Quantcast

Vancouver social media giant seeks VARs who give a hoot

By
February 27, 2012

HootSuite partners logoIt might seem an unlikely pairing at first glance, but Vancouver-based giant HootSuite Media believes there’s a tremendous opportunity for VARs to expand their services into the social media realm.

The company, which does a wildly successful social media dashboard that allows individuals and enterprises to manage their social media presences across , and other popular services, has launched the HootSuite Solution Partner Program, its first ever channel partner , and it’s looking to build community of solution providers around its offerings.

“[Social media] is the most engaging channel that VARs’ customers have had to reach their audiences, and we think social is an enormous opportunity for VARs,” said , vice president of corporate development for . “We want to position ourselves as the biggest opportunity for VARs looking to grow in social.”

Read More »

Avnet looks to take Oracle’s Red Stack to healthcare

By
February 27, 2012

Hospital Emergency SignAn expanded agreement between Technology and promises to make more of the giant’s application available to the channel.

The deal will see Avnet work with six solution providers – five in the United States plus Ottawa-based Maplesoft Group) – to deliver Oracle’s Information Exchage and Healthcare software offerings, solutions which had previously been only delivered directly by Oracle and the very top tier of solution providers.

“We’re excited, because it’s the first time we’re taking advantage of the whole Red Stack,” said , vice president of the Oracle Solutions Group at Avnet, referring to the combination of Oracle applications, middleware and (formerly Sun) hardware. “It’s a defining moment – we’re showing Oracle that we can do this from top to bottom, and really implement it.”

Read More »

CEO Dutkowsky: “This is not your father’s Tech Data anymore”

By
February 23, 2012

Any doubts remaining about distributor Tech Data’s of diversifying its broadline business with new, higher-touch, more solution-driven approach? According to CEO Bob Dutkowsky, you shouldn’t. And he’s got the data points to back it up.

A few years ago, Tech Data’s revenues were very much centred around the traditional desktop business, Dutkowsky told a gathering of Canadian channel press at the distributor’s Canadian headquarters in Mississauga, Ont. Thursday morning. Fast forward to the present, and revenues are about an even split between that broadline business, and four new value-added practice areas: the , , , and consumer electronics.

“This is not your father’s Tech Data anymore,” Dutkowsky quipped.

Read More »

Check Point looks to channel to run 3D Security Reports on customers

By
February 23, 2012

Check Point Canada says it wants to help its partners get deeper on issues with customers – and they’re willing to pay them to do so.

The vendor is in the process of rolling out a methodology for what it calls (after its overall 3D Security message), a process in which channel partners do a realtime assessment of customer networks to help personalize the right security necessities for their businesses.

Paul Comessotti, regional director for Canada at Check Point Canada, said the company would provide incentives of up to $1,000 for every 10 3D Security Reports a partner produces, and that’s not all a partner can expect to get out of it.

“When these go in, we find new opportunities for products, and also for our partners to offer new services,” he said.

Read More »

QuickVid: ChannelBuzz.ca editor offers eCNTV 2012 predictions

By
February 23, 2012

At the recent Reseller’s Choice Awards gala in Markham, Ont., president and event host caught me on camera, and asked my thoughts on what 2012 poses for the channel.

Since I’ve shoved a camera in front of so many of you in the past, and asked you much the same kind of questions, I figured it only fair I share the result.

I’d love to get your thoughts. Am I right? Even close? Did I “lay up” too much with the easy picks for ? Talk back in the comments and let me know.

Here’s the video, courtesy of . Just remember: doctors make the worst patients, and journalists make the worst interviewees.

Julian Podcast with Rob Dutt 2012 from eCNtv on Vimeo.

Single-driver solutions deliver multiple returns for reseller partners

By
February 23, 2012
Patrick Harrison

, vice president of commercial sales for at

SPONSORED CONTENT – When it comes to printing, reseller partners are faced with the challenge of ensuring their customers have uninterrupted access to a printing network made up of a mixed bag of devices, installed at different times (sometimes years apart), and in many cases from different manufacturers. Adding to this difficult task are the multiple versions of and firmware installed on each device, and the ongoing additions and subtractions of devices from the network as new printers are launched and older units become obsolete.

