Methodology

Many hours of investigating, compiling and managing large amounts of data and information were the necessary staples to complete this year's ranking of the 500 largest solution providers in North America. VARBusiness partnered with research firms Bernett Research and Answers Research to help collect and analyze the data.

VARBusiness designed the survey, which was administered via our Web site from early February through mid-April, as a means to collect the data. We invited last year's VARBusiness 500 list to participate and supplemented this list with additional candidates from our circulation database. Internet searches as well as telephone interviews were administered during that same time period.

Survey responses were analyzed for each company's ability to meet this year's VARBusiness 500 rankings. Missing data was obtained in follow-up telephone interviews or via the Internet. For public companies, research included going through all available financial statements and SEC documents to identify the appropriate revenue. For private firms, research included Internet searches, interviews, confirmation letters and e-mail from company executives.

Finalists were ranked according to their fiscal year 2003 revenue; in cases where a services division included nonservices revenue, the services-only revenue was calculated to show only reseller-related services segment of its business.