As if they needed more stress, organizations are facing evolving and increasingly stringent compliance regulations from the Payment Card Industry, as well as Sarbanes-Oxley, HIPAA and others. Here are a few security compliance products that can make the audit process less excruciating.
Here are 10 of the distributor's hottest new offerings winning over solution providers.
New smartphones from Sony, Motorola and the first-ever Twitter-only mobile device -- the TwitterPeek -- headline a busy week for handset makers as the holiday shopping season heats up.
Then Microsoft did the right thing. Without exactly saying it, the company stopped trying to convert XP lovers to Vista and instead put its efforts into the next version of its operating system, Windows 7.
Think back to two years ago: There was a lot of mud-slinging about the end of an empire, the last of the Windows operating systems, the death of the giant of Redmond. People argued that the failure of Vista to win over the world was the beginning of the end. Along the way, Apple made some serious headway with its Mac platform at the expense of Vista, which was the basis for the whole "I'm a Mac, I'm a PC" commercial series. And in the past year, Linux-based netbooks caught on with consumers.
But that anti-momentum is all but dead now. The reviews are in, and Windows 7 is a hit. With its official launch this month, expect to see even more of a groundswell behind the operating system that gave Microsoft its mojo back.
But will it lead to a hardware refresh and help the IT sector on its way to a recovery? That's the consensus of most solution providers out there. With the economy turning toward the positive and the new Windows operating system getting rave reviews, we could see a big swing to the positive side, solution providers said.
Their observations are anecdotal, and they make sense to a point. Honestly, I'm hoping they are right.
But in reality, is that wishful thinking? Will Windows 7 help spur a new IT revival? Or will companies keep their hardware refresh cycles the same and eventually stop downgrading the machines back to Windows XP? Did Vista really slow the system refresh cycle? Or was that the free-falling economy?
We all have our opinions and some people even think they have proof. But in truth, only time will tell. The next six months will be key as Windows 7 rolls out to consumers and begins to trickle into the corporate world. By then, we should know who is right.
In the meantime, share your thoughts and experience on Windows 7 rollouts or any other tech or business issues with us and your solution provider peers below.
They like to share stories and experiences and learn from other solution providers that most likely don't compete with them.
Everything Channel's XChange conferences are certainly one way to do that. As we went to press, a lot of us here at CRN and Channelweb.com were on our way to XChange '09 in Washington, D.C., held Aug. 17-20. As Everything Channel editors, our time with solution providers at these events is invaluable. Over the years, we have helped resolve conflicts within major vendors' channel organizations, uncovered scams and helped resellers move up the value chain by keeping our fingers on the pulse of the fastest and brightest solution providers in the market. As they learn, we all learn.
That's why I am excited about Channelweb Connect. Launched in March, Channelweb Connect ( http://community.crn.com ) is growing fast and seeing more and more activity every day. Solution providers, Everything Channel editors and vendor staff are all getting involved in blogging, discussing issues and commenting on the news of the day.
One of the Channelweb Connect features I am most excited about is groups. All Channelweb Connect members can join one of the existing groups or start a group of their own. The groups can be completely open to all, semiprivate or completely secret. What that means is that VARs and solution providers can get time with other solution providers on a nonbiased platform and say exactly what they want to say—anonymously or not.
To me, there is power in the platform. To keep it fair, I won't pick on a particular vendor. But, say, one of your vendors is causing you some trouble. Maybe the salespeople are pushing a little too hard near the end of a quarter or they are taking bigger clients direct. Is it you? Or is it a pattern? Pose that question on Channelweb Connect and the answer will come. Maybe you are looking into breaking into the SMB market or a new tech vertical. The answers to your questions are out there in the IT channel, and Channelweb Connect can help you find them.
If you aren't looking for answers, maybe you are that smartest guy in the room. There's no better way to prove it than to share your knowledge with the rest of the IT channel. Whether you start your own daily blog or answer questions as they come up, you will be noticed.
Groups are forming every day around different markets, technologies and specific vendors. Go ahead, lurk if you need to. Sniff around until you find one that fits your needs. If you don't see the one for you, start it yourself. Invite people you know to join, and get the conversation going.
