The VAR Guy

Riding on the VMware VMworld wave, Parallels has launched a mobile iOS application in conjunction with a new version of Parallels Desktop for Mac to bring desktop virtualization to your iOS device. Any operating system virtualizable now can be accessed from your iOS device, as long as you’ve got an Internet connection. Tech specs and perspective to follow …

Riverbed Technology is jumping further upstream in the virtualization space with its Steelhead appliances, announcing optimization of vSphere replication traffic effective immediately. The announcement was made at VMworld 2011.

At VMworld 2011, HP is proving it still has some muscle. Despite the uncertain fate of HP’s PSG, HP is completely ramping up its virtualized networking and management efforts. I spoke to HP’s director of marketing Mike Nielsen about the new FlexNetwork architecture and how the channel fits in …

The VAR Guy is looking ahead to the week of August 15 and thinking about joining a gym. Our resident blogger has some weighty issues to address. But  before The VAR Guy burns some calories, let’s burn through six blogs our resident blogger didn’t have time to write for the week ending August 12, 2011.

The VAR Guy tried to unplug during the holidays. But anxious readers kept sending our resident blogger more and more email. The big topic of discussion: Updating a list of 75 different channel partner conferences and events in 2011. So, based on reader demand, here is that updated list — which now totals 99 channel partner events, conferences, summits and more. For the most part each conference is designed for VARs and/or managed services providers — though a few focus more on ISVs (independent software vendors). Take a look.

It’s called the VDI Coalition and its tagline is: “Accelerating the Effective Deployment of Virtual Desktops.” Xiotech Corp. is spearheading the group, whose ranks also include Silver Peak Systems, GlassHouse Technologies, Virsto Software and Pano Logic. The VDI Coalition’s purpose is to provide customers with more effective means of deploying virtual desktops. How feasible is that? Let’s take a look.

The VAR Guy is nearly done with business travel for 2010. Is it time to for our resident frequent flier to kick back and relax? Hardly. Here’s a list of 75 different channel partner conferences and events in 2011. For the most part each conference is designed for VARs and/or managed services providers — though a few focus more on ISVs (independent software vendors). Take a look.

Xiotech is showing off at VMworld 2010, demonstrating a 1,000 user VDI (virtual desktop integration) deployment on a single storage blade. The company claims the VDI set-up can cost as little as $25 per user per year. Here are some details plus some potential implications for the VDI market.

At first glance, VMware dominates the virtualization market. But Microsoft’s David Greschler, attending this week’s VMworld conference, doesn’t sound worried. Greschler, director of Microsoft’s integrated virtualization strategy, says savvy channel partners are taking a look at Microsoft Hyper-V and cross-platform management tools like Microsoft System Center. Here’s why.

Virtual Computer, which focuses on distributed desktop management, has launched NxTop 3.0 at VMworld, offering — you guess it — new features and better compatibility. Read on for the details…

At a time when VMware faces intense competition from Citrix, Microsoft, Oracle, Red Hat and other aspiring virtualization companies, here’s an eye-popping statistic: Roughly 83 percent of customers consider VMware their virtualization platform of choice, according to a survey conducted by CommVault. Here are some deeper details, plus other daily highlights from this week’s VMworld conference in San Francisco.

Trend Micro today announces two new solutions designed to give channel partners a security boost in virtualized and cloud environments: Deep Security 7.5, an update that brings agentless anti-malware to VMware environments; and SecureCloud, a first-of-its-kind public cloud data protection solution, the company claims. Here’s the scoop.

Permabit and BlueArc, which both specialize in data storage optimization, have joined forces in an OEM relationship to provide Permabit’s Albiero technology embedded in Blue Arc’s upcoming solutions. Here are some early details.

Centrify is the latest company trying to make some noise that this week’s  VMworld conference in San Francisco. Specifically, Centrify is delivering a new “automated cloud security ” suite of solutions that will centralize cloud server control using Microsoft’s Active Directory. Here’s the details…

The VAR Guy is thinking about placing a bid for 3PAR before heading out for the weekend. But while our resident blogger tries to scrape together $2.1 billion, here are six channel partner blog entries The VAR Guy and his team didn’t have a chance to write for the week ending Aug. 27, 2010.

As Hewlett-Packard and Dell continue the bidding war for 3PAR, the showdown’s biggest winners are cloud, storage and virtualization upstarts that enjoy rising valuations while heading to the VMworld conference (San Francisco, Sept. 30-Aug. 2). Here’s why.

Likewise plans to unveil yet another reason to dump physical servers in favor of virtualized systems at VMworld (Aug. 30-Sept. 2, San Francisco). The effort involves a CIFS file server. The catch: it’s only available for VMware, at least for now–but support for other virtualization platforms remains a possibility.

It’s only one win. But for Microsoft’s Hyper-V virtualization push, it could be a key victory in the global virtualization war vs. VMware. Specifically, CH2M HILL expects to save a projected $3.2 million over the next several years by switching from VMware virtualization solutions to Microsoft’s Hyper-V hypervisor. Here’s the story.

Question: How do you invade corporate data centers? Answer: You get really cozy, really quickly with data center software companies like VMware and Oracle. That’s part of the strategy unfolding at Cisco Systems Inc., which will have a major presence at the VMworld and Oracle OpenWorld conferences in San Francisco. Here’s the analysis.

FalconStor’s new NSS SAN Accelerator is here for VMware View and it’s geared towards enhancing performance and data protection for virtual desktops. FalconStor claims 10-times storage performance improvement, plus multi-tiered data protection. Read on for more details…

As the IT industry prepares for VMworld (San Francisco, Aug. 30-Sept. 2), major technology companies continue to pump money into virtualization-related efforts. The latest example: Dell has acquired 3PAR for $1.15 billion in order to gain “Virtualization-Optimized Storage” capabilities with an eye on capitalizing on reducing data management costs. Here’s the details…

Day One of VMworld is virtually over (pardon the pun). Here are six VMworld/virtualization headlines worth noting, and their implications for channel partners.

The VAR Guy was ready to unplug the evening of Aug. 31. Then this tip hit his inbox: VMware has unveiled the vPractice pilot program, which aims to help VARs productize new solutions and services around VMware. Here’s the scoop from our resident blogger.