in the years to come. Here’s a look at the rise of mobile internet browsing and how its shockwaves will affect other trends as well.

Microsoft will showcase Windows 8 for the first time at its BUILD Conference. So far, there’s no telling what will be discussed at the event, but it’s a critical moment for Microsoft. And for good reason. Windows 8 is the future of Microsoft’s desktop plans, and if the operating system fails, it could irrevocably harm Microsoft in the marketplace. But if it succeeds, Microsoft could cement itself as the go-to option for software for the foreseeable future. Especially since Microsoft’s Windows 8 is also considered the software giant’s best play at the tablet market so far, going up against formidable competitors such as Apple’s iPad. Simply put, there is a lot riding on Windows 8. And at BUILD, Microsoft will make that abundantly clear. Here’s a look at what Microsoft needs to reveal about Windows 8 at the BUILD conference.

A quick Google search of the term “iPhone” reveals billions of results. More results than units every produced. Everything from the newest information on the upcoming iPhone 5 to old reviews of the outdated models of Apple’s game-changing handset. The sheer breadth of content available in search results about Apple’s iPhone is enough to blow away even the most cynical. But why does the iPhone get all that attention? Does it have something special that other devices don’t? Does it offer more appeal than other devices out there? Quite simply, yes and yes. But there’s more to it than that. The iPhone has received all the attention in today’s wireless industry because of a host of factors that other devices simply can’t capitalize on. Like it or not, the iPhone has earned its position as the most important device in the industry. And all the attention it gets is the result of years of hard work put in by Apple and its supporters. Now, Apple is reaping the benefits of that.
Here’s a look at why Apple’s iPhone has beat out every other device.

Rumors about the future of Apple's iPhone and iPad are all the rage in the mobile space. From the executives at competitors like Google and Samsung to tech-forward consumers hoping to get their hands on the next-big-thing as soon as it hits store shelves, Apple's next moves are a guessing game full of speculation and rumor. But not all reports are created equal. Some surmise things that are just plain crazy—that Apple would deign to run Android on its devices. Others, like speculation the next-gen iThings will have bigger or higher-resolution displays, seem more likely. In either case, customers and enterprises are clamoring for information on what they should expect from Apple when it finally unveils its new iPhones and iPads. With that in mind, here we offer up a quick cheat-sheet taking a look at rumors swirling about the iPhone 5 and iPad 3 that we think deserve the most attention. Will they all come true? As with other Apple products, it’s impossible to know for sure. But one thing is certain, if the iPhone and iPad 3 do come with these features, they will be highly desirable on the open market. Flip through the following slides to learn more about what could be coming next from Apple.

Most IT solution providers understand the value of independent contractors. If they aren't working as one themselves, they often use these contractors and consultants to bulk out their rosters without adding the cost and liability of bringing on extra full-time workers. Now a recent survey by MBO Partners, a firm that specializes in acting as a consultant for the consultants shows how much the trend of self-employment has grown. MBO surveyed over 1700 independent and regular full-time employee workers to capture these findings.

After former HP CEO Mark Hurd left the company, and the PC maker was forced to find a replacement, its future was very much in doubt. There was widespread speculation that HP couldn’t find a person to run the company in the same effective manner as Hurd. And although there were some folks at HP that some shareholders thought could lead the firm into the next decade, the board eventually chose someone outside the company, Leo Apotheker.
The decision to appoint Apotheker as CEO was a surprising one. He didn’t seem like an ideal candidate for a company that was heavily invested in hardware. Apotheker has little experience in that market. And yet, he is in charge at HP. And in August, he made the decision to drastically overhaul the company’s operations by discontinuing the HP TouchPad, essentially dropping WebOS, and asking the board to consider spinning off the PC business. These were surprising moves, and for many industry onlookers, it looked like it could run HP into the ground. Here’s a look at how Apotheker is doing more harm than good at HP.

As partners and customers start to deal with the aftermath of the Virginia earthquake and the Eastern seaboard hurricane, it never hurts to run through some of the dos and don'ts of handling damaged equipment--particularly storage devices in need of work by data recovery specialists. According to the experts at Kroll Ontrack, the following are some of the most important considerations to keep in mind in the short- and long-term. Kroll Ontrack is currently offering free data recovery evaluations and discounted data recovery service for all desktops, laptops and USB drives affected by Hurricane Irene, as well as a discounted rate on all servers, tapes and other methods of storage affected by the hurricane. These offers stand through October 31, 2011. "Heavy storms causing rolling blackouts and power outages are significant causes of data loss, and damage to personal property during severe weather can be devastating," said Todd Johnson, vice president of operations for Kroll Ontrack. "While most possessions can be replaced and are usually covered by insurance, the same cannot be said for digital data."

In the mobile market, consumers often look to Apple to set the benchmark by which all other devices and companies are judged. But in one key area -- carrier availability -- Apple has fallen short, causing those folks to look elsewhere for options. When the iPhone first launched, it was available only on AT&T’s network. And over the next several years, Apple kept it that way, until earlier this year when it finally brought the device to Verizon Wireless’ network. Now, the smartphone is rumored to be coming to Sprint when the iPhone 5 launches later this year, paving the way for U.S.-based customers to have yet another option available to them when deciding if they want Apple’s smartphone or not. Now that the cat has been let out of the bag, perhaps it’s time to think about why consumers should consider waiting to buy another smartphone until the Sprint-ready iPhone 5 is released. Sure, it might be a couple months, but rest assured, that the wait could pay off in a big way. Flip through the following slides to learn more:

While it may seem surprising to some that Steve Jobs decided to bow out of the leadership role at Apple, it is hardly a surprise to see Tim Cook take the reins. For the better part of 15 years Cook has been groomed for the role, helping Apple improve its margins by steadily improving the thorny knot of supply chain and logistics problems that once plagued the company. Here's an inside view of this quiet leader inside of Apple who is now coming to the forefront.

Hewlett-Packard has done what some thought to be impossible: discontinue its TouchPad and drastically alter its path to the future. Some say that the move has been a long time coming and should help the company get some of the issues out of the firm. However, there are others that are confused by the move, especially HP’s decision to consider spinning off its PC business. After all, PCs have been integral to the company’s operation all these years. And now, to think that it’s getting rid of that key sector, is a major surprise. But when it’s all said and done, when the move is taken with a firm grasp on how the market operates, it’s tough to see any good come out of HP’s decision. The new strategy seems contrived and lacking in vision for what the future might hold. In many ways, the strategy is just plain wrong. Here’s why HP’s decision to ditch the TouchPad and potentially spin off its PC business is all kinds of bad, and when it’s all said and done, do nothing to actually help the firm.

Facebook is unveiling sweeping new privacy changes, but many of its users may not even care. That’s because more people report that social media just isn’t as cool and exciting as it used to be. A new Gartner survey shows signs of maturity in the social media market with some users in certain segments exhibiting “social media fatigue.” The research firm polled 6,295 people between the ages of 13 and 74 in 11 developed and developing markets in December 2010 and January 2011. Here’s what they said.

Mature organizations that utilize security information and event management (SIEM) tools want their technology to be more than just a fulfillment device. They want it to provide actionable data. But in making that transformation, they're running into the same data warehousing and data management problems that business intelligence professionals face. "The intersection of SIEM, data warehousing, and business intelligence resonates throughout the IT organization and is driven by three powerful forces: vast amounts of data being generated by IT systems; sophisticated and difficult to discover new threats; and the added complexity from mobile device proliferation, IT consumerization and cloud computing requirements. This combination creates a perfect storm for even the most advanced IT organization," wrote experts from Forrester Consulting, which recently released a study commissioned by data warehouse software provider Sensage that examined the practices of 60 SIEM-wielding enterprises. Of the organizations that responded, 95 percent pointed to one or more areas where they’d like to see more advanced analytics capabilities from their SIEM tool, including greater flexibility to pursue non-standard analysis and a more sophisticated correlation across siloed processes.

HP (NYSE:HPQ) didn’t always think webOS and TouchPad was doomed. It was only 16 months ago that HP proudly announced plans to buy Palm for $1.2 billion and use its webOS as the basis for a new line of business. “Palm’s innovative operating system provides an ideal platform to expand HP’s mobility strategy and create a unique HP experience spanning multiple mobile connected devices,” said Todd Bradley, executive vice president, Personal Systems Group of HP, in a statement released back then. “And, Palm possesses significant IP assets and has a highly skilled team. The smartphone market is large, profitable and rapidly growing, and companies that can provide an integrated device and experience command a higher share. Advances in mobility are offering significant opportunities, and HP intends to be a leader in this market.” But things didn’t quite work out as planned. Here’s why.

Traveling can wreak havoc on the nerves. Between gate delays, unfamiliar transit and taxis, and inconvenient facilities, even the most centered and seasoned travel pro can be stressed out on the road. Fortunately, there's an app for that. Travel savvy software makers have created several very practical mobile apps designed to make life on the road just a little bit easier. And less stress means more time spent focusing on work, pleasing clients and sealing deals.

Speculation abounds that e-commerce giant Amazon is planning to launch a tablet to compete with Apple’s iPad, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, and others, at some point in the next 12 months. Some say that Amazon will offer up a single tablet by the end of this year, while other reports suggest the company will deliver a less-feature rich option this year, and a more-upscale version next year. In either case, it appears Amazon is ready to enter the tablet space. Yet when it does, Amazon will be facing off against Apple’s iPad 2, an entrenched market-leader that has proven it can vanquish even the most capable-seeming alternatives. To avoid winding up like the others and actually offer up a product that consumers and maybe even enterprise users want, Amazon will need to deliver a host of features that those markets are looking for. Here we take a look at those features, and explain why Amazon must incorporate them in its tablets if it wants those products to succeed in the hyper-competitive tablet marketplace. Check out the following slides to learn more.

Tablets are everywhere these days. From Apple's market-leading iPad 2 to Research In Motion's BlackBerry Playbook to HP's TouchPad to the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, there are a host of products on store shelves right now that are appealing to consumers and enterprise users alike. And if analyst reports on shipments are to be believed, tablets will continue to be on consumers' minds as the market evolves and ever more vendors get into the game. But what if, after the next few years of strong growth, tablet popularity starts to fizzle? Sure, it doesn’t seem all that likely right now as vendors scramble to bring new products to market, but as with anything else, tablets have the potential to become little more than a fad that died off rather unceremoniously. (Remember netbooks?) Many will argue that tablets are more than just the next MySpace – a hot new thing that winds up being a has-been before its first decade is out – but further inspection reveals that tablets, while wildly popular, might not always stay the blockbuster, game-changing mobile devices that they are considered today. Flip through the following slides to find out why.

As tablets become more popular around the world, a growing number of people are deciding to leave their laptops at home when they go on a personal or business trip and bring their slates instead. Those folks reason that their tablets can offer the same basic functionality as their laptops, including Web browsing and checking e-mail, but deliver more mobility. It's a concept that, at first glance, seems to make some sense. But before those folks leave their notebooks at home and head out on their trip, they should consider some of the things they're giving up by choosing a tablet over their favorite mobile computer. Not only will they lose productivity, but they also might not be able to perform all the work-related tasks that they can on their notebook. What's more, tablets tend to be more fragile, making them potential liabilities for some users. Simply put, it might be a better idea when going on your next trip to leave your tablet at home and bring your laptop instead. Here’s why.

In the mobile market, there is an ongoing debate over what devices are best for consumers and enterprise users. For the most part, those discussions revolve around the different devices companies sell. For example, some folks wonder if the iPad or the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 is best. And convincing arguments can be made for either device. But there is, perhaps, a more compelling argument to be made for another device -- smartphones. While tablets and smartphones can both deliver mobility, the same operating systems, and applications, they may seem seem equally competitive. But in reality, they’re not. As nice as tablets are -- and they are quite nice -- they aren’t as appealing as smartphones. Handsets are simply the best options for both consumers and enterprise users alike. And if those folks are trying to decide between a tablet and a smartphone, the latter is best. Here’s why.

As the bread-and-butter customer base for much of the channel, small and medium business (SMB) IT spend can often be the best predictor of market and revenue growth for partners. According to several recent reports over the last month, signs look good as many SMBs look to increase their overall spending on the backs of important campaigns such as mobile implementations, cloud purchases and network improvements. Channel Insider takes a look at highlights from Parks Associates, IDC and CompTIA about what the purse-holders at SMB companies are thinking.

When you think of smartphones and mobile devices, Microsoft isn't the first name that comes to mind. Research In Motion is doing better, but its BlackBerry smartphones are losing out to Apple's iPhone and the myriad Android devices popping up from vendors like Samsung and Motorola. Other companies simply offer more compelling options to both consumers and enterprise users. But what can RIM and Microsoft do to try and capture a greater slice of the mobile market? It's not clear whether they need new strategies or if they will eventually see success from walking their current paths, waiting for customers to see the value in what they offer. But what if the two joined forces and merged? That may be the best chance for both of them to keep the Google/Apple juggernaut at bay. Maybe the best option would be a merger between the two in which RIM becomes a division of Microsoft. Admittedly, such a move would be controversial. But at this point, for the good of both companies, Microsoft must buy Research In Motion. Flip through the following slides to find out why:

Everybody knows by now that the Apps are what make smartphones revolutionary all-purpose tools. These modern day Swiss Army knives can be equipped with just what you need to make your life better, improve your finances, stay connected or not with the office or friends and family, find the best value for your dollar, stay informed or just relax and watch a movie. Here’s a look at the top App essentials you should have to make your life better, more efficient and more fun.

Hands off my iPhone! A recent survey of 500 workers in the US and UK found that some users feel so strongly about having a choice of what mobile phone they use in the workplace that they’d be willing to give up another perk, even coffee. The survey, conducted by Sybase, showed that half the respondents would rather choose the mobile device they use at work rather than have the company make that decision for them. Here’s a look at what else they said.

Is data less secure during an economic downturn? If your firm is laying off workers, the answer is yes. IT workers are able to access a range of sensitive information, including the CEO's private documents, and some would do whatever it took to benefit from that access if they were to be laid off. That’s according to a new survey by password management firm Lieberman Software of 500 of technology professionals from the US and the UK. The survey showed that many of these workers were skittish about their job stability and would have access to sensitive information if they were to get fired. Here’s a look at what else they said.

Microsoft has been generating billions of dollars in revenue and profits over the last several years through both good times and bad. And although Office has been an integral component in that success, Microsoft’s Windows operating system is also a key component. The software giant’s operating system is currently running on hundreds of millions of computers around the world, making it one of the most influential and important products in the world. With Windows 7, Microsoft has reached new heights. The operating system is wildly popular and being used by people everywhere. Even as reports crop up suggesting Microsoft will be launching Windows 8 next year, companies still are planning to invest in Microsoft’s current operating system. To say that it has been a sales marvel for Microsoft would be an understatement. But with any success comes lessons. And for Microsoft, there are several lessons to be learned from Windows 7. Here’s a look at those lessons and what they have to teach Microsoft about how to make Windows 8 succeed.

With its hands simultaneously in the pies of the IT administrative tools development, IT online community development and technology advertising markets, Spiceworks has built its business on bucking trends and evading market definitions within the technology industry. This has kicked up plenty of healthy competition in a wide range of technology niches. Not surprisingly, that’s made Spiceworks a target for some who have had their businesses disrupted. Here’s a look at Spiceworks’ worst enemies.

Part remote monitoring and management tool provider, part media company, part IT social networking firm, Spiceworks has turned the SMB IT industry on its head in the five short years it has been in business. Now with the company dipping its toes in the IT product sourcing market, Spiceworks is playing in a lot of the same ball fields as VARs and channel providers. Is it an enabler or a threat?

As the U.S. job market continues to drag, showing few signs of improvement, now might be the time to start thinking about your IT career and where you stand in the competitive labor market. Thankfully, Apple’s App Store offers a wide range of applications designed to give you a leg up in determining your options. iPhone and iPad apps as diverse as resume builders, job interview test runs and even applications that help you ensure your tie is perfectly knotted are among those listed here, as well as a selection of iPhone and iPad apps designed to help you find a new career in a new town. Features such as GPS functionality, the ability to create PDF files, and connectivity to professional social networking sites such as LinkedIn offer new opportunities to job hunt on the run—or figure out whether it’s time for you to make a career change. While none of these applications can guarantee you a new position in your dream role, they go a long way to helping you gauge—and achieve, your full IT job potential.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs remains on medical leave, and recent reports have suggested that the company’s board of directors wants to have a succession plan in place if and when he leaves the company he co-founded. But finding a CEO that can run a tech giant like Apple will be a difficult task for the company’s board. After all, Apple is a big, powerful company with a slew of moving parts. Finding a single person that could manage all of them could take quite a while. Or maybe not. Right now, there is a single CEO in the technology industry that has the ability to run a huge, influential company: Steve Ballmer. The CEO of Microsoft has been managing that firm for a decade, and along the way, his company has posted billions in revenue and profits. Financially, Microsoft is a technology juggernaut. So, if Ballmer took over Apple, he would undoubtedly be able to handle the company’s size and influence. But the real question is, would he be able to effectively run Apple? Not a chance. Here's why.

Acer has made some headlines as of late by acquiring cloud-services company iGware. Some in the industry are a little confused by Acer’s move, since the company has long focused most, if not all, of its efforts in the computing space. But Acer’s decision to acquire iGware speaks to its desire to crawl out from the rut it currently finds itself in and reestablish itself as a formidable brand in today’s hotly contested technology industry. Of course, the road back to prosperity in the tech space will be a long and hard one for Acer. The PC maker has lost market share at a dramatic rate over the last year, and it’s now the fourth-largest company in that space behind HP, Dell, and Lenovo. To say that Acer is facing troubled times, and more issues could be afoot, would be an understatement. Even so, there are ways to fix Acer. It won’t be easy and there may be some missteps along the way. But here’s how Acer can right the ship.

With the market for tablet computing devices exploding over the past year, value added resellers (VARs) have many opportunities to tap into the market to supply their customers with these versatile and mobile computers, which offer many advantages over desktop PCs and notebooks. The devices have in general altered the landscape for resellers and business users, allowing workers to be more mobile and collaborate on the go. Many tablets offer high-definition Web conferencing features, for instance. The market is responding. Recent research from industry analyst firm IDC predicted that worldwide media tablet shipments would grow from 7.6 million units in 2010 to more than 46 million units in 2014, representing a compound annual growth rate of 57.4 percent. In comparison, IDC expects 398 million portable PCs will be shipped in 2014. While you may not be ready to rely solely on a tablet, the number of options (led by the 800-pound gorilla in the room, Apple’s iPad) and configurations available might cause you to reconsider introducing them as a mobility-enhancing product for your customers—or even purchasing a tablet for yourself.

Microsoft recently honored the best of the best – its top partners at its annual Worldwide Partner Conference event in Los Angeles. Long considered one of the most channel-friendly of the technology industry's giants, Microsoft's partner program is huge and claims tens of thousands of partners. The following are the cream of the crop, with a particular emphasis on Microsoft Dynamics partners – U.S. award winners in the Vertical, Industry and Segment Awards. Channel Insider presents the winners and a synopsis of Microsoft judges' comments about them.

Microsoft recently recognized a host of partners for their development of new solutions, business development programs, customer service and more in the process of selling Microsoft programs. The following are the award winners in both the Emerging Technologies & Innovation Awards and the Sales Excellence Awards. Channel Insider presents the winners and a summation of Microsoft judges' comments about them.

Microsoft recently honored the best and the brightest of its channel partners at its annual Worldwide Partner Conference in Los Angeles. Microsoft, long considered one of the most channel-friendly tech giants, recognized partners in a number technology disciplines. The following are the U.S. award winners in the Microsoft Partner Network Competency Awards. Channel Insider presents the winners and a synopsis of Microsoft judges' comments about them.

Just about everywhere you turn today, you’ll find someone saying something bad about Cisco. The company’s recent decision to lay off 6,500 employees and sell off a manufacturing plant where it had 5,000 employees has only served to pump up the volume on the chorus of critics who say that Cisco’s best days are behind it, and it might be trounced by a competitor. Admittedly, when one looks at where things stand right now, it’s not difficult to jump to that conclusion. Cisco seems like it’s in disarray, and the company’s management has done little quell unrest on Wall Street. Even worse, corporate users are unsure where the company is headed in the future, causing them to rethink their roadmaps. In many ways, it’s a nightmare scenario for Cisco. But before the alarms are sounded, it’s important to point out that it’s not all bad. Cisco is taking action to fix things, and it has apparently changed up its strategy to more effectively focus on the enterprise market. And in the coming years, all those critics might just find a company in Cisco that’s bigger and better than ever.

Here’s a look at why Cisco might be down, but it’s certainly not out.

Whether forced into it by layoffs or jumping into it to achieve the lifelong dream of becoming your own boss, many freelancers bitten by the bug of self-employment will tell you they'll never go back to cubicle dwelling. According to freelance marketplace Elance, the self-employed worker is doing well these days. Within the IT job listings at the site, the number of gigs offered shot up by 37 percent from last quarter of 2010 to first quarter of 2011. Elance recently did a survey of over 1,500 freelancers using the site. Here are their views on what freelancing means to them.

The recent release of the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) guidance on online banking security was released to a sigh of relief from many in the security industry after little official leadership from the branch of the FDIC beyond its 2005 guidance specifying two-factor authentication requirements for online banking environments. While this is a big step forward, many experts believe the new update still may not be ideal. One of these is Avivah Litan, an analyst with Gartner who specializes in anti-fraud technology within the banking industry. She recently laid out some of her commendations and criticisms for the new document out from the Feds.

Nearly everywhere you turn, you’ll find people saying that Microsoft’s best days are behind them. The critics reason that since Microsoft isn’t as dominant as it once was, and it has been facing an inordinate amount of pressure from Google and Apple, the company could very well be losing its significance in the marketplace. Whereas Microsoft was once a triple-A company, they say, it’s now given up that spot to its two top competitors. But those claims that Microsoft doesn’t matter any longer have been greatly exaggerated, to say the least. The software giant might not be as dominant as it once was, but for both consumers and enterprise users, Microsoft still matters a lot. That’s not going to change. Critics can say what they like about Microsoft and the decisions its management has made, but in the end, the company might matter more today than it ever has when one considers the many things that are going on in today’s marketplace. Here’s why.

At Microsoft’s Partner Conference this week, the software giant discussed several different aspects of its business, and how the company might be able to work better with its channel partners to extend its presence around the globe. For the most part, much of the discussion was expected, including Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer’s talk on the cloud and Windows Phone 7. However, there were still quite a few things that spectators and those that have been watching the conference from a keynote could learn about Microsoft and where it believes it’s heading in the coming months and years. Here’s a look at what Microsoft revealed about itself and its future plans.

Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference served as the venue for the software giant’s summary of new features in Windows 8, information on the momentum of Windows 7 and an update on Microsoft’s mobile strategy. But the conference also featured peaks at new technologies such as Windows Surface and a new beta of Windows Intune. This year’s conference comes at a time when Microsoft is feeling more competitive threats on all fronts, from the assault from Apple with the iPhone and iPad as PCs decline and smartphones rise, to the threat from Google in search, cloud applications and more. What’s a software giant to do? But this week at least, Microsoft seemed unimpressed by those threats and ready for the future. Check out these scenes from Microsoft WPC.

While Microsoft is performing exceedingly well in the software market where its Windows and Office platforms are the standard at businesses large and small around the world, there are still some areas that Microsoft desperately needs to improve. Let’s face it. This technology giant continues to be out maneuvered by younger, more agile companies like Google, and even some old competitors that it had once vanquished. Look at the return of Apple. These guys are just making Microsoft look bad in the mobile space. For instance, check out Apple’s ever-growing market share in the smartphone and tablet spaces with its iPhone and iPad. And witness Google’s ever rising Android operating system, first on phones and now on tablets. Where is Microsoft in all this? Falling down in its marketing of Windows Phone 7. MIA in the tablet market. Irritating channel partners with its Office 365 billing plans. If Microsoft wants to again be the dominating technology leader that it once was the software giant has plenty of work to do in the final six months of 2011. Here’s a look at Microsoft’s troubles and where the company should focus for the rest of this year.

From managed hosting to cloud services, Rackspace plays in some of the most heavily contested tech battlefields there are today. Unsurprisingly, the company has drawn down plenty of fire from some heavy hitters, particularly as the cloud wars have intensified over the last couple of years. Here’s a look at some of Rackspace’s Worst Enemies

Starting on July 10, Microsoft will be holding its 2011 Worldwide Partner Conference, an annual convention where the company’s partners gather to learn more about where the software giant stands now, where it’s headed, and how all those things might impact them. In past years, the Worldwide Partner Conference has been a hotspot for important Windows-related news, offered up mainly through Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer’s keynote address. This time around, Ballmer will be presenting the keynote, as well, and speculation abounds over what he might be discussing when he takes the stage. Ballmer is likely to focus some of his discussion on Windows 8. The next iteration in his company’s operating system is widely anticipated among channel partners. Meanwhile, companies around the globe are left to wonder if they should hold off on deploying Windows 7 now and wait for Windows 8, or simply opt for Microsoft’s current operating system. There are still many questions left unanswered about Windows 8. Here’s what we’d like to learn about Windows 8 next week:

With social media tools, more handheld gadgets and consumer-grade web e-mail proliferating across businesses faster than powder blue collared shirts at a tech convention, organizations are going to have to come to grips with how to best secure and control these technologies. Where does your company and your customers’ companies fit into the whole? A new survey of over 600 IT professionals conducted by Osterman Research on behalf of Proofpoint found that many organizations are learning that they need to use mechanisms beyond blind trust to secure the way consumer-grade technology touches enterprise assets. But at the same time, a number of businesses that have instituted policies with regard to these technologies have still been unable to truly control their use on a day-to-day basis. Here’s a look at the state of security amidst the consumerization of IT. Where do you fit?

Security remains a top priority among IT organizations, but just how many IT executives are planning security budget increases in the months ahead? A new survey out by Kaspersky Lab asked 1300 IT pros about their attitudes with regard to IT risks and security spending. Here's a look at the good news and the bad news for IT solution providers, security specialists and vendors for the year ahead. Are you ready for the opportunity?

Do you know what keeps your clients up at night? MSPs, VARs and other channel partners who can best listen to client concerns and find the solutions are generally the most successful. A recent survey conducted among 1,300 senior IT executives around the world on behalf of security firm Kaspersky Lab found that IT was a high priority for their organizations, with IT strategy ranking higher than either marketing or financial strategy. That may not be surprising given the growing strategic nature of IT within so many successful organizations. IT is evolving from a cost center to a competitive tool. With that in mind, take a look at the following concerns voiced by IT executives as some of the biggest impediments to ensuring success with that all-important IT strategy achievement. Here’s what keeps your clients up at night.

As Microsoft prepares to bring Nokia devices running its Windows Phone 7 operating system to market and continues to plan the future of its Windows operating system, the company finds itself in a difficult position. Apple, Google, and several other companies are wreaking havoc on different parts of the software giant’s operation. And now, there is concern in Redmond that it won’t be able to turn its business around anytime soon. At this point, Microsoft is facing more threats to its business than ever before. And for the first time, the software giant won’t be able to simply use its power and influence to take on all the companies in the marketplace that could potentially take it to task. Simply put, this is a very difficult time for Microsoft, and the company’s future as a dominant force is, for once, in doubt. Here’s a look at the disruptive threats Microsoft must face down.

With summer holidays right around the corner, people around the globe will be taking time away from the office to take vacations and spend time with families and friends. However, today’s always-connected environment makes keeping in touch with the office an important part of careers even while on vacation. Realizing that, it might be a good time to talk about some of the products either available now or coming out in the next few weeks and months that will allow employees to stay connected with the office while they’re away on vacation or simply traveling on the road. Some of the following products, like Apple’s iPad and iPhone, are great for mobile travelers, while other solutions, like Outlook, can be accessed from anywhere. Simply put, the following devices will keep everyone connected no matter where they might be in the world. And in the process, those folks won’t need to come back to mountains of work following a vacation, and companies can be sure that their people are staying productive even while they’re taking time off. Here’s a look.

Microsoft is one of those companies in the technology industry that might make some scratch their heads. For years, the software giant was a dominant force in the industry, easily besting all competitors. However, in recent years, it has lost its way to smaller companies that have come up with innovative ideas on how to take it on in different markets. And now, questions abound over what the future of Microsoft will look like. Realizing that, the next year could be extremely important for Microsoft. If the company can make the right decisions and offer desireable products, it can go a long way in solidifying its position as a dominant force in the marketplace. However, if it allows competitors, especially Google and Apple, to get too far ahead, it could be in for serious trouble. Here’s a look at what Microsoft must do before the end of 2012 in order to vastly improve its positioning in the marketplace.

The PowerPoint presentation has become such a reviled part of business meetings today that a large percentage of presentation audiences would rather give up sex, do their taxes or even go to the dentist to get out of watching one. According to a survey of over 1,000 working adults conducted by IBOPE Zogby International on behalf of SlideRocket, PowerPoint presentations induce the cold sweats in both those who must create them AND those who have to sit through them. Granted, SlideRocket is trying to usurp PowerPoint as a way to drive meeting presentations, but that doesn't change the fact that some people would do anything to get out of watching a crummy slide show. What would you give up in exchange for taking a pass on the next PowerPoint preso?

It’s not unheard of for executives to sign on with a company for a few years and then migrate to another vendor in a similar or more senior role, but several executives in the last year have moved directly to the competition. Some high-level executives have been poached by competitors, and that has to be creating concern among the vendors who have found top executives walking out the front door. (And sometimes pushed out the front door). Actually, it’s definitely created quite a bit of concern in a few cases in which lawsuits have been filed against vendors or the individuals themselves. Here’s a look at some of the technology executives who have changed sides in the last year.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer on June 28 will announce the official launch of Office 365, the office-productivity solution that the software giant says will deliver a new and improved way to get work done for companies and educational institutions. The service combines several factors, including Office, collaboration, and e-mail to make it a full-featured solution for companies and educators. However, when Office 365 officially launches, it will be met by Google Apps. The search giant’s productivity solution, which is entirely cloud-based and has been available for quite some time, offers much of the functionality users will find in Office 365. Enterprise customers, not-for-profit groups, and educational organizations can handle all their e-mail, word processing, and collaboration needs right from the service. Although there are many out there that might believe Microsoft’s solution will easily win out in the battle between the software giant and Google, that just might not be the case. Google Apps offers a host of features that might actually trump the alternatives available on Office 365. Here's how Google Apps bests Office 365.

Last year, when Microsoft announced Office 365, a cloud-based version of Office, the company said that it wanted to bring a new full-powered productivity solution to companies and educational institutions that would best the competition. Over the last several months, it has allowed beta testers to try out the service to determine if it achieved that goal. Now, after a long wait, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer plans to officially launch Office 365 on June 28. And when he does so, he will be ushering in a new era in Microsoft’s business. However, whether or not Office 365 will succeed is still an unknown. Unlike Windows or Microsoft’s standard Office product, its latest entry isn’t a sure bet. Channel partners are reluctant to push Office 365 because Microsoft plans to handle the billing itself. And enterprise and educational institutions will need to determine if Office 365 is even right for them. Will it have all the features it needs to be worth it? Can Microsoft take Office to the cloud successfully? Here’s a look at what Microsoft’s Office 365 will need to succeed in today’s increasingly competitive cloud-based productivity-solutions market.

If you think cloud computing will become a major factor in IT of the future, you're not alone. With more cloud providers on the scene than ever before, plus a plethora of new mobile end user devices such as iPad and other tablets and iPhone and other smartphones, users can now be more productive on the go than ever before. Now, a new survey by IDC/IDG Enterprise shows increasing cloudiness ahead as IT executives say they believe the cloud will significantly impact IT organizations, IT vendors and enterprises. Many of the concerns around cloud computing today will ultimately become catalysts for the move to the cloud. Here's a look at what IT decision makers had to say about cloud trends in the immediate future.

For over a decade Rackspace has seen its momentum snowball as it has been positioned perfectly to take advantage of the growing need for hosted services in this newly transformed age of cloud computing. Rackspace has accomplished this success largely with the help of partners, who have helped build Rackspace into the company it is today.

Hewlett-Packard did what many in the technology industry through it wouldn’t—it drastically changed its management structure to better fit its changing focus. Now that it has done so, many stakeholders, including analysts and investors, are touting the move as the right decision. But as HP completes that transition, perhaps it’s time to look elsewhere in the technology industry to find other companies that might need a similar management shakeup. And when one does so, they will quickly come to Microsoft. Though the software giant is still performing extremely well on paper—it generates billions of dollars in revenue and profits every quarter—the company is in a difficult position as it tries to stay true to its basic business focus amid a rapidly changing marketplace. In some cases, Microsoft is doing well. But in other cases, the company seems lost. And the longer that continues, the worse it will be for Redmond. Here's why Microsoft needs a drastic management shakeup.

Hewlett-Packard is undergoing some major changes at the top. Earlier this week, the firm announced that its Chief Information Officer Randy Mott was leaving the company, while Ann Livermore, the executive vice president of HP’s enterprise operation, had been elected to its board of directors. The company also announced that some of its executive vice presidents will report directly to CEO Leo Apotheker to help streamline HP’s chain of command. For his part, Apotheker said in a statement that the changes will have a profound (and beneficial) impact on his company’s operation going forward. He also indicated that HP will continue to make changes to ensure its operation falls in line with its long-term strategy. But HP’s decision to undergo a major shakeup at the upper-level-management area says quite a bit about what the company is looking to achieve, and where it’s heading in order to get there. Here’s a deeper look at HP’s decisions and what the recent changes say about its current state and where it’s headed.

As RSA channel partners assess the damage of the RSA SecurID breach -- from customers dissatisfied with RSA's handling of the situation to those just worried about the bottom line implications of replacing their old tokens with the free recall products the vendor will provide -- it may be time to look at alternatives. SecurID offers multi-factor authentication, yes, but it’s not the only game in town. Here’s a look at several possible alternatives in multi-factor authentication alternatives.

There may be no more tumultuous executive suite today than the one at technology giant HP (NYSE:HPQ). After last year’s sudden and unexpected departure of Mark Hurd, HP’s board took several months to decide on a successor and reportedly considered several internal candidates before naming Leo Apotheker, an SAP veteran, to head up HP. Apotheker’s own time as CEO of SAP was cut short at seven months when he resigned suddenly in February 2010. After a disappointing quarter results were released in May 2011, Apotheker announced that he would be making some changes, including revving up the services division of HP. Some have speculated that HP would also put more of a focus on software given Apotheker’s roots in a software giant like SAP. On June 13 HP announced several executive changes. Here’s the current lineup.

Symantec’s 2011 Virtualization and Journey to the Cloud Survey surveyed 3,700 executives and decision-makers from 35 countries about their perspectives on the adoption and deployment of private and hybrid clouds, as well as virtualized technologies. While the study found that there are different approaches being taken with cloud computing, there’s a wide gap between the expectations of what cloud delivers and what, in reality, it actually provides. Here’s a look at the disconnect and what executives are saying.

Though it was announced months ago, HP has finally revealed that its TouchPad tablet will hit the market on July 1. The company will be selling the 16GB and 32GB versions for $499 and $599, respectively. In addition, the options available will be Wi-Fi-only. It said in its announcement that it has partnered with AT&T and will deliver models featuring mobile connectivity later this year. Now that the details are known about the HP TouchPad, consumers and even enterprise customers can finally decide if the HP’s tablet is worth buying. Admittedly, it’s not an easy decision to make. HP is competing against several other companies including Apple, Research In Motion, and Samsung. And all of those firms are offering something unique and worthwhile to customers. But it might just be a good idea to buy the TouchPad when it launches next month. The device boasts several important features and a price tag that consumers should like. All in all, it seems like a winner. Here’s why.

