Channel Insider Staff

Redmond, Wash.— Sticking to the channel roadmap it unveiled last October, Microsoft Corp. is expected to open its Microsoft Competencies and Partner Points components for participation in April, marking a major milestone in its overhauled channel strategy for the next decade. The components are meant to help partners identify their areas of expertise clearly, making […]

Microsoft is continuing to finesse the new channel-partner program it launched at the start of this year. In January, the company debuted its Next Generation Partner Program. The new program combined, for the first time under a single umbrella, all of Microsoft’s various partner programs, including its Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains and Navision programs. […]

With a focus on business transformation outsourcing, Accenture is pioneering a type of outsourcing deal in which it will share gains from customers’ business advantage, along with risks. Martin Cole, whose office is in Hartford, Conn., is managing partner for outsourcing at Accenture, with executive offices in Dallas, which last year had $11.8 billion in […]

Microsoft Corp. will use its Mobile DevCon later this month to talk up its next release of its SQL Server CE platform, Version 3.0, code-named Laguna. Like Yukon—the next version of the full-fledged SQL Server release—Laguna is unlikely to debut before mid-2005. Microsoft officials acknowledged earlier this week that Yukon won’t ship by the end […]

Whether aiming for increased revenue or market share, most technology vendors have initiated –or are planning-a major alliance with a big systems integrator (SI) and vice versa. These alliances are never easy and frequently fail. Both internal and external pressures work to drive these two organizations apart. However, blending vision, process, strong leadership, accountability and […]

Early next month, Microsoft is set to share its vision for its next-generation Office, Windows, database and other products with hundreds of its Most Valuable Professionals (MVPs). MVPs are the independent technology buffs who are recognized experts in one or more Microsoft technologies. They complement Microsoft executives, product managers and developers in tasks ranging from […]

It’s hard not to find the images attractive: Against the bastions of corporate computing, idealistic young software engineers fight for access to free software and an open, benevolent technology community. But before developers and independent software vendors (ISVs) get swept up by altruism and stake their business to development of solutions on open source code, […]

Got two days and $1,000? If so, Oracle University promises to get you up and running on Oracle 10g without a hitch. Read the full story at SearchOracle.com. Check out eWEEK.com’s Database Center at http://database.eweek.com for the latest database news, views and analysis.

Whether the argument is price, scalability, reliability or security, both Oracle and SQL Server databases have strong proponents and skeptics. In this article you can check out what two Database.com editors have to say in favor of their favorite database. Read the full story at SearchDatabase.com. Check out eWEEK.com’s Database Center at http://database.eweek.com for the […]

Las Vegas–IBM is mapping a path for ISVs to embrace its technologies using a host of new application development and integration tools it’s announcing its Partnerworld 2004 conference here this week. eWEEk News from PartnerWorld New IBM Partner Program Looks to Key Industries Palmisano to Partners: Future Is On-Demand IBM Tools Up Partnerships IBM, LogicLibrary […]

Avnet Hall-Mark Announces New Services, Partnership Avnet Hall-Mark, a value-added distributor of IBM enterprise computing products, storage, software and services, made a series of announcements. The company has teamed with VBS Software, LLC, to offer a back-office solution specifically designed for resellers. Visual Business Suite is an ERP solution that focuses on reseller operations, accounting, […]

LITTLE ROCK, AK–Acxiom Corporation, a customer and information management solutions integrator, has extended an offer to acquire the Consodata companies in England, France, Spain and Germany from Turin-based Seat P.G for approximately $37.5 million. Seat, a leading multi-platform directories company, has granted Acxiom exclusivity on the proposed transaction. Under the terms of the offer, Seat […]