IT Channel News

• Week of 14 May 2012 Health care VDI projects in high demand (16 May 2012)

  Solution providers report that health care VDI projects are in demand and creating channel opportunities.

• Dell offers social media training for channel partners (MicroScope.co.uk | 15 May 2012)

  After seeing success using social media for customer service and support, Dell has launched a series of social media training sessions for VARs.

• 'Big data' shops eye cheaper four-socket Intel Xeon servers (SearchDataCenter.com | 14 May 2012)

  What once required high-end Intel E7 processors and motherboards now fits into a lower-cost E5-4600 four-socket Intel Xeon system, suitable for scale-out workloads in HPC and big data.

• Week of 07 May 2012 To the cloud: Solution providers offer cloud assessment, deployment services (10 May 2012)

  As more companies look to the cloud, IT solution providers find opportunities in guiding customers through cloud assessment and pilot project deployment.

• What does the server market hold in store for 2012? (MicroScope.co.uk | 07 May 2012)

  Global server sales are picking up in 2012, but EMEA based channel partners are seeing slower sales.

• Week of 30 Apr 2012 Partner focus strengthens CA Technologies’ channel strategy (30 Apr 2012)

  CA Technologies is changing how it interacts with the channel and has launched a fresh partner program with a new portal that offers training and marketing support for partners.

• Week of 23 Apr 2012 Microsoft Windows 8 VDI licensing adds BYOD licensing complexity, cost (SearchVirtualDataCentreUK.com | 26 Apr 2012)

  Microsoft’s VDI licensing option in Windows 8 requires customers pay fees to allow user devices such as iPads to access Windows-based corporate virtual desktops.

• Mobile data management in spotlight as SMB tablet use grows (23 Apr 2012)

  The best way to secure data in the tablet age is to establish centralized data policies and implement mobile data management, solution providers say.

• Week of 16 Apr 2012 HP Blue Carpet program rewards individual reps for training, product sales (18 Apr 2012)

  HP Blue Carpet partner portal rewards sales reps who get more training and sell across the suite of HP products.

• Cisco Partner Summit 2012: Partner Plus program rewards SMB partners (SearchNetworkingChannel.com | 20 Apr 2012)

  Cisco announced its new Partner Plus program at the Cisco Partner Summit 2012, offering incentives to partners that win business in the SMB market.

• Week of 09 Apr 2012 IBM, Cisco, NetApp converged infrastructure systems worth the price? (SearchDataCenter.com | 11 Apr 2012)

  IBM, Cisco, and NetApp released new converged infrastructure offerings this week, but the high price tag might drive IT customers away.

• Channel eyes ultrabook market for road warriors (11 Apr 2012)

  As more vendors jump into the ultrabook market, VARs see frequent business travelers as potential customers. But ultrabook sales could eat into their traditional PC businesses.

• Week of 02 Apr 2012 HotLink offers virtualization VARs multi-hypervisor management tool (03 Apr 2012)

  The new HotLink channel program helps virtualization VARs stand out with a virtualization manager tool that could lead to additional business.

• Mobile videoconferencing drives unified communications systems demand (05 Apr 2012)

  VARs see more interest in unified communications systems as customers embrace mobile videoconferencing.

• Week of 26 Mar 2012 MSPs struggle with BYOD pricing (MicroScope.co.uk | 29 Mar 2012)

  A lack of standardization in consumer devices has led MSPs to have difficulty around setting up support prices for consumer devices in the workplace.

• Cloud aggregator Modular DPS launches program for turnkey cloud backup services (SearchStorageChannel.com | 27 Mar 2012)

  Cloud aggregator Modular DPS is offering a cloud backup services package for VARs and MSPs, combining resources from Intel’s Hybrid Cloud Program, 6fusion and MSPexcellence.

• Week of 19 Mar 2012 F5 Vault program embraces incentives for F5 firewall, security sales (SearchSecurityChannel.com | 23 Mar 2012)

  The Vault partner program uses incentives to increase visibility for F5 firewalls and its architecture bundle.

• Online data storage services can still be profitable, providers say (22 Mar 2012)

  Solution providers can use online data storage services as the first step toward selling more valuable IT services to customers.

• Dell-SonicWALL acquisition: Channel benefits and some concerns (SearchNetworkingChannel.com | 23 Mar 2012)

  The Dell-SonicWALL acquisition could benefit channels from both companies, but SonicWALL partners want to be sure they're recognized and supported in the Dell ranks.

• AMD Opteron 3200 targets cost-conscious hosting providers (SearchDataCenter.com | 19 Mar 2012)

  AMD’s latest server processor line is aimed at dedicated hosting providers that value price over performance and power efficiency.