Apple’s iCloud is making headlines by providing what some are calling one of the most viable cloud offerings in the space. The service, which will launch in the fall, will deliver to users the ability to store content online and sync all that data with iOS-based products, Macs, and PCs. Apple announced at the Worldwide Developers Conference on June 6 that its new iCloud offering will be free to use. It will only charge $24.99 for a new feature, called iTunes Match that improves sound quality of digital music files in the iTunes library to 256kbps. With Apple stealing the spotlight in the cloud, some are turning their attention to other prominent companies to determine if they’re offering something as worthwhile. And for the vast majority of folks, that attention is being placed on Microsoft. The software giant has been competing in the cloud for quite some time. And opinions are generally mixed over its cloud offerings. But now that iCloud has been announced, it’s clear that Microsoft will need to step up its game. In the hotly contested cloud-computing environment Microsoft’s efforts just aren’t holding up. And here’s why:

Apple CEO Steve Jobs made a showing at the Worldwide Developers Conference to talk about his company’s future operating systems, Mac OS X and iOS and iCloud. But Steve Jobs’ appearance at the Worldwide Developers Conference means more than just discussing new products. The executive went on a medical leave of absence earlier this year for an indefinite amount of time, causing some to wonder what a future at Apple would look like without its co-founder at the helm. For many of those folks, that future didn’t seem nearly as bright as it would with him in charge. And it has caused some to hope that Jobs returns at full strength as quickly as possible. Such a hope is understandable. Without Steve Jobs running Apple, there’s no telling what the company’s future might look like. In fact, Apple needs Steve Jobs more than any other company in the world needs its executive. He’s integral to Apple’s success and its ability to dominate going forward. Here’s why.

Microsoft finally unveiled some details on Windows 8, the follow-up operating system to the company’s current, wildly popular Windows 7. Windows 8 will feature a vastly improved design, some new features, and several other improvements that might just make the software an even more-appealing product than its predecessor. Whether or not it will help Microsoft succeed in the tablet space, however, remains to be seen. After all, the software giant currently has little or no presence in the tablet market. And speculation abounds that the company’s tablet push won’t come until Windows 8 is finally available. That belief is due mainly to Microsoft announcing that the next version of the operating system will be capable of running on architecture from ARM, a major player in the mobile-computing space.
Though some Microsoft detractors won’t want to admit it, ARM’s help, along with some of the improvements Microsoft has made to Windows 8 might just make it a winner in the tablet space. Here’s why.

According to a recent report from Juniper Networks, since the summer of 2010, the mobile world has seen a 400 percent increase in mobile malware. During the same time, about one in twenty mobile devices were lost or stolen.

"The last 18 months have produced a non-stop barrage of newsworthy threat events, and while most had been aimed at traditional desktop computers, hackers are now setting their sights on mobile devices. Operating system consolidation and the massive and growing installed base of powerful mobile devices is tempting profit-motivated hackers to target these devices," Jeff Wilson, principle analyst, Security at Infonetics Research. "Businesses need security tools that provide comprehensive protection: from the core of the network to the diverse range of endpoints that all IT shops are now forced to manage and secure."

As channel partners help customers find ways to better manage their mobile risks, consider the following suggestions offered up by the security pros at the Juniper Networks Global Threat Center in the Malicious Mobile Threats Report 2010/2011.

Non-certified IT skills are commanding more pay in the job market, according to the most recent survey by IT employment consulting and market analyst firm Foote Partners. The firm's IT Skills and Certifications Pay Index examines the premium that employers are willing to pay for specific IT skills and certifications, and this time the data shows that employers are particularly lured by non-certified skills. The following is a breakdown in the change Foote researchers found that enterprises experienced within these valuable non-certified skills categories during multiple discrete time periods. The percentages indicate the change in the premium paid by employers for that particular non-certified skill during the given timeframe.

Worried about threats to your data? Look in the mirror. According to a new survey, the biggest threat to databases comes from human error and insider threats. The study polled members of the International Sybase Users Group (ISUG) and found that even at financial organizations, databases are still very vulnerable to attacks due to lack of oversight by insiders. Conducted by Unisphere Research on behalf of Application Security, the survey polled 216 ISUG members, almost a quarter of whom belonged to financial services organizations. Here’s a look at what they said.

Since Windows Phone 7 first launched late last year, Microsoft has been facing some trouble trying to get smartphones running the platform into consumers’ hands. Consumers have been opting for Apple’s iPhone, as well as the many Android-based smartphones on store shelves. It’s a similar story on the enterprise side where those customers have opted for a BlackBerry device. In an attempt to reverse its fortune in the smartphone marketplace, Microsoft recently unveiled its “Mango” update. The update, which will be available on devices in the fall, will deliver hundreds of improvements to the platform and potentially give it a much better chance at competing against iOS and Android than ever before. To say that it’s a significant improvement is a bit of an understatement. With hundreds of improvements, however, some might wonder what the major updates are. Here's a look at some of the big updates Microsoft has made to its smartphone OS.

Maybe some business professionals on the go can get away with carrying just an iPad, but a physical keyboard is still a must for many of us. And while the MacBook Air may be pretty, its high price tag and tiny hard drive may leave many users wanting a better value and more space. If you are looking for a laptop that won’t break your budget and that will spare your back as you lug it around, take a look at these MacBook Air alternatives. Their powerful processors, ample hard drives and USB ports and plain old good looks just may make you forget all about owning an Air.

Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) co-founder Bill Gates is arguably the most influential and forward-thinking software mind in the technology industry. From the very beginning, his ideas shaped the world, and now millions around the globe are using the products that he helped develop. To say that his contribution is huge might be a bit of an understatement. But after leading Microsoft since the beginning, Gates stepped down from his post as CEO in 2000, and officially ended his day-to-day activities with the company a few years ago. Since then, long-time Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has been left to manage the company on his own. And depending on who one talks to, Ballmer has done either a fine job or a less-than-ideal job. Exactly what Bill Gates believes about Ballmer’s job as the head of Microsoft is unknown. But for the purposes of this slideshow, let’s assume that Gates wasn’t happy and he decided to step back in at Microsoft as its CEO. It’s not unprecedented. Apple founder Steve Jobs returned to Apple as CEO and turned the company around. What would Bill Gates do to fix things at Microsoft? And how quickly would it take for Microsoft to become a Gates company once again? Here’s a look at what Bill Gates would change.

CompTIA recently release the results from a survey of 375 federal, state and local IT buyers and influencers. The results showed that in spite of budget shortfalls, there are still plenty of dollars to go around for new technology purposes. Channel Insider takes a look at the shopping list laid out by respondents in the survey. Each category or product is followed by the percentage of decision-makers who plan to invest in that item during the next 12 months.

Behind every great managed service provider is a solid set of tools. The toolset foundation is cemented with a good professional services automation (PSA) solution to keep the business running smoothly. The PSA platform market has matured considerably over the last decade, with numerous options available for all different sizes, specialties and services offered by MSPs. Channel Insider checks out some leaders in the PSA market, along with a few up-and-comer alternatives. Take a look.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs is widely considered one of the best executives in the technology industry. Ever since he came back to Apple, he has proven he knows how to take a floundering company with a suspect future and turn it into one of the most profitable and well-respected companies both inside and outside the technology industry. But in the odd, odd world where Steve Jobs would have the opportunity to take over another company, what would he do? We’ve examined that question with Jobs at the helm of both HP and Google. Now, we turn our focus to Microsoft, the software giant that has been a thorn in Apple’s and Steve Jobs’ side for decades. And Microsoft could sure use the help right now. Would Jobs maintain status quo at Microsoft? Would he try to do something new and innovative like he has done at Apple? In reality, the world will never find out. But here are some hints into what he might do if he was ever given the chance to move Steve Ballmer and Bill Gates aside and run Microsoft.

The explosion of smartphones and tablets is only serving to intensify the trend of increased use of employee-owned devices in the workplace. A recent survey conducted by Enterasys Networks among attendees of Interop Las Vegas recently showed that IT professionals are conflicted about the consumerization of IT, particularly when it comes to security. "IT is struggling to strike a balance between enabling productivity by allowing an ever-growing list of new devices, and maintaining appropriate levels of compliance and security," said Ram Appalaraju, vice president of marketing at Enterasys Networks. That's never been more evident than it is today. Here's a look at what IT is saying about the challenges of the Consumerization of IT.

A new survey conducted by Enterprise Management Associates on behalf of Nimsoft found that a growing number of large and mid-sized companies are embracing the managed services IT model, leveraging MSPs to help them run more efficient departments. Channel Insider takes a look at highlights from the survey, which queried executives, mid-level managers and IT pros from companies that are currently engaged with an MSP, planning to engage an MSP or had used MSP services in the past.

As the VoIP market continues to grow, so too does the cloud computing market – and it’s probably of little surprise that the two have converged and started growing together. Businesses of all sizes are beginning to make the choice to move their on-premise voice systems into the cloud and use hosted voice services rather than manage the systems within their own facilities. Naturally, a growing market means growing opportunities for the channel, but cloud VoIP services are still in their infancy compared to more traditional forms of telephony. It’s a market that’s growing, and several vendors are turning to the channel to help get their services to the customers that need them the most. According to the Telecommunications Industry Association’s (TIA) (http://www.tiaonline.org/) 2011 ICT Market Review and Forecast, cloud computing will be the biggest driver of voice-centric spending over the next four years. Cloud VoIP only represented 16 percent of voice spending in 2010, but by 2014, TIA expects cloud VoIP spending to grow by $5.6 billion. That’s a substantial portion of the market, as the TIA report indicated that incremental spending on voice systems, voice messaging, unified communications, conferencing and contact centers combined will grow by $5.9 billion in the same time period. Distributor Synnex’s (http://www.synnex.com/) numbers indicate the cloud UC market in total will be valued at $3 billion by 2014. Although Synnex’s and TIA’s projected total revenue from cloud VoIP and UC are somewhat different, they both agree that the cloud VoIP area is growing substantially.What can VARs and MSPs do right now to get in on the growing cloud VoIP market while it’s still young? Simple. They can check out the following channel-friendly cloud VoIP service providers.

Channel Insider recently looked at the question WWSJD (what would Steve Jobs do) if the Apple CEO were running HP. Now we are shifting the focus to another technology giant, Google. As the world’s top search engine and the company behind the top mobile platform, Android, Google is a force to be reckoned with in today’s technology industry. And in some cases, especially mobile, Google has proven to be a thorn in Apple’s side. But if Larry Page stepped aside as CEO of Google and Steve Jobs took over, what sort of changes could the world expect? Would he run it the same way his predecessors have or would he try something new? Chances are, the Google as it is known today would look nothing like the company that Steve Jobs would turn it into.

Read on to find out what Steve Jobs would do as the CEO of Google:

Distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks are an increasing concern for organizations large and small, according to new survey results out released from the Interop computer networking show. Among the findings: organizations reported that they've been unable to keep up with attacks that have plagued them more frequently over the past year, according to the survey, commissioned by VeriSign and conducted by Merrill Research. Researchers polled 225 IT decision makers. Security remains a top concern in organizations, as IT professionals struggle to keep up with the mounting threat. Here's a look at the results.

Google’s Chrome operating system will be available to consumers starting on June 15, when they can start ordering devices Google is calling Chromebooks. Basically netbooks, the devices are launching from Acer and Samsung. What’s rather interesting is that Google is not only trying to promote its operating system for consumers. In fact, the organization has said that it will also try to appeal to enterprise customers with the cloud-based operating system. However, appealing to enterprise customers that are historically (and notoriously) averse to change and new ideas that might or might not make sense for their employees has proven extremely difficult. As Apple has learned, delivering a nice operating system alternative to Windows simply isn’t enough to get the job done. But Google will try, nonetheless. Unfortunately for the firm, its efforts will be vain. There is simply little chance (if any) that corporate customers will jump at the chance to deploy Chrome OS. The operating system suffers from too many issues to justify enterprise adoption. Here's why.

After a long wait, Google has announced that the first Chrome OS-based notebooks will be available for order at Amazon and Best Buy on June 15. The devices, built by Samsung and Acer, respectively, offer a lightweight notebook style. Acer’s option comes with an 11.6-inch HD display and 6 hours of battery life. It’s running the Intel Atom processor. Samsung’s notebook, on the other hand, features a 12.1-inch display and boasts 8.5 hours of continuous usage on a single charge. Like Acer’s option, Samsung’s platform runs the Intel Atom processor, and includes an HD Webcam. Though recent reports suggest that Google might eventually bring Chrome OS to tablets, for now, the company’s plan is to offer its latest operating system only on lightweight notebooks, in spite of the rapid rise of tablet sales and wide speculation that users are choosing to buy tablets instead of notbooks. Why did Google choose notebooks over tablets to run Chrome OS? And perhaps most importantly, was it a good idea? The second question won’t be answered for months. Here's why Google spurned tablets and chose notebooks for Chrome OS.

Read on to find out why:

When Mark Hurd left HP, there was an inordinate amount of speculation surrounding what would become of the company. Would someone take over and lead the way Hurd did or would the new CEO go in a completely different direction? Now that Leo Apotheker is at the helm and continuing to talk up the value of software, it’s clear that HP is moving away from where Hurd was taking it, and focusing its efforts elsewhere. But in an alternate universe where Apotheker doesn't take over and Apple CEO Steve Jobs takes the helm at HP, what would happen? Would the company look and act the same way as it did under Hurd or would Jobs have taken it into an entirely different direction with new strategies, new focus, and perhaps most importantly, a new corporate culture? In the real world, Steve Jobs would never take over HP, of course, but what if? Here's a look at how HP would change over the next several years.

Is it any wonder that Microsoft is buying Skype for $8.5 billion? Skype is the not-so-secret wonder child of the video conferencing space. While it's often dismissed as a consumer application, a survey last year showed that most business users rely on services such as Skype for their video conferencing needs rather than high end systems from the likes of Cisco, Polycom and others. Business users and collaborative teams are now more likely to be distributed than ever before, but don't have a budget for high end video equipment. Companies are cutting back on corporate travel to save money. And it's never been more important to have regular face time with customers. The time is certainly now for video conferencing. Skype does more than connecting grandma to her grandkids on the other side of the country. And Skype over the past year has been building partnerships with heavyweights serving the business IT market and making strategic moves to solidify its intentions in the business market. Here's a look at some of those moves.

Microsoft is one of the few companies in the technology industry that has been able to dominate the respective market it competes in for decades. For as long as many folks can remember, Windows has reigned supreme, Office has been the go-to productivity software, and Internet Explorer has been the way many people get to the Internet. To say that Microsoft’s products are integral to the experience of using technology today would be an understatement. But that doesn’t mean that things are necessarily going well at Microsoft righ tnow. The software giant has lost its way in the mobile market, and it’s not a threat to Google in the least. In the tablet market, its lack of a presence is troubling. Simply put, things in Redmond aren’t as great as the company, and its CEO, Steve Ballmer, want the world to think. Here's a look at the many troubles that Microsoft currently faces as it attempts to compete against Apple, Google, and others.

The recent Verizon RISK Team 2011 Data Breach Investigations Report offered a whole boatload of important information about the logistics of high-impact data breaches in the past year. But perhaps the most important data release was about exactly how the bad guys are carrying out their plans to steal digital booty. What's the bigger risk, servers, user devices, or people? Find out. The following dozen are the most commonly abused IT assets that lead to breach exposure.

Research In Motion launched its BlackBerry PlayBook tablet on Apr. 19 with hopes of becoming a key player in that market. For the past couple years, RIM has watched its smartphone market share start to slip away at the hands of Apple's iPhone and Google’s Android platform. And the company is now keenly aware that if it doesn’t keep pace with those fast-movers, it could very well be left behind in an increasingly competitive market place. Witness the planned addition of Angry Birds to PlayBook. So far, analysts have said that the PlayBook’s sales have been solid, though RIM hasn’t confirmed exactly how many units it has sold. Either way, it’s clear that the company’s sales aren’t even close to matching that of Apple’s iPad 2. And the chances of the PlayBook catching up anytime soon seem slim. Part of the reason for that is simply that Apple is a dominant force in the tablet space. But it also has to do with the mobile company’s odd tablet strategy. RIM has gotten some things right in the tablet space thus far, but it has also gotten many things wrong. At this point, the company’s tablet strategy is all over the place. And it needs to be fixed. Here's a look at the major flaws with RIM’s tablet strategy— and what it should be doing to address them.

In spite of some dire economic indicators popping up about the economy at large, there have been plenty of signs of optimism for the IT industry recently. Here's a look at some of the strongest signs that channel partners will still have plenty of opportunities to stay healthy in the next year and beyond.

Are you keeping track of your technology consulting hours on random old receipts and business cards until you can get back to the office to actually log them on the computer? Why not use your phone or tablet to help? These days mobile apps can help you easily track time and expenses to provide clients with detailed accounting when it comes time to invoice. The following mobile apps make it possible to consistently track hours, ensuring accuracy for the customer and that no billable minute goes unlogged.

Play in the highly competitive networking world long enough and you're bound to make a few enemies. As one of the key innovators in the 1990s in the high-performance router and switching market, Juniper Networks has a long history of shaking up the market. It is no surprise that it's got plenty of competitors lining up to vie for its business. The first one is obvious--Cisco--but there are plenty more to keep this horserace interesting.

With longtime rival Cisco publicly struggling to rebuild its image at the moment, Juniper Networks can smell blood in the water and is poised to strengthen its position in the networking world. Having invested considerably in R&D and acquisitions, plus winning some key defections from Cisco, Juniper is giving the channel plenty of reasons to rethink allegiances.

The tablet market is arguably the hottest in the technology industry right now. Just about every major company, including Apple, Motorola, RIM, and a slew of others are trying to capitalize on the trend and score as much market share as possible. HP is no different. Earlier this year, the company unveiled its plans for the future of its tablet division, the TouchPad. That device, which is scheduled to launch this year, is running a new version of WebOS, the operating system that HP got when it acquired Palm. And TouchPad is shaping up to be a potentially worthwhile option for customers that don’t know which tablet they want to buy. However, in order for HP to generate interest from those customers and cement its position in the tablet space, the company will need to follow several important strategies. It can’t allow the TouchPad to hit store shelves with a whimper. The time has come for HP to use all the many tools at its disposal to stake a claim to the tablet space and put Apple on notice. Here's how.

Research In Motion’s BlackBerry PlayBook is now on store shelves. And according to reports, the company has sold about 50,000 units since its launch. With that many unit sales, the device is performing relatively well, but is still far behind the leader in the space, Apple’s iPad 2. According to Apple, it sold 4.7 million iPads during its fiscal second quarter alone. But now that RIM has confirmed that it wants to be a major player in the tablet market, the company needs to do a much better job of improving its credibility in that space. In order to achieve that, it will need to deliver some better features in future versions of the tablet, as well as adjust its vision and strategy in the tablet market. All that should combine to help it improve its tablet credibility in the marketplace. RIM is a major mobile company. But the time has come for it to do a better job of appealing to tablet customers that are still wondering which device is for them. Here's what RIM must do to improve its tablet cred:

Sure, big security vendors like Symantec and McAfee may have name recognition and huge channel programs to back their product. But as with any large vendor those benefits come with baggage--bureaucracy, a lack of differentiation from hundreds of other channel partners and sometimes lower margins. If you're looking for alternatives to the big guys, here are some places to start.

At the Worldwide Developers Conference in June, Apple plans to talk about Mac OS X 10.7 “Lion,” the follow-up to Mac OS X “Snow Leopard.” So far, Apple has said that the operating system will launch over the summer and deliver some improvements, including a new Mission Control feature, to consumers. It looks to be another sizable (but not major) update to the venerable operating system. However, all this talk of a new version of Mac OS X loses track of the Apple's growing ranks of business users. As with previous versions of the operating system, Apple is committed to appealing to consumers. If business customers decide to adopt Mac OS X, it’s a welcome sale for Apple, but it’s certainly not its goal. That’s unfortunate. Apple’s computers are outstanding options for enterprise users around the world. Their only major drawback is the operating system running on them. If Apple could find a way to make Mac OS X Lion more appealing to enterprise customers, it could do wonders for its operation. Here's what Apple should do to make Mac OS X Lion a better business competitor against Windows.

The corporate world has been warming to the idea of adopting tablets for quite some time now. The only issue is that the vast majority of companies aren’t quite sure which device is right. On one hand, the average organization can opt for the iPad and be relatively happy with the result. But its consumer-focus is causing other organizations to think seriously about the Research In Motion BlackBerry PlayBook and its appeal to the enterprise. All the while, Android tablets have been largely ignored by corporate customers. Business IT tends to view Android devices as less-worthy options right now, due to the consumer focus of those devices. Moreover, with recent concerns over Android security, some worry that Android just isn’t ready for the corporate world. Though that is debatable, there are ways for Android tablets to start appealing to enterprise customers. Here's how Android tablets win favor with business customers.

Are you ready to prepare an exit strategy for your channel business? Channel Insider recently spoke with experts in executive transitions and M&A deal development, as well as a few owners who have gone through the process of selling their businesses. Besides the obvious financial windfall that comes from selling out, there are other benefits and considerations that come when an owner sells the company and goes to work for the acquirer. Here's a look.

Cisco's CEO John Chambers recently acknowledged what so many in the industry have been saying -- that Cisco (NASDAQ:CSCO) has lost its focus in the technology industry. The networking giant has been spreading itself thin by dipping into markets such as consumer electronics at the expense of its dominance in markets that really matter to business. Certainly Cisco's recent acquisitions over the past few years have not all followed the straight path of providing networking and infrastructure to business. Here's a look at Cisco acquisitions: 18 over the last 33 months.

Dell finds itself in a difficult position in today’s mobile market. As Apple, Motorola, Samsung, HP, RIM, and so many other companies capture the attention of consumers and enterprise customers, Dell, which has been offering its Streak tablets since last year, is having trouble staying relevant. Dell’s problems aren’t from lack of trying. The company started with a 5-inch tablet, but now offers a 7-inch Streak. A 10-inch version of its tablet is expected to be released, as well. On the smartphone side, it has tried its luck with devices like the Aero. But once again, it failed to see what the consumer market wanted, and it failed -- miserably. Unfortunately for Dell, it doesn’t understand the mobile market. It doesn’t know what consumers are looking for in smartphones and tablets. And perhaps most importantly, it doesn’t quite understand how to change its luck. First and foremost, Dell must understand the mobile market. Here's how.

Speaking in a recent interview in Australia, Dell’s head of global marketing, Andy Lark, took the chance to criticize Apple and its iPad. He made it clear that when it comes to leisurely activities, the iPad is just fine. But when it’s offered in an enterprise setting, it falls short. Dell’s comments on Apple’s iPad shouldn’t surprise those who have been following the industry for some time. Apple has been the topic of much debate in the tablet space. It’s undoubtedly the leader and a dominant force in that market, but some of its shortfalls are highlighted by competitors. And those on either side of the debate like to discuss which company is right. In Dell’s case, whether or not it’s right doesn’t matter. The company has been competing in the tablet space since last year and it still hasn’t been able to carve out even a small portion of the market. It shouldn’t be criticizing Apple; it should be learning from it. Apple has proven itself in the tablet space. The Cupertino, Calif.-based company knows how to be a success. And as Dell looks to cement itself in the tablet space, it’s about time it realizes that. Here's why Dell should learn from Apple, rather than criticize the iPad maker.

Due to the sensitivity of RSA's SecurID product line -- it is used by 30,000 organizations and 40 million users, many within the federal government -- it stands to reason why any hacker would be motivated to steal information related to these authentication tokens. With enough intel direct from RSA's data stores, black hats could use it as the "key to the front door" of the digital domain at banks, key pieces of national infrastructure and federal agencies. As a result, the 'whodunnit' list of possible suspects is a long one. It includes a who's who of entities considered to be at the top of the cybercrime game today.

Since its release of the first BlackBerry device in 1999, Research in Motion (RIM) has risen as a superpower in enterprise mobility devices. Even President Obama said he couldn't live without his BlackBerry when he stepped into office. With so many businesspeople depending on the BlackBerry, in spite of iPhone and Android popularity, the channel still has ample opportunity to wrap services and other mobility offerings around RIM's creations, particularly when the company releases its new BlackBerry PlayBook tablet in April.

It used to be that Research in Motion, AKA RIM, was the only game in town for smartphones. But those days are over now that Apple has infiltrated the market with its iPhone, paving the way for others such as Android to chip away at RIM's market share with its enterprise favorite, BlackBerry. As competition mounts, there are plenty of companies that are gunning for RIM's cozy position at the top of the enterprise smartphone heap. Here's a look at RIM's worst enemies.

HP is planning to launch the HP TouchPad tablet to the marketplace in the next few months. And when it does so, it will be met with a slew of competitors, including Apple’s iPad 2, the Motorola Xoom, Samsung’s Galaxy Tab devices, and many more. In other words, the pressure will be on in a big way. And the onus will be on HP to overcome the many obstacles that stand between it and success. But in order to do that, HP should focus on studying Apple's success in the tablet market. Whether all the other firms in the space like it or not, Apple and its iPad 2 are setting the pace in the tablet market. Apple arguably does everything better than the competition does it. And there are several reasons it has been able to dominate a market that so many other firms have tried -- and failed -- to conquer. As HP prepares for the future of its tablet division, it needs to use Apple and that company’s iPad 2 as its inspiration and guide. Steve Jobs and Company are simply too good at what they do for HP not to gain insights there. Here's what HP can learn from Apple and the iPad 2.

Tablet use among small business and mid-sized business may make up just a small sliver of device sales at the moment, but recent research from AMI-Partners indicates that this could change very soon, as the trend towards tablets and mobility gains even more momentum among business users. "SMB adoption is expected to accelerate as broadband speeds increase and heightened competition drives prices down," says AMI analyst Michael McDonald. Big changes are underway for the tablet market, in terms of product pricing, and that will drive adoption. Plus, tablet users are viewed as being more productive than non-tablet users. Here's the scoop on some of AMI's numbers and why your customers may benefit from tablet deployment.

IT security still suffers from a major skills gap and still resists new trends in technology that have already won the hearts and minds of business users, such as social media and cloud computing, according to the analysts at Frost & Sullivan and security professional group (ISC)2. The organizations recently conducted a broad survey on the state of the security workforce. "The information security profession could be on a dangerous course, where information security professionals are engulfed in their current job duties and responsibilities, leaving them ill-prepared for the major changes ahead, and potentially endangering the organizations they secure," wrote Rob Ayoub, author of the survey report. At the same time, the firm says that management support and end-user training is improving at most organizations and security's strong spending trends will continue on in the next year. Here's a look at the state of the IT security workforce.

While enterprise architecture (EA) plays an important role in planning IT strategy, line of business leaders tend to have no knowledge of EA's role in the business and many EA organizational structures do not map with the rest of IT's reporting structure. These were just some of the findings uncovered in Forrester's annual enterprise architecture survey, which found that as EA encounters these organizational issues, it is struggling to keep up with many changes in architecture meant to deal with volatile technology in areas such as collaboration, content management and application integration.

The channel remains deeply concerned about fallout from the recent announcement that RSA's SecurID authentication product was compromised. But RSA has been less than forthcoming with recommendations or even potential ramifications of how to keep customers safe. It's clear that it's up to partners to make sure that the proper steps are taken to ensure the security of customer information. Here are some key recommendations for immediate and near-term actions that partners need to check off their list, based on RSA's Securicor note and a synthesis of partner and security expert advice. Before all else, suggests Don Gray, chief security strategist for Cautionary, remember that a calm head is necessary to best help customers and that your clients are looking for long-term solutions, not short term fixes. "Don’t panic!" Gray says. "A successful attack using the worst case scenario will not appear quickly if at all."

Microsoft is having some trouble making its mark in the tablet space. The company is currently watching Apple dominate that market as the rest of the competition continues to follow Steve Jobs’ lead rather than pay much attention to Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. And as much as it might want to work with third-party tablet makers and get them to carry Windows 7 or Windows 8, it’s having trouble attracting those firms. All those problems have helped create a major issue for Microsoft in the tablet space -- it has no market share. But that doesn’t mean things have to stay that way. Microsoft can change its luck in the tablet market. The way to do that is to create its own tablet. It might be uncharted territory and it might not be Microsoft’s style, but the tablet market is integral to the future of Microsoft’s business. And the time has come for the company to develop its own tablet before it lets the market slip by. Microsoft has certainly found some success with creating its own game console in the form of Xbox and even gained quite a bit of notoriety this past holiday season with Kinect for Xbox 360. Why can't Microsoft repeat that model and its success in that market? That's why it's time for Microsoft to stop sitting out the tablet wars. Here's why it's time for Microsoft to develop its own tablet.

HP demonstrated the new HP Touchpad tablet for channel partners attending its HP Americas Partner Conference in Las Vegas, and many partners were impressed. HP plans to sell the tablet both through channel partners for commercial accounts and through retail for consumers. The device, about the same size as Apple's iPad, is expected to go head-to-head against Apple's staggeringly popular device. And unlike the iPad, HP's Touchpad features support for Flash, which is a big deal among customers, partners told Channel Insider. HP told Channel Insider that the device will ship sometime between now and June and will be priced competitively with existing tablet offerings. Here's a quick look at the HP Touchpad.

As hospitals rush to implement EHRs in order to better serve patients and win some stimulus funds from the federal government in the process, they'll need to increase their information security defenses in the process. According to a recent survey by HIMSS, the healthcare industry is struggling to keep up with security as it is. More records and more informatics collaboration will only make the situation more complicated. Here's a look at the state of security at healthcare organizations.

No company grows up to be a behemoth in such an expansive market as enterprise resource planning without making a few enemies along the way. And Germany-based SAP is no exception. This giant in the enterprise software market has gone head-to-head with some of the biggest companies out there. And changing market conditions have meant new challenges for the stalwart ERP vendor. Here are some of SAP's biggest in the IT arena.

Think ERP implementations are immune to the cloud? Think again. A new study says that the ERP market is going through a transformation and more customers are looking to the cloud. For instance, a quarter of organizations are using traditional ERP solutions that are hosted off-site, and 17 percent are choosing SaaS delivery for their solutions. Part of the change is more attention to cost efficiency. The average cost of an ERP project dropped from $6.2 million in 2009 to $5.48 million in 2010. And time of deployment increased with projects reduced by about four months in the last year. Here's a look at some of the ERP deployment numbers and some predictions from the experts at Panorama Consulting.

From a small, German IBM spin-off to a global IT behemoth, SAP's rise within the technological vendor ranks has largely come on the back of its enterprise resource planning (ERP) software. But over the years the company's organic growth, combined with some big acquisition moves in recent history are putting the company on the map across the IT spectrum. According to executives at the recent SAP Channel Partner Summit 2011, the company hopes future growth will come increasingly with the help of its partners.

A year ago you had one choice of tablet: the Apple iPad. But today, when it comes to tablets, there are so many options, choices and brands. How do you know which tablet will suit your particular needs? A doctor will need different features than, say, a gamer will need. A photographer will want a brilliant screen and ample storage. Form factor, processor speed, connectivity – all these factors come into play for individual users looking for the best tablet experience for their unique needs. So Channel Insider has compiled a list of the best tablets for certain people. Where do you fit in?

HP is embarking on what could be a seismic shift in corporate strategy. The company’s CEO Leo Apotheker outlined his vision for the future of his tech giant recently, saying that the cloud and software will become central to HP’s future identity. Apotheker’s changes to HP’s vision have taken some by surprise. For years, HP has been the company delivering computers to enterprise customers and consumers. It also has delivered a slew of outstanding enterprise-focused services to companies looking to do more with their operations at a much lower cost. That focus has helped define HP. But Apotheker has designs on changing all that. He believes that it’s time to bring HP back to old form. And he wants to achieve it by instituting what could turn out to be the most drastic change to his company’s operation ever. Here's a look at the 10 most important things that everyone should know about HP’s new strategy for the future.

Many organizations sweat bullets at the thought of a data breach exposing sensitive personally identifiable information (PII) that they've been entrusted to protect. But when it comes to protecting other information such as emal addresses and passwords that can be reset, many within IT are not so concerned — after all, these morsels of information are not usually regulated the same way social security numbers and credit card digits are. However, breaches that expose these kinds of information have the potential to do a lot of organizational damage as well. And they happen all the time. Consider the Gawker breach reported in December, which exposed 1.3 million usernames and passwords and caused the media outlet a severe hit to its reputation. Similarly, in December email marketer Silverpop experienced an email database breach that affected hundreds of large customers such as McDonald's and Walgreens. Here's why 'inconsequential' breaches are actually a big deal after all.

Channel partners specializing in health care have a good year ahead of them if they are able to hone in on the right projects. In conjunction with the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) annual conference recently, the healthcare IT society released the results of its annual survey, which found that the majority of healthcare organizations are beefing up their budgets this year to support improvements in clinical systems, support for infrastructure capital expenses and optimization of existing systems. The survey offered up opinions and statistics from respondents representing 700 hospitals throughout the United States. Here' a look at what they said.

Are your customers spending more money on coffee than they are on keeping their websites secure? Chances are high that they are, according to a recent report out from the Ponemon Institute. Conducted on behalf of Cenzic and Barracuda Networks, the survey questioned over 600 IT security practitioners in a range of industries. The findings show that even though website attacks are a big concern and potential cost for companies, companies are still not spending much on web application security.

Tablets are all the rage in today’s tech world. Both consumers and enterprise customers are buying the devices, and the vast majority of analysts believe that the popularity of tablets will only grow over time. But is all that excitement over tablets a little bit too much? Are consumers and enterprise customers jumping on the tablet bandwagon without recognizing that those devices might be more about fun and games than about actual productivity? It’s certainly possible. See, tablets are fine products that can do quite a bit for any kind of user. But they’re also potential productivity killers that can have a negative impact on the enterprise. And there are several things that people can do with traditional computers that they can’t do with tablets. Simply put, tablets have limitations. And it’s important for everyone to keep that in mind before they opt for the iPad 2, the Motorola Xoom, or any other device they might come across in stores. Read on to find out what kind of limitations tablets have:

When it comes to the mobile market, a great deal of focus goes to the consumer space where devices like the iPhone and Android smartphones are commonly used. But devices like these appeal to corporate customers, too. And a growing number of enterprise users are finding value in them. Realizing that, the iPhone and the iPad, or more generally, Apple, has changed the way the enterprise thinks about mobility and the mobile market. Gone are the days when Research In Motion and the BlackBerry mean everything. Today, the corporate world is ready and willing to take on different ideas. And it’s Apple that that market can point to for all the changes it has undergone. Read on to find out some things that Apple has revealed about the corporate world.

Although Apple hasn’t made any indication that it will be launching the follow-up to its wildly popular iPhone 4 anytime soon, speculation abounds over what that device will offer. Some say that the platform will feature a slightly improved design over its predecessor. Others believe that iPhone 5 will come with iOS 5. And along the way, the vast majority of Apple lovers think the device will be the next big thing in the smartphone market. But for those still wondering which smartphone they should buy next, it might not be so easy to determine if they should wait for the promise of the iPhone 5 or go with another device, like the iPhone 4, now. They reason that the iPhone 5 could be a winner, but there are several smartphones in the space that are quite appealing already. And they might justify their price tag. But it’s important for those folks to see that waiting for the iPhone 5 is the best idea. Sure, the iPhone 4 is nice, and it’s flanked by several Android-based smartphones that should appeal to customers, but the iPhone 5 will be the next big thing in the mobile space. And it will likely deliver the features consumers are looking for. Here's why the iPhone 5 will be worth waiting for.

Recently, Microsoft released Windows 7 Service Pack 1, an update that delivers some better stability and important fixes to the latest in the long line of operating systems from the software giant. The update will likely be one of many service packs that will be made available to Windows 7. The launch of the service pack, however, causes some to think about Microsoft’s strategy in the operating-system space. The company is still heavily invested in desktop, offline software. And by the looks of things, especially with all the talk surrounding Windows 8, that won’t change anytime soon. Meanwhile, Google is preparing for the launch of Chrome OS, its cloud-based operating system that it believes, can deliver a new (and viable) experience for consumers who are looking for a little something different than Windows. It’s easy to see Google’s point. Chrome OS looks to be a promising addition to the operating-system market. And it could very well take a bite out of Windows market share eventually. Here's why Microsoft should fear Chrome OS.

Looking to get in on the opportunities around healthcare IT? You're not alone. Many IT solution providers and IT professionals are looking to gain expertise in this hot and growing area as physician offices and hospitals migrate to electronic medical records or electronic healthcare records (EMR or EHR). Certifications related to areas of knowledge specific to healthcare are still new, and most credentials being recommended to IT professionals serving healthcare clients are aren’t industry specific. Although there is a strong push towards electronic medical records, especially in light of agendas set by the Obama administration, there are only a few credentials tailored to the healthcare IT community. More are on the way. Here are a few of the certifications and training programs currently available.

On Mar. 2, Apple CEO Steve Jobs took to the stage to unveil the iPad 2, the follow-up to the company’s wildly popular iPad tablet. The iPad 2 comes with dual cameras, an improved processor, the option to choose between a black or white finish, and much more. Apple fans call it a fine improvement over the predecessor that consumers and enterprise customers embraced. But there are differing opinions out there about the new version. The iPad 2 certainly looks like a fine product, but it falls short of some expectations. And considering it was less than a year ago that consumers purchased the iPad, it might not be the best time for existing iPad owners to actually opt for the iPad 2, no matter what Apple fans have to say. There’s no debating that the iPad 2 is an appealing tablet that current, non-iPad owners would be happy with. But when it comes to spending at least $500 each year to get an updated iPad, Apple’s latest release falls short. Read on to find out why the iPad 2 just shouldn’t suit the fancy of current iPad owners.

