The VAR Guy

Sage Group, the enterprise software company that, since May 2011, has been going through a rebranding process, has launched a new ISV partner program specifically designed to enhance its PCI business. As mobility ramps up, PCI is almost definitely to follow suit with mobile payment and NFC payment devices finding their way into retail stores. Here’s the scoop on how partners can cash in …

HP is giving its channel an early holiday present with a number of changes to PartnerONE and other programs designed to make HP even more relevant to its networking partners.

My time here at the McAfee FOCUS 2011 Security Conference is just about over. I leave you with the details on two major McAfee announcements around partner profitability and network security before I pack up and hit Dallas for the 2011 Tigerpaw User Conference.

Active Directory integration company Centrify, which just released a complete overhaul to its product lineup with Centrify Suite 2012, has gained FIPS 140-2 Level 1 Compliance certification. In plain old English, it means Centrify’s lineup complies with security standards needed by government agencies and large enterprises alike. Read on for the details …

Avnet’s SolutionsPaths are getting more intimate for partners working with the distribution giant. Avnet is now offering access to data center training and workshops within the new Data Center University. If you’re a SolutionsPath partner and need to sharpen your virtualization, security or storage know-how, read on to get educated on Avnet’s education …

AutoVirt has broken out its channel partner program to help OEMs, VARs and SIs leverage AutoVirt’s file migration and management software.

FOSS Force is a nifty blog that covers IT and the open source world. Christine Hall, managing editor of FOSS Force, openly wonders if The VAR Guy can remain anonymous, engaging and responsible now that Penton Media — a 1,300 person company — has acquired The VAR Guy and his parent, Nine Lives Media. Hall even suggests that Penton’s buyout of The VAR Guy won’t be good for FOSS. Ahem… The VAR Guy would like to reply.

If Canonical has its way, Ubuntu may soon be powering computers like the one in your car. At least, that’s what the release of Ubuntu Core, a new image of Ubuntu aimed at embedded devices, suggests. Here’s the scoop.

On the heels of FalconStor’s Version 7 upgrade announcement and just ahead of VMware VMworld 2011, FalconStor announced certification as VMware Ready for vSphere 5 and VAAI (vStorage APIs for Array Integration). Read on for the quick rundown on FalconStor’s new virtualization deployment opportunities …

Sophos, the endpoint security software provider, is looking to partner with two types of VARs in the United Kingdom. What’s on the priority list? Here’s a look.

CompTIA CEO Todd Thibodeaux offered a clear, concise message to channel partners today that CompTIA Breakaway conference in Washington, D.C. Indeed, Thibodeaux said CompTIA is investing $4 million this year in training and education. Thibodeaux also put a bright spotlight on CompTIA’s management team, each of whom explained an ECAP (Education, Certification, Advocacy and Philanthropy) strategy to several hundred channel partners and influencers.

ForeScout Technologies Inc., which specializes in network access control (NAC) and security solutions, has launched the ForeScout Access Partner Program for authorized reseller channel partners. Yes, ForeScout already had a partner program in place. But the revamped partner program offers some new incentives for VARs, government resellers and security service providers that promote ForeScout’s CounterACT solution.

After several years of bumpy performance, Symantec seems to be hitting its stride again. The security and storage software giant today delivered record Q1 revenues that easily beat Wall Street’s expectations. But perhaps equally important: Symantec Endpoint Security 12 (SEP 12) recently arrived without suffering any major setbacks with channel partners. Here’s the update.

In the unified communications and security markets for SMBs and the enterprise, Jenne Inc. is a value-added distributor that wants to pass that value down to their partners. To wit, Jenne is offering a comprehensive enterprise training program for Avaya technologies, but that’s not all. The VAR Guy spoke to Jenne’s Jim Karaffa, director of training and technical services, about how VARs can create serious momentum by taking the time to train…

When it comes to storage solutions, sometimes the cloud isn’t enough and the data center needs to be in the field. That’s why storage company Dot Hill is joining forces with BEXSA to provide “ruggedized” storage to Canadian government agencies. Read on for the rough-and-tumble platter spinners …

CompTIA’s Authorized Service Center (ASC) Program is getting a facelift with a brand new search engine to help pinpoint the right VAR for the job. Better visibility for VARs? The VAR Guy likes that. But what information will CompTIA’s ASC search return, and more importantly, is CompTIA’s offering the only game in town? Our resident blogger’s channel perspective follows …

HP continues its virtualization story by adding another thin client to its burgeoning portfolio. Back in May 2011 we covered HP’s latest line of thin client solutions, but the company has no plans to settle down — the HP t5570e is here to bring a shade of green to virtualization strategies. If you’re looking to virtualize with an environmentally friendly twist, read on …

In June 2011, The VAR Guy caught up with the channel chiefs of Astaro and Sophos to discuss Sophos’ acquisition of Astaro. Both said for now, it was business as usual for both companies, especially when it came to the channel. Fast forward one month, and the acquisition is complete, which means changes are definitely on the horizon. What can we expect from the combined entities and how will it shape the security landscape? Read on for the details …

Fresh from the Microsoft blogosphere comes news that Windows Thin PC is now available for Software Assurance customers. The VAR Guy was intrigued with this idea when he first heard about it in March 2011, and the fact that Microsoft has designed an entry-level way for companies to jump on virtualization makes Windows Thin PC worth a second look. Read on for some more details on the offering …

Enterasys has been on our radar quite a lot lately, most recently for its its focus on bringing more opportunity to channel partners including infrastructure and IP communications for mobile devices. Now, Enterasys is partnering with wireless communications company Ascom to provide just that: high-performance 802.11n voice-over-Wi-Fi (VoWiFi) communications, with an eye on health care and other big vertical markets. Read on for crystal-clear pin-drop details …

It’s the ubiquitous five-letter word that won’t go away: cloud. And now, Avnet Technology Solutions is driving home a new cloud initiative to help VARs, ISVs and partners get the training they need to get into the cloud. Designed to be a ‘dual track’ training system, the program is designed to educate trainees on the sales and technical aspects of cloud solutions. More details follow …

At the HP Discover conference in Las Vegas, Day 1 of the gathering focused on business analytics, power management and storage management for data centers. Here’s an update.

Most VARs in the open source channel are happy just to get free code contributions from their users. Canonical, however, has taken community engagements one step further with the announcement of a user-driven hardware-certification program. Will it work?  Here are some thoughts.