Synnex Simplifies Path to Managed Services[August 18, 2008] New On-Demand Services Program is designed to make the distributor a one-stop shop for managed services and help small and midsize VARs reach the potentially lucrative market. Approach minimizes VARs' investment in expensive infrastructure.
Apple Broadens Channel for iPhone Sales
[August 15, 2008] Vendor finally widens distribution beyond just Apple and ATT retail stores to encompass national retailer Best Buy. Customers are still required to sign a two-year contract with service provider AT&T.
Dell's Laptop Revamp Targets Business Customers
[August 14, 2008] Dell, which has aggressively moved sales through the channel during the last year in an effort to grow its market share, has introduced four new lines of Latitude and Precision notebook computers aimed at a wide variety of business users, featuring advancements in power management and security.
Cisco Integrates Small-Business Channel Partner Programs
[August 13, 2008] The vendor folds its Linksys program into its own channel partner program in what officials say will create a more efficient, single point-of-contact for VARs. The combined program will have more than 50,000 channel partners.
Panda Security Offers VARs Improved Program and Margins
[August 12, 2008] Determined to win a bigger slice of the U.S. market for security products and services, Panda Security has launched a three-pronged channel program -- covering a portfolio of software solutions, appliances, and a hosted offering –- that promises resellers net margins of 20 percent or more.
Bell Micro Expands Integration Facility
[August 11, 2008] The value-added distributor plans to attract larger customers and cope with growth in build-to-order business. Improved site is expected to boost overall revenue, services and productivity.
Distributors Embrace Live Online Virtual Training
[August 8, 2008] Virtual training is gaining traction as a service offered by distributors because it enables channel partners to educate their sales reps and technicians about in-demand technologies with greater convenience and significantly lower cost. Ingram Micro and Tech Data lead the pack.
Q1 Labs Finds Success with Channel Partners
[August 7, 2008] The network security company steps up its channel efforts as revenue grows 145 percent. Some 70 percent of sales already involve channel partners and that percentage likely will increase.
Cisco Sales Rise But Service Providers Disappoint
[August 6, 2008] Executives see economic challenges remaining for next few quarters. Service-provider revenue grows just 5 percent as companies struggle to charge for new IP services.
Channel Player Symantec Makes Another Virtualization Move
[August 5, 2008] The security giant aims to be a player in the latest hot growth area, thin client computing, by buying nSuite, a privately held virtual workspace management company. The deal should close this month.
Toshiba Channel Partners to Sell Paetec SIP Trunking Services to Business Customers
[August 4, 2008] The agreement enables Toshiba's telecom partners to pursue communications business with legacy customers, while retaining existing medium and large-scale clients. Paetec’s SIP trunking service permits companies with installed PBX systems to utilize VoIP technology.
Exinda Offers VARs Remote Managed Services Solution
[August 1, 2008] The networking vendor partners with Level Platforms to offer remote management appliance to channel partners. It allows resellers to proactively manage customers' application performance.
New Varonis Partner Program Organizes the Unstructured Data Market
[July 31, 2008] Demand for technology and software to help businesses in the United States manage unstructured data should hit $3.16 billion this year. Roughly half of that amount is generated from Fortune 2000 companies with the remainder coming from smaller businesses.
HP, Yahoo and Intel Partner for New Cloud Computing Push
[July 30, 2008] Taking action that could impact the channel's move toward cloud computng, the three companies announce an ambitious research initiative focused on studying the software, hardware and datacenter management issues surrounding the developing technology.
Channel to Benefit from IBM-Rackable Systems Deal
[July 29, 2008] In a move that promises to benefit channel partners involved in providing portable data-center solutions,IBM and Rackable Systems have announced a joint sales agreement. It allows Rackable Systems to offer IBM's BladeCenter systems for installation inside of Rackable's ICE Cube modular data centers.
Napera Taps Channel for Small-Business Security Sales
[July 28, 2008] Napera Networks, developer of network access control solutions for small and mid-size companies, recently unveiled the Napera Advantage Partner Program, an initiative designed to support the sales, marketing and technical capabilities of its solution providers around the globe.
Citrix Grants Ingram Micro An Exclusive Arrangement
[July 25, 2008] Vendor consolidates distribution stategy and drops three rivals. Ingram plans to double Citrix business during the next year and rolls out new support programs.
Sun Revamps Channel Program
[July 24, 2008] New plan carves out a more strategic role for the channel. Partners now will service new accounts and get help from Sun in expanding their businesses to new regions.
Avnet Provides Virtualization Training for VARs
[July 23, 2008] The distributor rolls out a program designed to help channel partners build a business around the growing technology. It is patterned after simlar initiatives in the government and healthcare markets.
Stormy Weather Hits Amazon's Cloud
[July 22, 2008] Amazon's S3 service ran into some stormy weather on Sunday when technical glitches knocked the company's "cloud" storage offline for several hours. The mishap underscores what could become a growing problem for channel partners who move too rapidly into the increasingly popular world of cloud computing.
New Channel Partner Portal Set to Launch
[July 21, 2008] Partnerpedia, developed by Canadian Web solution provider Constructive Media,is based on research that uncovered emerging trends in channel management and solution development. It will help resellers and vendors find, recruit and collaborate with new partners, expand knowledge and share information
Ingram Expands POS Services for VARs
[July 18, 2008] The distributor enhances its offerings in the data capture and point-of-sale fields. Officials see the technologies converging with traditional products and estimate 20 percent of VAR customers already sell such solutions.
HP Keeps Lead in Global PC Sales
[July 17, 2008] Gartner report finds that Dell closes the gap, thanks to broadened sales strategy. Price cuts impact white-box market.
Notebook Vendors Expand Battle for Channel Marketshare
[July 16, 2008] Seeking to strengthen their positions in the SMB market and to capitalize on Intel's new Centrino chip, Lenovo, Fujitsu and Toshiba each introduced enhanced notebook models. They all stress convenient features for the business user and competitive pricing.
Gray Market Continues to Haunt Channel
[July 15, 2008] Report from KPMG and AGMS pegs gray market at $58 billion in 2007. Survey finds two-thirds of channel admits tapping into the gray-market pipeline.