Enterprise-focused Cisco has been competing for years in an environment that where it excelled. Companies around the globe use Cisco products. And many of them are very happy with the experience that they offer, delivering enterprise-class performance and a level of efficiency that typically appeals to customers. But over the past few years, things have been going awry at Cisco. The firm has been on a purchasing binge, trying to nab every company that it can to expand its product offerings. It has also unveiled new products that seem to stray from its core focus. And along the way, it seems to have lost a sense of what it’s all about. But Cisco can still change all that. All it needs to do is shed some of the fat, find areas to improve, and perform some small changes in key growth sectors to fully get its mojo back. Here's how Cisco can revive its lost brand and return to its former glory.

The Gloucester County Institute of Technology, Sewell, N.J., recently embarked on a $500,000 technology infrastructure upgrade. As part of this massive initiative, the school called in integrator Rick Tashman of Syscom Technologies, Blue Bell, Pa., to help design, deploy and service a new data center optimizing the latest virtualization, consolidation, power, cooling and monitoring technologies. Syscom brought in its vendor partners featuring APC and its Hot Aisle Containment System with its scalable, modular design. The data center phase of the project is valued at approximately $200,000 and took just 3 days to build, once the mechanical engineers, electrical engineers and everyone else involved in the project agreed on the implementation.

Apple’s iPad has been an absolute success in the tablet space, easily besting all competitors, including the Dell Streak, the JooJoo Tablet, and the Samsung Galaxy Tab. Along the way, it has also caught the attention of enterprise decision-makers that can’t help but wonder if the device is their best option should they choose to bring tablets to their operation. Admittedly, making such a decision is difficult. Apple has marketed the iPad as a consumer-focused product, and it would only make sense that some enterprise customers balk at opting for a platform that seems so focused on making entertainment-seekers happy. But the reality is, Apple’s iPad is a fine enterprise tablet option. It boasts many of the features that enterprise customers are after, and it does so at a price that most enterprise users would be quite happy with. Simply put, it’s hard to find a better tablet on store shelves right now for the average company.

Here's why the iPad is a top choice for enterprise customers across just about every industry.

If doomsday soothsayers (and fans of the Mayan calendar) are to be believed, December 21, 2012 will spell the end of all humanity has come to hold near and dear. And, that includes the slew of cool apps running on mobile phones. Gartner recently identified 2012’s mobile technologies to watch—so pay close attention, and get your fill before the apocalypse arrives.

When it comes to tablets, it’s hard to say which device would be better for certain customers. The iPad is undoubtedly an outstanding device that most people would be happy with, but there are still folks that don’t want to get involved with Apple. And those people are looking for something else. No matter what they’re looking for, however, they will want to get their hands on a tablet. The question then is which tablet should they buy and when should they do so. Some folks say that waiting until the end of the year is the best option because most of the kinks will be worked out by then. But perhaps that’s not the case. Perhaps the best option for most customers -- both consumers and enterprise users -- is to get their hands on a tablet sooner rather than later. Of course, that doesn’t mean they should do so today. But it does mean that the longer customers wait, the worse it will be. The time has come for consumers and enterprise customers to buy a table right now. Here's why.

The tablet space has always been a bit of a conundrum to the average company. In some cases, they companies find that they might be useful in helping keep employees more productive. However, in other cases, firms across the world find that tablets are detrimental to productivity. They realize that some employees will use tablets to engage in activities, like watching video and surfing the Web, that hurt a company’s ability to see higher return on investment. And they decide to go with something else. But the Cisco Cius and the Research In Motion BlackBerry PlayBook are designed with corporate customers in mind. The devices promise to deliver on what the average enterprise customer wants. And they will offer many of the features, including BlackBerry Enterprise Server for the PlayBook, that some corporate customers are looking for. But the HP TouchPad might not have the same enterprise appeal. The device, which was first announced on Feb. 9, is getting all kinds of attention from those who believe the tablet could be the next big thing in the space. But when it comes to enterprise customers, the TouchPad will almost undoubtedly fall short when put up against the Cisco Cius and BlackBerry PlayBook. Here's why.

On Feb. 9, HP unveiled its plans for the future of its mobile strategy. And by the looks of things, those plans rely heavily on WebOS, the platform that the company now owns, thanks to its acquisition of Palm last year for $1.2 billion. To some extent, that makes sense. HP is a public company that has a responsibility to its shareholders. And the last thing it wants to do is acquire a company for over a billion dollars and not deliver to those investors good reason for why it went ahead and bought another company. But at the same time, HP needs to think about its long-term ability to appeal to customers. And when it views the market in that way, it might have no other choice but to ditch WebOS in favor of Android. Of course, HP would disagree. But as it stands right now, Android could be the best choice for the company as it considers its place in the mobile market. WebOS might have promise, but until consumers see as much value in it as HP does, it won’t do much to change things for the company. Here's why HP should ditch WebOS for Android.

Beginning Feb. 14, man matched wits with machine on Jeopardy as the world watched IBM supercomputer Watson face off against the quiz show’s two most famous human champions. For three days the world tuned in to see how IBM’s Watson supercomputer fared in the two-game tournament. In the battle of man vs. machine, machine won. To achieve this victory, researchers fed Watson 200 million pages of text–about 1 million books–ranging from encyclopedias to movie scripts to newspapers to children’s book abstracts. With its ability to store all that data, Watson then mines it to formulate contextual relationships. Puns and wordplay? No problem. Obscure trivia? Combining random facts? Elementary, my dear….er, Watson. IBM says Watson’s Deep Q&A technology could be applied in diverse fields such as health care, legal, education and government. Now assuming you could afford the hardware and information resources, imagine if you had your own personal Watson to help make you healthy, fabulously wealthy, well-dressed, well-adjusted, a great conversationalist at parties and perhaps even happy. This Channel Insider slide show highlights 11 of the best ideas for personalized Watson apps.

The tablet market is poised for immense growth in 2011. In fact, some reports suggest the space could see shipments nearly quadruple compared to 2010. And along the way, companies like Apple, Google, Motorola, Samsung, and others will benefit in the consumer space essentially. In the enterprise, it’s tough to say what device will emerge as the leader. It’s possible that RIM’s upcoming BlackBerry PlayBook will win the day. It’s just as likely that the Cisco Cius will win out. And although some companies might not believe it just yet, it’s even possible that Apple’s iPad or Android-based consumer-focused tablets could win the slate market. Simply put, the enterprise tablet space is up for grabs right now. And companies will be forced to make some big decisions this year when deciding which device to opt for. In some cases, the decision might be easy. But in the vast majority of cases, it simply won’t be. There are too many issues facing today’s enterprise users for it to be so simple. Read on to find out what kind of issues companies will face when they start thinking about adopting tablets this year.

Both patients and doctors agree, IT holds the key to drastically improving healthcare if it can solve some critical collaboration problems in the near future. The recent Markle Survey of Health in a Networked Life released last week by the Markle Foundation found that physicians and patients believe that care effectiveness and efficiency could be improved if doctors were better able to electronically share information with each other and with patients throughout the care giving system. "Doctors and patients agree on the importance of putting accurate information in their hands to improve the quality, safety, and efficiency of health care," Markle President Zoë Baird said. However, the current system today is nowhere near ready to offer that kind of collaboration. Channel Insider takes a look at some of the survey results, which came from querying over 1,500 patients and nearly 800 physicians nationwide.

The tablet market is poised for serious growth in 2011. Apple, Google, RIM, and several other companies plan to capitalize on that growth with hardware or software (or both). And in the process, the companies will be attempting to appeal to both consumers and enterprise customers. In the consumer space, it’ll be somewhat difficult for companies to overcome Apple. The hardware company has a long history of delivering outstanding products, and the iPad is currently the dominant force in the tablet space. Google’s Android platform is expected to come on strong this year with the help of the Motorola Xoom tablet, among others. In the enterprise, it might be a bit easier to gauge success. A couple of companies—Cisco and RIM—are planning to offer enterprise-focused tablets this year. They will be flanked by Apple’s iPad and possibly a few other devices that could crossover and appeal to corporate users. Combine all that and it quickly becomes clear that 2011 will be a big year for tablets. But before any company or consumer runs out to pick up a tablet, they should be aware that a relatively small selection of firms actually understand the value of tablets. And those companies that actually “get” it should be trusted with tablet investment this year. Read on to find out which companies actually understand the value of tablets.

Want to know the real skinny on how well the tech industry is doing? Your best bet of getting the unvarnished truth would be to talk to the keepers of the purse within top technology firms. That's exactly what the firm BDO did when it surveyed a cross-section of CFOs at some of the nation's largest technology companies.

With USB drives and devices proliferating within the workplace faster than a fresh pot of bitter coffee, organizations today have experienced an unparalleled boom in productivity and mobility as a result. However, the law of unexpected consequences remains at play with the convenience of USB mobility. USB drives are increasingly being used by insiders to pilfer information from their employers, they are lost every day—putting the valuable information they contain at risk of data breach, and they are fast becoming the hacking community's favorite vector for spreading new malware. In order to balance productivity with safety, Channel Insider has put together 10 important best practices that every organization should consider instituting.

Apple’s iPad 2 will likely be announced at some point in the next few months. Exactly what the device will offer at that point is anyone’s guess, since Apple has yet to reveal details. That said, several industry analysts and critics believe that the updated tablet will feature dual cameras, the ability to connect to Verizon’s 3G network natively, and potentially, connect to Verizon’s 4G network. In addition, the device is expected to have a slightly updated design. Regardless of what the device offers, it will be faced with serious pressure from several different competitors, like the Motorola Xoom, Acer’s upcoming tablets, and a slew of others. In the enterprise, it will be facing off with the Cisco Cius and RIM’s BlackBerry PlayBook. In the corporate world especially, Apple has to be on top of its game. The company’s iPad has started to make inroads in the corporate world, but it’s the iPad 2 that will need to appeal to corporate customers more than any other. And although details on the new device are slim, it’s highly likely that it will compete quite well against the Cius and BlackBerry PlayBook.

HP formally unveiled its long-anticipated HP TouchPad, a tablet computer based on the revamped webOS the computer maker acquired in its $1.2 billion acquisition of Palm last year. Slated for retail this summer (no pricing yet), the machine weighs 1.6 pounds, and is powered by a 1.2GHZ dual-core processor. The machine will come in 16GB or 32GB of internal storage as it seeks to challenge the game-creating Apple iPad and fleet of tablets based on Google's Android 3.0 operating system, as well as RIM's PlayBook. TouchPad wasn't the only new webOS device to appear. HP also flaunted the HP Pre 3 and the ultra-small HP Veer smartphones. Available this summer, the HP Pre 3 sports a 3.6-inch screen with a slide-out QWERTY keyboard and a 1.4GHz processor, as well as front-and-rear facing cameras for video calls. Available this spring, the Veer offers just a 2.6-inch touchscreen on a tiny handset that is 3.31 inches long, or the length of a credit card. HP's Touchstone software will connect the three webOS devices by allowing consumers to share a URL between a Pre 3 and TouchPad by tapping them together. Users may also start reading a website or blog on a TouchPad and then tap their Veer smartphone to take it to go. Channel Insider offers a quick tour of HP's new webOS gadgets in this slideshow.

For two rows in a year now, the IT industry has experienced nearly flat salaries, according to the 2010 Annual Salary Survey data from technology employment firm Dice. The survey found that salaries only increased by 0.7 percent last year, up to $79,384. However, job titles, company size and regional markets had a big affect on pay performance. Here's a look at the best performers.

IT organizations and IT solution providers that downsized during the recession may have more work to do these days as the economy slowly recovers. But uncertainty has led to a reluctance in some quarters to add permanent full-time employees. That means that IT talent agencies and temporary agencies have seen an increase in the demand for qualified workers. According to talent agency executives, there’s an increasing demand from clients for short- and long-term IT contractors (click ). And those workers who found themselves without a job during the recession have helped lead to an increase in talent in these agency databases. Here's a look at a handful of IT talent agencies serving as a marketplace for IT job seekers and employers.

The past year has been a volatile one in the tech executive suite, with big leadership changes affecting behemoths like Google, HP, Microsoft and SAP. Channel Insider examines some of the most game-changing executive moves over the last 12 months.

Businesses of all sizes need to concern themselves with the security of their IT assets, and with IT security becoming more critical and more complicated, the right certification under your belt could make the difference in getting the job you want ... or not. According to Joe Iovinelli, CEO of SmartSource, a provider of IT technical staffing solutions, IT security certifications are in very high demand right now, but his clients are often specific about which certifications they want workers to have. Attaining key certifications is one way for IT professionals to stand out from others who are competing for the same jobs. With security, in particular, employers want to know that the person they’re hiring has the right skills for the job. Here are the top seven IT security certifications currently in demand, in ascending order.

Google's meteoric rise from search engine specialist to technology superpower has not come without consequences. Companies that once thought of Google as a computing kindred spirit now see it as a top competitor as the company sticks its finger in just about every pie on the window sill: mobile computing, cloud applications, online advertising, analytics, travel, social media and more.

In the channel community, it pays to know your vendors inside and out. A vendor's economic health, its business decisions and its attitudes toward the channel can all make a huge impact on the loyal distributors, VARs, SIs, consultants and MSPs that live and die by the brands they rep. This go around, Channel Insider turns microscope onto Google. As the company works its way into a number of software industry, the channel community will find more ways to work with it in order to help fulfill customer needs.

The tablet market is set to explode this year as more and more companies bring their devices to the space. And in the process, a significant number of consumers and enterprise customers will be deciding which device -- Apple’s iPad or something else -- will adequately deliver the kind of value and feature set that they’re looking for. But before those customers determine which device is right for them, they should be prepared with all the facts. They should know what features they need and which might not be as important. They should also understand the major differences between some of the more prominent devices that are either on the market or will be making their way to store shelves in the coming months. Here’s a look at what both enterprise customers and consumers should be looking for in their ideal tablet of 2011. Some of the following options will be obvious, while others won’t. But in either case, all the following features must be considered before folks plunk down some cash.

Apple’s iPhone 4 has been one of the most popular versions of the company’s smartphone yet. And for good reason. The device boasts one of the slickest designs of any smartphone ever released. It also comes with one of the top operating systems in the mobile market. It’s simply one of the best products Apple has ever offered. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t some shortcomings that Apple must address in the iPhone 5. The company has been known to offer only certain features in each new iteration of its device, leaving some options out until the next version. It did the same with the iPhone 4. And for enterprise customers, that was a problem. But luckily for Apple, when it unveils the iPhone 5 sometime later this year, it will have a chance to redeem itself on all the features it missed out on the fourth time around. Here’s a look at those features.

School has been canceled, the roads are dangerously slippery and you still have to prepare for that big meeting. What do you do when you are snowed in but still need to be productive? Thanks to a host of new web-based and other technologies, it's easier than ever to collaborate and communicate with your team at work, regardless of where each member is at the moment. And now that you are trapped on the home front until the snow plow comes through today, or forced to work remotely due to some other disaster -- floods, volcanoes, hurricanes anyone? -- here is a collection of technologies to keep you productive when you are away from the office, for whatever reason.

Apple is widely expected to unveil the updated tablet at some point in the next couple months, making its release likely in the first or second quarter. For consumers, that’s probably good news. After all, Apple’s tablet has proven to be one of the most coveted technology products in the industry. And by the looks of things, it won’t see a reduction in overall demand at any point in the near future. However, the enterprise hasn’t been as quick to jump on the iPad train. Although Apple has been saying that its tablet is gaining ground in the enterprise and adoption is on the rise, it’s not where the company would want it to be. There are still far too many corporate customers that have no reason to switch to the iPad just yet. And the only way they’ll make the jump is if Apple itself finds a way to make them do it. Luckily for those customers and Apple, the company can do just that with the iPad 2. All it needs to do is deliver a worthwhile offering. And it could do that by making sure the following features and considerations are included in the iPad 2.

Apple took ownership of the tablet market in 2010 as the only game in town in the consumer market. But its slick-looking tablet was snapped up by business users, too, from the CEO reviewing Power Points and emails during yet another business trip to hotels looking to provide better customer service to guests. Indeed, Deloitte recently forecast that businesses would buy 25 percent of tablet computers sold in 2011. But Apple has a tougher path ahead. That's because, unlike last year, the field is getting crowded. From a host of Android tablets both planned and shipping to new tablets on new OSes promised by RIM and HP, and Windows 7 tablets, too, there's no shortage of competition this year. Still, the most anticipated launch will be Apple's next generation tablet. Here's a look at the top rumors about Apple's iPad 2

Now that your business has made it through the rough economic landscape of the past two years, making the most of 2011 is critical, and Apple’s voluminous App Store is there to help you make the most of your time. Whether you’re a road warrior, home office worker or big-city commuter, your time is valuable—there’s always something more that needs to be done, isn’t there? From flight tracking applications that keep you on schedule on the road, to calendar tools for organizing meetings, deadlines and naptime (you know you need one), here’s a list of applications that can help you and your business maximize productivity in the new year.

Technology has long been under lock and key in the enterprise world, with the IT decision-makers paving the way for what was and wasn’t acceptable to use in the office or to connect to the corporate network. Users had little input into what PCs, software and mobile devices they were permitted to use. However, as consumer technologies have become more portable, from Apple’s ground-breaking iPhone and other smartphones to the iPad and its rival tablets like the Samsung Galaxy Tab, employees—and the IT teams who love them—are being forced to adapt. No longer is corporate email available only on company-issued BlackBerry smartphones in many enterprises, midmarket companies and SMBs. Users with their own devices are hooking them into the corporate network, checking their email on corporate servers and sometimes even using their personal devices to tether corporate laptops to the Internet. And this trend isn’t likely to go away anytime soon as Android-based devices and others begin flooding the market for both consumer and enterprise smartphones and tablets. The following slides show how devices like the iPad, iPhone and others are changing the ways companies and their employees interact through technology.

While small business owners are still struggling to regain solid footing in the wake of the recession more than two years ago, finding some room in the budget to elevate the level of design in the office surroundings may not be as far-fetched as it seems. Simple ideas like community work spaces, a colorful couch or ergonomic office chairs can do wonders for employee morale and even improve productivity. A happy workplace is a functional workplace, and creating a stylish meeting room for clients can pay off if it extends the image of your company in tactile form. Take a look at these ways to add some pop to your office environment—without bursting your budget.

The corporate world has always been a cautious place. Companies are typically loath to change for fear of ruining productivity or investing in technologies that haven’t yet been proven. It has worked time and again, and there is a good chance it will continue to work going forward. And yet, speculation abounds that the corporate world will be acquiring the iPhone from Verizon when it’s finally made available at the beginning of February. Some say that companies have been waiting to make the switch to the iPhone on Verizon’s network, and now that the opportunity has presented itself, they’ll jump at it. But perhaps that isn’t the best move. The iPhone available to Verizon customers will certainly appeal to consumers. But it hasn’t been proven yet in the enterprise. And there is a very real possibility that enterprise customers might not like all that they see in the new device. At this point, just as it has done before, the enterprise should wait for the second-generation Verizon iPhone before opting for the device. Not only will Apple have enough time to get the kinks out, but it will likely benefit companies, as well. Here’s why.

The year 2011 has already been declared the Year of the Tablet, and Google’s Android platform is expected to make even bigger waves as it steps up to go head-to-head against Apple’s iPad, the device that put tablets into the mainstream consciousness. As an open source project, Android has the advantage of a large community backing its development and the support of mobile device manufacturers (from some of the biggest names in the business to entry-level players). Many Android-based tablets have already been released to the market, and many more are expected to hit this year. Additionally, Google is continuing development on the newest version of the Android platform, which will provide more support for tablet devices. Android 3.0, otherwise known as Honeycomb, will be optimized for tablet support and have a new user interface for tablet devices. Here’s a look at 10 Android devices – some already on the market and some that have slipped.

The enterprise is an interesting market when it comes to smartphones. On one hand they’re everywhere due to the increasingly mobile workforce requiring constant communication with the home office. But on the other hand they can be heavily regulated, and employees are sometimes forced to use devices that don’t quite measure up to the technological feats as the smartphones they use in their daily lives. But smartphones have undoubtedly changed the enterprise in a big way. Not only are companies more capable of getting more from their employees, but they’re also facing more security pressures than ever before. And along the way, they’re being forced to think about many more areas of governance than they might have thought about before widespread smartphone adoption. By now, there is simply no going back. The corporate world is stuck with smartphones — both the good and bad about them — and that won’t change. Read on to find out how smartphones have changed enterprise computing and management:

Tablets took center stage at 2011’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Companies both big and small unveiled their ideas for competing with Apple’s iPad and the Samsung Galaxy Tab in the months and years ahead. Whether or not they offer a worthwhile solution to customer needs is still up for debate. With Apple dominating the space, overcoming its immense sphere of influence may be difficult. But as the new products at CES proved, tablets have become extremely important to consumers. And they’re just as important to enterprise customers. Last year ushered in a new era of computing in the enterprise, and 2011, especially with the entrance of several enterprise-focused tablets, could be an even hotter year for tablets in the corporate world. And perhaps most importantly, tablets will continue to change the corporate world in some dramatic and surprising ways. Here’s a look at how tablets are changing the enterprise and will continue to do so in the coming years.

In an effort to increase the allure of functional (if somewhat drab sounding) data storage devices, manufacturers are beginning to get creative when it comes to device design. Boxy, bulky lines have been replaced with more refined and contoured designs, while the color palate has been expanded into more adventurous territory (Toshiba offers portable drives in colors such as “Liquid Blue”, “Satin Silver” and “Komodo Dragon Green”). Efforts to liven up exteriors further with graphics, skins and carrying cases are also underway, though a few over-designed devices look a little more like Robbie the Robot than intended. Bright blue LED indicator lights, gaping ventilation slots and the occasional digital readout suggest style and data storage aren’t mutually exclusive—but where’s my Steampunk storage device?

For every truly groundbreaking product launched each year at the enormous Consumer Electronics Show (CES), there are dozens that attempt to ape or better existing technologies and try to carve a niche in the market where no company has yet squeezed. Needless to say, many of these products are of limited use or overworked design, though many may find an audience or even a place in your own life. Let’s not fire up your imagination too much, though—take a look for yourself!

Now that 2010 is drawing to a close, it’s customary for folks to make some resolutions for the next year. In the tech space, there are some companies that should be doing the same as they prepare to deliver on their desire to appeal more to consumers and enterprise customers than ever before. One of those companies is HP. The venerable tech firm had a somewhat difficult year in 2010, losing its CEO, being panned for doing little with Palm, and watching as Oracle took its CEO for its own gain. But 2011 is a new year for HP. And with the right resolutions, the company might be able to frame its strategy and figure out once and for all what would be best in the coming year. Admittedly, turning a company around of that magnitude can be difficult in the tech space. HP isn’t a slouch and in many areas across the firm, its business operates on its own. But in the coming months, HP will need to follow some new strategies to be successful. And it can’t lose sight of what’s necessary — and what isn’t. Here’s our list of New Year resolutions for HP.

A powerhouse in the computer business since the mid-1980s, Dell continues to evolve today. Over the last few years the vendor has remade itself from a direct-selling PC company into a channel-friendly business firm. Its growth over the past few decades has definitely turned heads in the IT market. But it’s growth and competitive position have earned Dell a host of heavyweight enemies. Take a look.

In the channel community, it pays to know your vendors inside and out. A vendor's economic health, its business decisions and its attitudes toward the channel can all make a huge impact on the loyal distributors, VARs, SIs, consultants and MSPs that live and die by the brands they rep. This time around, Channel Insider turns its microscope onto Dell. Once just a little PC-builder that could, Dell is now one of the big boys, competing with the likes of HP and IBM for dominance in the consumer and business markets.

SMB Group analysts Sanjeev Aggarwal and Laurie McCabe recently came out with 10 high-impact predictions that they believe will drive the small to medium business market in the coming year. Here’s a look ahead at the trends that will shape this part of the market.

Big IT vendors weren't the only one making M&A waves this year. VARs, MSPs and distributors all laid cash on the table to consolidate and buy new capabilities that will help them compete more effectively in the coming years.

A study released by Computer Economics in November shows that even as dissention is growing among the ranks of Oracle customers, it still has not affected future plans of these customers to buy or update their products in the next three years. However, dissatisfaction is growing. "Many customers are frustrated with navigating Oracle's support system and the length of time it takes for Oracle to respond to support issues, and dissatisfaction with the cost of that support is even more widespread," said Frank Scavo, president of Computer Economics.

The Ponemon Institute recently released its annual report on encryption trends. The findings showed that data protection and privacy regulations are increasingly important in driving encryption adoption, more so now than the fear of a big data breach, and will continue to be a motivator for channel partners interested in selling encryption technologies to their customers. Ponemon polled close to 1,000 IT and business executives in the U.S. across 15 different sectors. The survey was conducted on behalf of Symantec's PGP division.

Whenever it comes time to evaluate Dell, it’s hard to not look back at where the company came from. For years, it was atop the technology industry, showing every other company in the space, including HP, Acer, and others, how computing was really done. It showed that with the right strategy in place, and the right idea about what business customers really want, a PC vendor could be extremely successful. But in recent years, Dell has lost its way. It allowed other factors to take hold as its top competitor in the computing market, HP, proved that when it’s all said and done, it truly knows what business customers are looking for in today’s rapidly changing environment. A key aspect in that was listening to the enterprise and VARs, and showing that it could adapt to the changing times. Nowadays, Dell is a shadow of its former self. And it seems lost when it attempts to compete for the affection of the enterprise. Simply put, Dell has failed in the corporate world in some very distinct ways. Here’s a look at why.

Maybe it’s an exaggeration, but it seems like barely a day goes by where there isn’t at least one new cloud services provider popping up. With all the growth in the cloud market and the increase in the number of providers, whether they’re all-in-one providers or have niche offerings, it’s no surprise that major IT vendors from Dell to Google to IBM to Cisco to HP are buying their way into the cloud market -- or complementing their existing cloud offerings -- by acquiring these smaller players. Even as some other parts of the IT industry showed a noticeable slowdown in acquisitions during 2010, the cloud computing arena had many examples of big companies buying smaller cloud service providers. Take a look at 10 of the most important and significant acquisitions in the cloud during 2010.

While top analysts with firms such as Forrester and Gartner have recently said that IT isn't likely to achieve spending that marked the halcyon days before the crash of 2008, 2011 is expected to see some healthy growth. The following markets offer great opportunities for VARs and MSPs to achieve their sales goals in the coming year.

HP is one of the most important companies in the tech space. It delivers solutions ranging from hardware to software to both enterprise companies, as well as consumers. Plus, it capitalizes quite heavily on its ability to attract corporate customers through its many enterprise-focused solutions. Simply put, HP is a major player across the entire tech industry. And that won’t be changing anytime soon. However, going forward, it’s quite possible that HP’s enterprise appeal could decline. There is little debating that the company will still capitalize on enterprise-based sources of revenue -- it must -- but it also fully realizes that the market is changing, and the best way to grow its business could be to focus more of its efforts on consumers. And at least for now, its decision-making seems to indicate that it’s doing just that. So, read on to find out why HP’s enterprise appeal could decline in 2011. Although it will undoubtedly have much to do with market factors, some other considerations will play into it.

Unsurprisingly, 2010 proved to be yet another bulwark year for security consolidation as players both large and small participated in the acquisition game. With security firms outperforming the IT market by about double and shifting mindsets about how security should be built into IT infrastructure, it's clear why most of IT's major players have been racing to pick up security brands that fit into their overall strategy. These purchases include not only the big blockbuster deals that garnered heavy industry coverage, but also quite a few dark horse acquisitions that have the potential to influence the market or change the way the acquiring company does business. Channel Insider takes a look at some of the biggest deals, both from a sheer valuation perspective and from a transformative point of view.

Consolidation of multiple markets was the big business trend of 2010, and mobility just may have won the “most activity” prize. The Big Guys like Google and Apple continuously snapped up smaller innovative players over the course of the year, looking to add more functionality and muscle to their own portfolios and offerings. Take a look at some of the most important mobile mergers in the mobility space in 2011 that are destined to shape apps, devices, revenue models and adoption rates within the mobile channel.

Just when you thought the storage market couldn't get any more consolidated, 2010 hit. The 3Par struggle between HP and Dell was emblematic of the storage acquisition landscape this year, as large players duked it out over a relatively small field of targets holding key technologies around warehousing, clustered storage and storage virtualization that will help the IT heavyweights build out their cloud strategies. Here’s a look at how the landscape changed.

There is no denying that 2010 was the year of the mobile device – from the launch of the iPad to Android’s huge uptick in adoption and popularity. New devices in different form factors running on faster networks were brought to market one right after the other. It used to be slim pickings for workaholics who had to opt for a BlackBerry. Those days are gone, and the manufacturers and carriers are duking it out to see who will win by offering more options for the individual wants and user characteristics of the purchaser. Here’s a round-up of some of the hottest and coolest phones (and tablets) of the year.

Before you put any extra liquor in that egg nog or subject yourself to gift wrap paper cuts, are you sure your channel business is ready for 2011? No, we don't mean strategically. We'll save that discussion for another day. Instead, have you undertaken the house-cleaning activities like reconciling your general ledger, running tax reporting and cleaning up important databases? The following checklist of 10 tips for ending the year soundly comes by way of Curtis Cochran, manager of customer support for Sage Peachtree.

Is there a new job waiting for you on the horizon of 2011? Which skills should you highlight when you are talking to that hiring manager? According to a new survey by technology career company and website, Dice, we may be on the verge of an increase in technology hiring, signaling a continuing economic recovery that includes jobs for IT workers. Dice further identifies the technology specialties that will be in demand next year, and whether or not companies will be paying a premium for some of these workers. Take a look and see where you fit.

How well do your customers manage their endpoints to defend against nasty malware risks? Are they keeping the types of applications they run under tight control? If they are like the majority of organizations today, the answer is probably 'not very well.' A new study from the Ponemon Institute, run on behalf of Lumension, titled State of Endpoint Risk found that most organizations don't think their systems are more secure now than last year and have experienced an increasing volume of cyber attacks and malware incidents. Here’s a look.

The mobile space is heating up. As more and more devices, including smartphones and tablets, join the fray, wireless carriers are making more money, vendors are generating boatloads of revenue, and consumers are getting excited to see what’s next. The mobile market is arguably the hottest sector of the industry right now. And by the looks of things, it doesn’t seem like that will be changing anytime soon. But for the enterprise, the mobile space—while extremely important—is a bit of a conundrum. IT decision-makers are fully aware that they need to accept that the mobile market is changing and adapt to it. But they also know that there are several potential issues in the space that could limit its effectiveness. One of those issues is the popularity of mobile app stores. Mobile applications are all the rage in the consumer space. But for the enterprise, they pose several issues that potentially block productivity and offer limited usability to the average employee. Simply put, mobile app stores still aren’t ideal for the enterprise. Here we take a look at some of the reasons why.

The face of corporate computing is changing and more than ever before, companies are taking a look at traditional PC form factors and turning to tablets instead. In fact, according to a recent study, tablet shipments have the potential to outpace PC shipments within the next 18 months. If true, that would mark a significant shift in the way the enterprise computing space operates and will undoubtedly have a major impact on the way companies leverage IT solutions to do business. As more employees get comfortable using tablets, the enterprise could realize that the PCs might not be the best solution any longer and that tablets are a viable part of the enterprise IT portfolio. Will the enterprise come to use tablets more frequently than notebooks or desktops? Even if enterprise adoption of the tablet grows, it won’t be the death knell for the notebook. For the foreseeable future, notebooks and desktops will play an integral role in the average company’s daily operation. But tablets are going to take on an even greater position in corporate computing. Here’s why.

When a company plans to develop a product, it might first have an eye on the consumer space, but it typically always wants its offering to have an appeal to enterprise customers as well. As history has shown time and again, there are some companies that fully understand how to appeal to both consumers and enterprise customers – and there some companies that don’t. The average company tries desperately to appeal to enterprise customers and fails miserably every time. Admittedly, the enterprise is a tough space for most companies to capitalize on. It’s heavily entrenched in its ways, and the kind of functionality that enterprises desire isn’t typically offered by vendors that focus on consumer products. It’s simply a tall order for most firms to garner the attention of the enterprise and profit heavily. Realizing that, it’s a good time to look at some of the products that will have a rough 2011 in the enterprise. Some of the following products will be released next year, while others have been out for quite some time. In either case, they will experience an extremely difficult 2011. Read on to take a look.

Top-tier analyst firm Gartner recently released its top predictions for IT organizations and users for 2011 and beyond, and several disruptions are on the way. Gartner’s predictions include major shifts and evolutions in technology, sure, but also in the role that technology plays in the daily lives and daily business practices of users and organizations. What will it mean to your company? What will it mean to you? Take a look.

With so many plays in storage, information management, data center consolidation, virtualization and cloud development, it stands to follow that EMC has plenty of healthy rivalries going strong within the tech community. The following are some of the strongest competitors vying for EMC's share.

It seems like everybody and their mother has jumped on the cloud backup and recovery bandwagon, and narrowing down the list when choosing a service provider can be tough. David Hill, principal at Mesabi Group, compared the industry (partly in jest) to an old Smothers Brothers routine in which the brothers proclaim that anybody can be a cowboy just by putting on the chaps. “Having the name is not necessarily having the game, but everybody talks about cloud,” Hill said. It seems like everybody -- from the big guns like Amazon and EMC to the tiniest start-ups -- is getting into the cloud backup and recovery business. Data center transformation is partly driving the move to the cloud for backup and restore, and there are a plethora of reasons for using these services. Businesses are using cloud backup and restore for remote mirroring, as an addition to on-premise storage, and for data center migration purposes. “In the public cloud, people are using software-as-a-service capabilities to basically vault their data over to the other site, and one of the things they can do is snapshots,” Hill said. The opportunities for cloud providers and their channel partners are growing, but first, you need to know who to partner with. Here we take a look at seven channel-friendly cloud backup and recovery service providers that you should consider.

Mobile security threats are becoming more of a concern as more corporate data is transmitted or even stored on smartphones and the cyber-criminals of the world are looking to take advantage of that. According to an ABI Research report, the mobile security market will exceed $4 billion by 2014. With growing concerns over lost or stolen phones that may contain sensitive corporate data, the number of smartphones protected by mobile security solutions will increase by five times, the report stated. Even though concerns are rising, there still isn’t much caution. The latest news is a virus that affects smartphones has infected more than 1 million smartphones in China since September. The virus is equipped with fake anti-virus software that users have downloaded and activated, becoming its unknowing victims. “The bad guys are out there, and it’s a huge industry of fraud, identity threat and viruses. It’s predominantly organized crime now and not individuals, so there’s a revenue model attached to it and there’s a lot of money to be made in it,” said Michelle Warren, president of MW Research and Consulting. She warned that this is just the beginning of the cyber-crime industry as it relates to smartphones. Enterprises need to think ahead and start protecting their data yesterday. Here are several vendors that can help you protect your and your customers’ mobile data.

As the opposing forces of data privacy regulations and legal discovery demands tug at organizations, businesses must become more conscientious and systematic about the way they retain, retrieve and generally handle their electronically stored information. In a survey released last month by Kroll Ontrack, the mistakes made with this information were made evidently clear. The survey questioned both in-house IT and legal counsel to get a view from both sides of the house. Here’s what they found.

Windows Phones 7 devices may just be hitting the shelves, but already, there is a barrage of seriously cool apps already available, whether you are a social media junkie and can’t tear yourself away from Facebook or Twitter, or a music lover, a weather nerd, a movie buff or just need to look at PDFs on the go. Here’s a list of the must-haves for Windows Phone device users.

Apple’s iPhone is a huge success in the consumer space. With each passing month, more and more people are going to Apple stores, AT&T retail locations, and other places to get their hands on the hardware company’s smartphone. They not only believe that it delivers unique value, but they also think that it trumps most other smartphones on the market. In many cases, those beliefs fall in line with the value proposition Apple’s smartphone offers. But in the enterprise, the company is still trying to catch its stride. It’s not that the iPhone hasn’t been marketed more towards the enterprise in the past couple years - it has - but it lacks some features that would make it a better option for most companies. And until Apple realizes that and delivers some of those features, it might have trouble breaking out of the belief that it’s a consumer-focused product. Simply put, Apple’s iPhone needs some new features to make it more enterprise-friendly. Here’s how Apple can make iPhone enterprise ready.

