Inside This Issue: May 28, 2007

Cover Story

Indirect From Dell
The market has changed, the channel has gotten stronger and Michael Dell has made up his mind. He is now ready to work publicly and unabashedly with VARs.

>> CRN Interview: Michael Dell

News Analysis

MSPs Get Serious About Selling Their Services
To The Channel
A funny thing happened on the way to VARs becoming MSPs. As the managed services space has matured, established MSPs have found more traction selling specialized IT management services to the channel.

>> MSPs Team Up For 24x7 Support


WAN Plus Storage Equals Opportunity
Whether for storage efficiency, data center consolidation or disaster recovery, the opportunities to put storage on a WAN are only starting, and upcoming changes in WAN technology will only add to them, VARs say.

Tech Focus

What’s Best For WLAN?
With a variety of new wireless wares coming to market over the next few months, solution providers have more choices than ever when it comes to finding the best WLAN infrastructure for their customers.

Get The Most Out Of RAID 5
Solution providers looking to eliminate the shortcomings of RAID 5 technology should take a look at the latest controller from AMCC.

SSD Technology Gets Tougher
Super Talent Technology's new solid-state notebook SATA drives only use flash storage components, so they have no moving parts and are extremely lightweight -- and rugged.

Demand Generation

VAR's Hybrid Solution Lures Small Businesses
Small businesses have turned out to be good business for Advantage Data Systems, which created a unique solution by combining document imaging with its point-of-sale and accounting software.

Upstarts & Startups

Open-Source CRM Player Takes Channel-Centric Approach
What do you get when you cross an open-source pedigree with channel experience bred at Microsoft? You get Centric CRM, a seven-year-old software developer with Fortune 500 clients that hopes to make a big impact in CRM for small businesses.

Market Focus: Small Business

Virtual Tape Libraries Enter SMB Price Range
Traditionally a higher-end play, new virtual tape libraries sport features and prices geared toward small and midsize businesses -- and the channel is taking notice.

Specialist Focus: Financial Services

Financial Firms Turn To VARs For Compliance Help
A rising number of financial institutions are looking to solution providers to help them stay on top of constantly evolving compliance requirements.

ShadowRAM: Rumors, Truth & Innuendo
Ellison gets the wind taken out of his sails at the America's Cup, Lotus 25th anniversary bash a blast, and Bell Micro courts royalty.

PREVIOUS ISSUES

COLUMNISTS
Heather Clancy:
Real Values
Our Recognition Is Your Recognition, Too
When Dell decided to go public with its new channel strategy, the PC giant knew exactly where to turn: CRN. This is incredible validation of our editorial team's drive to cover everything channel and present the VAR's point of view.

Robert Faletra:
On The Record
Biggest Challenge For Dell Will Be Internal
Dell's new emphasis on driving business through indirect channels is both a large opportunity and a difficult challenge for the company.

Steven Burke:
The Final Cut
Can You Trust Dell?
Can a leopard change its spots? That’s the question thousands of solution providers are asking themselves now that Michael Dell is asking them to partner with his company.

Larry Hooper:
Under The Radar
Dell Vs. HP: Who Wins?
VARs in the ChannelWeb community say that while Dell has served as a channel nemesis for years, HP hasn’t exactly been the key to solution provider profits.