The VAR Guy

Sure, Voltage Security is gaining momentum with traditional channel partners. But take a closer look, and you’ll see that the company also has a SaaS (software as a service) strategy that’s starting to connect with partners.

Lots of open source fans booed when Novell jumped into bed with Microsoft. But perhaps sleeping with Microsoft really is good for Novell’s health. Anecdotal evidence is starting to suggest that CIOs (chief information officers) actually like seeing Novell and Microsoft arm in arm.

Perhaps Zoho, the SaaS (software as a service) alternative to Google Apps, isn’t such a market underdog. Zoho now has 250 employees, expects to be profitable in 2009, and is embarking on an open source middleware strategy, The VAR Guy has learned. Our resident blogger spoke with Sridhar Vembu, CEO of Zoho parent AdventNet, for more details.

Sometimes, small deals are big indicators about where companies are heading next. Cisco’s $215 million acquisition of PostPath, for instance, speaks volumes about where John Chambers is taking the networking giant. Some folks say it’s a direct attack against Microsoft Exchange. The VAR Guy claims otherwise.

The next time somebody tells you Ubuntu Linux is just for the desktop, check out Egressive Limited, a solutions provider in New Zealand that’s gaining traction in the Ubuntu Server market. In fact, all of Egressive’s support customers now have Ubuntu servers at the center of their networks, and Egressive uses Ubuntu exclusively as the company’s hosting system. Is this part of a bigger “hidden” trend? The VAR Guy sure seems to think so. Here’s why.

So, word has leaked that the New York Mets’ new stadium, Citi Field, will use Unified Communications from Nortel Networks. Wonderful. Seems right. The Mets (like Nortel) have always been an underdog compared to their crosstown rivals (Cisco, er, the Yankees). Still, The VAR Guy would trade the Mets’ high-tech advancements for one decent relief pitcher who won’t blow a big lead to the Phillies.

Dell Channel Chief Greg Davis says the company is exploring a range of new partner initiatives, including IT certifications for health care and federal government partners. Davis also says changes are coming to Dell’s deal registration system, which currently doesn’t accept engagements valued at under $50,000. For more, check out a podcast with Davis hosted by our sister site, MSPmentor.

Initially, The VAR Guy was upbeat about Google Android. But the more he hears about the mobile open source environment, the more he worries that Google is starting to resemble Microsoft. Here’s why.

Gas is expensive … inflation is rising … yada, yada, yada… where should solutions providers focus their efforts amid the economic turmoil? Finally, some answers from OnForce, the online marketplace for IT service providers. OnForce has analyzed recent trends within its marketplace, and spotted some key areas of opportunity for solutions providers.

The VAR Guy has been researching the unified communications market in recent weeks. And he’s stumbled across an interesting trend: More and more open source startups are pushing into the unified communications market. Here are four prime examples: