The VAR Guy

Microsoft is hoping it’s a November to remember. The software giant today launched the Microsoft Partner Network — an overhaul to the company’s channel partner program — and a range of new cloud computing initiatives for channel partners. Here’s a closer look at the Microsoft Partner Network, plus new moves like Cloud Accelerate and Cloud Essentials. But the old question remains: Are Microsoft’s partners ready — and willing — to embrace the terms of Microsoft’s cloud strategy? Here’s the update.

The VAR Guy stumbled onto plenty of news and chatter at the Rackspace Partner Leadership Summit, which kicked off today in San Antonio, Texas. The chatter involves some imminent OpenStack news, an expanded Rackspace channel team, and growing cloud relationships with such firms as Ingram Micro and Dell. Here’s the scoop… including the top seven highlights from Rackspace Partner Leadership Summit 2010, Day 1.

Thousands of channel partners, IT managers and virtualization pros will gather at VMworld 2010 (Aug. 30-Sept. 2, San Francisco). So, what should solutions providers expect to see at the massive virtualization event? The short answer: Bidding Wars (HP vs. Dell for 3Par), merger rumors and plenty of competitive posturing from VMware and its rivals. Here are eight trends The VAR Guy intends to track at VMworld.

Can Microsoft blur the lines between Windows Small Business Server and cloud computing? The answer is beginning to emerge as the software giant launches a Windows Small Business Server (SBS) Aurora beta test. In somewhat related news Microsoft also is testing a new Windows Home Server, code-named Vail. Here’s a closer look at both efforts, and the potential implications for VARs and MSPs.

At first glance, the so-called Intel Hybrid Cloud effort is built atop Windows Small Business Server (SBS) or Microsoft’s full-blown Windows Server. But The VAR Guy has been busy poking around — trying to determine if the Intel Hybrid Cloud also will include some Linux options. An answer could emerge at the CompTIA Breakaway conference (Aug. 9-12, San Antonio). Here’s some early speculation as only The VAR Guy can deliver it…

By now it’s crystal clear that Polycom has moved way beyond the teleconferencing space and full-fledged into unified communications. Witness the myriad partnerships it has forged with leading IT and communications vendors to further its Open Collaboration Network, and the advances in UC that have come about as a result.

Apparently, some partners are worried Vembu plans to start selling its backup software directly to customers, potentially bypassing VARs and managed services providers. Responding to the speculation, Vembu CEO Sekar Vembu has posted a blog outlining his company’s channel strategy. Here are the details, plus some perspectives from The VAR Guy.

The channel media spent most of last week chasing new Microsoft Channel Chief Jon Roskill during Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference 2010 (WPC10). Roskill and Microsoft’s executive team say more than 16,000 partners now back BPOS (Business Productivity Online Suite), Microsoft’s cloud platform for Exchange Online and SharePoint Online. But where does Roskill want partners to head next? He shared some perspectives at a press conference, which The VAR Guy captured in this FastChat video…

Fresh out of VMware: vSphere version 4.1 with a slew of new features, plus an updated focus on the channel and VMware partners. The moves come as both Microsoft and Red Hat make competitive virtualization claims vs. VMware. Read on and find out what Doug Smith, senior direct of global distribution for VMware, has to say about the latest VMware partner program moves.

The VAR Guy is running on fumes today. Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference 2010 (WPC10) was long and tiring, but the conference represented a strong showing for Microsoft and roughly 10,000 channel partners. Here are six channel partner blog entries The VAR Guy didn’t get a chance to write while he was running around WPC10 for the week ending July 16, 2010.

When Jon Roskill was named Microsoft Channel Chief a few weeks ago, The VAR Guy openly wondered if Roskill would ever hire or name a Cloud Channel Chief. Time for The VAR Guy to eat some crow: Microsoft essentially has a Cloud Channel Chief in place. Her name is Gretchen O’Hara, senior director of Microsoft’s channel cloud strategy. And O’Hara says Microsoft is launching a range of tools to help VARs and MSPs develop their cloud pricing and profitability strategies. Here are the details.

