The VAR Guy

Finally, the first official Verizon-Apple relationship to actually pop up. With the iPad being sold nearly everywhere now (including Walmart, Target, Best Buy and more) Apple has decided it’d be prudent to roll out the iPad where people care about mobile life. AT&T and Verizon retail stores will be Selling the iPad by the end of October 2010. Here’s the scoop…

RightScale, which provides cloud management software, is also one of the IT channel’s biggest evangelists for a SaaS-ified world. So it’s no surprise that the company is allowing users of the RightScale Cloud Management Platform to publish and share custom cloud templates and components with an eye towards expanding their library of pre-configured solutions. Here are some details.

That’s not Photoshop, that’s the actual picture Apple sent in their media announcement about an October 20th 2010 event. And yes, that is a lion behind the Apple logo. And gee, that really does look a bit like the touch-pad on a MacBook Pro…and well…are you excited yet?

Business process management (BPM) is one of those IT services that have traditionally been relegated to the realm of the large enterprise. But now IBM is launching Blueworks Live, a BPM solution delivered by channel partners to SMB customers by way of the cloud, for as little as $10/user/month. Here’s the story.

VMware is bolstering its cloud strategy by introducing a new set of products designed to drive IT as a Service. The announcement comes from Denmark as VMware kicks off VMworld 2010 Europe. Keep reading for the details, including a service provider partner program effort.

Vyatta is partnering with Sourcefire in an effort to boost security and network protection. It’ll be rolled into the Vyatta PLUS suite. Here’s the scoop…

So The VAR Guy tends to talk at some length about how cloud service platforms have the potential to change everything for ISVs, SIs, and VARs. But how do you get there? Microsoft aims to help partners answer that question with the launch of Windows Azure Platform University, a full-day event designed to provide sales readiness for cloud services. Here’s the story.

With Ubuntu 10.10, the latest version of the world’s most popular Linux distribution, having made its debut on October 10, it’s time for a new release cycle to begin.  To get a sense of what Ubuntu developers might be focusing on going forward, I spoke recently with Canonical’s Steve George, VP of business development.  Here’s what he had to say.

Intel is looking to plug a new “Open Pluggable Specification” in an effort to create an open standard for all digital signage devices. Intel and it’s partners (including Microsoft, NEC, and the Taiwan Digital Signage Special Interest Group) are on board. But is this just Intel trying to corner the market? Here’s the scoop…

Halloween hasn’t even arrived. In the U.S., the Thanksgiving holiday remains more than a month away. But here’s a potential nightmare before, er, after Christmas that VARs need to consider now: At McAfee Global Partner Day, executives openly wondered if CIOs and solutions providers will be ready to support millions of new iPads, iPhones and Google Android devices that consumers bring to work after the holidays.

Storage usually isn’t the most exciting technology in the world. It’s a utility, and utilities often are, well, utilitarian. LSI, however, has always been viewed highly by the channel for its innovation in storage technology. In my opinion, the company doesn’t disappoint with its latest offering, the LSI SAS6160 switch. The 6Gb/s SAS (Serial Attached SCSI) switch enables multiple servers in direct-attached storage environments to connect to one or more external storage systems, extending the capabilities of SAS.

Messaging provider and aspiring Microsoft competitor Open-Xchange has inked a partnership with eZuce Inc. to provide enterprises with a unified communications solution built on open source code. The offering can be deployed on-premises or from the cloud. Here’s the scoop.

VMware’s push into the corporate email market continues. The latest move involves Zimbra Desktop 2.0. Jim Morrisroe, VP at Zimbra, briefed me about the new release and potential channel partner opportunities. Here’s the  scoop.

Like a classic Hollywood movie trailer, Cisco Senior VP Keith Goodwin knows how to engage and tease his target audience. To wit, Goodwin is describing four strategic pillars that will potentially drive Cisco’s ongoing partner success. Goodwin didn’t share any “breaking” news during a recent conversation with The VAR Guy. But it was clear that he was setting the stage for several potential partner program moves — including a more definitive effort in the SMB and commercial markets. Here’s the update.

As Leo Apotheker (pictured) attempts to settle in as Hewlett-Packard’s new CEO on November 1, Apotheker may also need to face his first business distraction. Indeed, Oracle apparently intends to call Apotheker — SAP’s former CEO — as a witness in an Oracle vs. SAP trial, according to The Wall Street Journal. Here’s the update.

During the McAfee Global Partner Day in Las Vegas, Global Channel Chief Alex Thurber and Executive VP Mike DeCesare (pictured) described how McAfee will streamline its go-to-market strategy in 2011, potentially opening up new opportunities for VARs and MSPs that want to target SMB and commercial customers. Moreover, Thurber described how McAfee will introduce new SaaS and xSP partner programs for the channel. Here are 15 highlights from today’s keynotes.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer today launched Windows Phone 7, but rumors involving (1) Verizon and the iPhone and (2) Amazon and a Google Android marketplace reinforce the fact that Microsoft remains an underdog in the smartphone market. Here’s what Microsoft has to say about Windows Phone 7, plus the latest competitive chatter.

McAfee, in conjunction with the McAfee Focus 10 and McAfee Channel Partner Day conferences, is launching the McAfee Partner Community. The move is part of a larger McAfee channel acceleration effort that promotes on-premises, SaaS and managed security solutions to partners. How will VARs potentially benefit? Here are some clues from McAfee Global Channel Chief Alex Thurber.

Motorola’s a company more associated with cellphones than wireless networking solutions. That said, the enterprise networking arm of the company has come out with architecture for its lines of wireless APs and controllers that are smart enough to route traffic along the most optimal path to prevent bottlenecking, bringing to companies the full benefits of 802.11n. Here are the details.

Just in time for the Ubuntu 10.10 (Maverick Meerkat) release, Stack Exchange has introduced a new website, called askubuntu.com, dedicated to Q&A for Ubuntu users, developers and partners. Here’s a look, and some thoughts on where the site fits into the Ubuntu ecosystem.

Normally, I wouldn’t get overly excited about a jailbreak being released, but October 9th’s 2010 jailbreak is a new kind. What’s more, with Daylight Savings Time coming up, iPhone users are at risk for oversleeping. Here’s the scoop, and why channel folks should care…

The VAR Guy lands in Las Vegas shortly. Next stop: McAfee Focus 10, a major conference that includes the McAfee Global Partner Day. More than 700 global partners are scheduled to attend the event. No doubt, attendees plan to learn how McAfee’s channel partner program will potentially operate under Intel’s planned ownership. But that’s not all. Here are five questions The VAR Guy plans to pose to McAfee Global Channel Chief Alex Thurber (pictured) and North America Channel Chief Fernando Quintero.

Time for The VAR Guy to get back on the road. Next stop: McAfee Focus 10, a major conference that’s expected to attract more than 700 McAfee channel partners. But before The VAR Guy lands at McAfee Focus, here are six channel partner blog entries our resident blogger didn’t have time to write for the week ending October 8, 2010.