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.

Many enthusiast PC sites create buying guides for people looking to build their own PC’s from components. For instance, The Tech Report released their latest system guide. For the first time they made a recommendation for a “mini-econobox” built around Intel’s Atom processor, and intended to be as small and quiet as possible. Their recommended OS for this machine? Ubuntu, of course.

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.

It’s time to brag and make yourself known. Whether you’re running one Ubuntu desktop or managing hundreds of Ubuntu systems, we want to know about it. Please fill this quick online survey, called the Works With U 1,000.

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:

Sparxent, a start-up company based in Salt Lake City, Utah, is seeking to acquire managed service providers and VARs that generate roughly $5 million to $20 million in annual revenues. The company, backed by vSpring Capital, today disclosed that it has acquired NetworkD Corp. of Newport Beach, California. Sparxent has also signed a letter of intent to acquire Arbyte of Moscow.

Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu, is getting serious about the server. The company is working hard to partner with 3rd party server application providers, and to develop the required core OS services for Ubuntu to make it a highly successful business server platform. There are many factors that make Ubuntu a strong server platform, but the top 5 are:

The VAR Guy and his sister site, MSPmentor, are scheduled to record a podcast August 26 with Greg Davis, vice president and general manager of Dell Inc.’s Americas Channel Group. Davis leads Dell’s PartnerDirect channel initiative. If you have questions or comments for Davis, please send them to our editorial director, Joe Panettieri (joe [at] ninelivesmediainc.com).

Earlier this week, Zimbra quietly released version 5.0.9 of the Open Source Edition of the Zimbra Collaboration Suite. This release is the first to offer official support for Ubuntu 8.04, the latest LTS release of Ubuntu. As evidenced by the traffic on this bug in Zimbra’s bug tracker, users of Zimbra on Ubuntu have been clamoring for this support since long before The Hardy Heron was released in April. Users of the ZCS on Ubuntu now have a clear upgrade path that will allow them to keep current on both components for the foreseeable future. Hopefully this release and the presence of Zimbra at the Canonical booth at OSCon are both indicators of an increasing synergy between these two groups. When you have the de facto leader in OSS groupware working with the de facto leader in OSS desktops, it can only mean good things!

Pardon the interruption. Works With U, the independent guide to Ubuntu Linux, is seeking two contributing bloggers who can write about the fast-growing operating system. Visit www.WorksWithU.com for details.

Works With U is seeking two contributing bloggers who can cover the following topics, submitting at least two blog posts per week:

• Beat 1: Mobile devices and software, including Ubuntu Netbooks Remix, Sub-notebooks and Notebooks
• Beat 2: Ubuntu Server Edition, server applications and server hardware

Interested bloggers should contact Editorial Director Joe Panettieri (joe [at] ninelivesmediainc.com). Please include a brief paragraph describing your Ubuntu expertise and writing expertise.

I was asked a rather startling question today. A fourth-grade kid from our neighborhood asked me if his parents should buy him a Linux NetBook to use for school work. My mouth dropped. As usual, it looks like the kids are ahead of the parents when it comes to technology. And perhaps kids in school will be the ones who create more pull — and more consumer demand — for Ubuntu Netbooks.

During this weak economy, lots of folks are writing articles describing how you can keep your job. The VAR Guy thinks it would be wiser for you to read articles on how to find a new job. Here’s why.

This just in: A start-up company, currently working in stealth mode, intends to acquire multiple VARs, integrators and managed service providers. Total combined revenues for the acquired companies will be about $100 million to $120 million.

Microsoft is sending another $100 million toward Novell as part of an ongoing Windows-SUSE Linux relationship. Here are five things Novell should do with that dough.

Jimmy likes Elaine Benes, but The VAR Guy no longer loves Seinfeld. The reason: Apparently, Jerry has signed on to pitch Microsoft’s Windows Vista, reports The Wall Street Journal. Wasn’t that a Macintosh sitting on the Seinfeld apartment set for a decade? Seinfeld should keep buying relatives Wizards and stay clear of PCs.