Directory —
Technology —
Blog Details for "The VAR Guy"
The VAR GuyThe VAR GuyWhat's next in the IT channel, the VAR guy covers open source partner programs, software as a service, cloud services, unified communications and other partner trends. 
Articles
The Next ?Software as a Service? Giant
2007-12-26 18:30:00 The VAR Guy was on the outside looking in when NetSuite launched its initial public offering a few days ago. Too bad. Netsuite's stock skyrocketed as investors went crazy for the software-as-a-service (SaaS) specialist. So, which company will cash in next on the SaaS craze? The VAR Guy has a surprising answer... More About: Software , Service , Giant
Where Is The VAR Guy?
2007-12-21 21:54:00 Our resident blogger has been very quiet lately. Where has he gone? Prepping for the holidays? Dumpster diving in Silicon Valley? Developing a new Web site? Hmmm. Stay tuned for more news about that last little item. The V AR Guy will be blogging a bit over the next two weeks, returning in full force on January 2. But don't accuse him of slacking or going on vacation. He's locked away in his office ... working on something...
Citrix Launches Online Virtualization Training
2007-12-19 19:49:00 Citrix Systems has launched a Web-based technical training program for XenServer , the company'sfamily of virtual server platforms. The online training effort targets channel partners and features on-demand lab access, according to a Citrix release. Interested resellers can contact xenpartners@citrix.com for more information about XenServer and the online training program. More About: Training , Virtualization , Online , Citrix
10 Open Source Companies Set to Dominate 2008
2007-12-17 19:07:00 The VAR Guy spent most of 2007 blogging about open source start-ups and open source business models. As he looks ahead to 2008, The VAR Guy knows hundreds of open source software providers are seeking to catch on in the corporate market. Here are the top 10 open source providers and platforms that are set to succeed in 2008. More About: Google , Linux , Companies , Microsoft , Open Source
Corporate Name Changes Done Right
2007-12-14 17:06:00 Generally speaking, tech companies that change their name are heading for disaster. But in the cases of Centric CRM (an open source company that has renamed itself Concursive) and SWsoft (the company behind Parallels for the Mac), The VAR Guy thinks corporate name changes are exactly what the doctor ordered. More About: Microsoft , Open Source , Sugar , Corporate , Salesforce
3 Things Elvis and OS/2 Have In Common
2007-12-11 23:21:00 Name three things that Elvis and OS/2 have in common. Don't rush your answer. Think about it for a minute or two. OK, ready? Here's the answer... More About: Open Source , Common , Things
Red Hat?s Loss Is Ubuntu Linux?s Gain
2007-12-11 21:14:00 Time for The VAR Guy to stir up a little controversy, this time in the Linux desktop market. He thinks a small desktop setback at Red Hat could lead to more PC momentum for Ubuntu Linux. Here's the scoop. More About: Ubuntu Linux , Dell , Novell
Adtran Pushes for Partner Quality
2007-12-11 20:58:00 What if you could buy a Cadillac for the price of a Chevy? That's the basic approach to business at Adtran, which is gaining momentum as a low-cost/high-quality alternative to Cisco network solutions. Sure, The VAR Guy spends most of his networking energy blogging about Cisco. But Adtran has a bit of buzz in the market. More About: Partner , Quality , Ality , Push
Five Reasons Why Apple Stores Are Rockin?