In the channel community, it pays to know your vendors inside and out. A vendor's economic health, its business decisions and its attitudes toward the channel can all make a huge impact on the loyal distributors, VARs, SIs, consultants and MSPs that live and die by the brands they rep. In this vendor profile, Channel Insider takes a look at EMC. A strong player in storage, information management, security and virtualization, EMC has strong ties to the channel and big influence within the VAR community.

Is Apple is an business-focused company or a consumer-focused firm? Most people who are asked this would undoubtedly say the latter. But Apple has said in the past that although it caters to consumers, it delivers an enterprise component that companies can get behind. And in recent years, it has made strides at changing the way people perceive its efforts in the enterprise as its iPhone and iPad have infiltrated that realm. But full inspection of Apple’s decision-making quickly reveals that the company is all about consumers. And in some respects, it has turned its back on the enterprise, deciding instead to force corporate customers to give in to Apple’s demands with its products. Of course, that’s not all that new from Apple. But as it continues to say that it’s an enterprise-focused firm, the company isn’t proving it. Simply put, Apple has turned its back on the enterprise in a big way. And the company doesn’t seem to be willing to acquiesce to corporate demands. Read on to find out why Apple has turned its back on the enterprise, and why it might eventually pay off:

Do you have loyal customers who have stuck with you through the recession? Loyal workers who have put in extra time unpaid to take up the slack for a reduced workforce? How do you say thank you to these clients and employees around the holidays? It’s important to express your appreciation for this kind of loyalty, and the holidays are a perfect time to do it. But instead of buying another mug at the Hallmark store or sending out another pre-printed card do it right. Opt for the personal touch and gifts that have meaning. Here’s our list of some of the most thoughtful and memorable appreciation gifts to give.

The opportunities abound for smart channel partners willing to leverage mobile platforms to improve marketing efforts or streamline internal business processes with the right custom applications. While custom development costs can add up, there has been a growth in modular, customizable mobile application development products and services that offer businesses the targeted application features they'd like to offer their customers or internal users without having to start development from scratch. Here's a sampling to get you started.

Last week ISACA released findings from its third-annual Shopping on the Job: Online Holiday Shopping and Workplace Internet Safety Survey, which details the risks perceived by members of the IT professional organization. The survey explored how much time employees are spending shopping online and what companies are doing about it.

As your customers trim their turkeys and prepare the stuffing, it is likely that work matters will remain with them in the backs of their minds. It is, after all, the end of the year. Which means one big thing for IT executives and managers: time to not only trim the turkey but also the IT budget for the coming year. Channel partners are in a prime position to help their clients achieve cost savings in 2011 if they follow the right recipe for success. This includes serving up a healthy portion of strategic consulting services along with some tactical deployments that can effectively reduce the bottom line in a very demonstrable fashion.

Don't embark on Black Friday unprepared! It's a dog-eat-dog world out there on the busiest shopping day of the year and you need to be prepared to make the most of your shopportunities. Smart shoppers looking to snag great deals with minimal fuss should consider getting the most out of their valuable time by tapping into their mobile devices. There are plenty of apps now available for smartphones that can help you navigate the deals, find the best prices and even track your shipments. The following mobile apps are great companions during the post-Thanksgiving shopping fracas.

As the Thanksgiving turkey and pumpkin pie settles in your tummy, it's now time to bust out the cubicle Christmas decorations and start thinking about festive office activities. A perennial favorite is the Secret Santa gift exchange--a difficult prospect for tech geeks who enjoy expensive gifts most. Of course you'll never give your Secret Santa recipient an iPad, but you don't need to in order to please their inner nerd. The following gifts are great purchases ranging from under $10 to under $30 to keep that Secret Santa mojo going all holiday season long.

Looking for some help and inspiration with that holiday shopping? You’re not alone. Recent surveys show that although people are cutting back on how much they spend overall on holiday shopping in 2010, they plan to increase the amount they spend on technology and consumer electronics. From HDTVs to tablet computers to smart phones to eReaders to digital cameras, consumers plan to open up their wallets to buy gadgets this year. But regardless of whether you spend your money on a new gaming system for the kids, an iPad for your spouse or a fruit basket for the neighbor, there’s no reason to pay top dollar. Bargains abound at this time of year, as do the web sites that can help you find them. So get ready for Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the ensuing madness with a plan of action. Check out these web sites to help guide your way through.

Another year passes and even more security issues crop up on the Web. In an unsurprising report from Websense Security Labs recently, it seems that the number of malicious websites has multiplied more than two-fold from 2009 and data stealing attacks on the Web are on the rise as well. The most significant findings? The fact that many of the Web's 'nice neighborhoods' are going rogue as well. Many seemingly legitimate sites are hosting malicious content due to undetected attacks that plant malware to infect unsuspecting visitors. “What should organizations be most afraid of?" Patrik Runald, Websense security researcher, said in a statement. "You no longer have to go to dark corners of the Internet to find bad stuff.”

Travel delays, snowed in airports, TSA scans and pat-downs, equipment problems, and more. Unless you have your own private plane, the jet-set life is not a glamorous one anymore. It’s full of inconveniences and time killers. And as we enter the holiday season and so many more people squeeze into those ever-shrinking airline seats, it’s time to get ready with some apps for your smartphone or tablet that will help give you the edge on knowing about delays, planning trips, being productive and staying entertained. Don’t leave home without them.

Apple’s Mac OS X platform is a winner for consumers. Not only does it make it easy for folks to do the work they want to get done, but it provides users with a level of security that they might not find with the potentially malware-ridden Windows box they use at work. Plus, it has a design aesthetic that people look for in products. But in the enterprise that hasn’t necessarily been the case. Apple’s market share is far behind that of Microsoft’s Windows share in business deployments, and the chances of that changing anytime soon are, well, zero. But that doesn’t mean that some companies aren’t considering deploying Mac OS X in their operations. Apple’s iPhone and iPad have piqued business customer interest in Apple’s platforms. In fact, some companies are right now examining how they can deliver Mac OS X to employees. But before that happens, those companies should keep in mind some of the things that might not make Mac OS X so viable. It’s a nice operating system, but it’s not the perfect software for business.
Read on to find out why:

As companies prepare to provide their employees with Apple’s iPad, they need to consider the impact such a decision could have on their operations. On one hand, the impact could be beneficial to companies, since Apple’s iPad delivers some of the better functionality in the tablet market. But on the other hand, it might not help companies that are worried about productivity. Unfortunately, choosing the iPad for the enterprise can be a difficult sell. An equally compelling argument can be made both in favor of the iPad and against it. And until companies fully determine what their needs are and what they should be looking for from Apple’s iPad, it will be difficult for them to make the most informed decision possible. Simply put, there are several different things that companies need to think about as they determine where they stand on deploying an iPad in their operation. And that’s why those companies should read on to find out what they should know about Apple’s iPad before they make a decision.

The mobile market is currently being dominated by both tablets and smartphones. And for many customers, trying to determine which option to choose for employees can be difficult. After all, smartphones have always been the favorites in the corporate world. But with more and more talk surrounding tablets coming to the fore, it’s becoming easier for companies to get lured into buying the iPad or one of its many competitors. However, in the corporate world, smartphones should still reign supreme. And if a company is trying to decide between getting its employees’ hands on a smartphone or a tablet, the smartphone should win every time. Not only does it make more sense from a productivity perspective, but it will likely also help companies maintain reasonable budgets in this day and age when financial concerns are ever present. Simply put, smartphones are a much better bet for the typical company than any tablet it might choose to deploy in its operation.

As organizations look ahead to 2011, cost cutting will likely be at the top of IT leaders' priority lists once again. Sometimes overlooked in favor of shorter-term cuts, investments in energy efficiency strategies and lower consumption products can make a big difference in the bottom line. According to current EPA figures, data centers that deliver services such as data storage, communications and Internet accessibility currently account for 1.5 percent of total U.S. electricity consumption, costing businesses $4.5 billion annually. In June the EPA predicted that amount will double in the next five years. This week CDW recently released a report detailing the energy saving habits of more than 750 IT professionals. The following 10 strategies are a collection of best practices observed by successful organizations, as well as recommendations offered by the report based on the most current gaps in current practices. Channel providers who can implement these strategies within their own data centers and in customer environments stand to add significant value through better cost containment.

Google Apps is a powerful suite of messaging and collaboration tools, but its cloud-based approach to software isn’t right for every individual or business. There are several factors that go into deciding to make the switch or in recommending to your clients that they switch from their familiar on-premise software suites to the Google Apps world. Cloud Sherpas has built its business around Google Apps as a Google channel partner and ISV. Michael Cohn, founder and vice president of marketing of Cloud Sherpas says the cost savings businesses get from making the switch to Google Apps is a “slam dunk,” but the timing has to be right. Also, Google Apps is not suitable for businesses heavily affected by regulatory compliance laws like HIPAA and Sarbanes-Oxley. However, many businesses can benefit from the move. Here’s a look at the factors to consider when looking at a move to Google Apps.

A global survey of 6,000 consumers commissioned by Juniper Networks found that although there is an awareness of security issues among smartphone and tablet PC users, there’s a huge gap between being concerned about those issues and doing something to protect themselves. When shopping for new mobile devices, a growing number of consumers are taking security features into account, but less than a quarter of consumers are actually taking advantage of those security options. According to Mark Bauhaus, executive vice president and general manager Juniper’s Service Layer Technologies Business Group, smartphones and tablets are a new on-ramp to information, applications commerce, but they’re also opening users up to security threats. The good news is users are more security aware than they used to be. The bad news? They’re engaging in risky behaviour on their mobile devices that could make them and their employers vulnerable to attack or identity theft.

Virtualized security controls and private clouds are the next big wave for the enterprise, according to research firm Gartner. Whether it’s a physical or virtualized data center or a private cloud, Gartner says security fundamentals don’t change: ensuring confidentiality, integrity, authenticity, access, and auditing is still crucial. But what does a secure network look like in the “cloud”-y world? Gartner provides six attributes that are essential to ensuring tight network security in an era where private clouds become the norm.

Dell and HP are undoubtedly the companies to beat in the U.S. PC business. Aside from Acer, they typically understand quite well how important it is to appeal to consumers or enterprise customers that are looking to be more productive with Windows and the devices they choose to buy. It’s a strategy that has made both Dell and HP extremely successful in the computing space, and ensures that they will continue to be forces to be reckoned with in any market they enter. But for now, neither HP nor Dell seem to fully understand the tablet computer business. Both companies have offered slates to compete against Apple’s iPad, and yet, they have done nothing to steal even a significant portion of the market. That has been mainly due to their inability to see the changing times and adapt. And they don’t seem to understand what customers are really looking for. Read on to find out why neither HP nor Dell understand the tablet business, and why they likely never will until they realize the error of their ways.

A new study out by direct market reseller CDW found that channel customers are increasingly on the lookout for energy efficient options when buying for the data center. These IT leaders say that energy efficiency is critical to their profession today and are keeping the efficiency equation at play before, during and after deployments. We take a look at results from the survey CDW conducted, which asked for response from over 750 IT professionals in both public and private sectors.

Every day users create more data that needs to be stored, and storage volume continues to increase. It’s no wonder that the idea of cloud storage has gotten so much attention from customers, IT solution providers and vendors of the services. There’s a need for cloud storage, whether it is in private or public cloud. The trouble is there are so many cloud storage providers popping up that it's easy to get confused. David Hill, principal of Mesabit Group, puts it best: “There's a variety of ways to go about doing it, and there's a host of companies. It becomes mind-boggling.” To reduce some of the boggle, here are 10 cloud storage vendors and services, from those designed for ease-of-use to those offered as Infrastructure as a Service, that are worth a look.

Every company today needs a website to show the world what it does. Whether you are selling IT services, PCs, tablet computers, storage devices or high-end servers, your site portrays you to the world and lets potential customers know how to contact you. And yet your site may actually be turning those customers away. Here's a look at Website "Features" that may be holding your company back.

Data centers are the lifeblood of any IT organization's existence. And yet, most companies still falter when it comes to keeping unplanned outages at bay. A recent study conducted by the Ponemon Institute found that 95 percent of organizations have experienced an unplanned data center outage in the past two years, and more disconcertingly, senior level managers are unaware that these events are happening or the extent of damage that they can cause. “When you consider that downtime can potentially cost data centers thousands of dollars per minute, our survey shows a serious disconnect between senior-level employees and those in the data center trenches,” said Larry Ponemon, founder of the Ponemon Institute. “This sets up a challenge for data center management to justify to senior leadership the need to implement data center systems and best practices that increase availability and ensure the functioning of mission-critical applications. It’s imperative that these two groups be on the same page in terms of the severity of the problem and potential solutions.” The following are Ponemon's findings, which examined responses from more than 450 U.S.-based IT pros involved in data center operations, as well as upper level managers overseeing these pros.

Tablet PCs were all the rage not too long ago. They were devices that some believed, would deliver the touch functionality that was sorely missing from the mobile-computing space. Those devices typically ran Windows XP, featured a physical keyboard, and delivered a largely familiar experience to customers that wanted to perform work with a stylus, rather than a mouse. But over the years, tablet PCs failed to capture the hearts of enterprise customers or consumers. The devices were simply too hard to use, they didn’t offer the kind of functionality that customers expect from tablets today, and in the end, the vast majority of them failed miserably. That said, tablet PCs are still around in some corners of the tech space today. They’re trying to provide a level of productivity and usability that their vendors believe the iPad can’t quite muster. It’s a lofty goal, and it’s likely one that will miss the mark as more and more companies start offering iPad-like alternatives, rather than stick with the tablet PC idea of mobile computing. But those tablet PCs will follow their predecessors, which failed miserably in the computing space. And they failed for several reasons. Here’s a look at the mistakes they made.

The channel partnering experts at Amazon Consulting recently released a new study that revealed how channel partners, vendors and distributors are doing in the IT ecosystem. The survey found that the 80/20 rule is in play both for vendors and channel partners, as the most active solution providers are spending most of their time on just a few vendors solutions and that vendors receive the most value from a small group of high performance partners. Meanwhile, though vendors are increasing the breadth and depth of many of their programs, there are gaps where they fail to meet some of their partners' most acute needs. Similarly, there seems to be a disconnect between what type of support vendors expect their distributors to offer resellers and IT solution providers and what is actually delivered by these distributors. Take a look at the state of channel partner-vendor relations.

Apple’s iPad has been performing exceedingly well in the tech space. In fact, the device is easily the most popular tablet on the market, and few of its competitors have even a hope of catching up to it anytime soon. The main reason for that is quite simple: Apple understands what consumers and even enterprise customers are really looking for in a tablet. And it has gone out and delivered that to them without leaving out many of the other features they really desire. The result has been success, and a jump start in today’s tablet space that will likely keep Apple far ahead of the competition for quite some time. But Apple’s success in the tablet market isn’t all due to its decision-making. Quite the contrary, the iPad is successful today in part because of the mistakes the device’s competitors have made attempting to capture some of the market the tablet has gained. In an effort to beat Apple, the company’s competition has lost its way. And now, the iPad is succeeding because of it. Read on to find out about some of the mistakes Apple’s iPad competitors have made, and why those issues continue to hold devices back today.

As IT organizations dive headlong into cloud deployments for cost and efficiency dividends, they're finding that the law of unintended consequences is rearing its ugly head in the deployment aftermath. Courion Corporation has released the results of a survey that examined some of the security and audit issues that cloud adoption has brought to bear on enterprises. The global survey queried 384 business managers from enterprises, primarily with at least 1,000 employees. The results are eye-opening.

Microsoft finds itself in a precarious position in today’s tech space. The company is dominant, for sure, but its products are being attacked on all sides by competitors that are trying desperately to cut into the software giant’s lead across several markets. And so far, many of those firms have been somewhat successful at it. In fact, Microsoft’s mobile market share has declined quite a bit over the past few years. And many believe that it won’t be able to regain it at any point in the near future. However, Microsoft is still Microsoft. And that means that the company has the cash and the influence to overcome adversity and regain its past influence. Perhaps more importantly, the software giant already has a suite of products that are appealing to customers already. And in many cases, its offerings are easily trumping that of the competition’s. Read on to find out how Microsoft’s many products are beating the following alternatives quite handily. Some of the following products might surprise Microsoft critics. But when it’s all said and done, the software giant is doing far better than those folks believe.

PricewaterhouseCoopers 2011 Global State of Information Security Survey showed that economic conditions have had a serious effect on IT spending. This annual assessment of security spending and practices across a massive group of IT and line of business leaders at companies worldwide reveals priorities in security spending as well as vulnerabilities that are left. This year's survey and report was based on the responses of 12,840 CEOs, CFOs, CIOs, CSOs, vice presidents and directors of IT and information security from 135 companies. Channel Insider investigates.

Undoubtedly the most influential company to kick-start the IT industry since its inception, IBM has been at the spear tip of data processing and computing innovation for the better part of a century. Beginning with its roots in time clocks, through its era of punch card computing, to the epoch of PCs and servers and now into the new regime of cloud and mobile computing, IBM has had its fingers in the pie the whole time.

With interests that span outward toward the most esoteric reaches of the IT world, IBM necessarily has made its fair share of enemies and even frenemies among rivals, partners and disgruntled customers over the years. The following are some of the most estranged organizations of the bunch.

LinkedIn is the go-to social networking community for business. Sure, there’s Facebook and Twitter to stay connected with business contacts, but LinkedIn is the most professional of the big three social networking sites. That said, your presence and profile on this site can be vitally important. It can help you generate business contacts, scout potential employees, find a new job or look for prospects for business deals. With a plan and some power-user tips, LinkedIn can help you advance. Here’s a look at some quick ways to optimize your profile and presence on LinkedIn.

The technology space is littered with products that are both useful and useless. And attempting to sift through all the garbage to find those products that a company should make available in its operation can at times be difficult. After all, some of those awful products occasionally come from major companies. And at times, the best products come from smaller firms that few have ever heard about. Cutting through all that and determining what’s really necessary is the challenge. But that doesn’t mean that the average company is forced to do it alone. There are a slew of vendors out there that make a simple yet effective case for why a company should deploy their product. And in most cases, those firms provide several obvious reasons why their products stand above all others in their particular market. And it’s that group of products that will be highlighted here. Read on to find out about some of the products, including computers, smartphones, and even web services, that every company should be considering deploying in its operation.

Whether it's from project failures, cost overruns that cause bankruptcy, broken applications or lemon products, IT workers certainly have plenty of fodder for telling scary stories that will keep their administrators and consultants up late at night. The following stories of IT terror have haunted IT departments, customers and vendors over the course of 2010.

These days social media can boost your business beyond your regular customers, showcasing your skills and expertise to a whole new cadre of clientele. But maybe you’ve tried social media and been disappointed in the results. While Twitter tweets may just be 140 characters, don’t kid yourself into thinking that an effective Twitter strategy will only take a few minutes. If Twitter is not giving you the results you hoped for, it’s time to take stock. Or if you’ve yet to try Twitter, here is some practical advice for you on how to best leverage this social marketing tool to leverage your business’s message and raise your profile in the industry. Take a look.

Microsoft finds itself in a precarious position. The software giant is no longer as popular and successful as it once was. And it’s being hit from all sides by several competitors, including Google, Apple, and others that are trying to supplant it as the most dominant force in the industry. Of course, achieving that goal will be difficult, given how entrenched Microsoft is. But it’s something that those firms want to accomplish nonetheless. Realizing that, Microsoft needs to get to work. It can’t simply stay in the same place and hope that it will maintain its lead over the competition. It needs to identify key areas where it must stay relevant, and do everything it can in those spaces to achieve its goal. That won’t be easy. And Microsoft will undoubtedly face adversity. But it’s a task that it must accomplish.

Microsoft’s chief software architect, Ray Ozzie, is leaving the company at some point in the relatively near future. Exactly what he plans to do once he leaves Microsoft is unknown at this point, but based on his track record in the industry, he will likely be a leader in ushering in new ideas to the technology industry. When Ray Ozzie first joined Microsoft, most believed that he could bring something worthwhile to the table. They believed that with his help, Ballmer could become more than a Gates clone and deliver exciting new products that in one way or another set a tone for Microsoft’s future. But much to the chagrin of Ozzie, Microsoft didn’t do anything of the sort. Instead, the company charted its own path and only occasionally tapped Ozzie for his expertise. It was a mistake, and it’s one that the software giant will pay for as time goes on. And along the way, Microsoft never realized that working with Ozzie presented a learning opportunity. It could have learned quite a bit from the visionary. But it didn’t. Read on to find out what Microsoft should have learned from its outgoing chief software architect.

Data is growing exponentially, and, as a result, the IT storage market is booming. But with so many solutions available to resell – how do you choose? First, you understand the market and the trends. Here are some of the top trends you really need to think about before making a decision or a switch.

As 2010 comes to a close, now is the time for IT solution providers and channel partners to look towards the opportunities that lie ahead in 2011 and how to make the most of them. That means a deep understanding and homework into customers' pain points and new opportunities to help them alleviate that pain and gain the advantage to do business smarter and more efficiently. Gartner recently revealed its insights into some of the key strategic technologies that will likely be on the radar for customers. Let's examine them.

Want to learn from the mistakes of others who have already made the migration to Microsoft Windows 7? Symantec’s recent survey of 1,300 organizations who have already carried their users along the migration path to Windows 7 offers some insight. While most organizations seem to have already achieved ROI on their migration initiatives, some experienced more pain getting there than others. The survey results offered compelling evidence that several contributed mightily to the most successful integrators compared to those who struggled. VARs and other channel partners who are helping customers through their own migrations over the coming months would do well to explain these numbers to customers and also set them up for success with the following six vital steps.

Apple’s reputation throughout the years has been one of a company that doesn’t quite understand what the corporate world is looking for. It has said time and again that it wants to deliver viable products to corporate customers, but with every new release, it seems to leave those folks out. And it doesn’t seem to care all that much about it. However, earlier this year, some started to believe that Apple was understanding the enterprise better. After all, those supporters said, the iPhone is more enterprise-friendly than ever, and the iPad is a worthwhile purchase for companies that want more mobile employees. Regardless, the damage is already done. And no matter how well Apple can start working its way into the corporate world, it will have an extremely difficult time shaking the idea that it’s not an enterprise-focused firm. Simply put, there are some things that Apple never did, and still doesn’t, understand about the enterprise. Read on to find out what has made Apple so clueless.

The IT industry and business in general is on the cusp of dramatic changes, according to Gartner’s Peter Sondergaard, senior vice president of the market prognosticating firm. These dramatic changes will come about as four trends combine and lead to an “unimaginable force” impacting not just IT, but also the capability of business and government. “Whether IT acts now or not, the combination of these trends will drive dramatic change in your enterprises’ business model and strategy,” Sondergaard said. Here’s a look at the trends that will shape business and IT in the years to come.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs went on the offensive during Apple’s most recent earnings call, ripping into the primary competition to Apple’s highly popular iPhone and iPad products. Jobs counted the ways that RIM’s BlackBerry smartphone and Google’s Android mobile operating system just didn’t measure up to the product offerings from Apple. And Jobs didn’t hold anything back in his assessment of why these competitive products continue to be inferior to the products offered by Apple. Here’s a look at why Jobs says the iPhone and the iPad are rising to dominate, and why they will stay on top, even after the so-called avalanche of iPad killers arrives.

Apple may have started primed the market for tablet computers with its Apple iPad, but networking and communications vendors are upping the ante with tablet computer devices designed to let users connect with each other via voice and video communications. Because when you are mobile, you need to connect with co-workers, clients to stay productive, and also with family and friends. Tablets are not just about reading ebooks and magazines. They are about connecting to everything you need in a mobile form factor that keeps you in touch. Both businesses and consumers can look forward to a multitude of form factors and features for voice- and video-enabled tablets that are on the way. Here’s our list of the best tablets to consider for voice and video communications.

VoIP and hosted PBX services are maturing, and countless suppliers and service providers have stepped up to enable businesses to abandon their old telephony infrastructures in favor of subscriptions that allow for the use of both desktop phones and PC softphones that can provide call management, voice mail, call forwarding and many other capabilities at a low cost. However, looking back through the various services that have been available, it's easy to find a lot of dead links and service providers that have gone MIA. And who wants to entrust their business to a place that may be gone tomorrow. But there are providers who offer the benefits companies are looking for who are solid players. Here are seven providers of online VoIP and hosted PBX services that are worth a look.

Outsourcing is growing. Median spending on outsourcing as a percentage of total IT spending rose by its highest rate in three years, according to a new study from Computer Economics that examined outsourcing trends among a range of IT organizations. As companies continue to look for ways to improve efficiency and cut staff, they'll likely continue look to increase the outsourcing they do. And that means there’s a big opportunity for channel players such as managed service providers and consultants to pick up the slack. Computer Economics identified the following 11 IT functions as the most likely to be targeted by companies for outsourcing. Here’s a look at where the opportunities are.

RIM’s PlayBook is all the talk right now in the tablet computer space. The enterprise has been looking at Apple iPad’s functionality and mobility and how that device would work for a workforce of users. But iPad remains a consumer tablet. RIM’s BlackBerry PlayBook tablet computer device is designed for the enterprise. It will run a new operating system from RIM, and boast a 7-inch display. It’s scheduled to hit store shelves early next year, alongside a slew of products running on Android OS. But unlike most of those Android-based devices, the PlayBook is designed specifically for the enterprise. It’s the enterprise’s answer to the Apple iPad. The only issue is, the PlayBook doesn’t seem like a good bet for most companies. And at the end of the day, most firms would likely benefit more from issuing BlackBerry smartphone devices to employees rather than getting employee hands on a PlayBook. The tablet simply lacks too many features to make it a worthwhile investment for firms hoping to increase worker productivity. Let’s take a look at why most companies would be better off getting a BlackBerry smartphone, rather than RIM’s PlayBook tablet PC.

A new survey of 2,000 IT decision makers around the globe conducted by IBM developerWorks found that in five years, the majority of developers' time could be spent writing code for mobile devices rather than traditional applications. The survey adds to the mounting evidence that channel partners need to develop their mobile and cloud strategies now, lest they be left behind in a few years.

RIM’s PlayBook is in trouble. Although the mobile company claims that it has the right strategy in place to take on any tablet and best the competition, the reality is, it doesn’t. And the chances of RIM becoming a major player in the enterprise tablet space seem slimmer now than ever. When RIM announced the PlayBook, it seemed unfinished. And it lacked several of the key features that matter most to enterprise customers that want affordable technology that will only help their employees be more productive. And in the process, RIM has pushed those enterprise customers to Apple’s iPad. After all, if the PlayBook won’t suffice, and a company wants a tablet, why wouldn’t they go for the iPad? With its PlayBook, RIM has pushed enterprise customers to the iPad. Here’s why:

Will 2011 bring a raise in pay for IT pros? The HR experts at Robert Half Technology say yes. A new report, the Robert Half Technology Salary Guide 2011, predicts modest gains for next year's IT salaries. The report provides an in-depth prognostication on a number of IT segments and their compensation. What will it be worth to you? The report found that on average organizations will pay their IT professionals 3.4 percent more in 2011, with larger gains in base compensation for high-demand specialties such as web development, data security and enterprise resource planning (ERP). Here’s a look at salary predictions for IT professionals. Where do you fit?

Apple has enjoyed nine months or so of a relatively uncrowded marketplace for tablet computers. The company’s iPad tablet computer has dominated for much of 2010 as consumers and business users have snapped up the iPad for both personal and business use. But Apple’s iPad has its limitations as well. What about cameras? And USB ports? Can this ARM-based machine really be considered seriously for business? Or do companies from SMBs to enterprises need something more – something that has actually been designed for business users and IT organizations. Indeed, some of these new tablets planned by computer vendors will be sold through the channel under the tighter control of IT. There’s no shortage of options for business that is looking to make its users more mobile and productive while they are on the go. IT organizations are recognizing that mobility is a growing trend. Now is the time to standardize on a tablet. Take a look. Here’s what’s coming on the business side for tablet computers.

What is it with HP's board? Not only has Oracle CEO Larry Ellison reportedly called for their resignations en masse, immediately, following their hiring of ex-SAP CEO Leo Apotheker to lead HP into the future. Now ex-GE CEO Jack Welch chimed in, too, calling HP's board "somewhat dysfunctional" following its recent decisions around ousted CEO Mark Hurd and new CEO Apotheker. Welch goes on to accuse the board of failing to develop internal candidates to manage the company and going through three external CEOs in just a few years. From the 2006 spying scandal when then Chairman Patricia Dunn was charged with felonies in association with the hiring of investigators to spy on board members and journalists to find the source of a leak, to today's war of words on so many fronts, how has this corporate board – which is supposed to be the sound voice of reason and steady direction – somehow become the center of the scandalous news about a technology company? Here's a quick look at HP's board members and their careers.

HP’s new CEO Leo Apotheker is somewhat of a question mark for the company’s stakeholders. At first glance, he might be a liability for the company as it attempts to compete in the PC and consumer spaces -- two areas where he has little experience. But further inspection reveals he could actually bring quite a bit to the table as he prepares to carry HP into the next decade. Determining what HP will really get from Apotheker is difficult right now. He has yet to outline his strategy going forward. And over the coming months, he will likely spend most of his time attempting to determine what works and what doesn’t at his company. But he will undoubtedly bring both good and bad things to HP. Here’s a look at what Apotheker brings to the table.

Is there any company that Snoop Dogg won't work with? The enterprising rapper is at it again, this time signing on to drop some rhymes for Symantec about how "Hack is Wack." But Symantec isn't the only tech company that's able to attract star power. Why, we here at Channel Insider heard that the following celebrity shill fests are about to be announced any day now. (wink wink)

Apple’s iPhone has been an unbridled success. Consumers are buying the device more than any other single smartphone on the market. And that rate of adoption is unlikely to subside anytime soon. But the corporate world is a different place. Although the iPhone is becoming more popular among IT decision makers, often initially brought into companies by executives, the iPhone still not where Apple would like to see it in terms of enterprise adoption. But that doesn’t mean that the iPhone hasn’t made an impact in the enterprise. Apple’s device has made significant inroads in the corporate space among business users. And because of the appeal of Apple’s iPhone in business and, on the other hand, remaining objections to the widespread adoption of Apple’s popular smartphone in corporations, we are in a position to learn a lot about what business users and IT decision makers really want. Read on to find out what the iPhone tells the world about smartphones and business.

IT practices have a measurable impact on business. Looking for evidence? Recently the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas teamed up with Sybase, an SAP company, to examine how data management best practices impact bottom-line business metrics. Unsurprisingly, when researchers measured data management against some very real business results, they found a big correlation. Researchers looked at five data attributes: quality, usability, intelligence, remote accessibility and sales mobility and measured how a how a 10 percent improvement in any one or two of these attributes affected the metrics used to assess financial performance of a business. The study examined the impact to metrics on Fortune 1000 businesses. Channel partners would do well to examine these correlations. They could prove useful in the next sales pitch they make, particularly when CFOs are involved in the conversation.

Microsoft is an interesting company. On one hand, it’s enjoyed an extremely successful run in the technology industry, dominating several categories of software, and the chances of it being supplanted as a major force in the industry in the near future seem slim. But on the other hand, times have changed. Cloud computing is looming as a replacement for on-premise software, a threat to Microsoft’s very business model. Microsoft has become an embattled firm that’s being hit from all sides by companies across a wide array of markets. Admittedly, Microsoft has been able to fend off most of those firms in the past with aplomb. In fact, for the past decade, Microsoft has successfully overcome threats from companies competing in the OS market, the browser space, the enterprise sector, and more. It has been a force in the technology industry that few have been able to match. But that’s starting to change. Microsoft now has some holes in its defense shield that companies across a wide array of industries are capitalizing on. Read on to find out which firms are currently making Microsoft look bad.

Are your clients clamoring for ways to engender online trust with their customers? If so, it might be time to look for better tools, technologies and alliances that can help them secure their online infrastructure. Channel partners need steer their customers no further than the following ten organizations, which recently won accolades from the Online Trust Alliance (OTA). OTA awarded the following companies and industry groups for their various contributions in aiding public and private organizations with shoring up areas such as registry services, desktop security and e-mail fraud prevention.

Apple’s iPad tablet computer completely changed the PC marketplace, seemingly overnight. Apple’s success with the tablet form factor for a computer has turned the tablet computer into a mainstream technology product – a portable computer for the masses. And it’s clear the tablet appeals to the masses. Apple is quick to point out that its iPad device sold more than 2 million units in less than 60 days after the product launch. But, who will benefit in the long run from Apple’s popularization of the tablet form factor? Android tablets. A new survey shows a growing hunger for tablets based on the Android operating system. SAP’s Sybase arm’s new survey points to the growing threat Android tablets pose to iPad’s dominant position. Here’s a look.

Neither Oracle nor its brash leader Larry Ellison have managed to claw their way to the top of the computer software and hardware heaps by making nice with industry players over the years. Oracle has engaged in plenty of cutthroat deals and cold calculations to keep growing beyond its bread-and-butter database niche and into other arenas such as ERP, CRM, supply chain management, mobile devices, servers and more. And along the way, the company has accumulated its fair share of foes. Here’s a look at Oracle’s worst enemies.

As cloud computing continues to gain a stronger foothold in the business market, IT outsourcing providers will feel an impact. Cloud computing puts lets business put their computing in the cloud, effectively moving it off-site, and turning IT infrastructure that must be maintained into IT services to be consumed. And while the business will be good for some, others will find it disruptive. Cloud computing will drive significant changes in the IT outsourcing market, according to Vikram Watave, vice president of solutions and infrastructure management services at Patni. Some of those changes have already begun to happen. Here’s a look at what’s ahead.

Google is one of those technology companies that gets an inordinate amount of attention. The reason for that is due in main part to the company’s desire to compete in so many different markets. Not only is it a search giant, but Google is also performing extremely well in the advertising, mobile, and cloud-based spaces and going up against competitors such as Microsoft and Apple. Simply put, the firm is everywhere. But because Google has become so ubiquitous in today’s increasingly crowded technology industry, some companies need to understand a bit better what the search giant is all about. At first glance, it might just be a search company trying to compete in other spaces. But a detailed look at Google reveals that it’s many things to many people. And that won’t change anytime soon. Read on to find out what companies need to understand about Google, and where it is going in the future.

If you or your customers have been hit with a cross site forgery request (CSFR) and blended attacks using PDFs, you aren’t alone. These kinds of attacks and others have been steamrolling organizations with their malicious success. Recently HP's TippingPoint DVLabs, Qualys and SANS got together to put out a report on the top technology attack trends for the first half of 2010, which found that these kinds of attacks are hitting companies more often. Smart companies need to be vigilant to these IT security threats and take the proper measures to reduce the risk. And channel partners and IT solution providers looking to add value to their IT offerings would do well to keep these attack threats in mind and focus on the following eight best practices, as laid out by the report. Here’s how to protect your customers.

Michael Dell is somewhat of a legend in the technology industry. He was able to start his company, build it into a worldwide force, and make it relevant as the industry changed year after year, finally creating a channel partner program a few years ago. His work as the company’s founder and CEO should be commended. But over the past few years, Michael Dell has shown that he doesn’t deserve to be running the company he founded any longer. He might be a talented individual with some ideas that proved extremely successful in the 1990s, but today’s it’s clear that he’s living in the past. And the odds of him reviving his brand and competing with HP, Acer, and his many other competitors seem longer than ever. Let’s take a look at why Michael Dell needs to step down as CEO of Dell.

Working its way from a small database management company over 30 years ago, Oracle has certainly arrived. Oracle today is a giant. Oracle is considered the second or third largest software company in the world with both database software and enterprise application software, having grown both organically and through a legendary and aggressive acquisition strategy. That strategy has made Oracle one of the biggest technology companies globally, that now also has a hardware play since the Sun Microsystems acquisition. With tens of thousands of partners and hundreds of thousands of customers around the globe, Oracle’s impact on the technology industry as a whole and on the channel in particular cannot be understated. Channel Insider takes a look at the Oracle of yesterday and today.

Google’s Android operating system is performing extremely well. In fact, it’s leading Apple’s iOS, which most believed would carry the smartphone market forward. Android OS’ success can be directly attributed to some of the many devices that run the software. Plus, it’s developed by Google, which has only helped the software. But that doesn’t mean that Android OS is guaranteed to be a success. In fact, the software still has several shortcomings that need to be addressed in future iterations if Google wants to maintain its lead in the mobile marketplace. Admittedly, some of those changes will be easy to make. However, there will be some major updates required, as well. Read on to find out what Android OS needs to keep its momentum going.

