The VAR Guy

Symantec is set to unleash a new management plug-in for VMware vCenter that integrates with Backup Exec. It’s designed to make it easy to protect VMware environments, while also reducing the risk and complexity involved with VM backups. Read on for the value-add for VARs …

ADTRAN is introducing new security features to boost the NetVanta routing and switching platforms. But it’s more than a standard update; this effort is designed for security and a productivity boost in target vertical markets. Read on for the details …

Back in July 2010, we wrote about the Cisco CIUS tablet, which runs a custom version of Google Android OS designed to integrate with Cisco’s UC environment. We asked if it wasn’t DOA already with all the iPad adoption in the enterprise space. Now, Cisco is teaming up with Verizon for a January 2011 announcement that’s shrouded in some mystery. Here’s what we know, and here’s some speculation…

Continuing its quest to make good on its commitment to integrate technology it acquired with its Nortel enterprise buy, Avaya has updated the Agile Communications Environment (ACE) to work seamlessly with its Aura communications platform, the company says.

Canonical COO Matt Asay intends to leave the company to join a start-up. Big news, indeed, especially since Asay held the COO post for only about 10 months. Is this a sign of Canonical’s maturity or of a messy situation within the Ubuntu provider? And what does his departure mean in broader terms to the open-source ecosystem, in which Asay is a key figure?  Read on for some thoughts.

The VAR Guy and his team spent most of this week sprinting through a marathon. Launching a sister site, called TalkinCloud, required some heavy lifting. But there’s no cause for alarm: Reinforcements are on the way. In the meantime, here are six channel partner blog entries The VAR Guy didn’t have a chance to write for the week ending Dec. 10, 2010.

It’s the perfect storm of TLAs (three-letter acronyms). Indeed, VARs and ISVs who leverage Amazon Web Services (AWS) now have a slew of mobile SDKs to enable their Apple iOS and Google Android mobile applications to access web service APIs directly. In plainer terms, Amazon Web Services has released tools making it easier for smartphone apps to get data into and out of its cloud. Here’s the scoop:

Attention top managed services providers: The fourth annual MSPmentor 100 survey, managed by The VAR Guy’s sister site, closes on Friday, December 17. Why should you participate in the global survey? And what are the potential benefits to MSPs that land on the MSPmentor 100 list? We’ve got all the answers in our MSPmentor 100 center. Also don’t forget to…

Motorola has unleashed a couple of new “enterprise mobile computers” designed for on-premise applications, with one model specifically geared for the healthcare environment. Both are based on Windows Mobile 6.5, which may seem odd at first — since Microsoft now pitches Windows Phone 7 to the channel. But Motorola’s reasons for backing Windows Mobile 6.5 actually make sense. Here’s why.

Needed more proof that the iPad is worth pitching to SMBs or enterprises? Look no further than a survey from Citrix Systems; the results revealed that 72 percent of iPad users have access to corporate resources, and 13 percent of users say it’s a mission-critical piece of hardware. Impressive. But that’s not all.

With all the talk about virtualization, energy efficiency and all the other ways for a company to save money on its IT costs, sometimes companies overlook the most obvious money-saver – avoiding downtime. A network outage can lead to lost productivity, lost revenue and – possibly the most important – lost customer trust.

I like Ubuntu 10.10, and thought it introduced some fantastic new features when it debuted in October 2010. Lately, however, my enthusiasm for the release has been clouded by lingering problems that remain unaddressed. Are these misgivings the inevitable result of an infatuation confronted with the inevitable reality or imperfection, or do they reflect more fundamental problems with Ubuntu as a whole? Read on for some thoughts.

Sponsored Blog: As another year draws to a close, it’s a good time to reflect on the preceding 12 months and look ahead to what the new year promises. I recently had the opportunity to speak with several Novell channel partners on this topic. It was very interesting to hear their views.

The VAR Guy doesn’t own a crystal ball. And he thinks most of the annual technology prediction lists are a complete waste of time. Still, our resident blogger enjoys stirring the pot. So here are 26 useless channel predictions that will never come true in 2011. Or will they?

Hewlett-Packard is looking to ride the bleeding edge of new ratified standards with two new modular switches that are based on a new “energy efficient Ethernet” standard. The IEEE 802.3az standard reduces power consumption of networking devices based on how much traffic is actually moving over the line. I spoke to Jay Mellman, director of networking products and solutions marketing for HP Networking, for some color on the news.

Juniper Networks seems to be in an ongoing state of expansion. In early 2010, the company struck a partnership with Dell, and in September it launched a “playbook” initiative with Ingram Micro. Now Juniper has acquired Altor Networks in effort to extend Juniper’s stake in the virtualization space. Read on for the details …

As the cloud computing noise grows louder, some MSPs are starting to wonder how they’ll maintain SMB account control. We’ll share some answers during our final MSPmentor Live Webcast of 2010, scheduled for today (Wednesday, December 8 ) at 2:00 p.m. eastern. I hope you’ll join us. Here are some details about our guest speakers and the topics we’ll cover today.

Check in with Dell and you’ll discover growing momentum for the company’s channel partner program — Dell PartnerDirect. But that’s not all. After going quiet on the channel social media front, Dell is preparing a global social media channel strategy for its next fiscal year. Details are still emerging but here’s what The VAR Guy knows so far.

Back in September 2010, we noted that CommVault and Dell had teamed up to build a backup-to-disk solution incorporating the technologies of both companies. Now they’re joining forces again, this time to push “intelligent” data management solutions across all of Dell’s DX Object Store and PowerVault DL platforms. Read on for the details…

In a move designed to strengthen the ingrown multimedia capabilities of its OpenScape UC communications platform, Siemens Enterprise Communications is acquiring FastViewer GmbH & Co., which offers web-based conferencing and collaboration. The acquisition is important to note because of its impact on Siemens’ portfolio. Here’s some perspective:

When it comes to understanding Microsoft’s partner strategy, smart folks keep an eye on the company’s OEM (original equipment manufacturer ) relationships. With that thought in mind, The VAR Guy recently spoke with Eddie O’Brien, VP of US OEM Sales at Microsoft. O’Brien offered updates on Windows, Office and Windows Phone 7 partner relationships. Here’s the scoop.

Cisco Systems has partnered with BMC Software to develop a new “advanced” cloud computing delivery platform for large-scale cloud infrastructures. What exactly does this mean and what impact might it have on cloud computing in general? Here’s the update:

It’s crystal ball time: As the end of 2010 looms within our sight, speculation about the hottest trends for 2011 has begun in earnest. Mobility, which made a definite impression this year as a key player in communications, is once again a technology to watch.