2007-12-10 19:00:00 CompUSA is imploding. Independent PC stores have died. Yet 1,600 people waited online -- correction, in line -- for the opening of Apple 's new retail store in New York. Here are five reasons why Apple's retail strategy is crushing the competition this holiday season, according to The VAR Guy. More About: Phone , Steve Jobs , Windows X , Windows Vista
10 Managed Services Predictions for 2008
2007-12-06 20:48:00 The VAR Guy isn't much for predictions. He knows bloggers use them to help gain eyeballs and web traffic. Still, the managed services market is pretty interesting. And our sister Web site, MSPmentor.net, has some unique views on where the MSP industry is heading. Check out the sites 10 MSP predictions for 2008 . More About: Services , Predictions
Ubuntu Linux Is Dead, Long Live Ubuntu Linux
2007-12-06 01:58:00 The VAR Guy received a rude greeting when he returned home from a business trip last night. His Ubuntu PC from Dell was dead. Fried. Done. Well, not entirely. But things were bad. The PC was displaying a bunch of errors and never fully booted up. But this sad story has a happy ending for The VAR Guy and Ubuntu. More About: Linux , Ubuntu Linux , Live
Dell: Don?t Pick Up That Phone
2007-12-06 01:42:00 Today was a big day for Dell 's channel effort. As expected, the company announced an aggressive strategy to engage and reward channel partners. But The VAR Guy is distracted by another report, claiming that Dell may be interested in buying Motorola's handset business. Memo to Michael: Don't do that. Here's why. More About: Phone , Pick
Cisco Miami: Microsoft vs. Cisco in 2008
2007-12-04 17:18:00 The VAR Guy tried his best to avoid tech talk this week. He spent the past two days blogging about marketing, branding and PR strategies during Cisco 's first marketing forum for partners in Miami . But this morning during breakfast, a discussion with four Cisco partners turned technical. The big topic at hand: Cisco, Microsoft and their unified showdown. Here's what solutions providers expect in 2008. More About: Phone , Apple
Cisco Miami: 12 Communication Tips From John Chambers? Speaking Coach
2007-12-04 16:21:00 During the Cisco Velocity forum in Miami , we're hearing tips for effective verbal and written communication strategies. Loraine Antrim, founding partner of Core Ideas Communication (she has also coached John Chambers on public speaking), offered up the following tips for effective verbal and written communications. More About: Marketing , Power , Branding
Cisco Miami: Eight Marketing Tips From Chuck Porter
2007-12-04 15:37:00 Chuck Porter, chairman of Crispin Porter + Bogusky, the leading creative agency serving Burger King, Google and other progressive companies, shared some timely marketing tips with VARs at the Cisco Velocity forum in Miami . Here are eight key takeaways from Porter: More About: Marketing , Branding , Marketing Tips , Tips
Maximum Wait for MinWin, Windows 7.0
2007-12-03 20:54:00 The circle of life continues at Microsoft . The software giant, desperate to freeze a market, has started evangelizing a "new" version of Windows (called MinWin) that will correct Windows Vista's bloatware problems. But don't blame Microsoft for the noise about MinWin and Windows 7.0. Blame the trade press. More About: Linux , Apple , Ubuntu
Cisco Miami: The Hottest Wheels In Town
2007-12-03 18:11:00 The VAR Guy is eying the door prizes here at Cisco Velocity in Miami . Which prize does he covet most? A ride in a jet fighter? Cool. But The VAR Guy gets his rushes from roller coasters. A new Nintendo Wii? Nice, but The VAR Guy could pick one up on Craigslist (and his garage is full of arcade machines). Fact is, the best item on display is this Cisco-branded bike. Somebody better call security, because The VAR Guy might take it for a ride. More About: Town , Wheels
Cisco Miami: Top 10 Reasons Solutions Providers Don?t Invest In Marketing
2007-12-03 17:55:00 The VAR Guy just caught up with Larry Kesslin, president of 4 Profit, a consulting firm that serves solutions providers. Kesslin is hosting a marketing workshop here at the Cisco Velocity forum in Miami . And he served up a rather interesting list: The Top 10 Reasons Solutions Providers Don't Invest In Marketing . Here's a look at Kesslin's countdown. More About: Branding
Cisco Miami: Why Partners Need to Become Publishers
2007-12-03 16:40:00 David Meerman Scott, author of The New Rules of Marketing and PR, just shared a rather interesting point with VARs here at Cisco 's Velocity meeting. Scott insists that all VARs need to become publishers. Here's why. More About: Miami , Publishers , Partners