Cloud applications can offer business plenty of advantages, from a more cost-effective infrastructure to fewer administrative demands and a reduction in management headaches. But the cloud is not for every application or deployment. Are your enterprise applications ready for the cloud? The perception among CIOs is that enterprise applications in the cloud aren't ready for prime time but that internal applications are perfectly suitable for cloud deployment. But how do you really know whether your apps can be deployed to the cloud? Channel Insider recently spoke to Vikram Watave, vice president of sales for infrastructure management services at Patni, who offered five questions you should ask yourself to make sure that your applications and your customers’ applications are ready for the cloud. Take a look.

Normally things quiet down in the summer, but this year is different. This summer has seen some major couplings of technology security powerhouses and large IT vendors looking to fortify their portfolios, gain access to new markets, establish new customer bases, fortify their position against competitors and more. Since late April, there has been well over $12.7 billion in mergers and acquisition activity within the technology security space alone. Here are 10 of the biggest deals to go down.

HP is in an acquisition frenzy. The company acquired Palm earlier this year, 3PAR recently, and now, it has gone after ArcSight for a whopping $1.5 billion in an attempt to improve its security services. Unlike the 3PAR acquisition, most experts have called HP’s decision to buy ArcSight a smart one. After all, with its many services, the company needs strong security to round out its portfolio. But all these acquisitions will have a direct impact on the future vitality of HP. And it’s entirely possible that for all the good that could come from acquiring those firms, HP could be facing some issues, as well. Simply put, HP’s decision to acquire so many companies to make it a more well-rounded firm could be both good and bad. Read on to find out how HP’s most recent acquisitions could impact the company.

While hiring across all job sectors has been pretty dismal this year, technology has managed to at least keep its nose above water. Senior technology professionals are in demand, and some have been receiving multiple job offers. The market for these senior engineers has heated up so much that, according to a recent Dice.com survey, one third of technology employers and recruiters have had to offer additional job incentives to their offers in order to draw in technology talent into their new jobs. The following benefits are what hiring managers noted as the top incentives they use to lure new talent into their ranks.

Business IT today can’t stop talking about the mobile space. Time and again, companies are forced to consider how they’re going to make their employees more productive while on-the-go. Inevitably, that discussion turns to smartphones and tablets — two areas where most companies believe they can leverage the changing corporate landscape and potentially see a positive return on investment. But right now, the mobile device providers and service providers are failing when it comes to serving business needs. They are failing to deliver the service and experience that most firms are looking for. So, companies are forced to find the least offending product or service. That’s a shame. And it needs to be corrected.

HP's intense bidding war with Dell over 3Par has provided just enough fodder to keep company headlines focused on the business rather than on the continuing saga of Mark Hurd. The two technology vendors bid 3Par up well above where Wall Street had valued the company, and some observers believe the price paid was too high. But for all the drama that has surrounded the HP-Dell duel for the utility computing company, very little attention has been paid on what it is, exactly, that made 3Par so covetable in the first place. Let's take a look at the company and what it offers HP in exchange for its outlay of dough.

Mark Hurd's migration over to HP-rival Oracle has set Silicon Valley's tongues a-wagging, but the hire has hardly been the only big-name HR coup this summer, nor the only lawsuit over a technology company hiring the former employee of a competitor. After all, the industry has become hyper competitive. Keeping up with that tech industry headhunters have kept the game interesting in 2010, with many executives doing the roster shuffle two-step on over to a competitor in order to reap better compensation packages and new career opportunities. Here’s a look at some of the top executives that have been poached by a competitor this year.

HP finds itself in a somewhat unlikely position right now. With no CEO at the helm, its former leader at a top competitor, and little vision for what the future will look like, the wheels are coming off. And the chances of the company reversing its fortune anytime soon seem slim. Realizing that, it’s probably time to call some of HP’s decisions into question. Getting rid of Mark Hurd without a fully effective non-compete agreement in place was a mistake. And allowing the company to look bad in the process has proven to be even worse. Simply put, HP is in deep trouble right now. And here’s why:

Can you turn off and unplug at the end of the workday or the end of the week? Do you put that Blackberry or iPhone down for the night before dinner, or is it in your hand until you go to bed? Do you sleep with your smartphone? If you are like most American workers, you can’t turn it off. Most workers today check their business e-mail outside of regular business hours, according to a new survey out by e-mail management software developer Xobni. The survey found that the e-mail maintenance has crept into worker's lives, as many of us have started checking mail on the weekends, on vacations, while we're sick and even when we're in bed. Here’s a closer look at the findings. Where do you fit?

Think about Rackspace Hosting and you may think about the company with the multiple server farms that has put some real muscle into its channel partner program in recent years. If you think about email and app hosting, Rackspace is likely one of the companies that will come to mind. Sure, Rackspace is a company that embodies cloud computing, offering end-customers a way to outsource their computing needs. And, sure, it works with the channel to help spread the reach of cloud computing and provide IT solution providers with additional revenue streams. But even a cloud company needs a terrestrial home. Did you know that this cloud giant recently moved its corporate headquarters to an abandoned shopping mall in San Antonio, Texas? Channel Insider visited Rackspace Hosting at its innovative new headquarters. Here’s a look inside.

As higher education organizations are gearing up for a new wave of matriculating students this fall, they've got to deal with more than just scheduling and housing concerns. They've also got to figure out how to keep prying eyes from compromising those student's private information. Over the last several years, the education sector has been struggling to keep up with IT security protections, suffering a spate of embarrassing breaches that put student, faculty and staff information at risk for identity theft. Database security vendor AppSec Inc. recently released a report on the state of higher education data breaches. Here are the highlights.

Dell finds itself in a difficult position. The technology market has become hyper competitive with Cisco and HP fighting over who will rule the data center and acquiring companies left and right. Dell has tried to take a similar path, acquiring companies to bolster its services offerings such as Perot, Silverback and Everdream. But it still has a long way to go. On one hand, Dell wants to expand its service offerings. On the other hand, it doesn’t have the technology to help it achieve that. So, it’s looking to acquire even more other companies. But deciding which companies to acquire can be difficult. That said, Dell needs to get going on buying up companies in several different industries. And with the right strategies (and ample cash), it can work towards rebuilding its success in today’s highly competitive marketplace. Here are the companies Dell should acquire.

Intel may have locked up the number one spot in the PC chip market for close to twenty years now, but that doesn't mean the company hasn't faced its fair share of heated competition over the years. It's locked horns with some foes for decades now, while others have set their targets on the manufacturer as it has broadened its horizons through R&D and acquisitions. Here’s a look at Intel’s worst enemies.

Intel finds itself in an interesting position. The company is one of the most important competitors in the processor market, and with the acquisition of McAfee and Infineon’s Wireless Solutions operation, it’s arguably now one of the more important companies in the mobile space. And as time goes on, the chances of Intel drastically changing the industry seem higher than ever. Realizing that, it might be a good time to start taking a look at how Intel plans to change the marketplace. There isn’t any guarantee that it will actually succeed and it’s worth noting that it hasn’t made all of its plans known, but it’s clear now that it has its sights set on the future. And it wants to make a major splash. Let’s take a look at how Intel could drastically change the tech landscape.

With HP formidable CEO Mark Hurd out at HP and no replacement in sight, it’s quickly becoming clear that the venerable company is in desperate need of direction. Although it’s still churning out profits for its shareholders, there is little debating that things would be better if a strong leader was back at HP’s helm. Hurd made a name for himself as one of the strongest and channel-centric CEOs the company has ever had. He made a point of regularly meeting with end-user customer companies at channel partner-hosted events. And he made bold aggressive moves to keep HP in the dominant position where it is, including acquisitions of EDS, 3Com and Palm. Regardless, Hurd is gone. And so far, HP has taught the tech world quite a bit about the company since he left. Many of the lessons are negative ones that the next CEO will need to address. But they are valuable lessons nonetheless.

Let’s take a look:

In a recent interview, Acer chairman JT Wang said that he expects Apple’s iPad market share to fall to around 20 percent within the next few years. He told the Chinese magazine UDN that, like Macs, which have a very small percentage of the computer market, Apple’s iPad will be the fashionable, but trailing player in the space. Wang’s comments are awfully strong, and they speak to his company’s desire to break into and dominate the tablet market, just as it is looking to reach the number one slot in marketshare for the PC space. In fact, Wang hopes to bring several tablets to the market over the coming years to combat Apple’s iPad. Whether or not he’ll be successful is up for debate. But as Acer continues its trek to become the world’s largest PC maker, it’s hard to bet against it. Still, in order to achieve its goals, Acer first needs to overcome Apple in the tablet market. Here’s how Acer can beat the iPad.

A stalwart in the PC world, chip maker Intel has been making noises about getting a better foothold in the mobile market. Recent acquisitions show Intel's intent on competing strongly for wireless markets, just as it has done with semiconductors, processors and chipsets over the past four decades. It wouldn’t be the first time that Intel changed its whole business around. Before it switched to making processors, Intel was founded to build memory chips. Processors were just a sideline. But executives at the company realized their original plan was failing, and the processors were the chips that were actually making money. So they refocused their efforts. Now, with Intel making its intentions known in the mobile space through two big acquisitions in the course of two weeks, Channel Insider takes a look at the chipmaker's pedigree of success and its vision into the future.

In the corporate world, all the talk about mobile solutions revolves around RIM’s BlackBerry, Apple’s iPhone, and Google’s Android OS. But there is still a major player in that space that doesn’t get the kind of respect that it might deserve: Windows Mobile. Now, it might sound rather ironic to include Windows Mobile, a dying platform, in the same sentence as some of the top mobile operating systems on the market today, but for the corporate world, it makes some sense. Windows Mobile is still widely used in that space. And although there are arguably better options available, some companies wouldn’t consider switching from Windows Mobile. Read on to find out what makes Windows Mobile still a somewhat useful tool to corporate users.

As more businesses look to move IT operations to the cloud, many of them are weighing the benefits of moving just some functions while keeping others in house. The approach provides companies with control over mission critical functions and legacy operations while moving more portable applications to a cloud model. That’s why many companies are considering building a hybrid cloud computing strategy to meet their needs with a mix of public cloud and private cloud platforms. But having a mix of public cloud and private cloud platforms and applications potentially has its own pitfalls. Intel (www.intel.com) and Univa UD (www.univaud.com) have devised a list of best practices when developing a hybrid cloud computing architecture. Here’s a look at what companies should consider.

It's been a rollercoaster year for IT's prognosticators as analysts have tried to stay on their toes while responding to 2010's volatile economic indicators. While the industry has seen the bleeding stop this year, with ever-so-slight increases in spending, some analysts remain wary about what’s to come. The channel will have to continue to watch over predictions from all sources, as the reports that continue to come out remain contradictory. Channel Insider offers some highlights from recent reports, along with a few economic indicators to better paint the picture of spending in the months to come.

As the dog days of summer whimper to an end, workers everywhere are scraping together a few last days of vacation before the kids head back to school and the days grow shorter. While the beach may be fun for the more pedestrian vacationers, tech geeks know that no vacation would be complete without some quality museum time, preferably amidst a collection of silicon-based artifacts worth blogging about. Visit just one, or take a tour of all eight we’ve collected here from Silicon Valley to Montana to the U.K. The following technology museums are a perfect way to pay homage to the annals of computer history, and to teach the young ones that there was a time before iPads and netbooks.

At HP, things aren’t going too well. The company’s former CEO, Mark Hurd, was ousted by the board, an interim CEO is in charge, and the company is trying desperately to find someone that will carry its banner forward with the kind of success Hurd enjoyed. It won’t be easy. And as history has shown, the search for a suitable replacement for a good CEO can take years. Realizing that, it’s time for HP’s leadership to think about the future. Yes, a new CEO could change everything that Hurd worked towards. And it’s entirely possible that current leadership could make decisions that the company’s next leader would disapprove of, but complacency won’t work in the increasingly competitive tech industry. And HP, although wildly successful, is leaving itself open to challenges from all angles. The time has come to improve HP while the board is looking for a new CEO. Let’s take a look at what the company should be doing while it waits for its next CEO.

Job seekers with open minds can find considerable opportunities within the IT marketplace if they're willing to forgo the traditional 9-to-5 office work arrangement. Freelance marketplace company Elance says that IT contract gigs continue to increase in the face of static full-time IT job growth. (Many experts believe that’s because companies are more willing to meet new demand with a contingent workforce rather than commit to a full-time employee as fears about economic uncertainty continue and the current economic recovery seems fragile.) But for those technology workers who are willing and able to work on a project basis, opportunity abounds. Elance reports that IT job opportunities were up 44 percent during the second quarter year-over-year and provider earnings per job jumped by 31 percent. The following skills are the most valued on the Elance marketplace according to the quarterly Elance Online Employment Report

What kinds of companies are making the decision to move some of their IT operations to the cloud? Well, cloud services adoption among small and medium businesses is on the rise in 2010. That’s according to Austin-based Spiceworks which conducted a global survey of 1,500 IT professionals at SMBs with fewer than 1,000 employees. Key among the findings was a propensity of very small organizations to jump into the cloud more readily than larger SMBs. Spiceworks co-founder and vice president of marketing, Jay Halberg says: “Small companies with little existing infrastructure and outsourced IT are moving most quickly to the cloud, whereas larger SMBs are taking more measured steps due to considerable investments in onsite technology. With seven times as many users as the enterprise market, it's important for cloud service vendors to consider cloud service adoption patterns and to make it simple for SMBs to manage hybrid on-premise and cloud solutions.” Here’s a drill down into some of the numbers.

Dell is a perplexing company. Years ago, it was atop the tech industry with its direct sales model. Not only was it selling computers at an astounding rate, but the corporate world was quite happy with its PCs. Everything was going right for the Texas-based technology company, even though it shunned the channel with its direct-only sales model. And then all that changed. As the consumer market shifted away from traditional purchasing models, HP built far better computers than it had for years, and Dell lost its way, the company was marginalized. Its dominance gave way to HP, and after a short fight, Acer. Today, Dell is the world’s third-largest PC manufacturer and it’s trying desperately to catch up with HP and Acer. And unfortunately for the Dell, catching up will be extremely challenging. Dell is a tough company to understand. And why it doesn’t follow sound strategies in its many divisions is unknown. Read on to find out how Dell continues to confuse both consumers and enterprise customers.

In the PC market, Lenovo is the other company. It’s the firm that most consumers forget about when they’re looking to buy a new PC, but its ThinkPad laptop brand of computer goes back a long way with the enterprise. It’s the brand and line of notebook computers that Lenovo purchased from corporate computing stalwart IBM. At the same time. it’s the company that tech pundits often overlook when they’re evaluating the PC market. And it’s the company that enterprise customers look to after they’ve finished seeing what kind of deals HP and Dell can offer. But that doesn’t seem to bother Lenovo. The PC maker is still a wildly successful company that keeps delivering outstanding products to the enterprise. And although its future might be in doubt as bigger alternatives continue to increase market share, it seems that Lenovo has what it takes to survive in the space for the foreseeable future. Lenovo’s story, and its ability to survive in the space, is impressive. And it continues to surprise those who thought Lenovo would have been marginalized long ago. Read on to find out why:

When it comes to vacations, technology can either be your master or your slave. Let it be your master and you’ll be spending all your time connected to the office, responding to emails, taking calls from angry stressed-out people, and putting out fires. Why bother taking a vacation at all? But make technology your slave and you can use it to make yourself appear to be busy and productive even as you spend your days on the beach and your nights at the night clubs sipping Mojitos and forgetting about the office. And the bonus is this: the downtime that you take for yourself will actually help you be more productive once you get back to work. So open that Corona, pull up your chaise lounge chair in full view of the ocean and take a look at our list for technology tools to make you appear busy and productive even when you’re doing anything but that.

Mark Hurd’s departure as CEO of HP is causing most to focus on the impact it will have on the company he left, HP. But whenever a prominent CEO leaves a major tech firm, the change affects every other company in the marketplace, as well, and the technology industry is no exception. And perhaps no other company is more affected by Hurd leaving HP than PC maker Dell. Dell has been HP’s biggest competitor for years in the PC space, and Dell has sought to match HP’s moves product for product. Over the five years that Hurd led HP, he ran roughshod over smaller rival Dell, easily beating the competitor in both the corporate and consumer markets. But now all that has changed. Hurd is gone and HP is left without a permanent leader at the moment. There is a major void at the top of HP at the moment, and it’s not clear when that void will be filled and by whom. That means Dell has an opportunity that it hasn’t had in quite sometime against its larger rival. Dell could use this opportunity to make great strides against HP. And it’s time for Dell to capitalize on it. Here’s how:

The Cisco Cius tablet is getting all kinds of attention lately. The device, which is the first tablet to be focused specifically on enterprise customers, offers users the ability to communicate with colleagues via video-conferencing technologies, check e-mail, surf the Web, and generally be more productive while away from the office. The device is one of the most anticipated products to come exclusively to enterprise customers in a long time. But as all the focus is placed on Cisco and its efforts in the tablet market, some folks are failing to see one important aspect of the Cius that could have a profound impact on the enterprise far beyond the tablet itself: the device runs Google’s Android operating system. The Cius tablet could be the single device that gets Google firmly in the corporate market to compete against Microsoft, HP, and every other major player in that space. Let’s take a look at how Google can build upon the potential success of the Cius to solidify its position in the corporate world.

Cloud computing has gained momentum among IT leaders. If they aren’t implementing it they are doing a proof-of-concept project or planning one. Much of it is about saving money and administrative headaches. By moving IT infrastructure to the cloud, IT organizations can reduce capital costs and turn them into operating expenses. Plus, they can reduce administrative headaches by outsourcing them to someone else. But it’s not just standard vendors who are supporting cloud efforts. Cloud computing is just as hot among members of the open source community, Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT, recently told Channel Insider. A growing number of channel-friendly vendors have voiced their support for open source cloud platforms. In fact, nearly 30 companies and organizations threw their support behind the new OpenStack open source cloud computing platform unveiled by Rackspace Hosting. Here are some of the channel-friendly vendors who are supporting one open source cloud computing platform or another.

One of the biggest risks that users run across during their everyday Internet browsing at the moment is from what security researchers call search engine optimization poisoning or SEO poisoning. Criminal hackers are taking advantage of our blind trust in popular search engines such as Google and Bing to trick us into clicking into malicious links. The bad guys use blackhat SEO techniques to boost the page rankings of their bogus sites. As these higher ranked sites start breaking into the top ten and top 20 results of a popular search term, users are lured into trusting the links. Capitalizing on anything from the Haiti earthquake to Mel Gibson’s rants to the World Cup, these hackers use the links to bait users and then reel them in with malicious downloads. They unwittingly click into a malicious link due to their trust in the search engine. Channel Insider examines just how SEO poisoning is carried out by these bad guys and how common it is to see malicious links within legitimate search results. You may be surprised.

With the prevalence of SEO poisoning attacks growing, the search results of today's most popular search terms are littered with malicious links that could lead to plenty of trouble, lost productivity and worse. The links may look innocent, but they can expose your unsuspecting users to attack. In order to protect users, IT managers and IT solution providers must ensure that users are aware of the dangers that can be posed by something so pedestrian as a Google search. You must also make sure that users are equipped with and making use of the proper tools to reduce those risks and are practicing safe browsing techniques while on the web. A properly trained user can mean the difference between mitigating the damage from an attack and not being attacked at all. Here’s a look at the best practices and tools for making sure that Google search doesn’t ultimately lead to a malware attack and all the ensuing headaches. Getting your users lined up behind these tools and practices will reduce the risk of an SEO poisoning attack to the user and to the company.

Now that Mark Hurd is out as CEO at HP, it’s time the company stops worrying about the fallout and gets down to finding his replacement. Admittedly, finding a replacement for Hurd won’t be easy. He was arguably one of the best CEOs HP has ever had. He made a point of scheduling meetings with customers and channel partners all around the country. He was very popular with technology partners, channel partners and many others who wonder who could fill those shoes now that he is gone. In fact, over the past five years, he helped bring HP back from the ashes. But in the process, he cast a shadow that will be hanging over the CEO’s office for years to come. Regardless, it’s time for HP to get back to work at finding a suitable replacement. In order to do so, it will need to find some qualities in the next leader that will help the company continue its success going forward. Here are some of the qualities that HP’s next CEO will need to succeed in filling Mark Hurd’s shoes.

With clouds looming overhead as a new business model and managed services complicating what used to be a simple break/fix business proposition, many IT solution providers may find themselves flummoxed over whether to transition to becoming managed service providers or remaining as VARs. Certainly, vendors such as Microsoft and others are pushing the cloud model hard. And plenty of managed services platform technology providers have established themselves as strong leaders in the industry, from ConnectWise to Kaseya to Level Platforms to Nimsoft, and beyond. With so many choices and options for IT solution providers, what’s the right choice in establishing a successful business? Is it necessary to spend months or even a year or more researching the best tools to base your business on? Should you pay a lot of attention to price? What are the best practices of the most successful IT managed services providers today? And how do they consistently increase their margins. Channel Insider took a peek inside the workings of successful MSPs at a recent panel discussion featuring some of the industry’s most prominant MSP businesses. Here are some eight of the habits of highly successful MSPs.

As the proliferation of cool new smartphones, netbooks and tablet computers continues both at home and within the workplace, many IT departments are being required by business stakeholders to bend to the influence of their users when it comes to the important decisions around technology adoption. In enterprises where standardized equipment used to be the only equipment available, users have made inroads with Apple iPhones, non-standard netbooks, iPads and even Android-based smartphones. Soon the Cisco Cius Android-based tablet computer will make its debut, offering yet another device for IT to secure. And HP is planning a number of devices for the enterprise based on the WebOS platform operating system that it got as part of the Palm acquisition. It all makes for a diverse bunch of devices. But are the risks of supporting so many different, non-standard devices being properly assessed as IT strategies are changed to account for user expectations? RSA recently commissioned a study of 400 senior IT and security leaders conducted by IDG Research Services to find out more on the matter. Here’s what they found.

Are netbooks going the way of the dodo? With reports out that netbook sales growth slowed significantly in Q1 and prognostications recently from more than one analyst firm that Apple iPad (and the coming tide of slate competitors) will cannibalize netbook sales in coming years, channel partners need to take stock. After steep growth in the netbook market for the last two years, many within the channel have grown to depend on the easy netbook sell, even if it has eaten up some of the demand for higher-priced laptops within customer environments. Financial analysts such as Barclays and Goldman Sachs reported recently that they're betting on Apple to vacuum up sales that would once have gone to a netbook with its iPad device. And that's just one stage of the competition. With heavy hitters such as Cisco, Dell and HP expected to soon release slate devices to compete with iPad, and a growing contingent of manufacturers letting loose new ARM-based smartbook devices that meld the features of smartphones with netbooks, the traditional netbook is bound to look less attractive to some customers. Here’s a look at the numbers.

The switch from a traditional communications infrastructure to one that rides the IP highway has made it easier for hackers and other nogoodniks to squeak in through security cracks to steal data, swipe financial information and eavesdrop on VoIP and video streams. It's as if the world has stepped into a William Gibson novel ... without all the cool implants. And the threat is very real. With vital corporate information at stake, companies can’t afford to risk insecure environments. And yet the benefits of unified communications—a unified inbox integrated with presence, voice and other features—provide an undeniable boost to productivity at a time when companies are looking to increase productivity without hurting their bottom line with more expenses. So what’s a company to do? Forgo the benefits in favor of security? Or risk a breach and data loss or worse in order to gain the benefits of unified communications? The first step is to know what to watch for. Two UC specialists recently offered details of some of the biggest threats to unified communications platforms today.

Video phone calls may have been promised decades ago as the technology of the future, but it took the most recent generation of the Internet to make it IP video conferencing possible for the masses and bring new meaning to the term “obscene phone call.” Now everyone from business travelers phoning home to telecommuters connecting with the home office to friends and family members looking to stay in better touch are using the technology to connect with those at a distance. And while companies such as Cisco and Polycom and HP and LifeSize offer HD video conferencing equipment and services to companies that can pay for them, there are plenty of options available for the budget-conscious person as well. And while the quality can’t compare to those telepresence systems and rooms provided by HD video conferencing vendors, even lower quality video conferencing that can be accessed from any PC with a webcam can make a difference in the quality of communications. From free to just under $50 per month, there’s something for every value-oriented user. Here are Channel Insider’s picks for the best video conferencing offerings for those on a tight budget.

Apple’s iPad is the subject of some heated debate in the corporate world. On one hand, it’s viewed as a product that must be be respected. Its supporters believe that it revolutionizes the marketplace and will allow employees to be far more productive than they have been in previous years without such a tablet. Detractors couldn’t disagree more. They see the tablet as an entertainment product designed exclusively for consumers. And although the iPad is being adopted heavily in the corporate world, those detractors believe companies will soon realize that the device doesn’t have lasting power for business needs. Deciding which side makes the most compelling argument can be difficult. Right now, the iPad is all the rage in the tech world. It’s selling extremely well, and with some help from excited IT managers, it’s becoming a rapidly adopted tablet. But the device might lack the long-term success that has made Apple so important over the past decade. Not only is Apple typically lost in the enterprise, but it focuses very little of its time there. And with a new, potentially more compelling tablet coming — the Cisco Cius — the iPad’s success in the corporate world could be short-lived. Here’s why:

As one of the biggest companies in the technology industry, Microsoft continues to succeed even as the market changes around it, embracing mobility, cloud computer and other technologies disruptive to Microsoft’s business model. At the same time, Microsoft’s business is in decline. The company’s most recent operating system isn’t appealing to as many customers as the company might like, its mobile division is in ruin, and its online services are struggling to gain any kind of footing against the Google juggernaut. All the while, Microsoft is trying its best to stay relevant in the corporate world that is increasingly influenced by these disruptive forces. And staying relevant in that space is getting harder than ever. The competition is fierce, and thanks to some mistakes by the Redmond-based software giant, the competition is doing better than ever. Plus, a couple newer entrants -- Google and Apple -- are having success in the space when they never had before. Things are changing in the enterprise. And Microsoft’s decisions in the face of that continue to surprise every stakeholder in the space. Here are some of the things that surprise companies most about Microsoft:

Computers and digital devices have certainly transformed the way the average worker completes their daily tasks, but they also pose a hidden danger to our eyes, one that many digital device users are simply unaware of. With so much time being spent in front of computerized screens--be it in front of the laptop or the iPhone--device users are increasingly suffering at the hands of what eye care professionals call Computer Vision Syndrome. New research out from the firm VSP Vision Care shows that a big chunk of eye care patients today complain of the common symptoms attached to the syndrome. "Computer Vision Syndrome is a major problem for Americans," said Dr. Nate Bonilla-Warford, an eye doctor and a VSP provider. “We are seeing patients uncomfortable in the workplace with neck pain, headaches, eye strain, blurred vision, etc. that could easily be avoided. It's important for people to discuss their digital usage with their eye doctor and make sure they are getting annual eye exams." Channel Insider takes a look at the study's findings and three important ways that doctors such as Bonilla-Warford recommend to prevent your screens from killing your vision.

Unified communications technologies and solutions have made a mark on enterprise IT organizations and big business, bringing email, voicemail, presence, and even video conferencing to a single interface. These solutions that enhance collaboration and productivity are continuing to trickle down from the big business enterprise to the small and medium business (SMB) as those companies seek the benefits of unified communications functionality as well. And technology vendors, from the giants to the alternative start ups, recognize that targeting small business can turn into a lucrative opportunity as well. Some vendors are putting together all-in-one solutions from their own offerings (or through alliances with technology partners), and others are simply offering a piece of the overall unified communications puzzle. Here are some of the major players in the small business and midsized business unified communications market, as well as some other rising stars you may not have heard of, yet.

The popularity of the cloud continues to soar, but traditional value added resellers wanting to thrive in the new technology climate may want to look closely at shifting course to take full advantage of the burgeoning marketplace. Channel Insider sat down with channel expert and Forrester analyst Tim Harmon to get some tips for VARs looking to succeed in the cloud. Here are his recommendations.

Already more than halfway into 2010, it is clear that mergers and acquisitions activity among technology vendors has certainly picked up significantly. As market values have dropped, creating bargains for value shoppers, and smaller companies have experienced more difficulty obtaining financing, the market for technology mergers and acquisitions has accelerated. Technology vendors have put together several multi-billion dollar deals so far this year as the economy comes out of what many believe is the worst recession since the 1920s. Indeed, there have been more than a handful of deals worth hundreds of millions of dollars as the technology vendor marketplace has experienced consolidation through mergers and acquisitions in 2010. With companies such as Apple, Avnet, Symantec, and VMware among the acquiring companies, the action this year has been relentless among big technology companies and their targets. Channel Insider takes a look at 15 of the biggest acquisitions, all of them close to $100 million or more.

With news that HP has decided to trademark the name, PalmPad, speculation is heating up over when the company will be offering its WebOS tablet to customers. So far, HP hasn’t offered many details on what users can expect from its tablet. There hasn’t even been an indication of whether it will be targeted at consumers or enterprise customers, or both groups. More than likely, HP will offer the PalmPad to both enterprise customers and consumers, since the company performs quite well in both of those sectors. And recently, HP indicated that such a device would likely be offered through its channel partners. It’s the enterprise focus that could make or break HP’s WebOS tablet. With Cisco soon offering the Cius to compete in the corporate world, and Apple’s iPad still dominating in the consumer market, the time has come for HP to find at least one space where it has a chance of doing well. That single space is the enterprise. But in order to be successful, HP must have the right strategy in place. It can’t simply be the iPad. Instead, it needs to do several things to beat the Cisco Cius. Here are 10 of them

Looking for a vendor to partner with on security technology? Symantec may be the first name that comes to mind. The IT security giant’s Norton product line is a staple among software products. Let’s face it, Symantec is a go-to name in the world of IT security and is also well recognized for its storage solutions. This technology titan has spent the better part of 30 years building and acquiring its way into becoming the dominant force that it is today. Symantec’s on-again off-again relationship with its channel partners may have caused some concern over the past few years. But Symantec has worked to improve its image with channel partners. In the channel community, it pays to know your vendors inside and out. A vendor's economic health, its business decisions and its attitudes toward the channel can all make a huge impact on the loyal distributors, VARs, SIs, consultants and MSPs that live and die by the brands they rep. In this vendor profile, Channel Insider takes a look at Symantec.

According to a recent survey at Interop in the spring, nearly half of attendees queried mentioned that mobile device management is their top concern in 2010. As enterprises deal with device management and risk abatement within the smartphone ecosystem — from Apple iPhone to all the Android-based smartphones to HP Palm WebOS smartphones — their job only gets harder as more employees ask for a greater freedom in choosing device platforms and form factors. And those employees are asking for more mobile data access than ever before, too. Lose the phone and you could lose vital corporate data. Or worse, that data could fall into a competitor’s hands, or a criminal’s hands. This paradigm shift presents a tremendous opportunity to channel partners, as most of their clients don't have the time or the inclination to manage their growing mobile infrastructure on their own. Partners can utilize the following tools to build a set of product or service solutions that meets all of their customer needs, adding value through deployment packages, ongoing mobile management services and consulting services.

When you put yours or your customer’s mission critical operations into the cloud, you don’t want any surprises like unplanned downtime, security breaches, or issues with latency. Just like a VAR would do the due diligence before recommending hardware or software to a customer, it's also important to ask the right questions when selecting cloud applications. Channel Insider presents tips for doing proper due diligence in the growing cloud applications market.

Many small and medium enterprises are on the verge of a major PC refresh to replace all those PCs that have long stayed past their prime -- many four-years-old or five-years-old, clogged with malware, and running hot. Those poorly performing desktop PCs are chugging under the weight of new applications and can't take advantage of the performance enhancements offered by new operating systems. But before making the expensive leap into new desktops with all of the associated costs, administrators should ask themselves – “is there a better way?” The answer may very well come in the form of VDI (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure), where the physical desktop PC is replaced by a virtual PC running in the datacenter and the desktop session is delivered to an endpoint via a TCP/IP connection. Many vendors offer VDI solutions that work with a range of endpoints, including thin clients, zero clients, netbooks, notebooks and traditional PCs. Those vendors include VMware, VDIWorks, Citrix and many others, offering plenty of choices that should meet most any requirement. More importantly, VDI opens up a world of opportunities and offers a few significant advantages over the traditional rip and replace system of refreshing desktop PCs.

When Cisco announced its enterprise-focused Cius tablet computer recently, the company made what many believe is the first earnest move to capitalize on the tablet craze in the corporate world. And what a move it was. The device will integrate into existing Cisco infrastructure, boast a 7-inch display, and allow users to place and receive video conferencing calls, tying into Cisco’s investments in WebEx and Telepresence. And since it doubles as a tablet, it can be brought to and from the office without much trouble. But Cisco’s Cius will run on the Android operating system, not Microsoft Windows 7. Meanwhile, Microsoft announced at its Worldwide Partners Conference that its hardware partners will soon offer several tablets running Windows 7. Microsoft didn’t specify which firms will be offering devices, and it wouldn’t even say how it plans to appeal to customers. But at least one thing is certain: Microsoft needs to succeed with Windows-based tablets if it wants to make a splash in the enterprise and compete against the Cisco Cius. And here is what Microsoft must offer:

In the corporate world, Research In Motion and its RIM BlackBerry devices continue to play a key role in the success or failure of employees’ mobile productivity. Meanwhile, HP, the company that sells more computers than any PC maker in the market, is well on its way to offering smartphones of its own, outside of the Palm Pre and Pixi, that are designed specifically to take on the devices that RIM currently offers to corporate customers. Of course, trying to supplant RIM as the top mobile enterprise company is going to be difficult. The corporate world stubbornly sticks with the products it uses and rarely finds reason to opt for devices that might not deliver the kind of productivity and usability that customers are really looking for. That’s precisely why, among several other reasons, that HP will be unable to challenge BlackBerry OS in the enterprise. As viable as WebOS might be to some consumers, the software, and HP, just aren’t all that appealing to enterprise customers when it comes to mobile productivity. The future looks bleak for HP and WebOS in the enterprise. And here’s why:

What’s comes after all the buzz around public cloud adoption? You guessed it – Private Clouds. New research shows that companies looking to cut costs and streamline operations are taking a close look at what private clouds can accomplish, and many are planning to deploy sooner rather than later.

Up until 2003, Cisco Systems had exclusively played in the enterprise space, but with the acquisition of Linksys , the networking giant began to show an interest in the consumer market. Although it's no Apple or Microsoft, Cisco seems to be continuing to build a consumer strategy. Channel Insider takes a look at the key elements of Cisco's consumer strategy.

When travel costs are on the rise and CFOs are cutting back on T&E, can a company really save money by using video conferencing? Some companies think so. Data from ABI Research shows that telepresence revenue grew to $567 million in 2009, and will grow to $2.7 billion by 2015. Telepresence can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Or you can get it for as low as $2500. Here are Channel Insider’s Telepresence solutions for every budget.

Cisco made big news recently with its release of its own tablet computer, the Cisco Cius, designed for business users and collaboration. The tablet marks Cisco’s debut in the client computer space, plus it pits Cisco against the ultra-popular Apple iPad tablet. Here’s why the Cius may very well be an iPad killer.

As perhaps the biggest commercial influencer in helping to bring the PC to the masses, Microsoft has been wandering the realm of computerdom with a giant target on its back for decades. Every time it expands into a new market — browsers, databases, CRM, online collaboration, and more — target practice just seems all the more appealing to a new crop of competitors. From Netscape in the 1990s to Google to IBM, plenty of companies have been gunning for the title of king of the hill ever since Microsoft rose to dominate the technology market. And Microsoft has shown it’s not afraid to defend itself and retaliate when its territory is threatened. After all, where is Netscape today? After making it clear that its plan was to beat Microsoft in the browser wars, Microsoft pulled out all the stops to go to battle and ultimately vanquished its smaller competitor in the browser market. The fact is, Microsoft has perhaps the most enemies (and even frienemies) in the entirety of the IT vendor landscape. The following are tops on the list.

