The VAR Guy doesn’t write too frequently about giant integrators like Computer Sciences Corp. But the company’s new SaaS Acceleration program caught his attention. The program is designed to help software companies manage all stages of their software-as-a-service (SaaS) offering — from inception to launch and beyond. The VAR Guy wonders: Could SaaS Acceleration help […]
The VAR Guy scratched his head in confusion when he heard about Microsoft’s new partnership with CompUSA. The retailer hasn’t exactly been setting the world on fire lately. You might even say the company is going down in flames as it closes stores across the country. Yet Microsoft and CompUSA today announced the CompUSA TechPro […]
If The VAR Guy was an Oracle partner, he’d book a trip to Las Vegas for April 15 through 19. That’s when the Oracle Applications Users Group (OAUG) will be in town for its annual conference. While other user groups have come and gone, OAUG is powerful and commands the attention of Oracle’s executives and […]
Red Hat on Wednesday is expected to unveil a “brand-new offering, never before discussed publicly,” a spokesperson tells The VAR Guy. What’s on tap? Reuters believes the open source company plans to launch an online store featuring Red Hat solutions and certified third-party products. If true, it’s a great move that also provides several key […]
During a meeting with The VAR Guy on Wednesday, Citel Technologies described a rather compelling business scenario: Imagine a communications solution that protects customers’ existing desktop phone investments, but delivers the power of VoIP applications. Hmmm. That sounds far too good to be true but Citel may be onto something here. The company has unveiled […]
Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen is back, this time with a super-tiny mobile PC that runs Windows Vista. The 1.5 pound Flipstart is slated to ship this month. It’s the size of a paperback book and weighs less than two pounds. The device, previously known as the MiniPC, was shown way back at DEMO in 2004. […]
The cat fight between Nortel and Cisco could make Microsoft a top dog in the unified communications market. At least that’s the current spin from The VAR Guy. Microsoft’s close relationship with Nortel apparently prompted Cisco to seek a closer partnership with the software giant. (Although Cisco claims Microsoft came calling because Nortel VARs are […]
Ingram Micro is eager to help VARs reinvent themselves as managed service providers. The big distributor, working with LPI Level Platforms Inc. and Savvis Inc., today unveiled a fully hosted Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) platform. Check out preliminary details in this press release—but read the info knowing that it’s straight from the vendor’s mouth. […]
Plenty of VARs are talking about open source solutions. But several VARs have actually bet their business on Digium, the IP telephony server based on Asterisk open source code. One prime example is NeoPhonetics of Tinley Park, Illinois. The VAR is successfully targeting K-12 schools, universities and regional businesses that are seeking simple, cost-effective telephony […]
Nortel and Cisco are sparring over unified communications at Voicecon in Orlando. Frankly, they are providing the best fireworks at a trade show since Cabletron attacked Cisco at Networld+Interop in the 1990s.
Although Cisco announced new efforts with IBM and Microsoft at today’s event, Nortel promptly took Cisco to task. A Nortel source sent The VAR Guy an email alleging that:
Rumors are circulating that The VAR Guy has skipped VoiceCon in Orlando to spend the day with Mickey Mouse over in The Magic Kingdom. Mickey and The VAR Guy go way back; they’ve been spotted together at least 25 times in the last 10 years. The VAR Guy is believed to be staying at a […]
Ball State University CIO H. O’Neal Smitherman stole the show yesterday at MuniWireless 2007: Texas. Smitherman described a WiMAX deployment at the university—one of the first in the United States—that has helped K-12 teachers to more effectively interactive with students in the region. Smitherman caused a stir by suggesting that WiMAX could eventually replace WiFi […]
The VAR Guy gave loyal readers a heads up on February 22 that Cisco and Microsoft were planning a closer partnership. Then he reported more rumblings about the relationship on March 1. The deal was finally announced today at VoiceCon. The partnership provides improved interoperability between the duo’s unified communications technologies. Cisco also announced a […]
CH2M Hill, a global engineering firm and solutions provider with 18,000 employees, has joined BelAir Networks‘ VAR program as a Platinum Partner. The news didn’t surprise The VAR Guy, who spent the past three days at MuniWireless 2007: Texas. More than 400 city leaders, VARs, integrators and service providers have been discussing public broadband buildouts […]
The VAR Guy has moderated more than 30 or 40 IT events related to Sarbanes-Oxley, HIPAA and other types of corporate compliance. Over and over again, IT vendors attending the events claimed they could help customers comply with these regulations. But history shows that many IT vendors don’t even have their own houses in order. […]
The VAR Guy is firmly committed to his MacBook Pro. But other users who jumped from Windows to the Mac aren’t quite so happy. One user, a marketing manager at a major networking company, told me the following story over cocktails tonight at MuniWireless 2007:Texas. His first mistake involved buying Windows Vista and attempting to […]
One of The VAR Guy’s biggest gripes about unified communications is the lack of applications. Sure, it’s neat to have a single unified inbox or a smart IP network that can route your call automatically to your current location (home, office, cell, etc.). But where are the next-generation unified applications? Perhaps LiteScape Technologies Inc. can […]
The VAR Guy spent Monday meeting with integrators and city CIOs at MuniWireless 2007 Texas, a conference that highlights public broadband initiatives across the world. The highlight of his day was watching the City CIO panel, which featured the CIOs of Corpus Christi, Dallas, El Paso, Fort Worth and Plano. Some key observations: Corpus Christi […]
BelAir Networks will kick off a road show for VARs and integrators on March 5 at MuniWireless 2007:Texas. The BelAir session will show VARs how to target the broadband wireless mesh market. Although the session is private, The VAR Guy hopes to gather some high-level reactions from solutions providers. BelAir is the company behind public […]
Lenovo received glowing coverage in The Wall Street Journal early this week and then was forced to announce a major battery recall late in the week. Which event will help the company’s long-term performance? The VAR Guy has a surprising answer. Lenovo missed a huge opportunity early in the week when The Wall Street Journal […]
