The VAR Guy

Siemens Unified Communications Adds Social Networking

Matthew Weinberger — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:49:36 +0000

At San Francisco’s VoiceCon 2009, Siemens Enterprise Communications Group previewed Twitter integration with their OpenScape Unified Communications application while running in an Amazon EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud) environment. Siemens also says they plan to release the SDKs to allow customers to create their own social networking and communications “mash-ups” and test them in a scalable instance of OpenScape.

“Social media tools have rapidly moved from being the preferred communication method of millennials to the standard by which enterprise workers and customers can quickly and freely connect,” said Mark Straton, senior vice president of marketing, voice and application solutions for Siemens Enterprise Communications Group, in a prepared statement.

Siemens also says they plan to integrate other social networks like Facebook and LinkedIn, with all social functionality going live in Q1 2010.

Rival networking companies such as Cisco Systems have aggressively touted social network at channel partner events. Is this all a gimmick or do solutions providers actually think customers want social media blended with their unified communications applications?

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Windows Azure: Microsoft’s Cloud Schedule

Matthew Weinberger — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:43:57 +0000

Microsoft’s has disclosed the official timeline for the launch of Windows Azure, their cloud-based operating system, over at one of their official blogs. The software giant hopes VARs and managed services providers will transition customer applications into the Azure cloud. Here’s what you need to know.

First, a little background. Microsoft is striving to get existing Windows Server ISVs and new ISVs — including open source ISVs – to write applications for Windows Azure in the cloud. Some of Microsoft’s top developers and managers, including Windows NT and VMS veteran David Cutler, have been assigned to the Azure efforts. Meanwhile, rivals such as Red Hat are warning potential customers not to get locked into Azure and Microsoft’s cloud strategy.

Eager to keep the Azure buzz growing, Microsoft offers up the following new key points:

At PDC 2009, on November 17^th, 2009, Microsoft will make available many new Azure features for the first time, letting current Community Test Preview users test them freely until December 31st, 2009. Microsoft is encouraging feedback on the new features during that timeframe.
Beginning January 2010, new customers will have the chance to sign up for one last chance to test Azure for free through the end of the month, with an eye towards testing how much usage you’ll need once it becomes public.
On February 1, 2010, Windows Azure will become available to all paying customers.

The end of the CTP and the launch of Windows Azure signals the end of a year-long gestation period. The only question remaining is: Will VARs and managed service providers transition their customers’ applications to Azure?

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Parallels Small Business Panel Targets Cloud Service Providers

Matthew Weinberger — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:35:08 +0000

Parallels, best known for their virtualization platform offerings, has introduced Small Business Panel 10, a web-based all-in-one interface for cloud service providers that target small and midsize businesses. Parallels claim it’s a game-changer; decide for yourself after hearing the details.

Designed to help end users manage their IT infrastructure on their own, the Parallels Small Business Panel offers domain management, e-mail account creation and list management, a 5-step website builder (from design , collaboration and file-sharing), and, most interestingly, an application marketplace.

This new application marketplace lets users buy software licenses for things like shopping carts and desktop security from vendors like Symantec, Interspire, Pinnacle Cart, LinuxMagic, and KeepIt — and then install it directly to their dedicated server, all from within the panel. That same philosophy extends to open-source server applications like SpamAssassin, Tomcat, Apache ColdFusion and Microsoft SQL.

Small Business Panel is designed to be easier to use than Parallels Plesk Panel, but at the cost of some of the more advanced features: most notably for VARs and managed service providers, Small Business Panel does not allow its users to turn around and resell its services. The other difference to note is that Small Business Panel isn’t designed for shared or cloud hosting, but Plesk Panel is.

It sounds like Parallels is trying to do for server architecture what the App Store did for the iPhone. Has Parallels hit the mark? Let us know.

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Symantec CEO: SaaS Will Be 15 Percent of Revenues

The VAR Guy — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:06:56 +0000

At the Symantec Partner Engage event in Orlando, Fla., Symantec CEO Enrique Salem reinforced the company’s continued commitment to Software as a Service (SaaS) . Still, Salem said SaaS will only represent 15 percent of company revenues (or $1 billion in annual sales) within five years. Here’s more on Symantec’s SaaS strategy.

