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Security also continues to drive demand, particularly around mobile solutions, Faletra said. "When you move to mobility and tie into my desktop with virtualization and do all the things that technology can drive, that's going to require more secure devices," he said.
While 2009 was a year of entrenchment and this year offered growth for some but not all companies, 2011 offers unique opportunities, provided that VARs are diligent in positioning themselves for the future, Faletra said. He noted that today there are just under 200,000 solution provider organizations in North America, down from about 248,000 in 2007.
Beyond the cloud, solution providers should drive increasing value from building their customer relationships, Faletra said. Vendors are looking for top solution providers that drive demand, especially by breaking in new markets, he added. Mobility is one example where VARs can drive more value.
"Where is the value of the customer relationship going to drive dollars? Think about mobility. We all want to carry mobile devices. Some carry phones, some carry iPads. Desktop virtualization allows you to do it. Virtualizing onto a mobile device, that drives mobility sales," Faletra said.
While the number of VARs may be fewer, newer companies are emerging from the recession, companies positioned for fast growth and competing against more established solution providers.
"The financial health of the channel is getting reconfigured. Many solution providers are growing. Some partners are significantly challenged while others are performing quite well," Faletra said. "When you move into the cloud, there's lots of opportunity but the recovery will be slow and segmented. You need to focus on what you do well and what your customers ask you for."
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