Microsoft finds itself in a rather interesting position. The software company that once told the world that it would be partnering with HP on a computer tablet that would compete with Apple's iPad is now being forced to face off with that same hardware vendor. That’s because HP acquired Palm, and with it Palm’s WebOS. Although WebOS was originally designed as a smartphone operating system, HP has confirmed that it will offer a computer tablet with WebOS, pushing Microsoft’s Windows operating system off the platform. HP said its WebOS tablet will compete against the iPad which has used the same operating system as the iPhone smartphone from Apple. And although the HP Slate tablet PC was supposed to run Windows, it's looking more and more like that won't happen now that HP owns a mobile operating system of its own. That isn't good news for Microsoft. Not only does it pit it against one of its hardware partners, but it adds another competitor that the company will need to face when it delivers Windows-based tablets. And Microsoft can't be at all happy about it. Regardless, Microsoft will need to find ways to compete against HP's tablet computer. Here's how:

Microsoft finds itself in a difficult position. The software giant is still a dominant player in the tech space, and it's enjoying strong profits every quarter. But with the recent discontinuation of its Kin smartphones, issues with getting Windows Phone 7 to the market, and a slow adoption of Windows 7, Microsoft is in trouble. Add to that the increasing competition to its operating system from alternatives such as Linux-based operating systems including Android, Google’s upcoming Chrome OS and others, plus threats to its productivity suite business from both Google and Zoho. It’s a tough scene for a company that’s used to being on top of the heap with nary a serious challenger. Microsoft has crushed competitors in the past with its embrace, extend and extinguish strategy. Just look at Netscape. The company that ruled the web browser market at one time was beaten at its own game by Microsoft and Internet Explorer. But Microsoft needs to carefully plan its next steps and do the right thing. A wrong move or a poor decision could mean the difference between future success and failure. Let's take a look at some blunders that Microsoft can't afford to commit over the next year.

In the channel community, it pays to know your vendors inside and out. A vendor's economic health, its business decisions and its attitudes toward the channel can all make a huge impact on the loyal distributors, VARs, SIs, consultants and MSPs that live and die by the brands they rep. In this vendor profile, Channel Insider takes a look at Microsoft. A veritable giant within the channel community, Microsoft to one degree or another controls the fate of hundreds of thousands of partners within its ecosystem.

With the launch of Microsoft Office 2010, many administrators are wondering if an expensive upgrade is worth the cost and hassle, especially since SaaS providers like Google and ZOHO have matured their hosted office offerings into something that is now business ready. Administrators only need is a good reason to make the jump to SaaS, and here are ten of them.

On the eve of its Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference, the world’s largest software company has announced its partners of the year. To follow are a sampling of some of those partner companies honored by Microsoft as being the best of the best. Check out who made the cut this year.

Microsoft dominates in business computing. With products like Windows and Office, Microsoft has been unbeatable, and it's been unlikely that any company would gain the power and control that Microsoft enjoys. But those glory days may not last much longer. There is increased speculation that Microsoft is failing to heed changes ahead. There are several threats that Microsoft currently faces. And without the right strategies, the company could be in for trouble. Let's take a look at some threats that Microsoft simply can't ignore.

Databases often serve as repositories of the most vital company data, but are often one of the least protected systems in IT environments. Here's a look at the top database vulnerabilities that IT shops tend to ignore, according to experts over at Application Security, Inc's Team SHATTER.

Compared to the consumer market, the enterprise market is a slow moving, slow changing giant. Established vendors and trusted names have the edge while newer companies and leading edge technologies do not. But that doesn't mean that it's impossible for smaller companies to break in. There are a handful of vendors that will shape the corporate IT space in the coming decade. Here are the companies that will change the enterprise going forward.

Cisco's new Cius tablet is one of the most compelling devices the company has announced in years. The device, which will boast a 7-inch display and come with Android OS, won't just try to be the iPad like so many other tablets. Instead, the Cius is designed for corporate users who want to substantially increase their mobility and productivity. Cius isn't slated for release until the first quarter of 2011. But what it potentially lacks in concrete details, it makes up for with promise. Let's take a look at some ways that the Cius will appeal to business customers.

Motion Computing has released a new lineup of rugged tablet computers with improved battery life, enhanced security, increased system storage, a better webcam, and other new features. Move aside iPad, this machine is built for business in the rough and tumble field. Channel Insider took a quick look at the new J3500 tablet PC.

Although the bulk of global IT organizations still keep the majority of their technology infrastructure in-sourced, that trend is changing, according to a new survey conducted by Vanson Bourne on behalf of Savvis. However, there are still a number of obstacles slowing down outsourcing efforts. Channel Insider takes a look.

After years of high-visibility data breaches and advocacy by security experts within small and midsized businesses, it seems that the message is finally sinking in with small business leaders. A new survey out this week from Symantec shows that SMBs believe that protecting information is their highest IT priority, a big gain over last year when the majority of SMBs queried didn't even have AV deployed. Based on responses from 2,152 SMB leaders and IT decision makers, the 2010 Global SMB Information Protection Survey is good proof to the channel that the SMB could provide a lot of opportunities to security-focused partners.

New research shows that hospitals and healthcare providers are struggling to derive the required value out of their newly implemented Electronic Health Records (EHR) systems. Channel Insider takes a look at the top five reasons healthcare provider CIOs fear they won’t meet the “meaningful use” objectives established in the stimulus package, and how resellers can help to address their challenges to grab a bigger piece of the healthcare pie.

As Cisco makes its push into loads of new market niches it will see competitors from all quarters take a stand both directly with the customer and through channel. Be they just a stone in Cisco's shoe or chucking the stone itself a la David to Cisco's Goliath, the following vendors and industry groups will prove formidable foes to the mighty networking giant.

With the arrival of MS Office 2010, you may be wondering if it’s worthwhile to upgrade or if the time has arrived to look at alternatives, such as hosted office applications like those from Google, Zoho or other SaaS providers. Microsoft still commands the lion’s share of the Office suite market. However, the company needs to offer some compelling reasons to maintain that market share. Here are our top ten reasons to stick with MS Office 2010, instead of going the SaaS route.

Research In Motion understands the enterprise. RIM has demonstrated that understanding through the design of its smartphones and the ease with which corporate customers have been able to use the company's mobile operating system, not to mention the company’s providing a BlackBerry Enterprise Server product. By looking at RIM's strategy the rest of us can glean what enterprise customers really want. Here’s look at some things that RIM’s success reveals about the enterprise.

Acer is coming on strong in the PC market, second only to HP these days. But with HP’s prowess in both the consumer and commercial markets, it will be a tough player for Acer to beat. Here’s a look at some things Acer needs to do to catch up to HP in the computing market.

In the channel community, it pays to know your vendors inside and out. A vendor's economic health, its business decisions and its attitudes toward the channel can all make a huge impact on the loyal distributors, VARs, SIs, consultants and MSPs that live and die by the brands they rep. In this vendor profile, Channel Insider takes a look at Cisco. Over 25 years after it was born in the garage of a couple of computer scientists from Stanford, networking giant Cisco has built itself up to a multibillion-dollar powerhouse that dominates the way that most businesses connect today.

Google is undoubtedly a consumer's safe haven on the Web. When folks want to find recipes, information on the latest tech products, or just about anything else, Google is the place they go. And for many, when they want to find an alternative to the iPhone, they opt for Google's Android operating system over any other OS. But for much of the enterprise, Google is little more than a search engine. Android OS has yet to make a major splash in the mobile-enterprise sector. Its online applications, while useful for some companies, have yet to fully provide value to many organizations. Even the company's Gmail has done little to suit the fancy of enterprise customers that are looking for a viable alternative to the services they already use. Let's take a look at what Google needs to do to appeal to enterprise customers.

Security has been a strong contender in the IT market over the last year, defying all other economic indicators as technology departments worldwide have struggled with securing data as it is scattered by the digital winds. But the rapid growth of this market is due for a cool down according to Gartner analysts, who last week predicted that now that many organizations have successfully updated their security programs, they're planning on reducing the percentage of IT budgets dedicated to protection. Channel Insider looks at some of the stats and prognostications from Gartner analysts.

HP has the capital and the size to invest in as many useful products as Apple, but it lacks the vision and the drive to do what it must to compete. That said, HP is the world's top PC manufacturer and is the single company in the Windows environment that has the ability to innovate far beyond what has been achieved to this point. But HP needs to get to work improving some of its core products, while investing in those markets where it doesn't have a presence. Here’s a look at some products that HP should be working on right now.

Looking to get the most out of your computer, but don’t want to spend the money on a bunch of new software without a test run first? We’ve put together a list of the best free software that you don’t need money to buy. From Microsoft Office alternatives to free video conferencing to utilities that get your new computer off to a good start and keep it running smoothly to a classic game. Check out our picks.

Even in the wake of weak sales numbers elsewhere, security has remained a strong seller within many VARs' portfolios and perhaps none so hot in recent months as content security. As Web-borne malware and blended e-mail/Web content-related attacks and threats have mushroomed over the past years, IT departments are increasingly looking to VARs for Web and e-mail security gateway protection, be it delivered via hardware, software, SaaS or managed service.

Microsoft's Office is central to Microsoft's success, but the 2010 version is being met with more skepticism than previous versions of the productivity suite. To buoy sales, Microsoft has cut the price, but it remains unclear if that will help. At this point, Office 2010 just hasn't been out long enough to make a judgement call on whether or not it will be a success, and competitive threats from Google and Zoho loom in the cloud. So now is the time for Microsoft to look ahead. The market is changing, consumers and enterprise customers are expecting different features, and it's up to Microsoft to respond. Let's take a look at some things that Microsoft must keep in mind when it starts working on the future of Office.

Apple's iPad is enjoying strong sales as an both consumers and enterprise customers view the tablet as a worthy upgrade over netbooks or other mobile devices that don't fit the bill. But that doesn't mean that the iPad is the only tablet that will be successful in today's marketplace. Now is the time for tablet makers to get started on matching Apple's tablet. Whether they like it or not, they need to find ways to trump the iPad. And they can only do that with a solid understanding of what it takes to be successful in that space. Let's take a look.

Apple's iPad has experienced huge success over the last few months, selling at a pace of about one million units per month and sending users into an app-induced frenzy as the digital world starts to realize the true potential presented by convenient computing mobility. Unsurprisingly, now that the blood is in the water, competition is circling to get a bite of Apple's oh-so-tasty mobile market. The following vendors are hoping to crack at the iPad with their very own tablet creations by the end of this year and early 2011.

Looking to upgrade to Windows 7, but still trying to keep costs down? We’ve compiled the best free software packages you can use to make your users more productive while at the same time keeping their new systems clean and malware-free.

Tiny, power-sipping netbooks saved the day in 2009 as the only computer category that saw any kind of sales growth. Their low price and portability made them the platform of choice for both consumers and business people on-the-go. And in spite of the Apple iPad likely eating into the netbook’s market share, plenty of buyers still want these little PCs for their price and their physical keyboards. Here are some quick facts you may not know about netbooks.

The war for dominance in the core routing and switching networking markets rages on between Cisco Systems (www.cisco.com) and HP ProCurve/3Com (www.procurve.com), but the two technology giants doing battle are far from the only players in the market. For VARs and end-customers looking for a different vendor, here are five alternatives to Cisco and HP

With margins on hardware and software growing ever slimmer, smart channel partners have been looking for ways to transition from traditional reseller and break-fix roles into managed service providers. Channel Insider takes a look at some useful books that VARs can read to help jump-start their managed services efforts.

The Internet can be a dangerous place, full of malicious files and hackers that want to steal sensitive information and turn it into cash. The threat can be a constant concern that doesn't go away. That's precisely why most companies have Web policies in place to give employees a firm understanding of what is allowed and what is not, and in just about every case, Web policies are absolutely necessary. They govern a company's network and ensure that all parties know and understand what their responsibilities are. But that doesn't mean that they're all perfect. In fact, some Web policies fail to make much sense at all. Here are some of the biggest mistakes that companies make when they issue Web policies.

Whether you call it soccer, football or futbol, the World Cup tournament will be captivating fans around the world over the next month. But it will be a challenge to keep up with the action while remaining productive during the workday. Today’s fans enjoy a distinct advantage over those of yesteryear – they can download smart phone applications to help. According to researchers with Nielsen, nearly a quarter of U.S. cellular subscribers plan on using the mobile web to stay abreast of the soccer action. If you're one of them, here are some mobile applications to make the process a little easier.

Currently the third-largest PC maker, Dell was once sitting atop the computer market without fear of any competitor coming close. But its direct-only strategy gave companies like HP – which also sold through retail and reseller channels - inroads to wrest that top spot from Dell. Now, Dell needs to figure out what it can do to catch up to HP. Here’s a look at some of the things that Dell should be doing to catch up with its biggest competitor.

As CIOs and IT managers are seeking new ways to improve their efficiencies, many have turned to managed services to do more with less. VARs seeking to build a managed services business and managed service providers (MSP) hoping to bulk up their client lists are finding the environment right for smart entrepreneurs. Channel Insider takes a look at the managed services market and analyst projections for the future.

HP is in an interesting position in today's marketplace. Not only is the company a well-respected enterprise provider of several solutions, it's also catering to consumers that want to find alternatives to companies like Apple or Google. With so many different markets to worry about, HP is looking more like Microsoft than Dell by the day. Perhaps that's why HP can learn so much from Microsoft. Although the tech giant has been around for a long time and has enjoyed success, it's still a small business compared to Microsoft. And as Microsoft has enjoyed its success throughout the years, the company has learned a thing or two about how to compete in an increasingly crowded market that's requiring more innovation and business sense. Simply put, Microsoft has been there and done that, and it's about time HP realizes that and starts thinking about some of the things it can learn from the software giant. Let's take a look at what Microsoft can teach HP about the industry:

While Apple will always have a contingent of loyal followers flung far and wide across the technology universe, not everyone views the spawn of the Turtlenecked One quite as favorably as the fanboys. In fact, mention Apple in the deepest, darkest corridors of campuses for these vendors and you may be met with furrowed brows.

In the channel community, it pays to know your vendors inside and out. A vendor's economic health, its business decisions and its attitudes toward the channel can all make a huge impact on the loyal distributors, VARs, SIs, consultants and MSPs that live and die by the brands they represent. In this vendor profile, Channel Insider takes a look at Apple. With a long--but up-and-down--history with the channel, Apple offers partners a lot of opportunities for integration, most recently with the launch of the iPad.

Job creation is on the upswing, with 55,000 jobs created in the private sector alone in May, according to one report, and 44,000 according to another report. A new survey shows that the IT sector may be one of the markets benefiting the greatest form private sector job creation. Channel Insider takes a closer look.

Not only does the new Apple iPad tablet hold a lot of opportunity for new and improved business applications, but it also has a lot of potential to unleash apps that allow business people to be people again. Channel Insider’s top 10 iPad apps for work-life balance help busy executives keep their busy work, home and travel schedules in order while at the same time aiding them in maintaining their health and sanity, too.

Windows 7 might have been released nearly a year ago, but the operating system has yet to take over at many businesses. Deploying Windows 7 will be a big, costly job for some. For others, there’s concern that implementing Microsoft's latest operating system will hurt productivity, at least for a short while, as users are accustomed to Windows XP or even Windows Vista. But implementing Windows 7 has gone from a choice to a necessity. Some businesses are still using outdated Windows XP machines that are barely hanging on. And most agree that Windows 7 is a great improvement over its predecessor, Windows Vista. Plus, the operating system will likely be the only available OS from Microsoft for the foreseeable future. In other words, it's only a matter of time before companies start moving to Windows 7 in droves. But before they do, let's take a look at some things they should consider when implementing Windows 7.

Apple's iPad gets all the attention in the mobile computing business. The tablet, which was released just a couple months ago, is certainly groundbreaking. And what it lacks in size, it makes up for in features. Apple should be commended for what it has achieved with the iPad. Rather than simply deliver a product that adequately addresses consumers needs, the company did a fine job of offering almost everything that the average consumer would want for the living room. But can you really take it to work, too? For those who covet productivity and usability, too, the iPad falls short to netbooks. Although netbook sales are slowing and speculation abounds over the destruction of the lightweight notebook at the hands of Apple's tablet, those predictions might be premature. Simply put, when compared to a netbook, the iPad can't quite stack up. Here's why:

Facebook fan pages can help you keep in touch with your existing customers, build brand recognition and attract new potential customers to your services. Here are several tips on how to build a Facebook page for yourself or your customers.

Once considered one of the safest attachments around, the PDF format is becoming a fan favorite among cybercriminals looking to spread their malcode, infect machines and beef up their botnets. We take a look new data that shows just how dangerous the PDF format has become, how hackers are using malicious PDFs to perpetrate attacks and what you can do to protect against them.

A recent report by the Corporate Executive Board (CEB) predicts that within five years two out of three IT roles will be shifted to business services, evolve into business roles or be externalized. These are the ten trends that are going to cause such a rapid shift. CEB predicts a 60 percent/40 percent shift between demand-side and supply-side changes that will cause the evolution of IT. Here's the organization's take on the matter.

With the volume of data storage predicted to double every 18 months, the question isn't are you going to sell more storage, but whose? Here’s what your customers need to know before they decide, according to Peter Fuller, Co-Founder and VP of Business Development from Scale Computing , a developer of midmarket clustered storage solutions.

No matter where you fall within the partner ecosystem, these security mistakes can cost your customers and sully your reputation.

With companies like Google(GOOG), Microsoft (MSFT), HP (HP)CA (CA), Fujitsu (FJTSY) and IBM (IBM) laser-focused on dominating the cloud computing marketplace, smaller solution provider shave an war on their hands. Cloud computing--hot or not—still has IT leery of corporate security risks. Channel Insider identifies the Top 5 Ways solution providers can address IT’s cloud concerns and win some business.

News that VeriSign would sell off the last of its security business to Symantec was hardly a surprise to market watchers who have seen the company gradually siphon off what it calls 'non-core' businesses to focus more on Internet infrastructure services. The casting away of these non-essential business units come as a result of a 2007 executive directive designed to please investors who were growing increasingly unhappy with VeriSign's prolific business priorities. In 2009, VeriSign claims to have recouped $765 million from the shedding of these disparate units. Here are some of the highlights among those deals made since 2007.

The economic recession has made it tough for small businesses, including many VARs and MSPs, to get the capital they need at the same time it has increased the competition from smaller startup companies. That’s led to an acceleration in merger and acquisition activity for VARs and MSPs. If you are considering a sale of your business, make sure to optimize it ahead of time to get the best sale price, says Charles Weaver, president of the MSPAlliance, who also consults with MSPs on M&As through his firm Weaver & Associates. Here’s a list of simple steps you can take to ensure you get top dollar for the business you worked so hard to build.

Let's face it. It's not always rainbows and butterflies when channel partners deal with customers. Sometimes relationships go sour. While there are a fair share of unreasonable clients out there in the cold, cruel world, it does pay to look in the mirror every once in a while. Here are 10 ways we think you may be contributing to the discord.

As cloud computing goes mainstream and channel opportunities increase, there are still some naysayers out there spreading fear, uncertainty and doubt about how viable and safe cloud computing really is. Channel Insider takes a look at the more prevalent myths about cloud computing and where the truth actually lies.

Channel-Friendly Cloud Computing Applications Software as a service is considered the wave of the future as businesses look to outsource some or all of their IT headaches to the cloud. That doesn’t mean there aren’t opportunities for channel partners, both in reselling those apps and in providing the IT integration and customization services to make them work for a particular business. Here’s a look at the opportunities, the apps and the vendors.

Channel partners and IT pros looking to cash in on the cloud computing craze may want to start their quest in the classroom. The following seven technology certifications offer a great way to prove one's mettle in cloud-related skills such as virtualization, architecture and utility computing.

Experience is king, right? Not always, when it comes to IT certifications. In today’s tough economic climate, you may have done the job, but without the acronym on your resume, it can be hard to convince potential employers you’re the ideal candidate. Here are five tips from Channel Insider to help you navigate your way around those pesky IT certification requirements and land the job you really want.

Google’s recent acquisition of GIPS, a VoIP and video technology provider playing in the mobile market space, could spell opportunities for Google channel partners and ISVs – at the expense of more traditional players in the market such as telecom carriers. New research from Frost & Sullivan indicates those traditional players may have no choice but to embrace it. Channel Insider takes a deeper look.

As IT organizations move infrastructure to the cloud and data centers suck up more power, the search is on for affordable sources of renewable energy. And with a giant BP oil spill spreading in the Gulf of Mexico, the pressure may be on as never before. Can solar energy, wind turbines, geothermal power or even cow manure replace traditional power sources? The answer is a qualified yes. Some companies including Google, Intel, HP, and AMD are working on it. But it’s still more expensive. Channel Insider looks at some of the companies and projects to power data centers with renewable energy sources.

Networking and communications distributor Westcon brings technologies from vendors such as Avaya, Cisco and Juniper to IT channel partners. Here’s a look at some of the faces behind the Tarrytown, N.Y.-based specialty distributor.

Why look for a new IT job when you can bring recruiters, human resource representatives and hiring managers to your doorstep? Recruitment experts say that the job market has changed and those looking for new jobs must change their tactics. Here 17 tips to help you get started on using SEO and social media to pump up your search for the IT job you want.

Plenty of IT administrators toss and turn at night over the security risks they know threaten their servers, networks and client computers, according to a recent survey of 353 network administrators conducted by Amplitude Research on behalf of VanDyk Software. Channel partners who know the understand the following ten pain points and how to alleviate them with the right combinations of IT solutions and services are more likely to find themselves winning the security deals.

The mantra for many IT organizations in 2009 was 'do more with less,' and that led to many VARs and customer organizations looking for free tools to accomplish the tasks that needed to get done, including network monitoring. Many of the free network monitoring tools available to VARs are either demo versions of commercial software or are distributed under the shareware software model. Channel Insider takes a look at a handful of the best free network monitoring tools.

The sheer number of networking certifications available from vendors and associations is staggering, but the demand for each individual certification varies considerably. Presented here are Channel Insider’s Top 10 networking certifications, the ones that will give IT networking professionals a leg up in getting the jobs they want.

The economy is picking up and more companies are hiring IT workers these days. As IT professionals start hunting for jobs to kick start their careers, now is the time to brush up on resume-writing and interviewing skills. The following list of books offer useful guidance on how to get back into IT job search mode and nab the ideal technology job.

Ingram Micro is the undisputed biggest IT distributor in the world, working with tens of thousands of VARs, IT solution providers, managed service providers (MSPs) and IT systems integrators, as well as the biggest technology vendors. But who’s who inside this giant? Channel Insider takes a look at the executives making the decisions, that every VAR needs to know.

A vendor's economic health, its business decisions and its attitudes toward the channel can all make a huge impact on the loyal distributors, VARs, SIs, consultants and MSPs that live and die by the brands they represent. In this Vendor Profile, Channel Insider takes a look at HP. The world leader in PC sales and a big player in networking, mobility and managed print services, HP has a massive channel and tons of opportunities for resellers.

If the HP acquisition of Palm has proven only one thing, it's that HP intends to continue the expansion of its web of dominance across a breadth of technological niches. But don't expect the competition to take it lying down. The more HP expands, the more competitive rivalries it enflames. Here are some of HP's most noteworthy competitors across its lines of business.

Originally known as Palm Computing, the company that created the Palm Pilot and succeeded at handheld computing and handwriting recognition after Apple failed with its Newton, has gone through many hands over the years. From U.S. Robotics to 3Com to being spun off in an IPO to being in HP’s acquisition sights. Here’s a look at the quick facts and milestones around Palm’s evolution.

Selling technology is never easy. The cream of the crop within the channel typically hone their skills by synthesizing years of experience in the field, industry insider advice at conferences and meetings and many pages of reading material from experts who've seen it all and sold it all. The following books are a way to get started on the third part of that formula. The rest is up to you.

Are the networks you manage vulnerable to attack? Security attacks and downtime threaten both productivity and corporate assets at a time when security vulnerability is on the upswing. A new report by reseller Dimension Data says managers continue to put their organizations at risk by failing to do enough to address network asset management. Channel Insider takes a closer look.

It’s still tough out there, no matter how many economists say things are on the “upswing.” If you’re still looking to land a new job or trying to promote your firm, consider taking advantage of the pervasive nature of social media such as Twitter and Facebook and get your name out there. Channel Insider takes a look at the top five ways to use social media to land a job in today’s competitive market.

By now, you know if you want to close the deal, you better start with the CFO. Tightened financial belts and quantifiable benefits put the CFO square-in-the-middle of the purchase process, often with the sole “thumbs-up” or “thumbs-down” power. Channel Insider takes a look at the IT-CFO relationship and the top 5 ways to influence the today’s Chief Influencer in the current rough-and-tumble economic environment.

In a 24 by 7 world where you may be expected to attend work meetings even though you are on vacation, is it any surprise that so many people say they are stressed? But collaboration technologies, which are becoming more strategic in an age of slimmed down workforces and lower travel budgets, may actually help relieve some of the pressure of today’s work life, according to a new survey.

Symantec recently solidified its security play with two key encryption acquisitions that will give its partners the ability to better package crypto products into their overall solution base. Symantec has long subscribed to the philosophy of adding capabilities through M&A activity--it's 2005 merger with Veritas is a testament to that. Since that landmark deal, Symantec has kept up a steady pace in snapping up new technologies. Here are some of the biggest pick-ups Symantec has made over the last few years.

As an IT solution provider you’ve probably spent countless hours educating customers and end users about the need for security measures such as firewalls, data loss prevention, antivirus and vulnerability management. But often the riskiest variables in any office environment are the ones that your clients would never think are threats.

Small business and medium-sized business plan to take those tight controls off their IT budgets this year. Three new surveys of SMBs dig out the main areas of opportunity and plans for spending. Are you ready?

What’s the most expensive country for data breaches? What’s the leading cause of data breaches? And what’s the biggest cost factor? The Ponemon Institute’s Global Cost of a Data Breach Study represents the organization's first-ever attempt to offer a worldwide snapshot of data breach costs. Channel Insider takes a closer look.

Economic conditions over the past couple of years have made raising prices the exception rather than the norm for many businesses including IT solution providers and managed services providers. But now that the economy seems headed towards recovery, it may be time to look at your price structure again and plan for the day when you give yourself a raise. Before you do, consider these five essential tips.

OnForce's first quarter OnForce Services Marketplace Index (OSMI) report provides an immediate look at what services and skills are in demand in the market right now, drawing on data from the company's own OnForce technology services marketplace for a peek inside the trends. Here's a look at OnForce's data, plus some of the macroeconomic forces that are shaping the market for technology sales today.

Video conferencing, web meetings and other telepresence technology is transforming the way companies do business. But just like in-person meetings, there are cultural mores that should be followed. Here’s a list of the top pet peeves among IT decision makers and SMB leadership about participant behavior during video conferences, according to a survey by PGi, an Atlanta-based provider of meeting and collaboration solutions.

Access governance processes must be maintained to keep up with business risks and compliance demands, but a new study from Ponemon Institute shows that enterprises are not doing enough to prevent abuse and fraud. The organization spoke with over 700 IT professionals Here’s a look at what was revealed.

You know things are really on the upswing when start-ups start hiring. Traditionally, the entrepreneurial spirit grabs a hold of opportunity and leads the way out of deep recessions. A new study from the Silicon Valley Bank – one of the leaders in banking and VC funds for the tech and life sciences set—shows that start-ups are starting again, and that means growth for new VARs and budding potential for new customer acquisition. Channel Insider takes a deeper look.

IT activity in the federal government has picked up, driven by a variety of factors, including the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Federal Data Center Initiative. Agencies know they need to take decisive steps toward lowering costs of maintaining the 100-plus federal data centers. Is virtualization and cloud the answer? Maybe, but according to a new survey, hurdles abound. Channel Insider takes a closer look.

Sure, social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter offer channel partners a lot of opportunity to connect with business partners and friends alike. But it also gives the bad guys a chance at some not-so-welcome connections as well. The new technology and lack of security inherent with social media has opened up organizations to a laundry list of new risks. The following are some of the more embarrassing security glitches and privacy gaffes that have gone down in recent memory.

HP’s recent acquisition of 3Com has created the biggest threat Cisco has ever faced in defending its networking empire. The two technology giants will now go head-to-head in the networking space and in the data center space too. As channel partners and IT pros choose sides, there’s a lot to consider in terms of which networking certifications to pursue. While Cisco offers a greater installed base, HP offers more certification paths. Here's a comparison of the different certification paths from both companies.

As organizations look to improve the energy efficiency of their data center operations and reduce the power usage and carbon footprints of their business operations, they'll seek out partners who are able to offer them timely consultation and good implementation advice that can help them improve their green quotient and their bottom line. In honor of Earth Day, Channel Insider takes a look at some of the most important skills training and certifications to help partners pursue the other kind of green that flows when customers are going green.

As the need for storage of data mushrooms, a market that is primed for big growth is data deduplication. Today most sales go direct, as the channel accounts for less than a quarter of the sales of this burgeoning space. But the opportunity is growing with the market. Channel Insider takes a closer look at who's who in data dedupe, and their most recent product and channel announcements.

It’s no secret that Web applications represent a big IT security risk for enterprises and other businesses these days. But what should technology professionals be watching out for when it comes to threats? This week the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) released its list of Top 10 Most Critical Web Application Security Risks, along with its recommendations for both tactical and strategic responses for the best defense.

Poised for growth in 2010? What about your customers? Well, you’re not alone. A new report from the Guardian Life Small Business Research Institute identifies trends and perceptions of small to medium sized business as they grow. Here’s a look inside the minds of small business owners.

Social Media like Facebook and Twitter are here to stay, and those who are watching the field say it’s time to jump on board and make it work for you or risk getting left in the dust as competitors exploit it and you don’t. But new research shows most CIOs are actually tightening up controls on social media -- struggling to close the communication flood gates. Channel Insider takes a closer look at the trend and best practices for the right social media policy.

IBM is bringing out the big guns in its war against Oracle, offering double the cash rewards up to 40 percent to partners who rip out Oracle products and replace them with IBM. Channel Insider takes a closer look at a handful of the hundreds of products eligible for the program and what Oracle products will go to the recycler to make room.

Looking for a new technology job? Developing software for mobile platforms is a skill in high demand on the open market. Both business-to-consumer and business-to-business is likely to prove a lucrative specialty for IT solution providers and others. Channel Insider looks at some of the key skills.

Spam and phishing attackers are getting more sophisticated, launching bigger mass attacks on just a few online payment brands in order to dupe online users into giving away account details. Symantec’s April 2010 State of Spam and Phishing report looks at the attacks targeting your customers. Here’s a look at the trend and where your users are vulnerable.

Custom software implementations are almost as old as software itself. Is it really possible to eschew that approach and stay in business? A new IDC report entitled “Policy is the Best Policy: Ten Software Licensing Policies Every ISV Should Consider” urges a rethinking with how you structure your license agreements with customers. Channel Insider takes a closer look.

HP (NYSE:HPQ) has completed its acquisition of 3Com, creating a juggernaut of compute, networking and security technologies to go after Cisco’s Unified Computing initiative. But there’s more. Here’s what you need to know about the deal.

With Apple’s marketing machine pumping the iPad like mad, raising awareness of the tablet computer, what’s the potential bounty for resellers in this form factor? Channel Insider takes a closer look.

Managed service providers and resellers pitching cloud services will be forced to contend with pushback from IT, says a new survey. According to the results, IT is skittish about security and risk associated with deployment in the cloud. Channel Insider takes a closer look.

Looking to keep those valuable customer relationships? Well, according to a new white paper, businesses that want to thrive in today’s rough-and-tumble economic environment better focus on servicing and listening to their customers. Channel Insider looks at best practices for setting up Voice of the Customer programs aimed at incorporating customer feedback into your products and services help your business grow.

Need to connect to your corporate Microsoft Exchange email, contacts and calendar? Take a PowerPoint-type presentation slide deck with you on your next business trip? Keep track of multiple projects of your direct reports? Or even connect to Windows 7 applications? Then the Apple iPad may very well be your platform of choice for portability.

Gartner reports there has been a major shift in CEO priorities from early in 2009, switching from cutting costs to retaining customers and enhancing existing relationships. This has huge implications for the channel over the next five years as CEO pay for future investments from the cost savings obtained from existing IT operations. Channel Insider explores what this means to you.

How are your customers managing the movement of files and important corporate data both within and outside the company firewall? If they're anything like the bulk of respondents recently surveyed by Lexington, Mass.-based IPswitch File Transer, probably not very well.

There's nothing like April Fool's hi-jinx to highlight the disparity of computer experience between users within any given organization. The strong prey on the weak in this yearly ritual of mysterious computer ailments. While hilarity inevitably ensues, so too does a call to the partner's helpdesk when the prank goes too far and the less knowledgeable worker thinks their machine is ready for the garbage heap. Which is why so very many IT people have grown to hate the first day in April.

In the CRM game? Well, good news for VARs focused on improving their customer’s sales and marketing efforts. A new report from IDC shows that technology companies are looking to ramp up the cash they spend on improving productivity and efficiency of their sales and marketing orgs. Maybe, you should, too? Channel Insider takes a closer look.

New reports from Palo Alto Networks and Webroot indicate that security consciousness is growing among social networkers but so are the risks, especially in highly regulated industries. Channel Insider takes a closer look at what this means for the channel.

Ready to start hiring? Well, a new report shows that small businesses across multiple industries are ramping up their staffing, albeit slightly. That’s spells opportunity for VARs focused on the SMB market. Channel Insider takes a closer look.

Trim the fat, right? That’s the adage nowadays for most corporations. Well, despite a measured rebound in corporate performance, a new report shows that CEOs of large companies aren’t reaping the benefit with increased salaries. Channel Insider takes a closer look.

Infonetics Research says data on Ethernet switch, enterprise router and wireless LAN sales shows that all three markets are undergoing a considerable recovery after suffering a bad spell during early 2009. Channel Insider examines highlights from three reports released this month that dove into the details of each market.

Looking to capitalize on the Smart Grid wave? Well, according to a new report by Oracle that surveyed 150 C-Level Utility execs throughout North America, it seems the fledgling Smart Grid market is here to stay, but issues remain with translating the dream to reality. Channel Insider takes a closer look.

After last year’s financial meltdown, who isn’t trying to ramp up sales ? A recent poll conducted by sales and marketing research firm Infogroup asked B2B sales professionals how 2010 was faring on the pipeline front, and what resources were working for generating and qualifying leads. The results are a tad surprising – Channel Insider takes a closer look.

Some cities have great food, others great art and still others are hotbeds of technological advances. Among all of America's cities, though, there are some that stand out as cybercrime incubators. Researchers with Sperling's BestPlaces recently took a deep dive into how cities rank in terms of risky online behavior. Do you know where your city stacks up? Read on to find out.

Dell’s last big acquisition was Perot Systems, when it paid $3.9 billion for a company with a market cap of $3.36 billion. Many in the industry think Dell is on the hunt for another acquisition, potentially a networking company to fill out its data center portfolio. Here’s a list of some of the networking companies out there today.

Want to add Android support to your mobile portfolio? Not such a bad idea. When it comes to mobile business applications, many enterprises are backing away from Microsoft as the de facto mobile OS for deployment. Recent studies show Android, RIM BlackBerry and iPhone gaining serious ground. Channel Insider sat down with Yankee Group analyst and mobile OS guru Carl Howe to see if he had any tips for resellers and service providers thinking about developing on Android.

If application security isn't already top of mind among your customers, it probably should be. As a channel partner, you owe it to your customers to raise their awareness of how shoddy in-house application development and a complicit trust of all web applications on the Internet could cost them in damaging breaches and compliance woes with regulations such as PCI DSS. Released this month, the Cenzic Application Security Trends Report Q3-Q4 2009 showed how much the application vulnerability problem is growing within the corporate landscape over the second half of last year.

The recession may have cut travel bills enough to pique interest in telepresence technologies, but at the same time it placed holds on big capital items on many IT budgets. Here’s how to un-delay those projects.

According to Gartner, there's little room for error in writing a sales proposal, so having a proven, airtight technique in place to get it done—and get it done well—is something every marketer should deliver to the sales force with confidence. Channel Insider gives you inside scoop on writing winning sales proposals.

When you spend your money on technology certifications, which ones are going to offer you the best ROI? Dice Learning recently surveyed 17,000 technology professionals to find out which certifications commanded the highest salary premiums. Here’s what the company found.

CXOs are often the first adopters and purveyors of new technologies, and they’re the ones to convince when pitching technology wares to the enterprise. A recent report by Frost & Sullivan got a glimpse of what CXOs really think about mobile communication tools. They want ease of use and reliability over sex appeal. Channel Insider takes a closer look.

As usual, the recent RSA Conference in San Francisco presented the channel with a spate of new services ripe for up-selling opportunities. Channel Insider takes a look at some of the key announcements for which security solutions providers should keep on the lookout.

