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Inside This Issue: May 7, 2007
(*includes Custom Systems Magazine)
Cover Story
2007 CRN Channel Champions
Which vendors are best at helping VARs make money? This year, CRN's annual Channel Champions study attempted to answer that question by asking solution providers to rate vendors' financial impact, along with their products, partner programs and support.
CHANNEL CHAMPS BY CATEGORY:
>> Software
>> Systems & Components
>> Networking
>> Security
>> Storage
>> Peripherals
SLIDE SHOWS:
>> 2007 Channel Champs: The Results
>> On The Scene: Channel Champs Awards
Microsoft, Cisco Get 'Special' Channel Champs Honors
Think of Microsoft and Cisco Systems as channel MVPs. That’s because both vendors won the three special awards granted as part of the 2007 CRN Channel Champions study.
Tech Focus
Norton 360 Offers Security Bundle Option For White Boxes
The Norton 360 suite from Symantec sports a large security tool collection that makes it ideal to bundle into custom systems, the CRN Test Center finds.
This Power Supply Doesn't Mess Around
Given today's high-performance systems, Tagan takes the “why mess around” approach with its over-the-top TG-1100-U96 power supply, which isn’t likely to falter no matter what kind of load it holds.
ShadowRAM: Rumors, Truth & Innuendo
IBM needs to get (rid of) a Second Life, "twitterers" chime in on Ray Ozzie keynote at Mix07, Polycom partner conference gets animated, and an exec rivalry takes root at Microsoft.
Custom Systems Magazine: May 2007
Cover Story
Can AMD Regain Your Trust?
Advanced Micro Devices is pledging improved support and supply as its Barcelona quad-cores draw near, but some system builders are still skeptical.
>> Q&A: AMD CEO Hector Ruiz
>> Q&A: Intel CEO Paul Otellini
Where Custom Is Cool
Playing The Gaming Market
System builders are still finding that the gaming PC market has plenty of headroom as power users refresh their systems.
Industry Voices
What's On The Minds Of Intel's Closest System Builders?
Intel advisory board members and channel execs talked it up in a CRN roundtable at the Intel Solutions Summit in San Diego. The conversation heated up around vPro, Intel's latest whitebook initiative and the slow uptake for Vista.
Business Trends
Custom Systems Hold Their Own In Education
System builders say they're well-positioned vs. tier-one competitors in the education space.
Technology
Why VPro Means Business
New Intel platform offers system management, security and other benefits for VARs.
AMD Makes A Graphic Move
With its introduction of the 690 integrated graphics chipset, AMD trumpeted its entry into the integrated graphics market, and system builders are giving it a welcoming cheer.
PREVIOUS CRN ISSUES
These articles were mentioned in this issue of CRN.
• IBM: Value Trumps Loyalty
• Internal Affairs: Dell Memo Says Direct Model Not 'Religion'
• Hold On Now, That's Partner Territory
• Linux Preload, Anyone?
• Microsoft Gets Twittered, Flickred At Mix07
• ScanSource Helps VARs Feel Secure
• Tech Data's Feeling N-abled
• Once In A Lifetime
• Avnet Picks Up Azaleos E-mail Services
• Sirius Gets Serious About Acquisitions
• Microsoft Embraces Macs, Interop At Mix07
• Dell To Offer Ubuntu Systems
• Novell, Red Hat War Gets Uglier
• VARs: CDW Prices HP Products Below Cost
• Is The Dell Channel Born Again?
COLUMNISTS
Robert Faletra:
Steven Burke:
Craig Zarley:
Heather Clancy:
Real Values
Why Satisfaction Is A Moving Target
There’s a new dimension to this year’s CRN Channel Champions VAR satisfaction study, one that reflects the financial metrics by which a solution provider gauges the value of a particular vendor relationship -- a judgment that changes with time.
On The Record
An Open Letter To
Michael Dell
Dear Michael... It seems to me that Dell would benefit greatly by building a bridge to the indirect channel.
The Final Cut
HP's Gain, IBM's Pain
To say Hewlett-Packard is putting rivals IBM and Dell to shame is not overstating it. The latter two companies are just not the factors they once were in the market.
On The Frontline
Is IBM Passport Valid?
IBM’s global strategy has some missing pieces. IBM Business Partners attending PartnerWorld said Big Blue's global terms and conditions haven’t kept pace with its global strategy.
