The VAR Guy - VAR, MSP and Solutions Provider News

CIO Influence Waning as CFOs Gain More Control Over IT Decisions

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:47:00 +0000

CIOs are under a lot of pressure these days. Well, to be perfectly honest, they’ve been under tremendous pressure for the past decade to keep their organizations on the cutting edge of technology and their information and systems secure, all while looking for ways to increase efficiency. They've seen their overall IT budgets remain stagnant but have needed to invest more in virtualization, mobile applications and integration, cloud computing and, of course IT, security.

HP Perks Up Hybrid PC Lineup with Windows 8 and Android Entries

Fri, 17 May 2013 05:17:00 +0000

Hewlett-Packard has expanded its x2 hybrid PC lineup with a Windows 8 entry and another based on Google's Android operating system, both of which are slated to start selling in the United States in August.

HP Targets SMBs with New Storage Array, Channel Partner Program

Fri, 17 May 2013 03:30:00 +0000

Hewlett-Packard has backed upgrades to its MSA entry disk array lineup and its StoreEasy Storage portfolio with tools, training, marketing and financial incentives to prompt channel partners to sell the line to businesses and government agencies.

Dell Q1 2014 Income Tumbles 79 Percent as Sales, Margins Slip

Fri, 17 May 2013 03:00:00 +0000

Dell elected to push up its Q1 2014 financial report by three business days from its scheduled May 21 date, amid accounts that it would post disappointing results and wanted to get the news out sooner rather than later. As expected, Dell missed Wall Street expectations, as its net income for the period tumbled 79 percent and per share earnings fell 81 percent. Sales and gross margins both slipped some 2 percent.

EdgeSpring Promises Dead-Simple Big Data Visualization

Thu, 16 May 2013 17:21:00 +0000

Hadoop, NoSQL and similar solutions for storing and managing Big Data have made plenty of headlines lately. But they're not the only thing happening in the world of Big Data. Data visualization, another key slice of this market, is also undergoing explosive growth as both new and established vendors roll out products for analyzing and interpreting large amounts of information. Read on for a look at the strategy of one of the latest, a start-up called EdgeSpring that live Thursday, and how it compares to other contenders.

BlackBerry Porting Popular Messaging App to Android, iOS Platforms

Thu, 16 May 2013 05:40:00 +0000

BlackBerry plans to release its popular BBM messaging service for Android and iOS platforms later this summer as a free app for users, according to BlackBerry chief executive Thorsten Heins.

Ingram Lands Access to Cisco GSA Schedule

Wed, 15 May 2013 21:05:00 +0000

Distributor Ingram Micro has landed a plum for its public sector business by gaining access to Cisco's General Services Administration (GSA) contract that spans the vendor's entire portfolio of products and services.

Software Testing: SOASTA Launches Partner Program for VARs, MSPs, ISVs

Wed, 15 May 2013 19:32:00 +0000

The channel saw the launch of a new partner program today at the intersection of mobile apps and the cloud, as SOASTA announced an initiative aimed at increasing its engagement with value-added resellers (VARs), managed service providers, independent software vendors (ISVs) and systems integrators (SIs).

BYOD Security: ZixCorp Tool Forces Data to Stay in the Cloud

Wed, 15 May 2013 19:02:00 +0000

When it comes to data security and prviacy in the age of the cloud, there are several different approaches evident in the channel. Some organizations try to keep sensitive information out of the public cloud, relying on internal infrastructure through tools like ownCloud. Others avoid the cloud altogether. But a more novel strategy, promoted this week in new software from ZixCorp, is to make users put everything in the cloud -- which, actually, could be a very good idea, provided the cloud itself is as safe as it should be.

Avnet Opens HP-Centric Big Data, Analytics Practice for Partners

Wed, 15 May 2013 18:37:00 +0000

Avnet Technology Solutions unit (ATS) has opened a new Big Data and analytics practice framed on Hewlett-Packard Vertica analytics platform and a set of custom, on-demand implementation services the distributor has developed and packaged.

Canonical Drives Open Source Innovation with Mir for Ubuntu Linux

Wed, 15 May 2013 18:11:00 +0000

If Canonical succeeds in making Ubuntu Linux widespread on phones and tablets, it will revolutionize the role of open-source software in mobile computing. But in a sense, the company has already achieved some remarkably revolutionary feats with Mir, the display server it started developing several months ago.

Sapphire Now: SAP Announces Business Suite on HANA Availability

Wed, 15 May 2013 17:07:00 +0000

SAP announced the general availability of Business One 9.0 at Sapphire Now. The latest version of the business management solution for small businesses offers enhanced capabilities for business partner and warehouse management, infrastructure and inventory management and improved systems performance.

Microsoft to Offer Free Windows 8.1 Update, Preview June 26

Wed, 15 May 2013 16:48:00 +0000

Microsoft will offer the Windows 8.1 update, code-named Windows Blue, as a free download to current Windows 8 and Windows RT users, and will preview the operating system software on June 26 to the public, timed to its Build developer conference in San Francisco.

Author, Marketing Guru Seth Godin to SAP ASUG Members: Risk Being Unique

Wed, 15 May 2013 15:55:00 +0000

Want to be an innovator? Then you need to take the risk of being unique and original while at the same time you collaborate with those around you. That's according to marketing guru Seth Godin who spoke at the SAP (NYSE: SAP) Sapphire Now and ASUG Conference.