Microsoft COO Kevin Turner this morning took aggressive shots at Apple, Oracle, Linux, VMware and Google — even painting Google as a Big Brother-type company that tries to say they’re not evil in their mission statement. During a keynote at Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference 2010 (WPC10), Turner described how Microsoft’s mobile, desktop and cloud strategy will allow the software giant to beat back top competitors. Turner also described market share gains against Apple, VMware and Google. Here’s a recap.

What keeps Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer up at night? A few years ago, the answer likely involved Linux, Red Hat, MySQL and other disruptive open source upstarts. Now fast forward to this year’s Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC10), and there’s nary a mention of open source here at the event. Why’s that? Three answers: Google, VMware and the cloud. Here’s some perspective from The VAR Guy.

At the recent Ingram Micro Cloud Summit, some pundits predicted cloud computing would kill small business servers. But don’t tell Microsoft. The software giant is preparing two Windows Small Business Server upgrades. And one of the upgrades — code-named SBS Aurora — will have some integrated cloud capabilities. Partners like Diskeeper, Hewlett-Packard, Level Platforms and Symantec are signing on. Here’s what VARs need to know.

Jon Roskill has only been VP of Microsoft Worldwide Partner Group for thirteen days, which means that this week’s partner conference was really his first chance to talk to the IT channel directly. His message? Microsoft is committed to providing tools designed help their partners take advantage of cloud opportunities. Here’s the scoop.

How’s this for ironic: During Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference 2010 (WPC10), Microsoft’s consumer product pitches — featuring Windows Phone 7 and XBox Kinect — stole Microsoft’s channel cloud thunder. Here’s a recap of Microsoft Channel Chief Jon Roskill’s keynote, and a look at Microsoft’s somewhat awkward attempt to shift from consumer products to channel cloud discussions during a single session.

At the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC10), the software giant is busy explaining how channel partners can potentially profit from Windows Azure, SQL Azure and a forthcoming Windows Azure appliance for private clouds backed by partners like Dell, eBay, Fujitsu and Hewlett-Packard. Here are the details.

What a difference 12 months makes. At last year’s Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC09), the software giant spent most of the show evangelizing Office 2010 and Windows 7. Fast forward to this week’s WPC10, and Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is rallying channel partners around the All In cloud computing strategy, which includes Windows Azure and Microsoft BPOS. Here are 22 highlights from Ballmer’s keynote this morning.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is set to take the stage in a few minutes at the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC10) in Washington, D.C. Roughly 14,000 attendees — including 9,500 channel partners — are at the event. Ballmer is expected to rally those partners around Microsoft’s All In cloud computing strategy, which includes Windows Azure, BPOS (Business Productivity Online Suite) and new offerings like Windows Intune. Update: The VAR Guy just posted a Ballmer keynote recap. Plus, you’ll find complete Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference coverage at www.thevarguy.com/tag/wpc10 and www.mspmentor.net/tag/wpc10 throughout the week.

The VAR Guy spent most of today poking around the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC10), checking in with trusted sources and listening for channel chatter — especially chatter involving Microsoft’s SaaS and cloud computing strategies. Based on those conversations, here are seven highlights from Day One (Sunday, July 11) of Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference 2010.

The VAR Guy has awoken from a deep one-week sleep — otherwise known as a vacation. Our resident blogger will arrive at the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC10) in less than 24 hours. But before The VAR Guy covers all-things Microsoft, here are six channel partner blog entries he didn’t have time to write during the week of July 9, 2010.

The VAR Guy is starting to preparing for Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC), which starts July 11 in Washington, D.C. No doubt, Microsoft’s new channel chief will face plenty of questions from the software giant’s customer and partner base. But before thousands of us converge in D.C., here are six channel partner blog entries The VAR Guy and his team didn’t have time to write for the week ending June 25, 2010.

Microsoft Channel Chief Allison Watson is taking on a new role at the software giant, opening the door for Jon Roskill (pictured) to assume Watson’s former role as corporate VP for the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Group. The Microsoft Channel Chief move comes less than three weeks before the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference 2010. Here are the details.