Comments on: Technology Giant Plans Open Source Channel Partner Initiative

By: The VAR Guy

The VAR Guy — Wed, 27 May 2009 17:52:55 +0000

An Update: The VAR Guy added Alfresco’s Matt Asay for his perspectives on Tech Data’s potential open source partner moves.

Asay’s perspective:

“We are always looking for great partners to help Alfresco distribute and deploy its software. We’re glad to see Tech Data paying attention to open source, and believe that solutions like Alfresco’s offer Tech Data a way to better serve its customers with high-quality, low-cost solutions.”

Translation: Alfresco sounds interested in working with Tech Data.

By: The VAR Guy

The VAR Guy — Wed, 27 May 2009 15:55:41 +0000

Scott: Always great to see your perspectives. Yes, Tech Data is showing some great promise with this potential open source initiative.

Plus, you bring up a GREAT point The VAR Guy failed to mention: Blended source solutions … examples include SugarCRM running on Windows, Oracle running on Linux, and so on.

It’s not going to a be a pure open or closed source world. Blended source will rule for decades to come. And Tech Data sounds like it wants to offer a full range of open and closed source options that VARs can piece together into solutions.

By: Scott Lewis

Scott Lewis — Wed, 27 May 2009 14:32:04 +0000

This is a good move on Tech Data’s part. Tech Data has been shifting from broadline distributor to value-added distributor for a long time now and bringing open source software together with other elements to make solutions more ready for VARs is good for them, good for VARs, good for vendors and good for customers.

I wouldn’t get too hung up on the specific marketing phrases like “voice for open source in distribution” any more than I’d nitpick the VAR Guy’s choice of “open source hardware solutions” as a phrase. The intent to bring together open source with other open source software and with hardware and non-open source software to make more complete solutions available in the market is valuable. Raising awareness and readiness of VARs to sell and deliver these solutions is equally valuable.

By: The VAR Guy

The VAR Guy — Wed, 27 May 2009 13:24:37 +0000

Suezz: You raise an interesting point. In reality, Canonical isn’t mentioned by name in the Tech Data presentation viewed by The VAR Guy. Instead, Ubuntu is mentioned … so it’s a small tip of the hat to Canonical.

The VAR Guy’s sister site, http://www.WorksWithU.com (the independent guide to Ubuntu), plans to cover some of the potential Canonical/Tech Data opportunities this week.

By: The VAR Guy

The VAR Guy — Wed, 27 May 2009 12:30:56 +0000

Bobber47: Becoming “the voice of open source in distribution” seems like a bit of a corporate stretch goal… … The VAR Guy wouldn’t get too distracted by the words. Tech Data first has to become “a voice” for open source in distribution, before it can hope (if ever) to become “the voice…”

Rich: The VAR Guy thinks Tech Data is serious about open source. He hears the distributor was bit upset when Red Hat (one of their partners) decided to launch the Open Source Channel Alliance initially with Synnex, another distributor. With Synnex and Tech Data both showing serious interest in open source, healthy competition should ensure that this is more than an “epiphany” or “revelation” moment and truly a long-term priority for both companies.

By: suezz

suezz — Wed, 27 May 2009 12:29:20 +0000

I am glad Canonical is on the list. The latest release Jaunty is their best ever release. This should be on every corporations shopping list for the desktop.

By: rich

rich — Wed, 27 May 2009 11:08:52 +0000

I wonder if it’s one of those “epiphany” or “revelation” things like “I’m born again” religious moments on Tech Data’s part? “I saw the light!” How long will a successful model based on this “epiphany” last?

I think it is inherent to the commercial business model to try and make the (potential) customers believe that they are the one and only source and that the costumer should not even entertain the slightest notion of looking elsewhere to fill their needs. Presumptuous, isn’t it?

By: Bobber47

Bobber47 — Wed, 27 May 2009 07:21:47 +0000

The goal of spreading open-source, educating potential users, and expanding the business model sounds great. But isn’t “the voice of open source in distribution” a bit of an overblown oxymoron? They could be a major distributor (contact point) for support from open-source suppliers, but open-source is inherently….open and unrestricted. There can’t be a single voice or source (besides the developers) without damaging the paradigm.