The VAR Guy

Ubuntu is poised to take another small but significant step into corporate enterprises, thanks to Bomgar, the appliance-based remote support software specialist. When Bomgar 10.4 debuts November 16, it will support a growing list of Linux distributions, including Ubuntu, Red Hat and SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop. Here are the implications for Ubuntu administrators.

The VAR Guy’s sources were right. Microsoft’s Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS) team has cut SaaS (software as a service) prices on multiple applications — including Microsoft Exchange Online, Microsoft SharePoint Online and Microsoft Office Communications Online. Some pundits suggest it’s the start of a SaaS price war with Google Apps. Here’s the scoop, and the implications for channel partners.

Distributors are falling over each other to show Cisco Systems channel partners some data center love. A prime example: Only hours after Westcon Group Inc. said its Comstor division will distribute Cisco’s Unified Computing System, Ingram Micro reiterated its Cisco data center push. But there’s a bigger story here: Cisco’s server channel is growing. Here’s the scoop.

The VAR Guy has spent plenty of time covering Asterisk — the open source IP PBX — in recent weeks. But a few solutions providers are telling our resident blogger to give equal time to 3CX, which develops a software PBX for Windows. What’s the story?  You’re about to find out.

It has been a few months since Novell launched the SUSE Appliance program. So we checked in with Novell to see how the effort was going so far. Matt Richards, director, emerging technologies, and Steve Hale, VP and worldwide data center channel lead, offered me a few updates on Oct. 30. Here’s a recap of my conversation.

WatchDox, a software-as-a-service document security platform from Confidela, launches its partner program for resellers today. Here’s the lowdown.

Lenovo’s is pulling back the curtain on an all-in-one unit called the Lenovo ThinkCenter A70z. The PC represents a significant step for Lenovo, and has potential implications for channel partners. Here are the details.

In its ongoing war against Google Apps, Microsoft is mulling comprehensive SaaS (software as a service) price cuts, according to two sources that are familiar with Microsoft’s SaaS strategy. Here’s a look at the situation, and the potential implications for VARs and managed service providers that are trying to figure out whether to partner or compete with Microsoft’s SaaS initiatives.