• Week of 12 Mar 2012 Managed video conferencing services finally in demand (13 Mar 2012)

  MSPs can use IT management platforms to provide managed video conferencing services and save customers money, time and headaches.

• Cloud providers defy Microsoft licensing to compete with OnLive (SearchVirtualDesktop.com | 14 Mar 2012)

  OnLive's free Windows app for iPad is still available, despite Microsoft's licensing rules. Now, DaaS providers fight back.

• Microsoft Office 15 features, licensing details emerge (SearchEnterpriseDesktop.com | 15 Mar 2012)

  Microsoft Office 15 will include radical changes to the way the product is bought and licensed. An Office for iPad app may also be on its way.

• Intel Tri-Gate 3D processor aims to beat the heat, boost performance (15 Mar 2012)

  The new Intel Tri-Gate chip is designed to use less energy and provides faster speeds. This 3D processor line may help VARs solve clients’ data center problems.

• What's delaying customer vSphere 5 upgrades? (The Virtualization Room | 15 Mar 2012)

  VMware customers are not upgrading to vSphere 5, citing trepidation over bugs first as well as the lack of major feature updates in the latest hypervisor.

• Service providers trade Cisco UCS for commodity gear (SearchDataCenter.com | 13 Mar 2012)

  Cisco UCS is selling like hotcakes in enterprise data centers, but some cloud and hosting providers say it’s too inflexible – and expensive – for them.

• Week of 27 Feb 2012 Microsoft delivers first Windows Server 8 beta containing new features (SearchWindowsServer.com | 01 Mar 2012)

  Microsoft finally made the leap on Leap Day, delivering the first Windows Server 8 beta containing dozens of enhanced features across the product.

• Hard disk drive shortage takes aim at enterprise SAS, SATA in 2012 (SearchStorageChannel.com | 29 Feb 2012)

  Headlines: Analysts and vendors expect the hard disk drive shortage caused by Thailand floods to curtail availability of enterprise SAS and SATA drives until at least the second half of 2012.

• VM sprawl brings virtual infrastructure management solutions opportunities (29 Feb 2012)

  Customers are turning to the channel for virtual infrastructure management solutions that address VM sprawl and provide more business visibility.

• Week of 20 Feb 2012 Hyper-V SMB shops seek System Center 2012 alternatives (SearchDataCenterIN.com | 22 Feb 2012)

  Some small Hyper-V shops look to third-party Hyper-V monitoring and reporting tools as an alternative to the new mammoth Microsoft System Center 2012 bundles.

• Oracle-Avnet deal shows demand for health care IT services (24 Feb 2012)

  The health care IT market is heating up, and Avnet now has a partnership with Oracle to offer more health care IT services through the channel.

• BYOD drives UC and collaboration spending (MicroScope | 21 Feb 2012)

  The bring your own device (BYOD) trend has spurred IT directors to look for more unified communications and collaboration technology, making it the hottest trend in the market according to the...

• Channel marketing strategy: Seven steps for 21st-Century success (21 Feb 2012)

  Solution providers need to develop a channel marketing strategy that goes beyond word of mouth and vendors’ programs. Those alone just don’t cut it these days.

• Week of 13 Feb 2012 HP previews ProLiant refresh as users eye Cisco UCS (SearchDataCenter.com | 13 Feb 2012)

  HP touts new management capabilities for the forthcoming Generation 8 of its ProLiant servers, but some users say they are already looking elsewhere.

• VMware SMB appeal still lags Microsoft, VARs say (15 Feb 2012)

  VMware has an uphill battle against Microsoft when it comes to appealing to SMBs, VARs at the VMware Partner Exchange conference say.

• Cisco UCS partners see growing cloud opportunities (14 Feb 2012)

  Cisco’s Unified Computing System has helped some integrators become cloud providers. Now it drives more virtualization business for other Cisco UCS partners.

• VMware channel partners eye new incentives (15 Feb 2012)

  Some partners see a competitive advantage in VMware’s new focus on specific topics, but smaller partners may not have the resources to diversify.

• Hard drive prices to remain elevated in 2012 (MicroScope.co.uk | 13 Feb 2012)

  Despite increased production of hard disk drives (HDD), the supply chain will remain constrained leaving prices high for at least two more quarters, according to IHS market analysts.

• Week of 06 Feb 2012 Telecom agents make tough transition to managed services (08 Feb 2012)

  Some telecom agents are partnering with the IT channel and telecom master agents to explore managed services and combat the threat of VoIP.

IT Channel News Archive