Our list of the most innovative executives of the year spotlights the people that are pushing the envelope with new products and channel programs to bring solution providers to new heights.
Find out which executives made the grade and held their own, despite the great IT downturn of 2009.
Most everyone loves Thanksgiving turkeys. But IT industry turkeys? Not so much. We look at 10 examples of 'turkeys' that have disappointed the tech industry this year.
Inside This Issue: August 2008
(*includes GovernmentVAR)
Cover Story
How To Find New Customers
Finding new clients is always a high priority for VARs. In today's shaky economy. developing new business has taken on a heightened sense of urgency, and VARs are deploying many different strategies to actively expand their customer bases. Here are some of the steps to drum up new business.
>> Seven Tips Finding New Customers
>> Hitting For The (Sales) Cycle
The Most Powerful Women Of The Channel
The List: Can You Hear Them Now?
Finding new clients is a high priority for VARs and solution providers even in the best of economic times. In tough times like now, developing new business takes on an even greater sense of urgency. Without a steady stream of new customers, VARs can quickly find themselves in trouble.
There's Strength In Numbers
A wide range of organizations enable women executives to network with their peers, offer advice to those just starting out, and so much more.
Word To Live By
Was it from a boss? A mother? A friend? We asked our Women in the Channel executives to reach back and remember the best advice they've received and how it changed their lives..
Drill Down
Total Migration
The decision and stress of changing a managed services platform can cost an MSP a few sleepness nights. But for Ex-Cel Solutions, the rewards of a tricky switch to Numsoft were too good to pass up.
Mixed Messages
Solution providers vary in how they handle non-compete clauses in both their own employee contracts and in the contracts new employees bring with them.
XP Problem Solving 101
With a few easy-to-learn techniques from the Test Center, anyone can be an XP tech.
Beware Of The Weak Spots
Thanks to an eye-opening wake-up call from Ottawa-based security upstart VoIPshield, the Test Center learned just how easy it is to bypass firewalls and hack into integrated VoIP platforms.
>> U.S. Cyber Chief: 'The Right Balances'.
Pain Management
Avnet VARs get an up-close look at an Arizona Hospital's IT needs.
Peak Uptime Plugs Education Into The Future
The Skiatook Public School District is getting a tech makeover thanks to the efforts of Peak Uptime to bring a SMART Board interactive whiteboard into every classroom.
Storage
Customers Now Expect It
Adoption by major vendors means data deduplication has reached the mainstream. With so many customers now aware of its importance, solution providers should view dedupe as must-offer technology.
>> Demystifying Dedupe
Tech Advantage: Virtualization
It's No Big Secret
Everyone knows that Vista runs better on Mac hardware, but figuring out the best way to set it all up is a different story. Apple's own Boot Camp, VMware's Fusion and Parallels Desktop from Parallels are all hot on the market right now, and the Test Center reviewed them all.
>> VMware Fights Hyper-V Threat
System Builder
Better, Faster, Stronger: Microsoft's SBS 2008
Microsoft has done it again. Small Business Server 2008 is ready to shake up the managed service provider landscape with its combination of market muscle and great features all built in to one product. From installation to configuring users, the Test Center takes a look at Microsoft's latest answer to server management.
Alternatives
Green Goes External
GovernmentVAR: August 2008
Cover Story
Tough Sledding?
We map out the potential ups and downs of state, local and education sector spending.
>> Tax Revenue Decline Ushers In Outsourcing Services
Feature
Play Well With Others
Solution providers cast a hopeful eye on Dell's new partner program.
In Briefs
Avnet Gives VARs Firsthand Look At Health Care
ACS Lands $17 Million NYC Contract
These articles were mentioned in the current issue of VARBusiness.
• Seven Tips For Finding New Customers
• List: The Most Powerful Women Of The Channel
• There's Strength In Numbers
• Words To Live By
• Dell And The Channel: One Year Later
• VARs On HP-CDW Deal
• Has Cisco Lost Its Edge?
• Slide Show: 18 Weird Secenes From LinuxWorlds
VARBUSINESS VOICES
The Last Word:
Steven Burke
GreenPages: A Virtual World
Virtualization is the biggest paradigm shift in the industry since the advent of the Internet, according to GreenPages Technology Solutions. See how this fast-growing solution provider is upping its game to stay on track for double-digital growth
