10 Mosts 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.

VAR Interest: 9%Currently Selling/Supporting: 24%Opportunity: Moderate to HighPoint of sale solutions and inventory management systems are in high demand among retailers who are retooling to increase operational efficiencies and save money. POS provides an interesting opportunity for solution providers with hooks in the retail market.

VAR Interest: 9%Currently Selling/Supporting: 29%Opportunity: Moderate Mobility remains the name of the game in the evolving workplace. Devices that enable workers to seamlessly roam and remain connected are highly desired by enterprises.

VAR Interest: 9%Currently Selling/Supporting: 32%Opportunity: Moderate Telephony costs continue to hang on businesses of all sizes-particularly those with remote and mobile workforces. The need for better and more integrated voice networking services continues to grow, making an attractive opportunity for solution providers.

VAR Interest: 10%Currently Selling/Supporting: 33%Opportunity: Moderate to HighMany technology conversations nowadays begin and end with ‘virtualization.’ The technology that optimizes and extends the usefulness of data center technology is hot and shows no signs of slowing down.

VAR Interest: 11%Currently Selling/Supporting: 21%Opportunity: Moderate Handheld scanners, mobile printers, hardened computing devices are in big demand by government agencies-particularly emergency first responders-and companies such as shipping and transportation. The opportunities are rich, but dampened by the need for vertical expertise.

VAR Interest: 11%Currently Selling/Supporting: 23%Opportunity: Moderate to HighBlade servers are the new backbone of the data center, giving users the ability to scale and maintain infrastructure. Big server vendors are quickly developing new, virtualization-friendly blades. The replacement opportunity for conventional services means solid sales potential.

VAR Interest: 13%Currently Selling/Supporting: 13%Opportunity: HighDigital signage may not seem like the sexiest technology, but it’s a big opportunity. Businesses from retail stores to airports to restaurants are replacing print signs with digital displays. Digital signage is under -distributed, giving it a lot of room for growth.

VAR Interest: 13%Currently Selling/Supporting: 45%Opportunity: ModerateManaged services is one of the fastest growing and most lucrative segments of the channel. Increasing competition-especially by large vendors such as Dell-and the high expense of starting a MSP does make entry challenging.

VAR Interest: 14%Currently Selling/Supporting: 18%Opportunity: HighSmart phones such as Apple’s iPhone, Blackberry Curve and the forthcoming Palm Pre are putting more mobile applications in the hands of users. Businesses are looking for greater support, and that’s opening vast opportunities for solution providers.

VAR Interest: 23%Currently Selling/Supporting: 36%Opportunity: Moderate to HighAnalysts say the SaaS and hosted application market will top $66 billion by 2012. Solution providers are finding rich opportunities, but the business model isn’t always easy to adopt and implement.

Check out the Channel Insider/Motorola report “Establishing Better Partnerships with Technology Vendors & Suppliers” and other research reports at: www.channelinsider.com/c/s/CIPerspectives/