A universal print driver simplifies the management process by using a single driver compatible with almost any printing device. Universal Print Driver not only allows new devices to be seamlessly added to an IT environment, it allows older legacy devices to be integrated into a new printing infrastructure. For reseller partners, the impact that HP Universal Print Driver can have on return on investment for their customers is difficult to ignore.

Read More »

Tweet tweet: Cisco’s Sage to chat with Canadian partners on Twitter

By
February 21, 2012
Cisco - Andrew Sage

, Cisco's new leader

Curious about Cisco’s ? Not quite crystal-clear on this whole “partner-led” you keep hearing about from the giant? Have other questions for a top Cisco exec, who just happens to be a fellow Canadian?

Cisco Canada has announced that it’s hosting a TweetChat with Andrew Sage on Thursday, February 23rd at 2:00 Eastern, to address those questions and more.

Sage is currently the vice president responsible for the company’s Partner Led strategy, and has been its sales lead on for a long time.

In a blog post announcing the event, Cisco Canada SMB leader hints that Sage will address the SMB market and the partner-led opportunity, as well as what partners can expect from April’s Cisco Partner Summit in San Diego.

Read More »

SAP channel chiefs plan enterprise, cloud moves with partners

By
February 21, 2012
Kevin Gilroy and John Graham

worldwide channel chief (left) and his North American counterpart (right)

As new leaders move into roles atop North American and worldwide channel operations, SAP is planning a major shift to cut the channel in on its large customer base.

The giant recently promoted North American channel chief Kevin Gilroy to take the reins as worldwide channel chief, and appointed John Graham, senior vice president of volume markets and for North America as its new North American channel chief.

The software vendor has stated its goal to move 40 per cent of its business through the channel by 2015. Today, that number sits at about 33 per cent, Gilroy said, meaning the channel is to pick up about seven per cent of “a rapidly growing business” over the next few years.

A big part of that gain will come from the company’s expansion of its channel into the enterprise space, Gilroy said.

Read More »

Kaspersky integrates with VMware on virtual machine security

By
February 21, 2012
Kevin Krempulec

Kaspersky Canada's

is looking to expand its partner base following the launch of its first product for virtualized environments.

Kaspersky for (KSV) works with ’s vShield Endpoint security to offer agentless security on virtual . It allows partners to solve a very real – if under-recognized – challenge with security in virtual environments, said Kevin Krempulec, vice president of sales for Canada at Kaspersky. Although 85 per cent of businesses have virtualized their to some extent, attach rates of security products haven’t gone the same way.

“There’s that perception that virtual machines don’t need the same kind of protection, but that’s a fallacy,” Krempulec said. “The challenge is that it’s been hard to put security on those virtual machines because of performance issues, and that’s why we’ve spend a great deal of time and effort custom-designing it to work in this environment.”

Read More »

N-able expands Canadian channel reach with Hartco deal

By
February 21, 2012

Ottawa-based N-able has signed a deal with Distribution that will see franchisees, including MicroAge and Metafore locations, gain access to the company’s and monitoring tools.

While all Hartco network members will have access to N-able Ncentral tool under the deal, individual solution providers will have the option to pick up the tool or not.

Garbutt said N-able has already presented to “20 of [Hartco’s] top performing companies” in the MicroAge group at a recent Hartco event, and had succeeded in signing up all 20. “We’re batting 1.000,” Garbutt said with a laugh. “It’s just a week later, and we have all of them engaged.”

Read More »

QuickVid: Meg Whitman’s HP Global Partner Conference keynote full video

By
February 16, 2012

Partners to drive transition to cloud

By
February 15, 2012

Clouds – As the world continues to make what could arguably be called the biggest IT transition in history, it will be channel partners that drive the adoption. At , computing was clearly top-of-mind, and executives from the vendor assured the more than 4,300 partners in attendance that they were going to continue to be a partner-led organization, particularly as it begins to add more focus to the emerging market.

