Exodus Enters the VARBusiness 500

Exodus Communications Inc. (VARBusiness 500 rank: 288) is a new kid on the VARBusiness 500 block. And it is still sorting out friend from foe on our annual list of the 500 largest channel companies.

Exodus, a $52 million Web and app hosting vendor, is a wild card in the mix of traditional company types among the VARBusiness 500. "We can find ourselves competing against or partnering with the same company on different days," says Ellen Hancock, president and CEO.

As EDS Corp. (VARBusiness 500 rank: 2) and IBM Global Services (VARBusiness 500 rank: 1) divested themselves of their value-added networks, Exodus removed them from its list of foes.

Exodus replaced them with with MCI Worldcom and AT&T Solutions. EDS "outsourced" its network to MCI Worldcom, while IBM sold its network to AT&T Solutions.

"After EDS sold its network off to Worldcom,

we took them off our competitive chart," she says. "IBM is also off the chart, so we are open to alliances with either company."