The Test Center highlights noteworthy PC components that came through the lab so far this year. Manufacturers' ability to build components that support both quad- and dual-core hardware platforms continues to impress us.
Acer's latest Aspire Gemstone laptops come just in time for the holiday shopping blitz, targeting consumers with a range of entertainment-focused models.
It's been a busy quarter for shakeups in some of the industry's top channel companies. Here we look at several channel executives who have come and gone in the last few months.
Inside This Issue: April 2, 2007
Cover Story
VARs Catch The Eyes Of Investors
It’s a good time to be a solution provider as private equity firms and other channel players continue to climb over each other to invest in VARs.
>> Berbee CEO: CDW Deal Worth The Effort
Enterprise Storage: Small World After All
Enterprise storage vendors, which in the past year or so have pushed into the burgeoning small-business storage market, have succeeded in building fast-growing, satisfied channels.
News Analysis
Credit-Card Data Breaches Drive Security Solutions Bonanza
Security experts say every time a retailer ends up in the headlines for losing customer credit-card data, a PCI data security project gets its wings. That has a bunch of companies turning to solution providers for help in securing their networks for PCI compliance.
Tech Focus
Wi-Fi And Cellular Unite
VARs seeking cutting-edge wireless technology are turning to new offerings from a variety of vendors that bring together Wi-Fi and cellular phone calling, known as fixed-mobile convergence solutions.
USB Key Drive A Must For Vista PCs
Super Talent Technology has refreshed its product line to make USB key drives a must with most any Vista PC.
Truly Mobile Connectivity
The Franklin Wireless CDU-550 pairs USB modem technology with an EVDO radio to make wireless broadband plug-and-play simple.
Market Focus: Small Business
IBM Aims To Regain Its Touch With SMB Partners
IBM Worldwide Channel Chief Ravi Marwaha says Big Blue has beefed up its SMB channel presence, yet some VARs say they've lost touch with their IBM channel reps and Hewlett-Packard is executing better in the field.
Demand Generation
All Backup Is Not Equal
Solution provider AmeriVault worked with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to tackle problems related to tape backups from multiple offices nationwide and ensure that restore time could be measured in hours instead of days.
Specialist Focus
Gov't VAR Answers The Call For Emergency Response
Solution provider Trofholz Technologies has designed an interoperable communications unit to help federal and state government and first-responder agencies keep in touch and coordinate their efforts during emergencies.
Upstarts & Startups
Data Loss Prevention Vendor Gains From Channel-Only Focus
Palisade Systems CEO Kurt Shedenhelm has positioned the channel-only security startup in the heart of the market's fastest-growing segment: data loss prevention.
ShadowRAM: Rumors, Truth & Innuendo
A former Microsoft exec prepares to blast off, ERP vendor execs fly the coop and "can you hear me now?" at VentureTech.
These articles were mentioned in this issue of CRN.
• Apply For CRN Emerging Tech 100
• Bake-Off: 4 Linux Enterprise Desktops
• Quad-Core Battle On The Horizon
• Attach Minus: HP Drops Rebates For Enterprise Hardware
• Allied Forces: Lexmark Picks MSP Vendors LPI, N-able, SilverBack
• CRNtech Hits Times Square
• Dell Investigation Finds 'Evidence Of Misconduct'
• Adobe's Creative Suite 3 Now Has Intel Inside
• New GPL 3 Draft Takes Aim At Microsoft/Novell
• Aruba Is A Wall Street Hit
• Microsoft System Center Operations Manager Ships
• Cisco Branching Out With 3G Wireless
• Making The VoIP Call
• Microsoft Acquires DevBiz
• Disaster Recovery: Prepare For The Worst
COLUMNISTS
Robert Faletra:
Steven Burke:
Larry Hooper:
Heather Clancy:
Real Values
Share The Risk, Share The Reward
Although plenty of vendors have an opinion about software as a service, it’s no secret that SaaS' place in the channel remains largely undefined. But here's some food for thought.
On The Record
Time To Reconsider Big POS Opportunity
It’s a good thing I’m not much into fashion or keeping a fresh wardrobe hanging in the closet, or this ever-expanding TJX credit-card data theft might have me worried.
The Final Cut
Microsoft's Worst Nightmare (Nope, Not Google)
Microsoft’s worst nightmare is about to become a reality. And guess what? It’s not Google. It’s Cisco’s no-holds-barred effort to build a digital home business.
Under The Radar
The Offshoring Debate
The topic of offshoring always seems to stir up emotions in the IT sector, especially in the channel. I found that out at the recent XChange Solution Provider conference.
