The VAR Guy

It’s a small partnership that could have a big impact in the world of open source networking. Two tiny companies — Digium and Vyatta — have caught The VAR Guy’s attention. And they deserve your attention, too.

The VAR Guy continues to use an Apple MacBook Pro at work. But he just opened his wallet to purchase an Ubuntu Linux PC from Dell for his home. Why? Glad you asked. Here’s his reasoning.

In order to compete more effectively against SAP in the applications space, Oracle CEO Larry Ellison spent most of this decade buying up software companies. Hmmm. What if Nortel Networks uses the same approach to compete head-on against Cisco Systems? A first step could involve Nortel acquiring Avaya. But The VAR Guy thinks Nortel shouldn’t stop there.

Takeover rumors can spread unchecked during three-day weekends in the US. One prime example: The VAR Guy and other networking pundits are wondering if Avaya is up for sale. Here’s why.

Finally. Dell has begun taking online orders for Ubuntu Linux PCs. You’ll find them available for purchase here. The VAR Guy plans to purchase one this week. He’ll let you know how the process goes.

Much of the tech media is suffering from memory loss today. Many bloggers and so-called journalists are reporting that Dell is moving into retail for the first time. Actually, Dell has made this move before and the results weren’t pretty. Will the outcome be different this time around? Perhaps. Here’s why.

You can tell a lot from a person’s body language. During a meeting with The VAR Guy yesterday, Nortel executives looked confident and delivered concise information about the company’s five-part networking strategy. What a difference a year makes. First, let’s look at Nortel’s recent moves. Then let’s compare those moves to the Nortel of 2005 or early 2006.

Some pundits think Google’s online applications are the biggest threat to Microsoft’s Office revenue. But another online office suite, from privately held Zoho, is also reaching a critical mass of users, according to Zoho Evangelist Raju Vegesna.

It has already started. Much in the way that Microsoft once dismissed Linux as a competitive threat, some traditional networking companies are telling their customers that Asterisk–the open source VoIP system–is software that businesses can’t trust. That type of attitude could backfire.

The VAR Guy must be getting a little bit older. He’s in Las Vegas this week for Interop as well as Juniper’s J-Partner Summit. It’s the perfect opportunity to blog (or gamble … or worse) all night — and sleep all day. But instead, he’s been tied up in meetings with technology companies. Yes, he still has to post details of his exclusive interview with Juniper CEO Scott Kriens from May 21. And he also has several Interop meetings to recap for you. To get started, here are seven highlights from Juniper’s partner summit.