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Ingram Marries Consumer Electronics with IT

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 14:55:35 -0500

Ingrams core of channel partners have begun to diversify their businesses to include consumer electronics, in part because those devices, like televisions and stereo receivers, are increasingly IP-based.
- Question: Where can you source a Cisco switch, a digitized wine cooler, a Cuisenhart food processor and Sonicwall security appliances? Answer: Ingram Micro In response to the rapid convergence of traditional IT and consumer electronics markets, the mega-distributor this week announced that its...

SonicWall Eyes MSPs with Global Management System Update

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 14:27:53 -0500

SonicWALL executives said the biggest add for MSPs is the new API, which offers better integration of GMS with other management consoles and enterprise applications and gives MSPs a way to tap into unique in-house systems of individual customers.
- SonicWALL this week released to the channel the latest edition of its IT management system, SonicWALL Global Management System (GMS) 6.0, which it hopes will appeal to managed service providers (MSP) with a spate of new features that include better reporting on application firewalls, improved data p...

BMC Buys Phurnace, Creates Game Changer

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 13:50:38 -0500

Automating the data center is one of the fastest growing segments of the management software category, and BMC believes it is changing the game with its acquisition of automation expert Phurnace Software.
- Houston-based BMC Software is expanding its automation capabilities with the acquisition of privately held Phurnace Software, whose technology quot;significantly reduces the cost, complexity and risk quot; to deploy and configure Java-based applications on physical, virtual and cloud environments. ...

Is Google's Nexus One a Boon for Developers?

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 13:33:57 -0500

Nexus Ones processing power, ability to handle graphics, text-to-speech and access to Google Apps provide enterprise software developers a range of game-changing technologies for enterprise mobile applications like workforce management, collaboration and CRM applications.
- With this release of its Nexus One phone this week, Google succeeds in expanding its footprint with yet another device and Android developers now have an upgraded OS to tinker with. But do enterprise developers benefit? Of note is Googles new e-retailer status. Users can purchase Nexus One through ...

P2P Collaboration: Everybody's Doing it Right?

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 12:24:10 -0500

Partner-to-partner collaboration is always a hot topic at industry events. But is it for real? A recent study by Channel Insider and Amazon Consulting reveals that while P2P is indeed a trend in the channel, it's far less ubiquitous than the buzz suggests.
- Vendors routinely promote and reward the practice and the subject always sparks discussion at industry partner events. I'm talking about partner-to-partner collaboration or P2P. Haven't you heard? Everyone's doing it. But are they? A recent study by Channel Insider and Amazon Consulting reveal...

U.S. Energy Department Grants $47 Million for Greening the Data Center

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 12:13:57 -0500

The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded $47 million for 14 projects across the country to improve the energy efficiency of data centers. One of the vendors developing energy monitoring software for the data center says it is in the process of developing a solution provider channel partner program.
- Looking to new technologies to improve the energy efficiency of information technology and telecommunications, the U.S. Department of Energy this week announced it will award $47 million for 14 projects across the country to develop them. The idea behind the move is that while data processing,...

Symantec Partner Communications Criticized

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 09:14:58 -0500

Solution providers and end users are voicing concerns over how Symantec is alerting and updating them about product flaws and patches. They say the security vendor's reliance on a user forum is foolish.
- Symantec says its in the final QA stage for a fix to its signature date flaw, in which certain Symantec endpoint products do not recognize updates with 2010 dates. The patch could be available sometime today or tomorrow. The exact release time and date is unclear in the updates to the Symantec blo...

Microsoft's Ballmer Unveils HP-Based Tablet

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 07:46:05 -0500

Microsoft, the world's largest software maker, and HP, the top personal computer maker, are the latest companies to eye tablets that bridge the gap between laptops and smartphones.
- (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp Chief Executive Steve Ballmer unveiled a new Hewlett-Packard Co tablet computer on Wednesday, beating Apple Inc's hotly anticipated move into the market. But analysts were skeptical that Microsoft and HP could generate as much consumer excitement as Apple's new device...

Managed Services Not for Everyone

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 16:58:19 -0500

The managed services model provides VARs with steady, predictable revenue and healthy margins. But its not for everyone, no matter how much hype is piled on in vendor sales pitches, as one VAR has discovered.
- My phone rang at 4 a.m. Pacific time. On the other end was a VAR tortured by insomnia (fortunately for me, it was at least 7 a.m. in New York). He had been up all night racking his brain and for good reason over the quandary known as managed services. Now, you would think that this is a prett...

Potential VMware Acquisition May Threaten Microsoft Exchange Stronghold

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 16:24:22 -0500

VMware's rumored acquisition of open-source collaboration and e-mail suite vendor Zimbra from Yahoo could prove to have a disruptive effect on e-mail leader Microsoft and its Exchange server if VMware uses its virtualization stronghold to spread virtualized e-mail appliances to customer organizations.
- As if it werent enough that VMware owns most of the server virtualization market out there today, now the company is rumored to be interested in buying open-source messaging, e-mail and collaboration vendor Zimbra from Yahoo. Rumors first surfaced last fall that Yahoo, which purchased Zimbra t...

Microsoft's Upgrade Discount Program Spells Channel Services Dollars

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 16:13:15 -0500

Too often, solution providers flinch when they hear about end-user discounts on licenses, fearing a bite out of profit margins or worse: customers simply going direct. But not if you recognize the services upside.
- As promised, Microsoft has made deep discounting a critical piece of its full-court press to spark an upgrade cycle for Windows 7 and the forthcoming Office 2010. And partners, for the most part, couldnt be happier. Microsofts latest move, expanding the half-off new licenses deal in its Up-to-Da...

Tablet Wars: Is Microsoft Sticking Its Neck Out?

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 14:57:23 -0500

Apple is generating a lot of buzz about the rumored announcement of a tablet PC at the end of the month but Microsoft's CEO is expected to unveil a new tablet PC made by Hewlett-Packard tonight.
- Having struck gold with both the iPod and iPhone, Apple is generating a lot of buzz about the rumored announcement of a tablet PC at the end of the month. According to reports, Apple expects to ship 10 million units in the device's first year of release. Poor Microsoft, who first popularized the t...

Channel Opportunity Knocks for Electronic Medical Records Deployments

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 14:42:58 -0500

VARs that can meet rapid timelines and provide clear roadmaps and industry know-how are extremely well-positioned to support and aid organizations that have not yet made the move to EMR.
- With monetary federal incentives ready to be doled out in 2011, every sized healthcare organization is taking a long look at how to efficiently and quickly make the move to electronic medical records (EMR), if they have not already. A 2009 research report by SK amp;A Information Services, Inc. showe...

Declining Members Shutters Computer Association

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 14:07:48 -0500

The Independent Computer Consultants Association (ICCA) will officially disband in March as members flee for the security of full-time jobs or retirement.
- The Independent Computer Consultants Association has begun the process of shutting down due to pressure brought on by the recession and dwindling membership. In a statement posted on its virtually non-functional Web site, ICCA announced it ceased active operations at the end of 2009 and would offic...

Symantec Struggling to Correct Signature Flaw

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 10:07:33 -0500

Since the beginning of the year, Symantec Endpoint Protection Manager has failed to recognize signature updates with 2010 dates. Symantec has a workaround that ensures security remains in place, but partners are growing frustrated by the time its taking to build a fix.
- Youre not alone if youre noticing something peculiar about the update signatures flowing into the Symantec Endpoint Protection Manager since the New Year. Symantec is trying to unravel the mystery behind the widely used endpoint management platform failing to recognize update files with 2010 dates. ...