The VAR Guy

Twice in the past week, The VAR Guy has heard from channel sources who say “lunch and learns” — educational customer gatherings at local restaurants — are losing their appeal. Is it really time for VARs to scrap their lunch-and-learn efforts, or is it simply time for a menu makeover? Here’s some perspective from The VAR Guy.

What a difference a few weeks makes. During Cisco Partner Summit in April 2010, CEO John Chambers said the iPad was the first Apple device that he personally craved for business. Fast forward to the present and Cisco Systems is launching Cius, a business tablet that runs Google Android. Cisco Cius reinforces several key trends: The consumerization of corporate IT, the shift to mobile video and collaborative applications, and Google’s rise and Microsoft’s continued struggles in the mobile market. Here’s some more perspective from The VAR Guy.

Are you stuck plotting out how many wireless access points your customers’ enterprise, SMB or mansion needs? Aerohive says it has a solution for that. It’s a Wi-Fi planner that helps make the most of your money and plot out where 802.11n hotspots should live. Here’s the scoop…

Here’s the short story: Leaked NDA Microsoft slides that landed on an Italian blog site have spread like wildfire. The content of the slides shows that Microsoft is pushing some innovative technology for Windows 8, but also very much looking to Apple’s business model for inspiration. Here’s some analysis.

ServiceSource, which provides cloud-based revenue performance solutions to companies like CA Technologies, has announced Ganesh Bell, formerly of SAP’s executive team, will be taking over as their Executive VP of Products. The move ServiceSource says reflects the importance renewal rates are starting to have on the revenue of larger organizations. Here’s the scoop.

Messaging and collaboration solutions provider Atmail has announced a private email hardware appliance aimed squarely at small and mid-sized businesses and priced to move at $1,995. Here’s the scoop.

When Synnex, Red Hat and roughly a dozen software companies launched the Open Source Channel Alliance in April 2009, The VAR Guy thought it was a watershed event for open source VARs. But fast forward to mid-2010, and the Open Source Channel Alliance has been largely silent in recent months. Here’s the update.

During a fiscal year 2011 kick-off event for partners today, Oracle Channel Chief Judson Althoff (pictured) once again conceded that Oracle is taking Sun Microsystems’ top 4,000 accounts direct. But Althoff also mentioned that partners can target roughly 300,000 Oracle software customers that currently lack Sun solutions. Translation: Partner opportunities outnumber Oracle’s Sun direct sales opportunities by a margin of 75 to one. But will the math hold up over time? Here are some perspectives from The VAR Guy.

IBM is quietly sending a key message to channel partners and customers: If you’re leaving Lotus Notes for hosted Microsoft Exchange, then consider letting IBM host Exchange in Big Blue’s own data centers. The move comes as Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer personally visits corporate CIOs and pitches BPOS (Business Productivity Online Suite) and Exchange Online to customers. Here are the details.

Back in May 2010, we noted that major distributors were embracing Cisco’s Unified Computing System — which converges servers, storage and networking in the data center. That trend continues this week, with Avnet and Ingram Micro, respectively, promoting new Cisco UCS server efforts to VARs and channel partners. Here are the details.

Riverbed is expanding their relationship with Microsoft by combining Riverbed WAN optimization with Microsoft’s Forefront Threat Management Gateway (TMG). The solution is bundled together into on single appliance. Here’s a bit about the effort.

Scale-out storage solution provider Isilon has announced the new version of their OneFS storage operating system — with new data management applications SmartPools and InsightIQ. Isilon says they’re aiming to give the IT reseller channel an easier way to manage enterprise data. Here’s the scoop.

HP is releasing a new Fiber Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) module for the HP A5820 data center switch. The module is designed to prevent a “fork-lift” upgrade, allowing incremental updates and migrations for FCoE. HP is also introducing new TippingPoint S-series solutions. Here’s the scoop and some channel implications…

Oracle’s purchase of Sun Microsystems is old news by now. And although Oracle now says Sun’s business is profitable, I believe their approach to the existing Sun Microsystems channel has not been well received. But there are some clear opportunities for Sun VARs to generate profits. Here’s how.

The VAR Guy has had a few days to digest a range of news from Red Hat Summit (June 21-24, Boston). At first glance, Red Hat has three prime opportunities for partners — involving Linux, middleware and virtualization. And Red Hat Global Channel Chief Mark Enzweiler has three key messages for channel partners. But take a closer look and you’ll realize not all of the opportunities are created equally. Here’s a deeper dive.

Oracle Channel Chief Judson Althoff has spent the past eight months drinking from a fire hose. In late 2009, Althoff and his team launched the Oracle PartnerNetwork (OPN) Specialized partner program. In early 2010, Althoff played an encore with a range of specializations for Oracle and Sun Microsystems partners. Althoff’s next move occurs June 29, when Oracle kicks off its fiscal year 2011 channel strategy with partners. Here are the details — along with the opportunities and challenges awaiting Oracle partners.

Everyone loves a good rumor or two, especially about Apple and Steve Jobs. But sometimes some rumors just need to be put to rest. The latest rumor that — although questionable — has people thinking. It goes something like this: Will the next Macintosh computer run iOS, or a layered variant on top of it? A touch screen Mac? Maybe. The eradication of Mac OS X? Don’t count on it. Here’s the deal…

The Planet has launched Server Cloud, marking the Texas-based company’s entrance into the scalable platform-as-a-service (PaaS) market. The move comes as The Planet and other major hosting providers prepare to converge on HostingCon (July 19-21, Austin, Texas). Here’s what hosting resellers and developers should know.

Hosted messaging and collaboration provider Apptix is continuing its channel expansion. The latest moving involves HP and IBM/Rational Software veteran Aubrey Smoot being named VP of business development. I had the chance to talk to Smoot about his plans for the Apptix reseller program. Here’s the scoop.

The VAR Guy is starting to preparing for Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC), which starts July 11 in Washington, D.C. No doubt, Microsoft’s new channel chief will face plenty of questions from the software giant’s customer and partner base. But before thousands of us converge in D.C., here are six channel partner blog entries The VAR Guy and his team didn’t have time to write for the week ending June 25, 2010.

As small business IT solutions potentially shift into the cloud, some VARs and MSPs are striving to identify pieces of infrastructure (and recurring revenue opportunities) that can’t float away into a rival’s cloud. The idea, as ConnectWise CEO Arnie Bellini recently stated, is to find opportunities that allow you to drop anchor — forever — in your customers’ small business offices. So, what’s the most reliable IT anchor of all? Which single managed service opportunity will never go away? Hmmm…

There’s a Miracle on Ice. A Miracle on the Hudson. And a Miracle on 49th Street. Now, there’s a Miracle in Redwood City, where Oracle has quickly restored Sun Microsystems’ business to profitability. How exactly did that happen? Oracle shares some details in its June 24 quarterly financial release, while taking another round of competitive shots at SAP. Here are the details.

Lenovo is unleashing the IdeaPad Y560d as their first 3D laptop. It features a 3D display unique for multimedia, and comes with software and one pair of glasses. What’s the deal with the 3D craze, and can it help the common VAR? Read on…