Recent Articles
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IBM Goes on Storage Stampede
IBM is shaking up its storage distribution lineup by appointing Tech Data for its N series NAS products, and speculation is rife that it may also appoint Ingram Micro for the same range. The N series consists of high-end, enterprise-class network-attached storage hardware and software that IBM self-brands and resells from Network Appliance. The products…
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Distributors Move Quickly Out the Gate in 2008
The distribution sector began 2008 with a bang, after both Ingram Micro and Avnet made acquisition announcements around the globe. Ingram Micro in Europe has agreed to purchase the assets of UK-based distributor Paradigm Distribution Ltd. The deal, for an undisclosed sum, will add AIDC/POS (automatic identification and data capture/point-of-sale technology) to Ingram’s European portfolio.…
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Channel Optimism Rooted in Ongoing Transformation
Poring over the results of Ziff Davis Enterprise’s Outlook 2008 survey of channel companies, I was surprised at the level of confidence we found among solution providers. Some 64 percent of survey participants said they expect increased profitability in the coming year of at least 10 percent—this at a time when oil prices and the…
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IBM Acquires Israeli Storage Vendor XIV
TEL AVIV—IBM said on Jan. 2 it had acquired XIV, a privately held storage technology company based in Tel Aviv. Financial terms were not disclosed. “This is about IBM further strengthening its infrastructure portfolio,” Daniel Powers, vice president of mergers and acquisitions at IBM System Storage, told a news conference. IBM said the deal would…
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VARs Scramble for Training on ‘Disruptive’ OCS Technology
Some Microsoft partners believe Office Communications Server could double their business, sparking a rush to get up to speed on the new unified communications technology. To help get VARs up to speed, Techtionary, an online provider of rich media tutorials and technology training, announced the week of Dec. 24 that it will add a Microsoft…
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The Matter of Marketing
Some channel players view marketing in the same way as my father: It’s a namby-pamby sector with not a lot of industry grit or skills around it. Marketing—what does it actually mean? Is it just an excuse for creative types to brainstorm while sitting in an overly trendy office on brightly colored bean bags? Or…