BACKTALK: You can find Larry Hooper in Channelweb Connect (http:community.crn.com). Log in and sound off!
With the Microsoft partner conference mid-month, it's no surprise that much of the conversation centered on Microsoft, especially Windows 7. Our own Kevin McLaughlin's story, "Microsoft Partners Expect Windows 7 Services Bonanza," generated a storm of conversation both from Microsoft partners and those dyed-in-the-wool Linux fans who are hoping that the next big desktop transition will be the one they have been waiting for.
Channelweb Connect member rblokolud1 took exception to McLaughlin's characterization of Windows XP: "It is inaccurate to say that Windows XP cannot handle modern computing tasks. It is much more accurate to say that Microsoft has intentionally gimped it in order to sell more upgrades."
Another subject that drove a lot of discussion was the failure of Dallas-based solution provider MIS Group, Sage Software's largest partner. The sudden shutdown of a large solution provider got Channelweb Connect members to debate how it could happen. Was it overreliance on one vendor (Sage)? Was it overreliance on one niche (construction)? Was it overreliance on debt? We don't have the answers to the questions, but the conversation along the way is fascinating.
Still, while the conversations are the mainstay, I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't point out that Channelweb Connect is more than a discussion board. In the past month, we have introduced new blogs from our own Steven Burke and Ed Moltzen. With daily updates, Burke's "The Real Channel" blog takes a look at the issues the IT channel community faces every day. Moltzen's "Inside Ball" blog focuses on technology, and the business of making it happen for customers.
And there is still more. Channelweb Connect also lets solution providers form groups of their own, open to all, selective or even private. Groups forming now include Women in the Channel and Fast Growth VARs. There's also an active Latin Channels group. What's your group? Browse the groups already there or start your own. Invite your employees, your competitors, your vendors or your peers.
Channelweb Connect also features full social networking capabilities. Upload your photo. Build out your profile with details about your business and your personal interests. And find others in the channel who are like you. Connect with and follow Channelweb Connect members with similar job functions, similar companies or similar hobbies. It's up to you.
BackTalk: Are you ready to connect? Join me and the rest of the IT community at http://community.crn.com
Why would a publication and Web site dedicated to the business of solution providers come out against a $1 million bonus? Isn't our job to want every one of our readers to achieve something similar, if not more?
For the record, I have no personal issues with $1 million bonuses. I didn't even have a problem with the AIG execs getting their bonuses. A contract is a contract. That said, if I have a personal stake in an organization, as a member, a shareholder, an employee, etc., I may have a problem with an exec earning a $1 million bonus for an ill-conceived goal that was later abandoned. That's at least why I thought the story was relevant to our readers. A good chunk of Comptia's members are solution providers.
If a vendor's channel chief spent two or three years recruiting thousands of new partners and soon after decided the company had too many partners, we would write about that, and it wouldn't be a flattering story.
If that makes me anti-capitalist, please write letters on my behalf to the city of San Francisco, my home, where I am often accused of being just to the right of Rush Limbaugh for my positions on things like trying to make the city more responsive to property owners or more business friendly.
So, to set the record straight, we here at Everything Channel believe in capitalism and consider it our mission to further it along where the IT channel is concerned.
In my mind, the more interesting debate centered on Comptia's core business: certifications. In our exclusive members-only section on CRN.com, Everything Channel's Scott Campbell talked to several CIOs who didn't seem to think the technology certifications at the solution providers were as important as they once were. "The bottom line is people do business with people, and relationships which establish long-standing partnerships are less affected by [certifications] than the fact that I know how a partner will react in a difficult circumstance," said Ed Eskew, CIO of Bernard Chaus, a Secaucus, N.J., women's apparel manufacturer.
That's an interesting statement when you consider how much money is spent on certification. Still, those on the other side of the debate say the certifications assure solution providers that the people they hire know what they are doing and assure vendors that their partners are capable of representing them.
Are certifications an important part of your business or a waste? Let me know in the comment section below.
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