Two years ago, Thompson pulled off what was supposed to a deal that would forever change the security-storage landscape. Along the way, he has grappled with solution provider frustration, budget cuts and a sagging stock price as Cupertino, Calif.-based Symantec attempted to bring Veritas into the corporate fold. Well, no one ever said it was going to be easy.

Is a rebound may in the cards for 2008? Symantec executives say they have seen a rise in customer satisfaction based on internal surveys from partners, particularly in the areas of licensing and ease of doing business. But one data point does not a trend make.