Cisco Miami: Examples of Successful Web 2.0 Marketing
2007-12-03 16:03:00 The VAR Guy is hanging out at Cisco 's Velocity partner forum in Miami today, hearing about effective Web 2.0 marketing strategies that partners can potentially embrace. Here are five examples mentioned during the event so far. More About: Marketing , Examples , Xamp
Cisco Partners Converge On Miami
2007-12-02 19:00:00 The VAR Guy escaped the winter weather this morning, flying from chilly New York to sunny Miami . Our resident blogger will spend the next three days soaking up some rays, sipping cocktails ... oh, and blogging non-stop from Cisco 's Velocity event for a few hundred partners. More About: Marketing , Branding , Partners
Dell Sells 40,000 Linux Desktops; Preps Ubuntu Server Push
2007-11-30 18:40:00 OK, so Dell 's desktop Linux PCs aren't setting the world on fire. The PC giant has sold about 40,000 of the Ubuntu Linux PCs since introducing them at the end of July. That's a run rate of about 8,000 per month. And one of those systems was sold to The VAR Guy. So what will Dell do next? End the Linux experiment based on slow sales? Guess again. More About: Windows , Ubuntu Linux
Tech Data Earns Important Vote of Confidence
2007-11-30 16:47:00 Despite challenges with its Europe operations, Tech Data is earning praise for its business management tactics from a critical source. Moody's investor service team has upgraded its outlook on Tech Data from negative to stable. More About: Vote , Confidence
OnForce Crosses the Big Pond
2007-11-30 01:12:00 The ocean called. They're running out of shrimp. At least, that's how it looked last night during an open house party at OnForce's new headquarters. The VAR Guy attended, ate a few pounds of shrimp cocktail, and stopped chewing long enough to hear a few good rumors -- including one involving OnForce launching its online marketplace for VARs in Germany and the U.K. More About: Europe , United Kingdom , Pond , Crosses
Dell Preps Big Partner Briefing
2007-11-30 00:48:00 Circle the date: Dell is inviting VARs to participate in a major channel briefing from the company on December 5. The VAR Guy will be all ears. Care to listen in on the discussion and potentially pose some questions? Here are the details. More About: Partner , Brief , Prep
Software Sales: Proceed With Caution?
2007-11-29 03:00:00 The VAR Guy isn't panicking. But Goldman Sachs is warning investors that software sector sales could be softer than expected in 2008. You can find a good, quick summary of Goldman's views over on Barron's. The VAR Guy, you'll recall, is wondering if open source software companies are immune to an economic slowdown -- or at least better positioned than their closed-source rivals. More About: Software , Open Source , Sales
Tech Data Expects Small Bump
2007-11-27 18:36:00 Tech Data 's 4Q earnings will likely be slightly short of analyst expectations because of ongoing business challenges in Europe. The upshot for VARs: Proceed with cautious optimism into 2008. Sales remain strong in the channel, but concerns about lofty oil prices, the US housing market, and Middle East uncertainties continue to cloud most financial forecasts. More About: Tech , Small , Bump , Tech Data
Desktop Linux: Look Beyond Wal-Mart
2007-11-27 16:58:00 Yes, you can purchase a $200 Linux PC from Wal-Mart this holiday season. That's great news for consumers and the open source movement. But a lot of bloggers, including The VAR Guy, need to remind readers that it might be wiser to look elsewhere for affordable, reliable Linux PCs. One prime stop should be ZaReason.com. Here's why. More About: Desktop , Ubuntu , Wal-Mart
Cisco Partners Ready to Master Marketing
2007-11-26 21:47:00 The VAR Guy is turning into a snowbird. The native New Yorker spent last week in sunny Orlando, riding some of the world's best roller coasters. Next week, we hear, he plans to return to Florida -- this time for a major Cisco Systems channel event that will boast several surprising twists. More About: Marketing , Partners , Master , Ready
Happy Holidays at Dell?
More articles from this author:2007-11-26 17:01:00 The VAR Guy spent the weekend visiting retails stores, searching for digital bargains. He couldn't help but notice all of the Dell PCs, monitors, printers and ink cartridges -- yes, Dell ink -- on retail store shelves. Back in the online world, Michael Dell's managed services push makes his company the channel surprise of 2007. But will the retail and MSP moves reward Dell shareholders, partners and customers? The VAR Guy weighs in with his thoughts. More About: Holidays , Happy Holidays , Happy , Happy Holiday 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
|