Live Blog: Sapphire Now, SAP co-CEO Jim Hagemann Snabe on HANA in the Enterprise

Wed, 15 May 2013 15:30:00 +0000

SAP co-CEO Jim Hagemann Snabe discussed how enterprises are capitalizing on technology innovation in cloud, mobile, and in-memory computing, specifically SAP HANA --the company's in-memory computing technology.

Dell Unveils New Online Solutions Configurator, Talks Up SMB Study

Wed, 15 May 2013 02:09:00 +0000

In selling environments where speedy responses count, Dell (NASDAQ: DELL) has a new tool designed to help partners quickly craft custom, enterprise solutions for customers.

Open Source Workflow Platform ProcessMaker Unveils New Features

Tue, 14 May 2013 21:18:00 +0000

The success of many VARs in the open source ecosystem is based on their ability to repackage open source software into a user-friendly platform that offers real value to enterprises. And for a solid example of how to do that well, look no further than ProcessMaker, the workflow package from Colosa that debuted a much-enhanced version May 15.

Ubuntu Linux Community: Canonical to Close 'Brainstorm' Web Portal?

Tue, 14 May 2013 20:40:00 +0000

A few days ago, Canonical reiterated its commitment to restoring the Ubuntu "community" Web portal to front-and-center of official Ubuntu websites. At almost the same moment, news hit that the Ubuntu Technical Board has decided to discontinue the Ubuntu Brainstorm site, another part of ubuntu.com that has served in the past as a vector between developers and community members.

Intel Kills Hybrid Cloud Server, AppUp Small Business Service

Tue, 14 May 2013 18:20:00 +0000

Intel Hybrid Cloud and the Intel AppUp Small Business Software Service are dead. Intel killed the services based on weak business results, according to a letter from the chip giant to resellers.

Live Blog: Sapphire Now, SAP co-CEO Bill McDermott, and More

Tue, 14 May 2013 17:21:00 +0000

SAP (NYSE: SAP) Sapphire Now has kicked off and more than 600 SAP partners are in attendance to hear what SAP executives have to say on SAP HANA, mobility, cloud, and big data. SAP co-CEO Bill McDermott is expected to give opening remarks before a discussion among leading sports visionaries about customers and the power of technology to change the game.

Intel Hybrid Cloud Server: Dead or Alive?

Tue, 14 May 2013 13:53:00 +0000

Is Intel Hybrid Cloud Server dead? Have resellers lost another alternative to Microsoft Windows Small Business Server (SBS)? Is Microsoft Office 365 now the de-fault option for small business partners? The VAR Guy investigates.

SAP Sapphire Now: Partners Seek HANA Updates

Tue, 14 May 2013 12:50:00 +0000

SAP (NYSE:SAP) Sapphire Now is underway in Orlando, Fla. Mobile, social, cloud and Big Data updates are expected. What are SAP partners looking to hear about the software company's overall channel strategy? There are numerous answers. But SAP HANA updates are near the top of the list.

Ubuntu Linux Community: Canonical Vows to Maintain Focus

Tue, 14 May 2013 01:40:00 +0000

As Canonical works to make Ubuntu popular on tablets and smartphones, it is also keen to keep the peace with its users, as updates to official Ubuntu websites show.

SAP's Gilroy, Sullivan: Channel Partner Sales Still Rising

Mon, 13 May 2013 21:10:00 +0000

As SAP SapphireNow 2013 kicks off in Orlando, Fla., Channel Leaders like Kevin Gilroy and Meaghan Sullivan say the company's partner program momentum continues to accelerate. Here's why.

Michael Dell vs. Carl Icahn: Whom Can Partners Trust?

Mon, 13 May 2013 20:22:00 +0000

Carl Icahn is trying to buy Dell out from under Michael Dell and Silver Lake Partners. But which private equity deal is better for Dell's channel partners? The answer right now is obvious.

Intronis Channel Chief Answers Your Cloud Backup Questions

Mon, 13 May 2013 19:57:00 +0000

Intronis Channel Chief Neal Bradbury and CEO Rick Faulk will answer channel partner questions about cloud BDR revenue opportunities on our May 16 webcast. Join us.

SDN: Cash Contest Promotes Open-Source High-Speed Networking

Mon, 13 May 2013 01:55:00 +0000

Juniper Networks, Ciena, Brocade and Internet2 have partnered for a contest to promote innovation in open-source, software-defined networking (SDN) and next-generation networking, especially in the research and education realm.

How to Maximize Billable Tech Support Hours

Mon, 13 May 2013 01:42:00 +0000

How can VARs, MSPs and IT service providers maximize their tech support team's billable hours? ConnectWise Marketing Manager Brian Troy offers advice and tips.

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Canonical Promotes Ceph Big Data Storage System...For Red Hat?

Mon, 13 May 2013 00:55:00 +0000

Why is Canonical (Ubuntu's backer) promoting the new support that Ceph, the distributed storage system for Big Data from Inktank, now offers for Red Hat Enterprise Linux?

History of Linux: Time For Open Source Documentary

Mon, 13 May 2013 00:10:00 +0000

What is the history of Linux? A $10,000 Kickstarter campaign by Brian Thomason aims to support the creation of a video on the past, present and future of Linux.