During a keynote speech this morning, Salem evangelized the consumerization of IT — a word where consumer technology trends (from instant messaging to MacBooks to mobile devices) continue to influence and shape corporate IT trends. Salem drove home familiar messages about Symantec’s need to help partners safeguard and manage information. He also emphasized”

growing opportunities in data loss prevention (DLP)
customer demand for simplicity and integrated suites
plus growing storage demands
and customer migration needs involving Windows 7

But ultimately, Salem caught The VAR Guy’s ear with his mention of SaaS. Instead of hyping the SaaS opportunity, Salem downplayed it. He isn’t negative on SaaS, but he isn’t ready to pitch partners on a world where businesses shift the majority of their applications to cloud solutions.

Over the next few years, Symantec’s SaaS revenue will rise to about 15 percent of the company’s annual sales. Much of the SaaS effort involves the Symantec Hosted Services brand. Notice it’s not hosted security or hosted security. By embracing the Hosted Services brand, Symantec keeps its SaaS brand generic enough to push deeper into both the storage as a service and security as a service markets.

The VAR Guy shot some video capturing Salem’s SaaS thoughts. It will be added to this blog entry later today.

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Google Apps: ISV Partner Program Coming?

The VAR Guy — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:49:35 +0000

As Google continues to build the Google Apps Reseller partner program, the search giant is considering another bold SaaS (software as a service) move. Specifically, Google has started brainstorming about a possible partner program for independent software vendors (ISVs), The VAR Guy has learned. Here’s the scoop.

First, some background: As The VAR Guy has reported, Google is striving to integrate its Google Apps and Google Postini partner programs. Those efforts are ongoing, confirmed Jeff Ragusa, channel manager for Google Apps.

But here’s where things get really interesting: Although nothing is official, Google is kicking around idea of a potential ISV partner program for Google Apps, Ragusa says.

If such a program launches, The VAR Guy can imagine Google competing head-on against Windows Azure, Microsoft’s Windows-based cloud for ISVs.

Already, Google Apps is competing with Microsoft’s Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS), which includes Exchange Online, SharePoint Online and other Microsoft SaaS applications. When Microsoft cut BPOS and SaaS prices earlier this week to roughly $10 per user per month, it was widely seen as a reaction to Google Apps (which cost $50 per user per year).

So, where is Google going next? Among the priorities: Google plans to increasingly integrate with managed services tools and dashboards that MSPs and VARs use to maintain their businesses, according to Ragusa, who is attending ConnectWise Partner Summit in Orlando, Fla. More than 900 VARs and MSPs are at the event.

Ragusa also points to Google Apps APIs as an area where MSPs and VARs can begin to add value to SaaS applications for their customers.

But ultimately: Will Google launch an ISV partner program? Ragusa says it’s too soon to say. But again, he confirms Google is considering such a strategy internally.

If The VAR Guy was a betting man, he’d put money on Google launching an ISV program. To our resident blogger, such a move seems inevitable.

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Red Hat Promotes Enterprise Virtualization Platform to VARs

Dave Courbanou — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:01:47 +0000

Red Hat is starting to evangelize its Enterprise Virtualization Platform to VARs, managed service providers and other channel partners. Here’s some perspective on Red Hat’s continuing efforts to diversify beyond Linux.

The Enterprise Virtualization Platform is built on two things: The Hypervisor and the Manager.

1. The Hypervisor is based on KVM. For the uninitiated, KVM is a “kernel-based virtual machine.” It’s a custom Linux kernel virtualization infrastructure (now owned by Red Hat) that supports virtualization using Intel VT or AMD-V. This Hypervisor solution is capable of hosting Linux and Windows machines while simultaneously providing features that the standard kernel provides. It’s available in a “bare metal” outfit, or as Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.4 installed as a hypervisor host and managed through Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Manager for Servers.

2. With all the hosting comes the managing. The Manager is built specifically to “…reduce the cost, complexity and time required to manage large-scale virtualization deployments.” What does that entail exactly? It means live-migration, power-saving features, system scheduling and all the bells and whistles you’d come to expect from an enterprise-level suite, Red Hat asserts. This is a big step, since word around the ‘net was that a management solution was the missing piece for Red Hat.