Last week's annual security confab at the RSA Conference was abuzz with new releases from the security vendor community. Channel Insider cuts through all of the announcements to give our assessment of some of the most impactful product releases for the channel.

According to IDC, the lower prices brought on by last year’s economy will create new opportunities for emerging sub form factors, such as ultrathin portables and all-in-one desktops. The research company expects PC buyers to be more experimental with new types of PCs, and recommends hardware vendors and software developers to seize the opportunity to promote differentiation. [ci] Channel Insider provides the top predictions for the PC industry in 2010.

In the data center game? Well, it’s a good place to be. New research released this week shows the market for data center storage hardware and software will continue to grow, fueled by enterprises expanding and opening new proprietary data centers. Channel Insider takes a closer look.

Delayed projects, canceled contracts and decimating lay-offs impacted most VARs, regardless of industry. But, once recovery occurs, will those projects disappear into thin air or still be on the docket? Channel Insider takes a closer look.

Securing corporate technology and data has gotten more complex. Think cloud computing, security as a service and making sure those social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter don't introduce viruses or worse to the enterprise. Here are the big trends that are keeping VARs and IT solution providers busy this year -- and also the central focus at the annual RSA Convention.

Security and availability still may be a concern, but certain applications are meant for the cloud, says analyst firm IDC, with benefits outweighing any risks. Here’s a look at the top 5 applications that will make the most dramatic moves to the cloud this year.

Storing, sorting and protecting explosive amounts of enterprise data is difficult and expensive. Disk-based data solution vendor SEPATON recently released survey results which indicate companies are looking at innovative and more efficient ways to spend shrinking data backup and disaster recovery budgets. Channel Insider takes a closer look.

The most recent IT Skills and Certification Pay Index compiled by the employment gurus at Foote Partners showed that even though values of IT certifications declined in 2009, the last three months data indicate that the freefall could finally be over.

A study released this week showing survey results among more than 800 IT professionals from small to medium businesses (SMBs) with between 100 to 5,000 employees showed that while SMBs are well aware of the security threats they face, they're still tackling problems ineffectively. Sponsored by Webroot, the survey shows that SMBs are struggling with new Web-based threats and with dealing with internal risks.

There’s a ton of buzz surrounding the new n standard for 802.11. What’s true? Well, certainly it’s faster and offers more extensive coverage. But, in today’s rough-and-tumble economic climate, what’s driving on-the-fence customers to consider completely cutting the cord, and switch out a, b, and g for n? Inside, Channel Insider identifies the top reasons customers want, and, need to make the switch.

Last year was an interesting one for channel partners and their vendors. The weight of the horrible economy forced many changes in programs and program requirements, financing options and support as vendors and distributors tried to manage their own businesses along with their channels’. Channel Insider’s 2010 Market Pulse survey polled solution providers on the trends they saw in 2009 and what they expect this year when it comes to their vendor relationships. Take a look.

As channel customers struggle to keep up with the endless stream of device logs and security information necessary to adjust infrastructure and procedures to mitigate risk, they're looking to partners to offer them the right solutions and services to do just that. The security information and event management (SIEM) and log management markets offer a plethora of options to choose from. In the last two quarters the channel has seen a number of announcements for new and updated products meant to help customers convert the torrent of security data coming from relevant devices into actionable information. Channel Insider explores some new tools on the market.

Javelin Research recently wrapped up its study of identity fraud as it hit the U.S. last year, the seventh consecutive such study conducted by Javelin on a topic that has increasingly hit the nightmares of IT professionals and business owners alike. Findings showed an increase in fraud victims, a jump in the cost of fraud and a growing risk to small business owners targeted by the bad guys.

Security experts have found that the day for lovers offers a prime opportunity for cybercriminals and mischief makers to make enterprise users weak-in-the-knees with worms and viruses and scams galore. This year will be no different, says Amichai Shulman, chief technology officer for Imperva. He expects the big fad among Valentine's hackers this year will be exploits around Facebook. Channel Insider examines this and many other past ways hackers have profited from the romance of Feb. 14.

According to the Cisco Visual Networking Index (VNI) Global Mobile Data Forecast for 2009-2014, annual global mobile data traffic will reach 3.6 exabytes per month or an annual run rate of 40 exabytes by 2014. This represents a 39-fold increase from 2009 to 2014, or a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 108 percent. [ci] Channel Insider takes a closer look at what's driving this proliferation of mobile-ready devices and widespread mobile video content consumption.

In the Channel Insider 2010 Market Pulse Survey, we asked solution providers which vendors they thought would go out of business or be acquired in 2010. The results may surprise you – or they may not. While never an absolute measure of which firms will see their fates altered this year, these solution providers’ rankings do indicate what the channel thinks about a vendor’s stability and overall performance. Based on their perceptions and predictions, the following are the vendors that made the going list of those that might not be here in 2011.

Cloud fervor surpassed a fever pitch a while back, but are CIOs really taking the plunge? A new survey from Platform Computing indicates IT is still wary about off-premise cloud computing solutions, and is instead eyeing private clouds as an alternative. Channel Insider takes a closer look at the results.

3D is not just for Avatar or star-studded Michael Jackson tributes—even VARs can get into the futuristic game. The demand for 3D printers and the accompanying CADD software required by multiple industries is growing exponentially. Channel Insider put together the top 5 reasons why VARs looking for new markets may want to take a closer look at the 3D printer space.

Business users have been making more use of social software and collaboration platforms such as Twitter and Facebook, which is driving serious enterprise dialogue about procuring social software platforms for the business. Channel Insider examines Gartner's key predictions for social software in the business place and the channel implications.

Even though hiring is still to remain fairly flat through the end of the year, experts expect that towards the end of the year and into 2011 the market will start swinging upward. As such, now may be the perfect time for IT professionals in the channel to polish up their training, knowledge base and their networking strategies in preparation. The following six career trends and tips are courtesy of IT career analyst and consultant David Foote, owner of Foote Partners, a firm that specializes in assessing the demand for IT skills within the enterprise landscape.

Energy costs are up, gas prices are up, healthcare costs are up. But your salary has stayed the same for longer than you want to remember. In the midst of a recession, what can you do about it? It is possible to negotiate for a higher salary and more money even during a recession. Our panel of industry and career experts tells you how.

Desktop virtualization offers the promise of so many benefits: centralized management, lower costs, lower power consumption, and simplified disaster recovery. And yet not many have realized those yet because the technology is still in the investigation stage for so many IT organizations.

CompTIA’s December survey of IT executives shows that their confidence increased significantly, but can that confidence turn into a full fledged recovery? Here’s what technology executives said and what it could mean for the industry in the months ahead.

A recent report done by IDC's Government Insights specialty analyst division examined a number of 2010 predictions for the government vertical as viewed by its experts. Channel Insider presents six of the top predictions put out by Government Insights and explains what they mean for channel executives focusing on government sales.

Challenging economic times have retailers looking to tighten up operations to reduce costs. A recent study by analyst firm Retail Systems Research (RSR) found retailers are looking to invest in technologies that strengthen Loss Prevention (LP) strategies and improve profitability by reducing the loss of stolen goods and cash. Channel Insider takes a closer look at the survey results and what technologies VARs can add to help retailers meet their goals.

Most channel pros are familiar with the current SMB trends such as the increasing adoption of SaaS, managed services, virtualization and mobile applications. However, Access Markets International (AMI) Partners, Inc. has identified six emerging trends that bear closer examination. Channel Insider tells you what you should be paying closer attention in 2010.

Think you had it bad during the recession? Wonder if other people were experiencing the same things? Online technology services marketplace OnForce sat at a unique vantage point to observe the effects of the recession on the IT solution provider business, and what it saw wasn’t pretty. Now that 2009 is over, here’s a look at in perspective.

According to the RSA 2010 Global Online Consumer Security Survey, new attack methods are proving successful. More than 4,500 people express concerns with safety of personal information on the Internet and a desire for better identity protection. Channel Insider investigates the changing face of the security market.

A new survey found that IT organizations are increasingly disconnected with meaningful social networking campaigns that are beginning to creep throughout many businesses. One hundred thought leaders were polled about their social networking usage and the channel should be interested in the results.

VARs looking to seize a chunk of the SaaS and Managed Services markets have more good news according to a new study by industry group CompTIA. Channel Insider takes a closer look at the recent survey of small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and what it means for VARs in 2010.

Despite massive market penetration in medium and large businesses, there's still a lot of room for selling virtualization-related products and services, according to a new study from CDW, Server Virtualization Life Cycle Report. Based on market analysis and a survey of 387 IT executives in organizations with 100 employees or more, most businesses have embraced server virtualization, but primarily at the most rudimentary levels, so the opportunity is in helping them "to capture more of virtualization's promise."

Move over Letterman (and system management competitors)! KACE is offering its list of the top 10 predictions that will impact the systems management market in 2010. The KBOX developer has based its predictions on feedback from more than 1,400 deployments globally. Channel Insider takes a deeper look.

Business analytics, also known as business intelligence or BI, is hot, and the hottest trend in BI in the shift to a software as a service delivery model. According to the latest research from IDC, the business analytics SaaS market will grow more than three times as fast as the total business analytics software market with a compound annual growth rate of 22.4% through 2013. Channel Insider tells you what you need to know -- and grow.

Sure, you got a chance to see the latest 3D television at CES and the newest amazing computer game for your Wii console. But this electronics-industry trade show for consumer electronics has also replaced Comdex as the de facto place vendors to showcase new technology for all end-user markets, including businesses and those who sell to businesses. Here are some of the products channel partners may want to take note of coming out of this year’s CES.

As VARs and service providers draw up IT security sales strategies for 2010, smart executives are sure to include three big letters in the conversation at some point: PCI. Retail customers large and small are still looking for help to comply with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards and channel providers are in a prime position to act as trusted advisors and help customers clear up confusion about regulatory compliance and maximize the precious dollars that clients have to spend on PCI compliance efforts. The following stats show how doing things right can help save customers considerably on their compliance bottom line.

Many hope 2010 holds a brighter economic future than last year’s sliding profits and mass layoffs. A recent survey of 2,700 HR professionals shows companies are revisiting strategies, headcount and cost containment to position for measured growth in 2010. Channel Insider takes a look at the survey results and what it may foretell for businesses and employees in 2010.

The last 12 months will go down as one of the most disruptive and tumultuous periods in channel and technology market history. Not all the trends of 2009 are bad; in fact, some are quite positive. Channel Insider reflects on the top 20 trends of 2009 and their impact on the technology and channel marketplaces.

Technology vendors have discovered the power of social networking in marketing to customers and communicating with partners. Channel Insider and Amazon Consulting asked technology resellers to rate how well vendors leveraging social networks to promote their products and business. These are the top 10 most social-savvy tech vendors.

It’s that time again, when we rid ourselves of the past year’s regrets and resolve to do better on the next swing around the sun. Now that we’re putting the challenges of 2009 behind, Channel Insider asked readers for their predictions and resolutions for 2010. Overall, solution providers looking into their crystal balls are foreseeing a brighter year ahead.

The economy hardly hampered deal-making within the security vendor space this year--in fact, it may have encouraged more brash deals and fire sales as companies position themselves for economic recovery and a security and compliance environment that grows more complicated by the day. The biggest themes we at Channel Insider saw with this year's security acquisitions were grabs for SaaS capabilities, more consolidation in DLP and NAC and the big players' race for amped up web security technology. Read on for our Top 20 acquisitions of the year.

At the beginning of the year, Channel Insider readers predicted that the “Great Recession of 2009” would cause the demise of 12 well-known IT vendors--including VMware, McAfee and Salesforce.com. We revisit those predictions to see how accurate they were. As you’ll see, someone needs a better Magic 8 Ball.

Many may look at 2009 as the year unified communications and video conferencing turned the corner. That's because of a number of strategic acquisitions, moves to improve interoperability and an economy that made even the biggest executives look to video conferencing as a substitute for travel. Here are Channel Insider's picks for the top 10 UC and video conferencing stories that changed the industry in 2009.

Are you excited about that new laptop or netbook you got for Christmas? Well, reliability and performance varies by manufacturer. According to SquareTrade, a provider of PC extended warranty services, here's a look at how the major PC brands stack up in reliability.

Highly skilled, diverse in their portfolio and at the top of their game, the Bull’s Eye awards top solution providers truly stand out among their peers in the channel. All three companies understand the importance of balancing technology skills with shrewd business acumen, but only one can capture the top prize. Read on to find out.

From Android's arrival to the cloud computing revolution, the year in software was a busy one. Channel Insider counts down the most compelling stories of 2009.

The arrival and acceleration of the cloud computing model, while exciting, has created much apprehension in the channel as everyone tries to figure out where they fit in. The three winners in this category have built cloud computing programs that embrace partners and enable them to benefit from the new model and grow their businesses. What are they doing right?

No vendor has a perfect track record in the channel. In fact, some even fall far from grace in the eyes of their channel partners. Redemption among solution providers is hard won. Our Turnaround Award recipients have done a fine job of polishing their images and rebuilding partner trust. See who had the most dramatic turnaround.

2009 was one of the most wrenching and challenging years in history to run a business. As CEO, the pressure was on, but as you’ll see with our Bull’s Eye CEOs of the Year, they were each up to the challenge. Not one of them circled the wagons and stopped investing in the future – and each recognized the significance of the channel. But only one could be the ultimate champion. Read on to find out who is the winner.

The Newcomer of the Year Award goes to the one individual who is relatively new in his role and has made a significant impact on his business and channel in a short period. In 2009, no one fits that definition better than McAfee’s Fernando Quintero.

It was a tough year to be a channel executive. The recession hurt partner profitability and sales, fueled consolidation, and otherwise made managing a partner program and channel challenging. But we’ve found a trio of North American channel executives who found a way to continue to innovate, succeed at recruiting and enable partners to keep on selling. Let’s take a look at the winners.

The Channel Insider Bull’s Eye Awards recognizes excellence in channel management and execution. Nominees for the executive of the year were submitted by solution providers, distributors and vendors. Awards were conferred for chief executives, global channel executive, Americas channel executive, distribution executive and influencers. The following are the executives considered for each of these awards.

Channel Insider received dozens of Bull’s Eye Award nominations for Channel Executive of the Year. The winner of awards for Influencer, Distribution, Americas and Global Channel Executives, and CEO distinguished themselves in their commitment to supporting partner excellence. These are the winners!

Global channel executives are more than just the highest ranking of channel management; they are often the face of the channel inside a vendor organization and have the ear of their executive teams. The recipients of this award have distinguished themselves by being vocal, staunch supporters of their solution providers inside and out of their organizations.

Everyone has a mentor or inspirer in their personal and professional lives. The recipients of the Influencers of the Year awards serve as the inspiration and role models for the rest of the channel community. But the top influencer isn’t who you might expect.

Cloud computing and virtualization may promise big business benefits, but a new future threat report from security vendor Trend Micro says these very technologies may increase cybercrime by criminals looking to exploit them. And that’s just the beginning. Channel Insider takes a deeper look at the report’s biggest threat predictions for enterprises and end users.

Private companies are looking at their workforces and preparing for the turnaround with plans and budgets targeted at hiring and managing the industry’s top talent. By Leah Gabriel Nurik

It seems as though every vendor, distributor and association is in the "channel community" business. The term "community" is being thrown around liberally, but only these groups have built true communities of solution providers. See whose community you should belong to.

It isn’t just the largest vendors that have the wherewithal to put together a stellar partner program. For the Bull’s Eye winners in this “smaller vendor” category, the key to their success has been to make partners the top priority route to market, then enabling them with program elements that drive business forward. Read on to find out our winner.

Crafting an effective, award-winning partner program is no small task. There are many partner ecosystems to take into account, enablement and on-ramping, ongoing training and support. These three winners represent the big boys, companies with more than $1 billion in revenue and huge stables of partners. What are they doing right?

The solution provider calendar is chock-full of partner events, seminars, trade shows and conferences hosted by vendors, distributors and trade associations. The Channel Conference of the Year winners produced events that stood out for their content quality, peer networking opportunity and presentation innovation. And our champion isn’t a usual suspect.

PR is an art and the winners of our Bull’s Eye PR Specialist category for agency professionals feature a palette of serious professionals that take their jobs to the next level. Who balances the media and client scales the best?

Distribution is evolving beyond pick, box and ship product. The recipients of this award have set themselves apart by driving innovation and change in the distribution sector. Check out who got top honors.

When solution providers can’t get a product, need access to support resources or need guidance landing a new account, who do they call? Their channel account manager. These dedicated field support professionals work the front line of the channel and stand in the trenches with their solution providers. Find out which CAMs stand head and shoulders above the rest.

The economy has been an immense challenge for everyone in the technology industry, with distributors in particular getting walloped. Razor-thin margins make it tough to ride out the decline in sales. But these three Bull’s Eye winners managed to not only weather the storm, but to find ways to keep their VAR partners above water as well. Who’s got the top spot?

Deployments was a fascinating category, spanning everything from one of the top 10 most haunted sites to an extreme makeover and the country's fourth largest city. Which one was the most fascinating?

It’s often said that solution providers stink at marketing, and for the most part this is often true. But not every channel company gives short shrift to effective demand generation and brand-building. The three Bull’s Eye winning companies this year put their creative muscle behind marketing programs that help drive net-new business in a faltering economy.

The top solutions include the first Intelligent Hospitality and Gaming infrastructure, an online campus, and a vendor invoice processing solution that significantly reduces the labor. Which one won?

Effective vendor marketing programs should be all about demand generation and brand visibility for their channel partners. This year’s Bull’s Eye winners exemplified that goal in every sense. Read on to get a glimpse into their unique campaigns.

Solution and managed service providers look to professional services to enable their business development, marketing and operational strategies. These Bull's Eye Award winners distinguish themselves in providing valuable services to the channel.

With customers looking for quick fixes, low costs and fast ROIs, it's not surprising which products stood out from the competition in this year's Bulls Eye, ranging from an operating system to two virtualization offerings. This year three products stood out in one of our most hotly contested categories -- with more than 80 candidates vying for top honors. And the winners are …

You can never undervalue a great teacher. And that, more than anything else, is what you’ll find among the Bull’s Eye Master Managed Services Provider winners. These three companies have taken what they know and enabled literally hundreds of budding MSPs. Read on to hear their stories.

Close to 30 companies were in contention for the Managed Service Provider of the Year in this year's Channel Insider Bull’s Eye Awards. Among them are those specializing in Website and print managed services, one with 16 acquisitions under its belt and another that counts the Atlanta Falcons as a customer. Who’s the winner?

The Bull’s Eye companies with the best vertical practices this year know that specialization is the name of the game. Their expertise spans life sciences, government and finance. Can you guess which is champion?

This year’s Innovators of the Year include a fast-growing storage company that has unlocked a can’t-beat business model for channel partners selling into the SMB space, along with two other companies on the cutting-edge of managed services. Who’s the champion? Read on to see.

The channel public relations specialist of the year took up the challenge of transforming one of the largest partner conferences of the year and making it a model of integrated live and digital media communities.

The winners of the Managed Services Enabler of the Year award are an eclectic mix of vendors that range from a social network to traditional software tools suppliers to an commoditized hardware vendor. Which one took our championship prize?

7 Disruptive Forces that Threaten the Channel

Look at the IT world today and it’s very different than it was 10 years ago. Cloud computing, hosted software, smartphones, the consumerization of IT, and a vastly different economy are all disruptive forces that potentially threaten solution provider business models. But there’s a silver lining to that disruptive cloud. Here are seven disruptive forces and the opportunities they represent.

Global Executives Predictions for 2010

Trade credit insurer Atradius released results of 35,000 global executive interviews regarding predictions and trends of the economic recovery and the effect of government stimulus efforts. Channel Insider takes a deeper look at what global executives are seeing, thinking and doing to mitigate risk and prepare their businesses for recovery.

IT Investments: What IT Leaders are Whispering in Budget Meetings

IT organizations slimmed down their spending in 2009, but are looking to make some strategic IT investments in 2010. What characterizes these investments is that they will provide some cost-cutting or other value to the overall business, according to a new survey conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit and commissioned by Accenture. Here’s an inside look at what’s going on inside IT organization budget meetings as IT leaders look ahead to next year’s strategic initiatives

ERP Woes: Today`s Apps Still Not Cutting It

A recent report by IDC delivers surprising news about the effectiveness of current ERP implementations. IDC surveyed 214 executives from mid-size and large businesses about their current ERP uses and found ERP is directly and negatively affecting customer satisfaction, time to market and stock price. Channel Insider takes a deeper look at the results of the survey, sponsored by ERP software vendor Agresso.

2010: Sweeping Changes Coming for IT

With a modest recovery for IT spending predicted for 2010, IDC is also looking for a 'fundamental' industry transformation. Channel Insider takes a closer look at some of the changes the channel can look forward to next year.

Ouch! Developers Disappointed with Android

Android buzz may be fueling fervor, but a recent report shows that Android developers are growing frustrated with Google and are putting the brakes on further development efforts. A recent report by Skyhook Wireless shows Android developers are struggling to monetize their apps and are dissatisfied with Android Marketplace’s billing and navigation. Channel Insider takes a deeper look at the report how Google can spur additional development and adoption of Android applications.

Black Friday or Bust: The highs and lows of shopping for holiday gadgets

Maybe it's for your daughter or son or spouse or mother or even yourself. As always, there’s plenty of electronics to choose from this holiday shopping season. We took a look at the high-priced (devices of our dreams) and low-priced devices (that we could afford this year.) Here’s what we came up with for your holiday shopping pleasure.

IT Pay Trends: What's Up, What's Down

According to IT Skills and Certifications Pay Index (ITSCPI), released by the IT pay analysts with Foote Partners, most IT specializations have lost a bit of their luster during this year’s economic crunch. The quarterly ITSCPI examines the pay premium of 207 non-certified IT skills. In its latest report Foote Partners found that every category of non-certified skills, save one, saw a decline in pay premiums over the last 12 months. The percentages shown are the change in pay premium over the given period of time.

9 Most Reliable Notebook PC Makers

SquareTrade, a provider of PC extended warranty services, studied the failure rates of the most widely used notebook computers. The results are startling. One in three notebooks will fail within three years. Here’s a look at the reliability and failure rate results among the top PC manufacturers.

Ingram's Fastest Growing Public Sector VARs

This month Ingram Micro awarded its top-performing public sector partners during its 2009 GovEd Alliance Spotlight Awards. This group of fast-growth solution providers serves customers across the spectrum of K-12, higher education, state, local and federal government. Channel Insider provides a look at the winners.

Top 10 Reasons Why Cracking Into the U.S. Market Is Tough

More and more tech companies are looking to enter the US market, but deciphering a formula for success is not an easy task. Lucian Wagner, co-founder and chairman of Launch in US Alliance, says that most European companies who try to seed the US market fail. Channel Insider takes a deeper look at the top 10 mistakes most companies make.

Understanding the State of Endpoint Security

The Ponemon Institute recently conducted a study on behalf of Lumension to take the pulse of decision makers from both IT security and IT operations groups about endpoint management and security. Channel Insider dives into the results.

5 Smart Phones for Business

Even as sales of enterprise technologies declined smart phone sales have been on the rise, growing 13 percent in the third quarter of 2009 alone. And where BlackBerry had reigned, other devices have started to infiltrate the enterprise. From Motorola’s Droid to Apple’s iPhone, here’s a quick overview of the top smart phones today most likely to be found in a business environment and in need of IT support.

Inside the ‘Best in Show` Saygus VPhone

Utah-based Saygus recently unveiled its flagship Android smartphone product – the VPhone - at CES Innovations in New York and took home the “Best of Innovations” blue ribbon in the wireless handsets category. Inside, Channel Insider takes you under the covers of one of Google’s new Android phones.

Data Center and Networking Take Center Stage at Interop New York 2009

More than 150 exhibitors are showcasing their IT solutions at Interop New York 2009, November 16-20 at the Javits Convention Center, including APC, AT&T, CA, Cisco, Citrix, Enterasys, Force10 Networks, HP, IBM, LifeSize, Microsoft, Qwest, Riverbed, and Xirrus. Channel Insider takes a closer look at 20 of the announcements made at this week's conference and exhibition.

8 Weapons 3Com Brings to the HP-Cisco Brawl

HP’s massive $2.7 billion pick-up of 3Com will certainly turn the heat up on the company’s growing rivalry with Cisco. Channel Insider takes a look at which new capabilities added by 3Com will best help HP go toe-to-toe with Cisco.

Building Brand through Social Networks

A recent study by the industry organization CMO Club and communications consultancy Hill & Knowlton found that chief marketing officers are struggling to harness the power of social networking to build their brands. Channel Insider takes a deeper look at the recently released research and how CMOs are tackling the social network trend.

Cloud Fueling SMB Growth for VARs

The cloud is hot, for sure, but what’s the SMB opportunity? A new report from AMI Research shows that remote managed IT services for small to medium size businesses is set to grow rapidly in North America over the next five years. Inside, we take a deeper look at how the SMB MSP market is, and will be, affecting the channel.

Is Server Hassle Pushing IT to the Cloud?

There is a lot driving the cloud, including the hassle of managing servers. A recent survey of 441 IT professionals revealed that the majority of businesses would “love to never have to buy another server again.” Channel Insider takes a look at the Rackspace Hosting survey results to see what IT really thinks about server maintenance.

Symantec Honors High-Performing Partners

At last week's Partner Connect conference in Orlando, Symantec CEO Enrique Salem and Channel Chief Randy Cochran recognized distribution and reseller partners for their sales and services excellence.

10 Hot IT Certifications

In conjunction with the release of their quarterly IT Skills and Certification Pay Index, the IT compensation experts at analyst firm Foote Partners released its most updated Hot List for IT Certifications. The rankings are based on Foote Partners’ analysis of pay trends and interviews within the industry that help project the certification demand in the next three to six months.

9 Significant Technology Acquisitions of 2009

In a recessionary year not everyone has cash to spend on acquisitions, but cash-rich companies can gain advantages by making big strategic moves and taking advantage of bargains. Big movers this year include Cisco and Oracle, certainly. But here are our picks for the biggest and most significant technology acquisitions so far in 2009.

Ex-Employees Pose Growing Security Threat

Reprisals from recently departed employees and a lack of adequate security budgets and resources are becoming major concerns for senior IT professionals, according to the 12th annual Ernst & Young Global Information Security Survey. Channel Insider takes a deeper look into this growing problem.

Top SaaS Growth Markets

Momentum continues to build behind software as a service. Gartner is forecasting worldwide software SaaS revenue to hit $7.5 billion in 2009, a 17.7 percent increase from 2008 revenue of $6.4 billion. And it’s not stopping there. Expectations for sales total $14 billion by 2013. Channel Insider breaks out the most promising SaaS markets for the channel.

Vertical IT: Down But Not Out

Gartner has released new data on what's happening globally in the vertical IT markets. Sales will be down in 2009 but they are predicting growth in 2010. Channel Insider takes a closer look at what’s hot and what’s not.

Seven Sure-Fire AV Solutions for Win7 Clients

After the interoperability nightmares that cropped up after the Vista launch, Microsoft took special pains to work closely with all of its ISVs and hardware partners through its Ecosystems Readiness program in order to ensure smooth user transitions to Windows 7. Included in the mix were Microsoft's many security partners, most of whom have already optimized their newest versions for Windows 7. Even though Microsoft has certainly worked to better lock down its operating systems through the Secure Development Lifecycle (SDL), antivirus and antimalware security still remains an important part of the Windows ecosystem. As channel partners help their customers upgrade to Windows 7, AV is a no-brainer up-sell in order to complete the upgrade package. Channel Insider takes a look at the latest Windows 7 ready antivirus packages to examine their newest features and what their vendors are up to within the channel.

Top Reasons SMB Security Still Sags

Most channel partners tasked with securing small businesses likely will not be surprised by the latest Zogby poll co-sponsored by the National Cyber Security Alliance and Symantec in honor of October’s designation as National Cyber Security Awareness Month. The results confirmed plenty of solution provider’s anecdotal conclusions that the SMB is still very insecure. This survey polled 1,500 small business owners across the country. Read on for the details.

IT Service Trends: Highest Paying, Biggest Demand, Top Geographies

Online IT services marketplace OnForce says that a recovery may be in the works, based on the results of its third quarter market trends report. Here’s what you need to know about the highest paying jobs, the jobs in the most demand and the top geographies for IT services

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.

Windows: Start to Seven

Nearly a quarter-century has passed since Microsoft launched its first graphical user interface operating system. When Windows 7 is released this week, it will be the 29th version of the Windows operating system. Vista didn’t rock the computing world, but it wasn’t Microsoft’s first failure. Here’s a look at the highs and lows of Windows long history.

On the Go: Workers More Mobile Than Ever

Heads-up sales by mobile-savvy channel partners may yield better benefits now than even just two years ago, given the way that telecommuting is trending. According to a recent survey completed by Harris Interactive on behalf of Riverbed Technology, American workers are working off-site more often these days and are accessing business files from off-site locations in droves. That spells opportunity with a big "O" for resellers and channel providers seeking to sell solutions that enable remote access and user mobility. Channel Insider takes a look at the survey results compiled by Harris after questioning 900 U.S. workers. By Ericka Chickowski

IT Budgeting and Priorities: What Your Customers Are Thinking

The uncertainty in the market may be tough for those in the channel, but if a new survey of CIOs and executive IT leaders conducted by the Society for Information Management (SIM) is to be believed, spending will largely hold steady or even increase in 2010. The survey questioned SIM members about their 2009 and 2010 budget priorities and offers those selling into the enterprise a critical look into CIO priorities in the next 12 months. Channel Insider takes a deeper look at the findings.

Healthcare IT Predicted to Boom in 2010

Applied Management Systems, a full-service healthcare management consulting firm, recently released its annual list of top healthcare trends for 2010. Trends like larger IT budgets and market growth spell good news for healthcare technology companies. Channel Insider takes a look at the top trends and how technology can help health care organizations streamline costs and improve patient safety. By Leah Gabriel Nurik

Five Hot Technology Gadgets Turning Heads in Hershey

Sure, there’s virtualization and storage and servers and switches. But how sexy are they? Channel Insider recently visited D&H’s MidAtlantic Show in Hershey, Pa. to check out the technology that was turning heads. Here are our picks from the most crowded booths, the most interesting emerging technology and/or the most unusual product that could boost your consumable sales.

Brocade`s Rise to Storage and Networking Fame

After years of an acquisition spree in an effort to fortify its position against giant rival Cisco, networking and storage vendor Brocade (NASDAQ:BRCD) has reportedly put itself on the sales block and technology giants including HP and IBM are considered likely suitors for the San Jose, Calif.-based company. Here’s a look back at some of Brocade’s recent milestones and acquisitions as it sought to gain strategic advantage against its rivals.

Private Equity Market Dries Up in Q3

This week, Dow Jones Private Equity Analyst debuted new analysis showing a sharp decline in private equity fundraising. Channel Insider takes a closer look at the numbers and at which industries are securing cash in today’s rough and tumble VC market.

Creating Jobs: How IT Influences the Economy

Finally, some good news. Analyst firm IDC is predicting that between now and 2013, IT and software spending will help create nearly 5.8 million new jobs and 75,000 new IT companies. The predictions stem from a recent IDC study, commissioned by Microsoft, that measures how IT contributes to a number of economic metrics in 52 different countries, including GDP, job creation, the formation of new companies and local IT spending. It contributes a lot, apparently. Read on to see how Channel Insider breaks out the data.

Security Audits: Do Customers Listen?

A new study out this week examined the attitudes of IT executives and network administrators about the role of outsourcing with regard to security and compliance activities. Conducted by Amplitude Research on behalf of VanDyke Software, the study quizzed 350 participants. While many expressed reservations in some areas—claiming offshoring of security jobs has a negative impact on network security—the vast majority believe that hiring outsiders to conduct security audits is a good use of IT dollars.

IT Confession: Doom, Gloom and More Cost Reductions

This week, IT Service Management provider Axios Systems released survey results that spell doom, gloom and dissatisfaction for IT organizations moving into 2010. Channel Insider takes a closer look at the results and enterprise IT’s ongoing angst and what it could mean for the channel.

Dell/Perot and HP/EDS: A Tale of Two Services Acquisitions

A little over a year ago, HP (NYSE:HPQ) announced plans to buy IT consulting and outsourcing giant EDS. But storm clouds were gathering in the form of the worst economic downturn that many believe the U.S. has seen since the Great Depression. That environment has made the payoff for the HP/EDS deal lower than first imagined. And now Dell (NASDAQ: DELL), looking to shore up its own services organization in the wake of hardware commoditization, has announced plans to acquire IT consulting firm Perot Systems (NYSE:PER).

Career Killers: Seven Deadly Sins of Social Networking

Social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn can be incredibly useful tools for those in the channel to connect with clients, prospects, vendors and even future employers. But every rose has its thorns. The extremely informal nature of social networking communication tends to invite participants to let their guard down. If you’re not careful, you may just make that misstep that could cost you a potential opportunity down the line, or worse yet, cost you your job right now.

Trust No Site: Web-Borne Threats Continue to Skyrocket

This week Websense Security Labs revealed the results from research conducted thus far in 2009 within its State of Internet Security report. Channel Insider dives into the stats and examines the report highlights.

Acquiring Dominance: EMC`s Rise to Power

IT storage and infrastructure giant EMC wasn’t always so big. Here’s a quick look at how the industry juggernaut, which reported revenues of $14.9 billion in 2008, rose to power.

Seven Steps to Managed Services Success

As a 10-year veteran of the managed service provider (MSP) market, Lane Smith, founder of San Diego-based Do IT Smarter, has been selling managed services since before the channel even really knew what they were all about. Back in 2005, Do IT Smarter switched from a typical MSP to become a Master MSP, providing the infrastructure necessary to support other smaller VARs to white label the services and sell to their own brand of services to customers. As a part of his program, Smith provides comprehensive sales training to all of his channel partners in building up and selling their MSP to customers. He’ll be conducting a two-day boot camp in October for new prospects, but you don’t have to wait to glean a little advice from Smith. Channel Insider interviewed him for a few of his best secrets to success.

Dissecting the New Dell

Dell has been through a sea change in recent years - the company that started in founder Michael Dell’s dorm room and was raised on a religion of direct-only sales of PCs has grown to a top player in the industry. To maintain itself and grow, Dell has expanded to new products, services and a new go-to-market plan. How does a company make such a dramatic change? Here’s a sampling of some of the moves Dell has made in recent months and years to expand markets and offerings.

10 Biggest Blogging Bungles

A well-received blog is an extremely effective tool for resellers, integrators and service providers alike to connect with current and prospective customers. Channel players can leverage blogs to establish a reputation for thought leadership, to offer customers some educational tidbits and to generate new business. But all too often the channel partner fails to do any of these things because its blog authors screw up during the execution stage. Here are some of the most common blogging mistakes made by the channel.

Seven Insider Threat Mitigation Projects

A recent report by market research firm IDC and security vendor RSA suggests enterprises must can establish a holistic data-centric security framework if they ever want to quell insider threats. That creates an opportunity for solution providers to swoop in and help customers tackle this framework head-on. Here’s how.

Stupid User Tricks, Vol. 1

End users are IT’s worst nightmare. They have a nearly inexhaustible capacity for misusing and damaging equipment, misunderstanding instructions and applications, and ignorance for how technology works. The Spiceworks community of IT professionals and service providers maintains a rolling list of stupidest questions end users ask. Here’s a sampling.

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.

Seven Mobile Security and Management Products Worth a Look

All of the major antivirus and security management companies such as Symantec, McAfee, TrendMicro and Kaspersky have their own flavor of mobile security suites that integrate well with their individual ecosystems. But if your clients are looking for alternatives or if you need point products to fill specific gaps within your solution repertoire, there are plenty of additional options as well.

8 Most Common Security Flaws Found by VARs

Solution providers are often the first line of retreat for end users who realize they have a security problem. A recent survey of solution providers by Channel Insider and CompTIA found that there are eight common ailments found during security assessments.

Hottest IT Skills and IT Certifications

What are the top IT skills and certifications sought out by employers, even in the midst of a devastating recession that has pushed unemployment to its highest level in decades? Foote Partners, a research firm specializing in employment matters, has compiled 'Hot Lists' of the top Non-Certified IT Skills and the top IT Certifications. Better still, Foote Partners has broken it down further to specializations and listed the top paying skills and certifications in descending order. Where do you fit?

Sizing up the Security, Networking Vendor Earnings

It always pays for channel partners to keep tabs on their vendors' financial performance, as these numbers can be the bellwether for future dealings with resellers. Here's a recap of some of the Wall Street statistical highlights from last quarter.

