The VAR Guy

If you’re like me, you spend a considerable amount of time fixing Windows PCs and convincing family and friends to make their next computer a Mac. And if you’re like me, most family and friends don’t listen. But Windows 8 is looking to turn those hours of troubleshooting into a few short minutes of “refreshing” your PC, which may make my argument moot. Here’s how it works …

Of all the arguments that surface during holiday gatherings, the last one I expected to become wrapped up in this season was over whether dual computer monitors are a worthwhile investment. But that was indeed what my geeky family members and I fought over the other day. And since no one agreed with me that they’re not worthy of the investment, I’d like to take this opportunity to make my case to a broader, more enlightened audience, namely The VAR Guy’s readers.

Linux’s ability to run on old or budget hardware has long been a popular talking point among free software advocates. Yet in recent years, the system requirements of mainstream desktop Linux distributions have been skyrocketing. At the same time, Windows 8 is slated to demand fewer resources than its predecessors. What could this mean for Linux? Here are some thoughts.

Selling data storage is like running a grocery store — it may not be the most glorious or exciting corner of the market, but it’s one for which demand is relatively constant. And the data storage channel got a little larger this week with the debut of Likewise Storage Services. Here’s the scoop, and why it matters.

I’ve gotten my hands on the new developer beta of Mac OS X Lion. Here are some quick impressions regarding the new OS and what users can expect should they decide to upgrade in the summer of 2011. There’s a lot more to this upgrade than a coat of GUI paint …

Apple has done some interesting things since releasing the official developer beta release of Mac OS X 10.7 Lion. For starters, sys admins don’t need to to buy a ‘server’ version of the operating system. All the server features are already there — users just flick a switch. Second, there’s no download image for the preview. No disc to burn. No nothing. It’s all via the Mac App Store. Industry implications? There are many. Read on for perspective …

IBM and ARM have decided to extend their existing collaboration for CPU development. The goal is to provide the “next generation” of mobile CPUs that are smaller, more dense and more powerful system on a chip (SoC) designs. With Microsoft announcing at CES 2011 that it will support ARM CPUs and SoCs in the future, should Intel be worried?

We took a look at Wanova in August 2010 when the company announced it was giving away free trials of its Mirage Desktop Virtualization. (That’s still happening.) Now, Wanova has gone and created a full partner program for resellers, distributors and MSPs. Here are some details.

We know there are plenty of VARs out there carrying iPads probably encased in some leather folio and accompanied by an Apple Bluetooth keyboard. And that setup is annoying. I’ve been there. Who wants to carry two pieces of hardware? The ergonomics are all messed up. Enter ClamCase, which is designed to provide robust, hard-shelled protection and converting your iPad into a fully functional netbook. Is it all it’s hyped up to be? Read on and find out …

CloudShare, which provides the channel with unique tools for throwing existing infrastructure into the cloud for training and demonstration purposes, has been free for all users under an open beta. But now CloudShare’s flagship Pro product is coming out of beta just in time for a paid ProPlus tier to launch – giving SMBs more flexibility and more licensed Microsoft applications for their cloud instances at a fixed price point. Here are some details.

Something The VAR Guy couldn’t help but notice was the free WiFi on his flight to Huntsville for ADTRAN Connect 2010. See, it wasn’t just free from Delta, it was free from Google. What’s more, the entire gate was filled with Delta-supplied iPads. Sweet. So what was the deal and what are the implications? Digital signage VARs might have a new platform…

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.

Data Robotics’ backup solution, dubbed Drobo, might not be a familiar name to some, but after you become acquainted, you certainly won’t forget the name. Drobo has some unique features that make annoying backup solutions easy to maintain. Read on about the new Drobo Pro FS, and the channel opportunities Data Robotics provides…

The official launch date of Microsoft’s new Windows Phone 7 is coming October 11th, with a big bash planned in New York City. But some skeptics openly wonder: Is Windows Phone 7 a case of too little too late? Read on for the speculation…

Paul Thurrott might not be a familiar name within the channel-sphere, but he’s well-known within Microsoft and Windows circles. Thurrott currently is a blogging evangelical for Microsoft. He doesn’t work directly for Microsoft but he does co-host a “Windows Weekly” podcast. He leaked some interesting news on September 15th via Twitter. Read on for the rumor and speculation… which may (or may not) involve Microsoft Office for the iPad.

The market for integrating Linux machines into Active Directory environments has been heating up in recent months, with both Likewise and Centrify releasing new software that does almost exactly the same thing: make joining a domain as simple as a few clicks or keystrokes.  Of course, the two companies’ offerings work in different ways.  We wanted to know which is best, so we’ve spent the last several weeks testing the competing products.  Here’s what we found.

You know the big names in the virtualization market. But smaller names often pop into our inbox as well. One recent example: ServerPark, based in Malaysia, focuses on distributed desktop virtualization. How is this different from the rest of the virtualization world? Read on…

Google is sending a message to the world. The search giant is pushing its own employees toward Mac OS X or Linux, according to a published report. In fact, Google allegedly is dropping internal use of Microsoft Windows because of security concerns. What’s the deal? Read on…

It’s official: Ubuntu 10.04 Long Term Support arrives April 29, and this particular blogger was privy to the press conference about it. Canonical Chairman Mark Shuttleworth and CEO Jane Silber discussed the plans and progress of new operating system, and then fielded some Q and A. The key news:  More than 80 ISVs are supporting Ubuntu. But here’s what it means for the desktop users and Canonical as a whole…

Earlier this week I spoke with Byron Attridge of ClubDrive. The backbone of their business involves Citrix. I’ll share more details on April 26. In the meantime, ClubDrive was kind enough to give me a virtualized demo account to play around with, and I’m running the using the Citrix client on Apple’s iPad. Here’s a few details on what I’ve seen, and some implications…

When you think SAN you might think expensive hardware solutions to expensive storage problems. But CORAID has a few technological tricks up their sleeve. They claim to leverage existing technology, and turn it into a storage solutions for pennies on the dollar. And they’re doing it all through the channel. Storage VARs might want to perk up…

Canada’s security conference, CanSecWest, starts this week. Word on ‘net from security expert Charlie Miller is that he’ll be exposing serious Apple Mac OS X security flaws at the conference . Should Mac fans be nervous? Well, maybe. Here’s the scoop…

It’s not the final nail in the coffin, but it’s yet another sign of Windows XP’s decline. Microsoft is officially dumping Windows XP support in the next iteration of Internet Explorer. Here’s the why and how and what’s next from Microsoft…