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IBM`s Mid-Market Push Big Blue is posting notable progress in this market with industry solutions and business partner engagement, but have they simplified enough? IBM Mines VC Community for Diamonds IBM's Claudia Fan Munce plays matchmaker at IBM, bringing select VC-backed ISVs into the IBM fold and connecting them to other IBM business partners to get their solutions to market. Microsoft, Danger, T-Mobile Outage Highlights Need for Backup, Even in the Cloud Microsoft/Danger and T-Mobile's recent outage translated into a data loss for customers, and users who hadn't backed up their Sidekick data were out of luck. Warmenhoven's New Role: Channel Ambassador The former NetApp CEO is now working as a channel evangelist, convincing integrators, carriers and services companies to standardize their offerings on his company's technology. His role and mission could be a harbinger for the hardware industry. HP Doubles Down Data Center Bet HP's latest enhancements to its PartnerONE program are aimed at increasing its focus on data center solutions through its enterprise channel partners and keep it on course in the competitive data center battle. Virtualization's Impact on Managed Services Does shifting your customers infrastructure to the cloud obviate the need for systems management and monitoring services that lie at the core of what MSPs do? Red Hat Swimming Against the Tide Despite a recession that has bitten pretty much everyone with the same ruthless precision, Red Hat has managed to show six straight quarters of escalating subscription sales. What gives? Dell's Services Play: Necessary But Late Dell paid a huge price to buy Perot Systems and with services not a traditional part of the PC maker's DNA it will be interesting to see how it manages and integrates the new assets. Stimulating Future Customers Michigan solution provider Tech Experts is launching its own economic stimulus program by offering free hosted e-mail to small businesses struggling to survive. While there are no catches or obligations, the program may just cultivate new, loyal customers for when the economy recovers. Avoiding Jihad in Favor of Business Acumen Virtualization is sparking a religious war between fans of VMWare vs. those of Microsoft. But both sides might be focusing on the wrong thing. White Boxes Plus HAAS Have Potential Custom-built computers and servers have suffered the same commoditization as their branded counterparts. That trend may ultimate work in its favor by giving hardware as a service (HAAS) providers an affordable platform for standardizing customer infrastructures at a lower total cost of ownership. Virtualization Gives SMBs Control By virtualizing server environments, cost-conscious small customers can say no to constant hardware upgrades and hold onto functioning software longer. Partners Commanding Their Own Channels Vendors have pushed the concept of peer-to-peer partnerships, but solution providers have found such arrangements difficult to initiate and manage. Many solution providers are instead building their own channel programs to standardize and regulate peer-level partnerships. IBM Sets Sights on Sun's Partners In the wake of Oracle’s recent acquisition of Sun Microsystems, longtime Sun rival IBM has made no secret of its plans to woo Sun's channel partners and customers. Is Big Blue the right fit? Manufacturing a Road to Recovery The U.S. and global economies remain far from healthy, but there are signs of hope and, surprisingly, manufacturing is one of those glimmers. Design and engineering software makers and solution providers are seeing increasing opportunities in factories and plants, which may be early signs of the recession cloud breaking. Testing Windows 7 Apps in the Cloud Traditionally, developers do their testing in an in-house lab, but increasingly many ISVs and solution providers are looking to the cloud as the place to noodle their software for the Windows 7 platform. Solution Providers Manning the Bridge Bridge-keeping seems like a simple job, but it's far more complicated. In many ways a solution provider's job is similar: Seemingly simple at times, but requiring a high level of skill and diligence. Two Takes on Surviving Recession via Cost Cutting At CompTIA workshop, the approaches to cost-cutting reveal a practical survival instinct in play with many of today’s more successful solution providers. VARs at CompTIA Show Marketing Savvy For too long, marketing activities have been considered a luxury by solution providers. But there's a refreshing shift in attitude happening, and it was on display at Breakaway this week. ‘Trusted Adviser` Moniker Isn`t Cliché End users are under tremendous pressure to cut costs and get the best pricing on technology purchases. They’re increasingly using competitive bidding at the expense of longstanding VAR relationships. But even in these cost-conscious times, the moniker “trusted adviser” still holds value when the relationship is built right.