Virtualization is the underlying technology that is helping to drive adoption of cloud computing technologies, and that begins at the desktop level. During a partner panel in front of media and analysts, , vice president of the data center virtualization practice at , is the entry way to the cloud.

Partners seemed fairly enthusiastic and optimistic about their future, which isn’t surprising considering the dollar figures executives were throwing around during the general session keynotes. In 2011, ’s total revenue was $3.77 billion, a 32 per cent increase over 2010. Additionally, , senior vice president of global channels and alliances at , quoted a figure that estimates the opportunity alone to be worth $41.5 billion by 2015.

But how is VMware doing in the eyes of its partners?

Read More »

Liveblog: VMware Partner Exchange aims for the cloud

By
February 15, 2012
Carl Eschenbach, co-president of customer operations at VMware

, co-president of customer operations at

– Following the day one activities of VMworld Partner Exchange, where the vendor introduced new partner benefits, enhanced programs and new competency specializations, the company co-president focused on customer operations will take the stage today to further detail what VMware is doing to help partners build a solid business in an IT era that , VMware CEO, described yesterday as being one of the most profound changes he’ll see in his working career.

Carl Eschenbach will kick off day two at 9:00 am PT. Executives yesterday hinted at a couple of surprises to be announced during Eschenbach’s keynote. Watch the liveblog of the keynote to see what Eschenbach has to say.

Read More »

Liveblog: New CEO Whitman closes HP GPC general sessions

By
February 15, 2012

Meg Whitman – For the three years it’s been open, the Aria Hotel here has hosted ’s annual Partner Conference. It’s been one very stable thing in an otherwise constantly-changing event.

Case in point: When HP CEO takes the stage to close the event, she will become the third HP CEO to address partners here in as many years, following the blunt easel-talk from Mark Hurd two years ago and Léo Apotheker’s wandering -first discussion from last year.

In many ways, all eyes are on Whitman. It’s her first time in front of HP’s partner base, and it’s up to her to both lay out HP’s overall for growth and assure partners that the bumpy ride of the last six months has been replaced by a that will endure.

But before partners hear from Whitman, they’ll hear the pitches of two of HP’s biggest growth opportunities. HP Software chief will make the case for why partners should be looking at HP’s expanding software portfolio, and , CEO of recent acquisition will make the case for the unstructured data organization software to HP VARs.

Join us after the jump for the liveblog – it should go live just before the keynote session starts at 9:30 am Pacific, 12:30 pm Eastern.

Read More »

QuickVid: Todd Bradley’s GPC keynote

By
February 14, 2012

Liveblog: Americas leadership takes centre stage at GPC

By
February 14, 2012
Stephen_DiFranco

Americas chief .

–After hearing from three of HP’s “big four” business unit executives Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning, the attention turns a little closer to home Tuesday afternoon, as HP’s Americas leader, including PSG’s Stephen DiFranco and ’s , take the stage for a regional keynote.

This will be the first public speaking forum for DiFranco at GPC 2012, after hosting the last two Americas Partner Conference in his previous role as Americas channel chief or HP.

Join us after the jump for full coverage of the afternoon’s proceedings. Expect the liveblog to go live when the general session begins at 2:00 pm Pacific, 5:00 pm Eastern.

Read More »

VMware announces new partner programs, solution competencies

By
February 14, 2012
VMware Scott Aronson

channel chief

– VMware today unveiled new and solution competencies at 2012 in Las Vegas that company executives hope will help drive the next phase of IT transformation.

With more than 4,300 attendees at the annual partner conference, VMware’s general session keynote speakers focused on discussing where the IT world is heading. Unsurprising, each of the three general session speakers focused on talking about the and the rapidly growing opportunity that exists, particularly in the private . With approximately 85 per cent of its revenue coming from partners and a private opportunity industry research firm expects to be valued at $41.5 billion by 2015, there are plenty of opportunities and revenue to go around for VMware partners.

