The VAR Guy

Microsoft is pushing forward with Windows Azure — the company’s cloud-based Windows Server system. And Oracle continues to accelerate its SaaS (software as a service) strategy for ISVs (independent software vendors). Are Oracle and Microsoft on a collision course in the cloud? Yes and no. Here’s why. And here’s what ultimately matters to VARs.

Nearly 200 channel partners are set to attend Cisco Partner Velocity (Nov. 10-12, Paris). Instead of pitching networking products, Cisco designed the agenda to assist channel partners with their marketing, branding, social media and video content strategies. In fact, attending partners will receive marketing campaign services worth up to (US)$5,000. Here’s the scoop.

A rather interesting rumor just landed in The VAR Guy’s voicemail. A trusted source claims Microsoft is gradually unplugging its corporate phones and transitioning many employees to Lenovo ThinkPads running Microsoft Office Communicator. Is Unified Communications about to invade Microsoft’s Redmond, Wash., campus? Here’s the (alleged) scoop.

There’s a lot of buzz about Google Chrome and the impending Google Chrome OS. But something strange happened Oct. 28. Gizmodo briefly posted an article saying Chrome OS was out. But was the report true?

The VAR Guy concedes: He needs some latte — and an upgrade to improve site performance. Across the board, Nine Lives Media Inc.’s web traffic is up 140 percent in October 2009 vs. October 2008. The VAR Guy thanks you for your growing readership. And he’s taking two steps to improve site responsiveness: A hardware upgrade from his service provider plus a few software architecture tweaks. Our resident blogger will post a follow-up comment to this blog entry as soon as the adjustments are completed. In the meantime The VAR Guy appreciates your readership. He’s listening to your feedback and responding with site upgrades.

Novell Chief Marketing Officer John Dragoon popped up in a surprising location this week. Dragoon, who also serves as Novell’s channel chief, wrote a column on Forbes.com. In it, Dragoon declares consumers will be the big winners in the operating system battles between Apple, Google, Microsoft and Linux. The column is an interesting read. And it begs the question: Is Novell prepping more SUSE Linux desktop and mobile moves? Here are some answers.

I was involved in a  recent survey of 200 VAR’s and systems integrators — and the results showed less than stellar usage of Social Media platforms. Under 60% use LinkedIn and approximately 38% are using Twitter. Okay, not horrible…but how many of them are using it correctly?

MySQL, the open source database that Oracle may soon own, has made the leap into Amazon Web Services. Indeed, Amazon says MySQL has come to the cloud in the form of new Relational Database Service (RDS). Plus, Amazon is dropping cloud prices across the board and putting in new high-memory instance options on the Amazone Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) platform. Here’s why VARs should care.

Digium — which promotes Asterisk, the open source IP PBX — is gathering data to help accelerate the company’s push into corporate enterprises. The effort includes a comprehensive survey, conducted with the 451 Group, about the potential financial benefits of open source. Here’s the scoop.

Symantec appears to be making some subtle but strategic changes to its SaaS and channel partner efforts. Say goodbye to the Symantec Protection Network and hello to Symantec Hosted Services and the new Symantec Partner Community. The VAR Guy suspects many of those efforts will be discussed at Symantec Partner Engage (Nov. 4-6, Orlando). Here’s the scoop.

As Canonical prepares for Ubuntu 9.10’s October 29 launch, the company’s channel and partner management team is developing an Ubuntu Enterprise Cloud training course for VARs, partners and IT managers. Here’s the scoop.

Cisco has announced its intent to buy ScanSafe, which provides security to software as a service applications, for $183 million. This is Cisco’s third acquisition in the month of October, if you’re keeping score.

Ingram Micro has acquired UK player CCD (Computacenter Distribution) in an effort to expand its international data center capabilities. CCD is a wholesaler of servers, storage and other tech in the UK. The completion of the acquisition is slated for early November. No terms were disclosed.

Microsoft is using a classic “free” strategy to engage and train the next-generation IT channel. As part of the company’s DreamSpark program, college and high school students can get Microsoft software for free — including the new Windows Server 2008 R2. Here’s some quick info about the strategy.

For VARs looking to mix and match Windows 7 and Mac OS X on customer systems, Parallels may have the answer. The company, which created Parallels Desktop for the Mac, has announced experimental support for Windows 7 in version 4.0 of their software. Here are some early impressions.

Red Hat has invested in EnterpriseDB, the two companies confirmed today. The move accelerates EnterpriseDB’s momentum with big-name partners and also gives Red Hat a hedge against the pending Oracle-Sun-MySQL business combination that awaits regulatory approval. Here’s some more analysis.

As Microsoft prepares to officially launch Windows Azure — its cloud-based Windows platform — the software giant has introduced key perks for those within the Microsoft Developers Network (MSDN). Here are the details.

Canonical appears on track to release Ubuntu 9.10 Desktop and Server editions on Thursday, Oct. 29. In anticipation of the launch, Canonical CEO Mark Shuttleworth is expected to address the media later today (Oct. 26). The VAR Guy will be listening closely and sister site WorksWithU hopes to explore the following eight questions about Ubuntu 9.10 and Canonical’s direction.

Apple finally has information on running Windows 7 under Boot Camp. Alas, not all Macs are compatible with Microsoft’s new operating system. Here’s the scoop:

Hosted Microsoft applications are all the rage in the SaaS market. The latest move involves Intermedia — which specializes in Hosted Exchange — inking a relationship with Ingram Micro Seismic, the master MSP (managed service provider). Here’s a look at the deal and the implications for VARs and MSPs.

Netgear wants to be the Swiss Army Knife of SMB security. The company continues to promote a unified threat management device — called the ProSecure UTM10 — for VARs and solutions providers serving the small and midsize business markets. Here’s a look at Netgear’s strategy.

Windows 7 is out the door, but Microsoft has its hands full with another Windows development effort: Windows Azure, which will allow independent software vendors (ISVs) to develop and run applications in Microsoft’s cloud. Here’s an update on Windows Azure, and the implications for VARs and channel partners.

Even as the mainstream PC market rallies around Windows 7, some niche PC suppliers are gearing up to support Canonical’s Ubuntu 9.10 launch on October 29. True believers in Ubuntu 9.10 (Karmic Koala) include System 76 and ZaReason — two niche PC makers that are well-known in the open source industry. Jump on over to WorksWithU for a look at System76’s plans plus ZaReason’s plans, which stretch from Ubuntu netbooks up to servers.