Money Matters

Some of the Red Hat hype is, of course, ‘old hat.’ There’s the general virtualization highlights: Lower power consumption, consolidation, time saved managing. increased performance over-all.

But the real saving features were highlighted in a presentation. According to Red Hat, a 3 year cost of running a server with 200 RHEL (Red Hat Enterprise Linux) with 200 guests is just under $300,000 — and comparatively, the 3 year cost with 200 RHEL and 200 Windows Guests is just over $600,000.We haven’t confirmed those figures independently.

The chart shows VMware and Microsoft are comparatively priced, with VMware being slightly cheaper, but Red Hat is between 40-60% cheaper than both. If the numbers don’t lie, that a big deal.

Lastly, coming in 2010 is Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization for Desktops. Built to allow thin-client PCs to access desktops in the cloud, this solution clearly has its sights aimed at VMware’s own offerings.

The future of cloud computing is heating up the atmosphere with Red Hat’s latest addition.

VARs, SMBs — will your new cloud solution be from Red Hat?

Ingram Micro: Security Gets Physical

Dave Courbanou — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:15:50 +0000

Ingram Micro has launched a Physical Security Division as technology security and physical security continue to converge. Here’s a quick look at the effort.

Ingram Micro says the physical security effort includes…

Alarm and Fire
Monitoring Services
Access Control
Video Surveillance

Ingram Micro has been focusing on all those areas because they represent significant market opportunity for channel partners. As part of the effort, all top security brands will be available, along with specialized technical advice. Pre- and post-sales support, integration, configuration, training, education and marketing resources and services will also be available.

Physical security isn’t a new opportunity for VARs and MSPs. Ingram rival Tech Data has offered a Physical Security focus since April 2006.

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TeamLogic IT Gains PR Buzz From Windows 7

Dave Courbanou — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:06:56 +0000

TeamLogic IT, a US-based network of VARs and solutions providers, says it is now servicing Windows 7. The move is the latest channel-related vote of confidence in Microsoft’s new operating system. But perhaps the bigger news here: TeamLogic IT is using low-cost PR moves to potentially ride the Windows 7 wave into customers’ networks. Rival VARs might be wise to follow TeamLogic IT’s marketing lead.

TeamLogic IT is offering everything from entire migration packages to fixing compatibility issues. All of this comes with the help of certified technicians. TeamLogic IT is gaining visibility as a Windows 7 consulting and deployment expert. All it takes is a press release — and some simple Search Engine Optimization — to follow TeamLogic IT’s lead.

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U.S. VAR Franchise Dials Asterisk, Open Source and Fonality

The VAR Guy — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:00:09 +0000

Asterisk — the open source IP PBX — has dialed up another opportunity in the IT channel. This one involves Computer Troubleshooters, a major channel player that has more than 200 U.S. solution provider franchises. The VAR Guy hears Computer Troubleshooters will increasingly promote Fonality’s IP PBX solution. Here’s the scoop.

“We started building a Fonality relationship in 2004, and we’ve steadily been enhancing that relationship over the years,” notes Chip Reaves, CEO of Computer Troubleshooters. “This year we were in a situation where it made sense for us and for Fonality to make it more official and really push the program through the entire U.S. franchise network (200+ locations).”

Fonality, which landed on The VAR Guy’s most recent Open Source 50 report — has a growing presence in the IT channel. Dell and Tech Data both have offered Fonality’s VoIP solutions to their customers and channel partners.

Although Asterisk is most closely associated with Digium, plenty of third-party software companies leverage and add value to Asterisk. Fonality is one of them. “[Fonality] is part of a program we call our Enhanced Solutions catalog,” says Reaves. “We see this as the extension of our managed services program. Managed services as it stands today probably has a limited lifespan as you know, so we use that as a foundation and then build new solutions on top of it in these other areas.”

Computer Troubleshooters, meanwhile, has been building MSP-oriented relationships with Autotask and NTGglobal, among others.