Passing the Channel Cup of Success

Channel legend (all of two year's old) holds that those that drink from The ASCII Group 'Cup of Success' shall enjoy wealth and prosperity. The cup passed last week from Kaseya to Reflexion, which shared the magic with all in attendance at the ceremony. Here's a look at the festivities.

SMB Security Slack Continues

A survey of more than 5,700 small businesses, including 1,400 in the United States, conducted by Panda Security showed the state of security within small organizations still leaves something to be desired.

By Ericka Chickowski

Dissecting Microsoft`s First Bad Year

Microsoft, the world’s largest software company, got knocked down a peg this week, reporting tumbling sales and an 18 percent drop in net profit. Here’s a Channel Insider look at the woes plaguing this titan of the channel.

8 Black Hat Breakthroughs

Security researchers around the globe will convene next week in Las Vegas for the annual Black Hat/Defcon conference. As usual, researchers will unveil a number of new exploit methods, vulnerabilities and proof-of-concepts that are sure to raise a few eyebrows within the infosec community. Read on for some of the more-anticipated exploits and the people who will reveal them.

OnForce: Prices Stabilize, Break/Fix Work Still Dominates in Q2

OnForce’s second quarter report on service volumes and prices for technology services showed that pricing still remains under pressure but work order pricing began to stabilize at the end of Q2.

Outsourcing on the Way Out?

Figures released by a number of sources show a definite slowdown in number of contracts and the amount of money spent by IT organizations on outsourcing and offshoring deals.

6 Do or Die Database Security Strategies

Databases are digital treasure vaults of the enterprise, yet many organizations fail to adequately secure their data repositories. The following six techniques can help shore up database security and prevent embarrassing and costly breaches.

CIO IT Budget Tactics For Recession and Recovery

CIOs in recent survey continue to throttle back their budgets and reduce spending on new IT projects. But they do see some light coming next year.

Seven Things Partners Want to Hear About at the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference

Microsoft partners are heading down to dewy New Orleans next week to help kick off the Redmond, Wash., software titan’s annual partner conference, known simply by the acronym WPC. Partners have a lot on their mind. Read here for what they most want to know.

7 Musts to Drive Your Disaster Recovery Strategy

Developing an effective strategy to address myriad security threats takes time, personnel and a significant monetary investment. But compared to the potential loss of customers, reputation and revenue, these expenditures are paltry. Here are seven steps Accenture says you can take to help you and your customers develop a holistic strategy.

Insider`s View of the Mind of the Midmarket IT Executive

To win midmarket IT customers, you must understand how those IT executives think and who they rely on for advice.

Vendors Bet Big on Unfamiliar Markets

The IT industry is in the midst of a mass metamorphosis. Lines are blurring between networking technologies, storage, servers, software and telephony. Vendors that represent the tried and true establishment in one discipline are now making hard-right turns into new, largely unfamiliar and often competitive markets. Read on to see just a few of the major convergence plays of the last year.

Top 10 Most Profitable Vendor Certifications

Solution providers that invest in vendor technical certifications are more profitable, sell more complex systems and have better relationships with their customers, according to the new Channel Insider/Amazon Consulting certification study. But not all vendor certifications have the same ROI. The following vendors have the best certifications for return on their partners’ investment.

Best Free Antivirus Apps

Microsoft isn’t the first vendor to offer free antivirus software to consumers and small businesses. Several vendors have free general available versions of their malware protection suites. Their strategy: get customers interested and open opportunity to partners. Here are few worth free AV packages worth considering.

Microsoft Honors Partners for Tech Excellence

Microsoft is gearing up for its annual Worldwide Partner Conference in New Orleans next month by honoring its partners who have demonstrated excellence over the last year. The following Microsoft partners received 'Partner of the Year' awards for innovation, technology delivery and professional services.

Sales Training: More Bang for the Buck

Channel Insider & Amazon Consulting asked IT vendors about the professional sales training and certification they make available to channel partners and the benefits they gain from it. We also polled 457 solution providers on the same topic to see how regularly they avail themselves of sales training and what rewards they receive from it. The results are a clear indication that solution and consultative selling leads to higher sales and margins.

7 Vendor Tech Certifications End Users Love

Technical certifications are a major factor in end users' selection of solution and service providers. Channel Insider and Amazon Consulting asked more than 200 enterprise and midmarket purchases which vendor certifications they value the most when selecting a solution provider. Here are the top seven.

Technology Sector Showing Signs of Recovery

If failing banks, tight credit and swelling unemployment ranks are getting you down and there’s no sign of hope in site, take heart. While the total picture is far from rosy, there are growing signs pointing to some hope for a better economic future for technology sales. Here are a handful of them.

Under Siege: Where Security Help Is Needed Most

Enterprises to small businesses are facing a increasing number of threats and risk exposure, and they're often ill-equipped to deal with security problems, according to a new survey by CompTIA. Here's where solution providers can help rescue end users from their security woes.

Desktop Virtualization: Seize Your Opportunity

Virtualization—already transforming servers and storage—is ready for the desktop. Several vendors are pushing their desktop virtualization technology, creating new opportunities to optimize user productivity while decreasing operational support and maintenance. Here’s a look at these vendors and their technologies.

Where are You Vulnerable? Security Traps Abound

The fight against security threats is never-ending, forever-changing and now more severe.Read on to see some of the most common methods and circumstances that can lead to a vulnerability with your network or systems.

Server Market Slip 'n Slide: Where Do Your Vendors Fit?

Server hardware sales have taken a larger than average hit this past year, due mainly to the recession but also to the wave of server and data center virtualization. IBM and HP lead the pack of vendors, but for better trending take a look at these numbers.

Apple Means Business: Technologies for the Mac and iPhone Platforms

Distributors and VARs report that Apple's Mac platform has gained momentum in business implementations in recent years. And while Apple hasn’t earned a great reputation with solution provider channel partners, VARs still sell and integrate Apple products. And other third-party companies that work with the Apple platform do offer channel programs. Here’s a selection of Apple and Apple compatible technology solutions for business.

10 Most Coveted Technologies

Solution providers will join two to three vendor partner programs this year, mostly to gain access to new technologies and products, according the Channel Insider/Motorola Partnership Study. Here are the 10 technologies most desired by solution providers.

21 Must-Read Books for Business Success

We learn from the experiences and wisdom of others. Channel Insider asked successful solution providers what books have both inspired them and have shaped their approach to making their businesses a success. Here is Channel Insider’s recommended reading list, straight from the source—the Channel Insider community.

Top 10 Tech Stocks Defying Recession Pressures

Losses continue to run wild on Wall Street, but tech stocks are one bright spot for those looking to invest. With last month’s earnings round up many companies indicated they have seen the bottom and expect to see modest gains in the second quarter. Following are 10 tech stocks that continue to outperform the rest.

High Tech Mothers Day Gifts: Gadgets Your Favorite Moms Will Love

Don’t buy your mom or your favorite moms another bouquet of wilted flowers as a gift to wish her a Happy Mothers Day. Sure, she’ll smile, give you a big hug and thank you. But what she really wants is something digital. You’re not the only one who likes gadgets, you know. Here’s what Mom really wants – compiled by Channel Insider’s staff moms.

Why Star Trek Needs Tech Support

Star Trek’s Captain Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise take to the silver screen this week in the latest warp-speed adventure set in the 23rd century. For the last 43 years, Star Trek has inspired scientists and engineers with technological visions of the future. But, how advanced is Star Trek’s technology? There are many 21st century solutions that VARs could implement to make the Enterprise more efficient and secure.

Security Spending, Priorities Remain Stable

Several security vendors and professional groups released new security survey reports revealing that security budgets are under pressure, but priorities and spending are relatively stable.

Scenes from the RSA Conference

The RSA Conference is arguably the world's largest gathering of security vendors, solution providers and end user professionals. While the recession put a damper on this year's event, RSA still drew dozens of companies with new and innovative technologies. Here are a few ofthe more interesting exhibits at this year's RSA Conference.

10 Last-Minute, Overlooked Tax Deductions

Tax day is upon, so you’re really under the gun if you haven’t done your taxes yet. If you rush, you may overlook many common, valuable tax deductions. Failing to take account of these deductions could cost you thousands.

Surprising Security Shortcomings

After nearly a decade of threat warnings, evolving threats and billions of dollars in technology investments, you’d think that businesses have at least a baseline of IT security protections. Recent reports reveal some surprising security shortcomings in the business community.

5 Tech Deal-Closing Strategies

Hardware vendors are expected to be among the hardest hit by the recession. So it's not a surprise to see them come up with some creative tricks to boost sales and help their solution provider partners close more deals. Here are a few tricks tactics that you can use to get customers to open their wallets.

Top Professional Tech Skill Sets

The U.S. job market continues to shed jobs and is at its weakest in more than a quarter century. However, business technology consumers continue to seek help from highly trained technology professionals. The following are the technology skill sets in highest demand.

Top 10 Technology Rainmakers

The economy is beginning to show signs of life, but it’s far from being healthy or robust. Channel Insider asked solution providers which vendors will drive the most customer interest in their products and revenues for their partners. In these tough times, these vendors were voted as the top rainmakers.

Channel Insider's St. Patrick's Day Green PC

St. Patrick's Day and the color green go together. In honor of the green, Channel Insider built a system designed to satisfy both the environmental green and the need to save greenbacks - two things every system builder is after these days. That means selecting parts that sport ROHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) and WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) logos, as well as offering Energy Star compliance. Beyond that, the components must work together. After all, a poorly functioning PC can never be green. So follow along as Channel Insider puts the green into the desktop PC for St. Paddy's day.

Bargain Basement Tech Stocks

Technology stocks have been hammered by the recession, and many of the one-time blue chips are now trading below $20 per share. Channel Insider went bargain hunting and find common items and tech stocks you can buy for less than one Andrew Jackson.

10 Nifty Mobile Business Applications

Following Apple’s lead, Microsoft, Nokia and Blackberry are launching their own online apps store for mobile devices. Here are Channel Insider’s choices for mobile apps that these vendors should stock for mobile users.

Vertical Spending Cut$

The recession is hitting some industries harder than others. These verticals are cutting IT spending faster than others.

Recession Changing Channel Relationships

The recession is taking a toll on vendor and distributor revenues. The Channel Insider 2009 Market Pulse survey finds that solution providers expect stark changes in their relationships with vendors and distributors over the next 12 months.

Most Profitable Technologies of 2009

The economy is slowing and tech product pricing is under pressure. When it comes to making money, these technologies are where solution providers think they'll get the most bang for their buck over the next 12 months.

Top 10 Most Exciting Technologies of 2009

IT spending is under pressure and businesses are looking to contain costs wherever they can, but these technologies really have them excited. According to the Channel Insider 2009 Market Pulse survey, these top 10 technologies are what solution providers are asking for most.

Credit Worthy: Channel Financing Trends

Cash is the lifeblood of business, but credit and financing is what fuels most business. Despite the economic meltdown, solution providers say credit isn’t a problem, but there are reasons for worry. Here's Channel Insider's exclusive analysis of credit trends in the solution provider community.

Vendors You Can Count On

Channel Insider asked solution providers which vendors would provide the most support and stability during the recession. Based on the survey responses, the following vendors are ranked as the ones solution providers can count on to help them through a recession.

6 IT Security Strategies for 2009

Spammers and cybercriminals are working harder than ever to develop ever-sneakier ways to launch an attack. In anticipation of a 2009 filled with increasingly sophisticated threats from spammers, here are some top strategies IT and security pros can use to thwart the bad guys, compiled from security experts from MXLogic, Websense and Bell Micro.

Caveat Emptor: 5 Ways to Avoid Counterfeit IT Goods

Counterfeit IT hardware and pirated software is on the rise, fueled by a stagnant economy and end users need to do more with less. Here are 5 tips from vendors, consultants and solution providers to ensure your customers get what they pay for.

Highest Priced Services IT Jobs

Even as product sales slowed, demand for professional and break/fix services accelerated. OnForce, the world’s largest marketplace for IT and consumer electronics service professionals, tracked which tech services job yielded the highest billings. The following are the highest paying services engagements of 2008.

10 Managed Service Secrets Revealed

New research by Channel Insider and Amazon Consulting reveals vendors not only get the growing opportunity in managed services, but are quickly developing programs to support this burgeoning market. Here are 10 things you don’t know about how vendors perceive and support partners’ managed services.

Tech Layoffs: Top 10 Job Cutting Vendors

Technology vendors and suppliers have slashed more than 200,000 jobs since the recession began. In January only, more than 125,000 job cuts were announced. Here’s a look at the top 10 tech companies that have announced mass layoffs.

7 Best iPhone Apps for Pros

iPhones are for more than just conversations, playing music and causal Web browsing. Some lightweight applications are providing solution providers, businesses and IT pros with some innovative extensions to resources and capabilities once reserved exclusively for PCs.

6 Tips to Keep Data Secure

The data security breach at Heartland Payment Systems underscores the need for robust and constant security measures. Rob Fitzgerald, founder of the Lorenzi Group, offers these six tips for solution providers to help keep their customers’ data secure.

Top 10 Vendors Most Likely to Compromise Their Channels

No vendor program is perfect and every vendor has incidents of violating their boundaries with channel partners, but the recession is presenting extraordinary temptation to curtail channel efforts in favor of preserving direct revenues and profits. In the Channel Insider 2009 Market Pulse survey, we asked solution providers which vendors were most likely to compromise their partners and channels to preserve their revenues and margins during the recession. The following are the top 10, as ranked by Channel Insider readers.

Survey: Switching Managed Services Platforms

A look at the frequency, reasons for and consequences of changing the software platforms that enable remote monitoring and management of managed services delivered by solution providers.

Getting Out of the Microsoft Office

Google has spent the last several years playing on the periphery of one of Microsoft’s richest markets: Office applications. Now Google is launching a reseller program to accelerate the adoption of its Web-based Google apps. But Google isn’t the only one trying to challenge Microsoft’s dominance of everyday productivity apps—word processors, spreadsheets, presentations and databases. Several alternatives—many of them free—are attacking Microsoft. Here are a few alternatives worth considering.

Dire Predictions: Tech Vendors That May Not Survive 2009

In the Channel Insider 2009 Market Pulse Survey, we asked solution providers which vendors they thought would go out of business or be acquired in 2009. The results may shock you. Based on their perceptions and predictions, the following are the vendors that made the going list of those that won’t be here in 2010.

Green Leadership: Vendors Leading the Eco-Friendly Charge

Oil prices may be plummeting, but it won’t last forever. If the energy shock in recent years has taught us anything it’s that conservation is good for both the environment and business. These tech vendors are leading the charge in making the earth greener and more efficient.

Last Minute Gift Ideas for the Geek in Your Life

Looking for the perfect gift for your favorite IT solution provider? Look no further. Channel Insider polled some of our favorite solution providers and added some of our own ideas to come up with a collection of gadgets that any tech enthusiast would love to get in his or her holiday stocking this year. If you need some last minute gift ideas for the geek in your life, look no further than our picks.

Managed Services: Top Vertical Markets for 2009

Managed services promises to be a cost-saving alternative to on-premise hardware and software solutions. According to a CompTIA survey, managed services demand will increase significantly in these five industrial sectors.

Security Threat Forecast 2009

While you’re surfing the Web during work hours trying to find the best deal on an iPod Touch, spammers and cybercriminals are hard at work on ever-sneakier ways to launch an attack. Security vendors MXLogic, WebSense and Microsoft say trouble is brewing for 2009, so be on the lookout for these emerging threats. In fact, you might want to resolve to do whatever it takes to thwart them.

Top Channel Executive Changes of 2008

Turnover of channel chiefs and executives accelerated in 2008, with more than two dozen high-profile leaders changing jobs or leaving their posts. Here are some of the most visible and high-profile executives that have changed employers.

Tech Recipes: How to Build a Super Hot, High-Performance Workstation

Channel Insider wanted to see if we could build a high-performance custom PC suitable for power business users and gamers for under $5,000. We achieved our goal…big time! Here’s a step-by-step guide for how we did it, and how you can build a hot, high-performance custom system that will have users begging for more.

Guide to Unified Communications Leaders

Unified communications remains a bright spot for IT solution providers. The unified communications market is expected to grow from $200.8 million in 2007 to $2.433 billion by 2012, according to recent research from Unified Communications Strategies. Professional services will increase product revenues by 18 percent in 2007, reaching 40 percent in 2012. Most of the big-name players are represented, with Microsoft, Cisco and Avaya the best-known in the space. But there are some smaller vendors and traditional telecommunications companies making big waves with solutions targeted to SMBs. Here’s our list of the major players.

Top Sources of Data Loss Prevention Technology

Data loss prevention (DLP) is one of the hottest security technologies in the market. Microsoft and RSA's new alliance may revolutionize DLP, but there are plenty of products on the market today that offer varying levels of data protection. Here's a sampling of the market leaders.

Top 10 Tech Vendors for ROI

When it comes to getting a great return on investment, end users say these channel-centrix vendors can't be beat.

Guide to Cloud Storage Vendors

The channel’s all abuzz about cloud storage these days, as the technology can offer cost savings, incredible scalability, high availability and the flexibility of on-demand capacity. But it’s not a one-size-fits-all technology, and there are a number of vendors emerging each with their own unique way of leveraging the technology. This is by no means an all-inclusive list, and it’s important to make sure you’re choosing the right cloud storage for the types of data, access needs and price constraints of your customers. But as the space heats up, here are five cloud storage providers whose names you should be familiar with.

Businesses Slash Spending Across the Board

Businesses large and small are cutting their spending—IT, staffing, marketing and sales—in response to either decreasing business or anticipation of lower revenues as a result of the recession. According to Computer Economics, the following are some of the key areas where companies are cutting spending and, in some cases, opening new opportunities for solution providers.

Top 5 Vendors for Solving IT Staffing Issues

Solution providers are struggling to find IT sales and technology talent to capture deals and service their customers. While IT vendors believe solution providers are responsible for solving their talent issues, they are helping by providing funded headcount, training opportunities, lending sales and technicians, assisting with recruitment services, and facilitating peer-to-peer partnering. According to the Channel Insider/Amazon Consulting Channel IT Talent survey, the following are how solution providers ranked vendors’ performance at assisting them with their talent needs and problems.

IT Jobs: Solution Providers Speak Out on Talent Crisis

When it comes to IT jobs, good help is hard to find, even in this economy. Solution providers are having a hard time filling IT jobs for sales and tech talent, according to the Channel IT Talent survey conducted by Channel Insider and Amazon Consulting. Here’s how the IT jobs crisis is impacting solution provider businesses.

Economic Realities: Solution Providers Under Pressure

The financial services crisis and the deteriorating economy are having an impact on solution providers’ business. The result is less robust sales, revenues and profits in 2008 than most anticipated.

Tech Reacts to the Nightmare on Wall Street

Channel Insider asked VARs, MSPs, IT consultants, IT solution providers and resellers about how the Wall Street meltdown and financial crisis would affect their businesses and their IT customers' businesses in the months ahead. Here is what they said.

Inside the Mind of the Midmarket IT Executive

IT vendors have long recognized the potential value of midmarket customers, and most agree that the best way to reach these customers is through channel partners, VARs, resellers, IT consultants and solution providers. But in order to win over those customers, solution providers and IT consultants must understand how they think, the nature of their pain points and who they listen to.

Using Credit to Boost Sales: Where Solution Providers Can Go for Help

If you balk at the idea of offering financing because it doesn't seem worth the complexity or time commitment, you may want to reconsider. Programs available through a variety of technology specialty financing organizations and IT distributors make it quick and easy to offer this option to customers.

Credit Options for Channel Partners and Solution Providers

Here are a few of the most basic kinds of credit and finance vehicles available to the solution provider channel and its customers. These are all available through distributors or other technology finance providers.

Going Green with Managed Services

Here are six types of green IT improvements that can be facilitated by managed services.

How to Build a Green Instant-On PC

Thanks to Asus, AMD and a few other vendors, an instant-on PC that sips power, yet shouts performance, is more than just a dream.

5 Reasons Why IT Certifications Still Matter

Are IT certifications commanding the same kind of respect as they used to? Some recent surveys have suggested that they don't. But that doesn't mean that IT certifications have lost all their value. Here are some reasons why IT certifications still matter.

Creative Labs: Skip the Flight, Be There inPerson

Creative Labs gets creative with its all-in-one inPerson videoconferencing solution and service.

A 12-Step Program To Dispose of Old IT Gear

Stuck with with old IT hardware and unsure how to dispose of it properly? Here's how Converge helps solution providers get rid of their IT junk.

Top 10 Threats to Your Managed Services Business

Watch your back. Here are the vendors, distributors, telcos and services firms out to grab a piece of your MSP action.

Five Ways to Boost Your Value Without IT Certifications

Five simple ways to increase your employment value without IT certifications.

Sick of Symantec? Alternative Security Vendors for SMBs

A quick look at some Symantec alternatives for SMB shops.

Six Money Mistakes Most Solution Providers Make

See where your peers are falling short in financial planning, and learn how to avoid these common fiscal errors.

Symantec's He Said-She Said

Try as they might, Symantec officials are still struggling to clarify just what will and will not change for their reseller partners in the wake of executive comments at Symantec Vision 2008 last month.

Airline Fares Killing Profits? Telepresence for Every Budget

If high travel and energy costs have your customers holding off on IT purchases, it's time to sell them on telepresence, an immersive form of video conferencing that could save them money in the long run.

Research Exclusive: Perspectives on Renewals from Vendors, VARs, Users

A joint research project from Amazon Consulting and Channel Insider.

Build an Affordable Virtualization Server for Thin-Client Computing

Why should large enterprises have all the fun when it comes to virtualization technology? Small businesses can benefit too. Build an inexpensive desktop virtualization server that brings virtualized desktops to client PCs anywhere, and at a price anyone can afford.

Remember Those? A Trip Through Technology Then and Now

Remember when mobile phones were too big to fit in your pocket, and you had to pull up the antenna to get a signal? What about that daisy wheel printer, or that DEC Rainbow that could boot in multiple OSes including DOS. It's all at the D&H Distributing technology museum in the lobby of the company's headquarters in Harrisburg, Pa. But no need to drop what you are doing right now. Channel Insider will take you on a quick tour through technology then and now.

6 Freeware Tools You Need To Know About

Freeware is often maligned as "too good to be true." After all, how can something that is free for the taking be any good?

10 Tips for Choosing Emerging Technologies

Although there are plenty of emerging technologies to choose from, solution providers should make strategic selections. Here are some tips for how to go about choosing the right ones.

Seven Unfortunate Opportunities for VARs

Misery loves company. So, why not be the company that finds the silver lining in these seven technology storm clouds?

5 Ways to Improve Your Customers' Security

Resellers should help clients plan their security spend, in much the same way that they plan the rest of their IT spending. CDW's Payton Engel Shows you how.

A PC Tune-Up to Improve Vista Performance

PC Tune-Up is one of those utilities that proves to be worth the price of admission. The product offers both a solution to real problems and can drive service revenue for solution providers looking to add PC Tune-Up to their bandoleer of utilities.

5 IT Certifications that Still Matter

Want to know which IT certifications still get respect? Here's the short list.

Channel Insider Labs Walkthrough: D-Link IP Video Surveillance

D-Link's latest IP cameras bring the security of video to almost anywhere.

Ten Tips to Launching an MSP Practice

Slideshow: Plenty of VARs are excited by the prospect of overnight success in Managed Services. But leaping into the market can be a recipe for failure. Here are the key steps successful MSPs have identified to improve their chances.

Five Hot Technologies at D and H Mid-Atlantic Show

Witness the technologies that grabbed the most attention among the 1,000 VARs gather for the SMB-focused distributor's annual event.

Making the Most of Vendor Leads

It can be a long journey between getting a list of vendor leads and actually making a sale. Here's a list of steps to follow to convert that daunting list of names into real business deals.

Eight Steps to Greener IT

After gorging themselves on technology, an increasing number of companies are looking for ways to condense their computing environments and save on energy costs. Here is what Electronic Data Systems, which has a strong green IT practice, recommends.

Channel Labs Walkthrough: Fujitsu Lifebook U810

Fujitsu’s tiny tablet PC is loaded with features that rival larger notebook computers.

Vital Statistics: The OnForce State of the IT Market

OnForce, the online exchange of professional IT services between solution providers, compiled the following market intelligence from more than 750,000 work orders it processed in the first three months of 2008 on behalf of nearly 13,000 solution providers.

Ten Ways to Help Users Go Green

Here are some quick tips to make sure users are on the road to going green.

Ten Tips for Selecting an Emerging Technology

Avoid bleeding edge technology and ensure you get the best return on your time and money. Here are some tips that will help you sidestep pitfalls when selecting an emerging technology.

Ten Power Verticals

Whether it's the price of real estate in Manhattan or engineers trying to squeeze another year out of an oil well in Alaska, these ten verticals are driving opportunity for VARs that can reduce their power and cooling needs.

10 Ways to Know Your Vendor Is Loyal

From maintaining open communications to providing incentives and always playing fair, it's easy to spot the vendors who treat their partners right. Here's how to tell if your vendor is a straight channel shooter.

Channel Insider's Channel Security Outlook

Infrastructure and data protection continues to provide the richest opportunity for solution providers in 2008.

Top SMB Vendors

VARs weigh in on who tops the list of the best vendors for small and midsize businesses.

Emerging Tech for the Channel

Emerging technologies promise greater margins and opportunities to build services, but not all are ready for the channel.

Channel Insider`s 2008 Channel Products of the Year

Cisco Partner Summit in Pictures

Cisco's Partner Summit was held the week of April 7 in Honolulu. Here is a look at some of what we saw.

The Top 12 Channel Execs

The editorial team at Channel Insider have selected the executives in the channel they think deserve a special mention for everything they did in last year for the channel. Find out now who made the grade.

The Channel Execs at Microsoft You Need to Know

Finding your way around behemoth vendors such as Microsoft can be a daunting task for a business partner. We've put together a list of the top six channel executives who you should know to help build your relationship with the software giant.

2008 Tech Data Channel Initiatives and the Execs Behind Them

Under CEO Robert Dutkowsky, Tech Data has aggressively expanded its services, support and solutions offerings for its more than 100,000 reseller customers worldwide with new divisions and channel initiatives for SMBs (small and midsize businesses), large enterprises and government agencies. These are the top five initiatives for 2008 and the channel execs behind them.

Research Exclusive: When Value Outweighs Price

IT directors and managers are looking for value when hiring a solution provider, according to Channel Insider research. While 62 percent cite "best value for the money" as an influential factor when selecting a solution provider, only 12 percent cite low price as a consideration.IT managers also want solution providers to better deliver technical analysis, recommend technologies they can investigate and demonstrate better ROI.

The Channel Execs You Need To Know

Doing business is always easier when you know someone on the inside. That's why Channel Insider has compiled these must-have lists of go-to people.

How VARs Are Leveraging Web 2.0 and Social Networking for Business

Here's a look at how some businesspeople are using free online social networks as tools for networking, business leads and marketing.

Selling Green to Your End Customers

Earth Day is no longer just about planting a tree and forgetting about it until next year.  While the general public's awareness of environmental issues has been steadily on the rise, more companies are beginning to jump on the bandwagon as well, selling their end customers on both the positive PR and the cost savings gained by going green. Here are some ideas VARs can take to their end customers.
 

Top 5 Channel Execs at Ingram Micro

As the world's largest technology distributor, Ingram Micro has held a unique position in the technology marketplace, and has been serving both vendors and resellers through marketing programs, outsourced logistics services, technical support, financial services, and product aggregation and distribution since 1979. The company serves about 170,000 resellers in 150 countries with hundreds of thousands of IT products worldwide from nearly 1,400 suppliers. Here are the top five channel executives you need to know at Ingram Micro.

Channel Execs You Need To Know at Cisco

Whether you want routers or switches or teleconferencing or Telepresence, Cisco is a go-to vendor for most networking needs. The company sells 80 percent of its products and services through channel partners and claims more than 30,000 partners as part if its channel program. Here's the lineup of Cisco executives making decisions about the company's channel program.

eWEEK Channel Labs Walk-through: Gaviri Universal SearchOS

Gaviri Universal SearchOS lets users search for files, e-mails and multimedia on portable devices, desktops and network drives.

eWEEK Channel Labs Walk-through: Fujitsu Lifebook A6120

The Lifebook A6120 is solid desktop replacement system.

 

eWEEK Channel Labs Walk-through: Fujitsu LifeBook E Series

Too big to comfortably lug around, Fujitsu’s E8410 LifeBook is aimed directly at the desktop user who wants some portability when necessary. By Frank Ohlhorst

How to Build a Green PC This St. Patrick`s Day

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day by building a green PC! There is more to being green than just power usage. System builders will need to consider how components are manufactured and whether those components meet ROHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) and WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) requirements, which reduce the effects of hazardous waste. Energy Star compliance is another good indicator of power efficiency, but, in the end, it comes down to selecting the right components and making them work together. After all, a poorly functioning PC can never be green. By Frank Ohlhorst

The 10 Coolest Things at CeBIT

Here are the 10 coolest things I saw at CeBIT this year. By Sara Driscoll

Vendor Services Programs: Can`t We All Just Get Along?

If vendor services programs are at odds with the services that solution provider partners offer, what can be done to smooth out the rough edges in the relationship? Here, we offer insight into how vendors and solution providers can diplomatically—and profitably—navigate through these murky waters.

What CIOs Really Want from Their Solution Providers

Sure, you sell them hardware and software licenses, but your customers could get that stuff anywhere. Here are the real reasons why the CIOs at your client companies keep you around, and what they want more of from you—based on a survey conducted by Ziff Davis Enterprise Research.

 

Based on Ziff Davis Enterprise Research, IT Executives Service Provider Study, February 2008  

Top Technologies CIOs Want from Solution Providers

It's hard to avoid the gloom-and-doom predictions of a crashing economy, tightening IT budgets and a looming recession.  But Channel Insider research shows that 63 percent of CIOs are still willing to shell out for critical technologies, and they're looking for new solution providers to bring them those technologies and services.  So, solution providers, take heart—we've compiled a list of the top services that CIOs want you to offer.

Top 10 CIO Influencers When Choosing a General Service Provider

According to Ziff Davis Enterprise Research, which conducted online surveys with 245 IT directors and managers, there are a number of influencing factors when it comes to selecting a service provider. Find out what the top 10 factors are here.  

Channel Summit 2008

Building Business Through Profitable Partnerships

10 Ways to Choose a Vendor Partner

Choosing a vendor partner is vital to the success of every VAR. But selecting the correct vendor for you and your customer base can be tricky. Channel Insider explains how to get it right.

eWEEK Channel Labs Walk-Through: Nuance PDF Converter Professional 5

The latest iteration of Nuance’s PDF Converter Pro takes aim at Adobe Acrobat by working with PDFs cheaper, faster and better.

Konica Minolta Printer Is Jack of All Trades for SMBs

The Konica Minolta MagiColor 2590MF brings excellent output and a plethora of capabilities to the SMB market, despite some quirks.

ATandT Brings Simplified 3G Broadband Connectivity to Most Any PC

The USBConnect 881 eschews the traditional PC Card interface for USB 2.0 and opens up the world of 3G to most any PC.

Channel Insider Labs Walk-Through: Exinda WAN Optimization

When it comes to optimizing the WAN, Exinda Networks has an appliance-based approach that offers more than just bandwidth control.

Top 10 Challenges Facing the Channel in 2008

eWEEK Channel Insider names the top challenges facing the channel this year.

5 Execs VARs Should Get To Know at IBM

With the reorganization of IBM's SMB group into its General Business Group and the restructure of the company's hardware unit, it can be hard for VARs to know who to go to when they need something done. Here is the Channel Insider take on the top five IBM execs VARs should get to know.

The Big ‘Picture’ at CES

New displays grow in size and features, yet shrink in prices to woo consumers. International CES 2008, in Las Vegas, is all about new products and what they mean to consumers, but that does not mean the channel should be left out! After all, who will sell

eWEEK Channel Labs Walk-through: Konica Minolta 8650DN

The Konica Minolta 8650DN moves printers beyond commodity status.

eWEEK Channel Labs Walk-through: EverRun HA 7.1.1

Marathon Technologies provides a different approach to high availability and failover with EverRun HA 7.1.1 for physical and virtual Windows Server environments.

Outlook 2008

A Ziff Davis Enterprise online survey finds that VARs and solution providers are optimistic for next year, with vertical markets and mobile technology being seen as key drivers.

Top 10 Business Drivers for 2008

An online survey was conducted among a sample of technology decision makers selected from the Ziff Davis Enterprise Service Provider database from Nov. 27 to Dec. 10, 2007. In total, 393 ZDE subscribers qualified for and completed the survey. Qualified re

eWEEK Channel Labs Walk-Through: Toshiba Satellite Pro A210

Toshiba's AMD Turion-based portable combines value with features for the channel.

eWEEK Channel Labs Walk-Through: Lenovo ThinkCentre M57p

The latest PCs in the Lenovo ThinkCentre family include the M57p, a model that offers a small footprint, energy efficiency, good performance and enhanced management capabilities.

The Top Channel Execs at Dell You Need to Know

After more than 20 years touting a direct-only philosophy, Dell made a splash last year with its first official channel program. But navigating the executives who are making the decisions can be tough for first-timers. Here's a guide to get you started.

Facts About Dell and the Channel

Dell and direct sales have been synonymous for years. But now the company is launching its very own indirect channel program, complete with deal registration. Further, Dell says it's been quietly working with the channel for years. Here are some facts ab

Top 5 Dell Channel Picks

Lately, it seems that Dell makes something for everybody. However, many of Dell's products are destined for direct sales or even retail distribution. What's the channel to do? The Channel Insider picked five products from Dell that could prove to be chann

Distribution 2.0: The New Boom Times

In fiscal year 2006, IT distribution enjoyed its biggest sales year since the record-setting year of 2000, before it all came crashing down in the dot-com bust. Here are some of the technologies that led the pack, courtesy of the Global Technology Distrib

Top Executives VARs Need to Know at Intel

Intel reshuffled some of its channel ranks in 2007, offered partners a suite of Google advertising tools and new options around market development funds, and generally gained more momentum against rival AMD. Here are the people who made it happen—Int

Top 10 Vendors in the Midmarket

In the 2007 Vendor Value and Satisfaction Survey, conducted by Ziff Davis Enterprise Research, 472 qualified respondents were asked to rate vendors on value, reliability and loyalty. Of these respondents, 170 were from companies with revenues of between $

Top Five HP Channel Execs You Should Know

During the last two years, Hewlett-Packard has stabilized its PartnerOne channel program and made its channel partners a larger part of its go-to-market strategy. But because it can still be tricky to navigate HP’s numerous divisions—and even harder

10 Things the Channel Should Be Thankful For

As this season of giving thanks arrives, VARs have a lot to be grateful for.

ESS Offers a New Level of Desktop Security

Eset’s ESS (Eset Smart Security) is a desktop suite that provides anti-virus, anti-spyware, anti-spam and firewall features in a single, easy-to-deploy and easy-to-manage package. ESS is designed to protect consumers and small and midsize businesses from

The Top 5 Obstacles to Becoming an MSP

The transition from solution provider to managed service provider can be tough. Here are the top five challenges your company is likely to face, based on a survey of 325 channel professionals.

The Concealed Promise of Convergence

The Computing Technology Industry Association focused on finding the major opportunities within the convergence market for the small and midsize business sector in the United States and Canada.

Booting Vista Out and Linux Up

Channel Labs offers a step-by-step guide for providing your customers with Linux on Windows Vista PCs.

SMB Wants and Needs

Findings from a Computing Technology Industry Association survey suggest how small and midsize businesses will spend their money on technology in 2008.

Seven Backup Service Providers Looking for Partners

eWEEK has found seven backup service providers that are looking for partners.

IBM to SMBs: Grow Your Business!

IBM's new online Grow Your Business with IBM Software portal spoonfeeds SMBs information from the vendor's enormous product catalog and uses wizards to plot out logical steps to growth.

The Do’s and Don’ts of SAAS

Gartner lays out some ground rules for getting into software as a service. (Source: Gartner)

SAAS Gaining Ground on Software

Gartner stats show that the growth rate of software as a service is overtaking that of software in a number of technology categories.

Samsung, Sony retail stores

Microsoft Office vs. OpenOffice, ThinkFree

eWEEK Labs Walks Through the Core Duo-Based Dell Latitude D620

OnForce

VTN Lip Sync

What Resellers Want from Vendors