“We’re at a great jumping off point for the future, but we at VMware have to continue to invest. We have to invest in you and your business to help us seize this opportunity,” Scott Aronson, senior vice president of global channels and alliances at VMware, told a room full of channel partners.

Read More »

QuickVid: Dave Donatelli’s GPC 2012 keynote

By
February 14, 2012

Liveblog: Joshi and Bradey headline GPC

By
February 14, 2012

– Following leader ’s keynote yesterday, Tuesday morning ’s and chiefs take the stage to present their view of the market at the company’s first-ever Global Partner Conference.

’s IPG is likely to make the case for more HP partners delving into services: already, Joshi and his teammates have been telling partners to focus on the contractual, not the transactional. There’s also the success of ePrint now as printing kiosks become more commonplace in public places. Expect Joshi to outline HP’s for making print part of a more strategic sales approach.

As for , there’s the still up-in-the-air topic of HP’s tablet/slate strategy, there are the company’s new much-hyped Spectre and Folio , and there’s probably some time for reflecting on what was a challenging year for PSG and its loyal partners. Interestingly, Bradley has already offered some feedback on last year’s notorious “August 18” debacle, and preferred (in a press conference no less) to lay the blame at the feet of the press and competitors than on now-departed CEO Leo Apotheker.

Join us for the liveblog after the jump for full coverage from the two executives’ keynotes. It should go live shortly before the 8:00 am Pacific (11:00 pm Eastern) general session kicks off.

Read More »

HP drives efficiency and automation with ProLiant Generation 8

By
February 13, 2012

ProLiant Gen8 Servers

–  is introducing a major update of its server line that the vendor is hoping will be a game-changing technology.

ProLiant Generation 8, announced in conjunction with HP Global Partner Conference, is being billed as HP’s most self-sufficient , with additional automated functionality beyond what was previously available from HP and, according to the company, beyond what is currently available from its competitors. As part of the Project Voyager initiative, which is an HP initiative to change data center operations by eliminating manual tasks and driving additional efficiencies into the product line, Generation 8 was designed to reduce the average $45 million spent annually on manual operations (in a typical 10,000-square-foot data center) by up to 50 per cent.

“The skyrocketing cost of operations in the data center is unsustainable, and enterprises are looking to HP to help solve this problem,” said , executive vice president and general manager for servers, storage, and technology services at HP. “Today, we are responding with innovative intelligence technologies that empower servers that virtually take care of themselves, allowing administrators to devote more time to business innovation.”

Read More »

Page 5 of 30« First...34567...1015202530...Last »
Subscribe to the daily e-mail newsletter from ChannelBuzz.ca and get the latest Canadian channel news delivered to your desktop every weekday morning.

* = required field

Buzzing on Twitter

  • New on ChannelBuzz.ca: Kaspersky launches managed security service offering - bit.ly/KJ28og 2 days ago
  • New on ChannelBuzz.ca: Preview: NetSuite SuiteWorld 2012 - bit.ly/KITPZF 2 days ago
  • Pricacy is not only an individual issue, but also one of national seciruty, says Eugene #Kaspersky. 6 days ago
  • Raiu calls Flashback "just the beginning" of Mac malware, "criminals are getting very interested in the Mac" as they diversify. #kaspersky 6 days ago
  • Everything old is new again: #Kaspersky research chief Costin Raiu calls hactivits (Anon, etc.) "some of the biggest, most active threats." 6 days ago

Sponsored Content

Videos

Chris Doggett on Kaspersky Managed Services.mov
SuiteWorld 2012 Preview.mov

Podcasts

Sponsored Content

Understanding customer perspectives in the “bring your own” era

By

HP Canada’s John Cammalleri examines the company’s recent research into the Canadian BYOC opportunity
Read More »

QuickVid: ConnectWise on the Canadian MSP market

By

Mark Sokol on ConnectWise’s plans to grow its Canadian managed service provider partner base
Read More »