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Confirmed: Microsoft Cuts SaaS Pricing

The VAR Guy — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 02:02:12 +0000

The VAR Guy’s sources were right. Microsoft’s Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS) team has cut SaaS (software as a service) prices on multiple applications — including Microsoft Exchange Online, Microsoft SharePoint Online and Microsoft Office Communications Online. Some pundits suggest it’s the start of a SaaS price war with Google Apps. Here’s the scoop, and the implications for channel partners.

First, some background. The VAR Guy heard rumors in recent days that Microsoft was planning a SaaS price cut in response to heightened competition from Google Apps.

Microsoft has now confirmed the SaaS price cuts. According to a Microsoft spokesman:

“Thanks to rapid customer adoption, global scale and improved efficiencies from new software such as Exchange Server 2010, Microsoft is reducing the price of the Business Productivity Online Suite from $15 to $10 (U.S.) per user per month. This price reduction includes Microsoft Exchange Online, Microsoft SharePoint Online and Microsoft Office Communications Online.”

Time for all VARs — not just Microsoft channel partners — to take a deep breath and consider the following: Has a SaaS price war started with Google Apps? And if so, will channel partners feel their own SaaS margins squeezed?

Microsoft’s Position

Microsoft is quick to note that more than 7,000 channel partners back Microsoft’s SaaS offerings — including Microsoft Online Services and BPOS. No doubt, some early BPOS partners say they’re profiting from BPOS. And other Microsoft channel partners say they’re embracing Windows Azure, Microsoft’s Windows-based cloud system.

But did the rules of the SaaS game just change? “If you’re a reseller agent for BPOS, your price-per-user is going down so your potential profit dollars per user also look like they’re falling,” says one BPOS channel partner. “I can’t help but think this is the start of a price war with Google, and partners like me are going to get squeezed.”

The VAR Guy has an email into Microsoft requesting an update on the BPOS commission model for VARs and channel partners. Our resident blogger has also reached out to he Google Apps team for comment.

Also of note: The VAR Guy wonders if or how Microsoft plans to adjust SaaS pricing to service provider partners like Apptix, Intermedia, mindSHIFT, Rackspace Hosting and SherWeb Inc. — which cooperate and compete with Microsoft’s BPOS offerings.

Tricky Spot

In Microsoft’s defense, the company is in a tricky situation.

On the one hand, Microsoft must price its SaaS services aggressively in order to gain mind share and market share against startups like Zoho, giants like Google Apps, disrupters like Yahoo’s Zimbra open source email, and a growing list of virtualized applications moving into public clouds like Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud and RackSpace Cloud.

But on the other hand, Microsoft is striving to remain loyal to thousands of channel partners that made Windows desktops and servers corporate standards in the 1990s.

The big question: Can Microsoft sell SaaS direct and indirect while helping VARs to remain profitable?

Going Global

As channel partners consider the situation closely, Microsoft is expanding its SaaS strategy globally.

Later this week, Microsoft says, the company will expand the availability of the Business Productivity Online Suite, including commercial availability in Singapore and trials in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Czech Republic, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Israel, Malaysia, Mexico, Poland, Puerto Rico, Romania and Taiwan; commercial availability in India is also expected later this year.

According to a Microsoft press statement:

This will bring availability to a total of 36 countries and regions, making this the only cloud-based solution that is truly ready for global business.

The VAR Guy will continue to watch the situation closely. And he’s working hard to keep an open mind: If you’re a BPOS or Windows Azure partner that wants to describe your business momentum, The VAR Guy is all ears.

In the meantime, The VAR Guy thinks Microsoft just fired the first shot in a potential SaaS price war.

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Cisco Unified Computing: Distributors Show Their Love

The VAR Guy — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:56:03 +0000

Distributors are falling over each other to show Cisco Systems channel partners some data center love. A prime example: Only hours after Westcon Group Inc. said its Comstor division will distribute Cisco’s Unified Computing System, Ingram Micro reiterated its Cisco data center push. But there’s a bigger story here: Cisco’s server channel is growing. Here’s the scoop.

No doubt, distributors expect Cisco to have some success disrupting the traditional server and storage markets. Weston earlier today crowed about an agreement for Comstor to distribute Cisco’s UCS solutions.

