The VAR Guy is a strong proponent of unified communications. He has blogged live from major Unified events hosted by Cisco Systems, Microsoft and Nortel, among others. But he’s also watching emerging unified solutions — including open source options and low-cost solutions that could disrupt portions of the market.
Bomgar, with an assist from Intel’s Remote PC Assist Technology (RPAT), hopes to help VARs and MSPs improve remote PC support. Here are the details, along with perspectives from adopter PlumChoice, which specializes in remote services for homes and small businesses.
Siemens Enterprise Networks (SEN) has released the latest version of its OpenScape unified communications platform, with added features that could make it an even more attractive offering for solution providers.
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Unison Communications made headlines in 2008 for launching a free, advertising-based unified communications system. The trade press cheered. Open source fans applauded because Unison supported Ubuntu Linux. But whatever happened to Unison? The VAR Guy thinks the company is preparing an encore. Here’s the speculation.
Parallels has launched a Cloud Services Certification Program to “help its Partners become more profitable.” The news arrives roughly two weeks before the Parallels Summit 2010 kicks off in Miami, Fla. What should partners expect in Miami? Here are some clues — involving some SaaS upstarts and some technology industry giants.
Polycom has partnered with VoIP software app vendor BroadSoft to build a hosted solution that enables solution providers to offer unified communication (UC) services in the cloud. It’s the latest in a string of Polycom partner moves. Here are the details.
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For roughly a year, Cisco Systems and Hewlett-Packard have been locked in a war on multiple fronts — from data centers to servers to networks. The duo will even host rival partner conferences the same week in April 2010. Now here’s the twist: Plenty of VARs continue to build mixed networks leveraging Cisco and HP gear. With those solutions providers in mind, ClassOnDemand.net has launched training for mixed Cisco-HP networks. Intrigued?
Riverbed, known for its WAN optimization hardware, is launching new partnerships with US Distributors and networking with global resellers. Here are some quick details.
Polycom has announced sweeping changes to its channel program (new program), installing tiered levels of partnership and certifications — a move that puts it squarely in line to challenge Cisco-Tandberg in the UC space. The Polycom Choice Program, which is slated to launch April 1, enables partners to specialize in certain vertical markets or product areas, such as telepresence, unified communications, voice over IP and video solutions. Here are some more perspectives.
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The VAR Guy is on a road trip today… wearing his $10 jacket and exploring rumors involving a software company pumping $20 million into the managed services market. In the meantime, here are six blog entries The VAR Guy didn’t have a chance to write for the week ending Jan. 22, 2010.
The VAR Guy welcomes reader interaction. But lately, our resident blogger’s comment boards are filling up with some curious content. Specifically, anonymous readers keep praising Netgear’s Powershift partner program. Are the authors truly Netgear VARs? Or is social media trickery infiltrating The VAR Guy’s web site? Hmmmm…
The trouble started a few days ago. At first, The VAR Guy was happy to see readers weighing in on Netgear’s partner program. But the praise never seemed to stop. Soon, Netgear-related reader comments infiltrated blog entries that have nothing at all to do with Netgear.
The recent comment spam includes the following two examples…
Our future is in the clouds!! Netgear VARs know that!! Take a look at their facebook page and consider joining the club! http://www.facebook.com/pages/Powershift/374441610056?ref=ts
I think it is so important that companies like Microsoft educate their VARs on upcoming platforms. . . especially when they are cloud platforms!! I am looking into becoming a VAR for Netgear. They have this Powershift program and I know they educate their VARs extremely well. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Powershift/374441610056?ref=ts
Clearly, something is amiss. The VAR Guy continues to remove the Netgear-related comment spam from his web site. But our resident blogger wonders: Who are the mystery authors? Hmmm…
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First, F5 Networks delivered strong Q1 financial results. Now, the company is preparing to announce the BIG-IP Edge Gateway. F5’s goal is to deliver “LAN-speed application performance for remote and mobile workers.” Here are the details.
Ifbyphone, which provides hosted Internet telephony automation solutions, has acquired Cloudvox. The move gives Ifbyphone a voice application developer platform that alledgedly “changes the face of cloud telephony.” That sounds like hype. But we’re intrigued. Here’s why VARs should pay attention.
At this week’s AsteriskWorld conference, Digium will officially launched Asterisk Exchange — an online marketplace that allows customers and channel partners to piece together solutions involving Asterisk (the open source IP PBX). If successful, Asterisk Exchange could expand the ecosystem for alternative VoIP and unified communication solutions. Here’s the scoop, including a FastChat video with Digium CEO Danny Windham.
Avaya spent much of today sharing details about its plans for the recently acquired Nortel Enterprise business unit. The complementary nature of Nortel’s communications technology with Avaya’s product offerings made the acquisition and transition much easier, Avaya officials claim. And here’s an ironic bonus: Buying a division of a bankrupt company streamlined Avaya’s planning process considerably.
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The wait is over for Avaya and former Nortel-turned-Avaya partners. Indeed, Avaya has formally unveiled its new product roadmap — one that strives to integrate the best of Nortel Enterprise Solutions technology into the Avaya product set.
Meow. Microsoft and IBM have resumed their 15-year-old email cat fight — only days before IBM kicks off Lotusphere 2010. Microsoft is promoting free training and three key channel partners — Binary Tree, CASAHL Technologies and Quest Software — to help customers migrate from Lotus Notes to Microsoft Exchange and SharePoint. Here’s the scoop.
Skype – usually regarded as a single-user, computer-based solution to cutting communications costs – is now taking its place among the business market as a viable alternative to traditional PBX calling. And Sunnyvale, Calif.-based VoSKY is helping Skype get there. Here’s how.
At first glance, Vu Technologies is a telepresence upstart that has very little experience in the IT channel. But take a closer look and you’ll discover that Vu Technologies apparently is a sister company to Zenith Infotech — a backup and disaster recovery specialist that serves thousands of VARs and MSPs worldwide. Here’s the scoop.
Digium continues to build stronger partnerships in the unified communications market. The latest evidence: From Polycom to Skype, a long list of companies will evangelize Digium’s open source IP PBX during the Asterisk World conference (January 20-22, Miami Beach, Fla.). And yes, Digium will dial up channel partners during the event. Here’s the scoop.
The VAR Guy’s sources were correct: In a bold act that escalates a technology war (how’s that for pumping up the drama…), Hewlett-Packard plans to host its Americas Partner Conference the same week as Cisco Partner Summit 2010. Here are the details.
Hewlett-Packard’s pending takeover of 3Com will be put to a vote on January 26. Assuming the deal gets approved, the takeover could be completed in time for Interop, the networking event scheduled for April 2010. And rumors are starting to fly that HP will potentially counter Cisco Partner Summit with some sort of event. Here’s the scoop.
Voice over IP technology has quietly matured from its status as cutting-edge to mainstream. But that doesn’t mean the technology isn’t moving forward. Quite the contrary: recent advances point to VoIP as a technology to watch (yet again) in 2010 = thanks to moves by Google and others. Here’s why.
As Cisco Systems gears up for its April 2010 partner summit, The VAR Guy has noticed a rather interesting development: Rival Juniper Networks appears to have scheduled its J-Partner Summit for the exact same week. Was that a glaring error — or a subtle sign that Juniper isn’t afraid to face Cisco’s Partner Summit head-on? Here’s some speculation from The VAR Guy.