A few hours later, Ingram Micro asserted that Ingram Micro Worldwide is and will continue to support Cisco’s major data center play — including the UCS portfolio. Moreover, Ingram Micro’s Cisco Business Unit about about a year ago formed a “Tiger Team” focused on Data Center Architecture.

The VAR Guy hasn’t seen any claws yet, but it sounds like a UCS distributor cat fight is in the making.

Still, there are some differences between the Ingram Micro and Westcon/Comstor strategies. While Ingram offers a range of third-party servers, Comstor is more of a specialty networking distributor moving into the server market — purely through the Cisco relationship.

Not to be left out of the party, Tech Data told SearchITchannel.com about its growing Cisco UCS relationship.

Cisco’s Server Channel Grows

Regardless of which distributor a VAR chooses, the big winner appears to be Cisco and its end-customers. Instead of flooding the market with UCS solutions Cisco has been ramping up in a controlled approach.

Two prime examples:

Cisco’s UCS B Series blade servers will have about 200 Authorized Technology Provider partners worldwide by July 2010, up from about 63 right now.
Cisco’s UCS C Series rack mount servers will have fewer restrictions and roughly 1,000 partners by July 2010.

At the same time, The VAR Guy hears continued chatter about Cisco partnering with Lenovo to launch a networking-PC partnership that counters Hewlett-Packard.

Plenty of chatter. But The VAR Guy needs to research exactly how well Cisco’s servers are selling so far.

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3CX Phone System: Software PBX Meets the Channel

The VAR Guy — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 22:28:12 +0000

The VAR Guy has spent plenty of time covering Asterisk — the open source IP PBX — in recent weeks. But a few solutions providers are telling our resident blogger to give equal time to 3CX, which develops a software PBX for Windows. What’s the story? You’re about to find out.

The VAR Guy concedes: Sometimes he gets consumed by unified communications pitches from Microsoft, Cisco Systems, Avaya and the Asterisk industry. But a flood of email — from 3CX and some of its resellers — reminded our resident blogger that the IP PBX market remains highly fragmented and full of emerging options.

Quite a few VARs and customers are opting for Windows-centric IP PBXes from 3CX. Prime examples include a few Remax real estate brokerages, which claim to have saved $80,000 by deploying 3CX’s software-based PBX, notes 3CX CEO Nick Galea.

Also of note: 3CX is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner and a pure channel company, promoting its software PBXes through a range of resellers and solutions providers worldwide.

True believers include Pacific Softcom, a solutions provider that has been wroking with 3CX since March 2009. The effort started out with a free download and suddenly Pacific Softcom found itself with a true IP PBX solution for customers, notes Jim Green, a sales and technical director at Pacific Softcom in Long Beach, Calif.

“Version 6 had a few drawbacks, but version 7 was stable and version 8 is solid,” says Green. “You called my office and as you can tell you’ve been forward to my mobile phone and the quality is very, very good. People who got in early with 3CX are delitefully surprised with new features that are coming out.”

The only catch, notes Green: 3CX works only as well as a company’s Internet connection. He recommends steering clear of DSL and sticking with a cable modem or better for good performance.

So there you have it: Equal time for a smaller player in the IP PBX market. Keep the story tips coming in. The VAR Guy is listening.

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The VAR Guy

Siemens Unified Communications Adds Social Networking

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Windows Azure: Microsoft’s Cloud Schedule

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Parallels Small Business Panel Targets Cloud Service Providers

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Symantec CEO: SaaS Will Be 15 Percent of Revenues

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Google Apps: ISV Partner Program Coming?

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Red Hat Promotes Enterprise Virtualization Platform to VARs

Money Matters

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Ingram Micro: Security Gets Physical

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TeamLogic IT Gains PR Buzz From Windows 7

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U.S. VAR Franchise Dials Asterisk, Open Source and Fonality

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Confirmed: Microsoft Cuts SaaS Pricing

Microsoft’s Position

Tricky Spot

Going Global

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Cisco Unified Computing: Distributors Show Their Love

Cisco’s Server Channel Grows

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3CX Phone System: Software PBX Meets the Channel

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