Executive Briefing: February 8, 2008

PARTNERS WANT VISTA SP1 NOW

With the word that Microsoft Vista Service Pack 1 will be available in mid-March, Microsoft partners, natch, want it now, especially considering that those same bits already can be found on the Web on sites such as BitTorrent. But after a firestorm of online protest from disaffected partners, it appears that Microsoft may consider revising its decision. Micrososft wants to spend the next six weeks ironing out some device driver glitches, but partners say the glitches aren't significant enough to hold the code. [READ MORE]

HP HITS CHANNEL HURDLE

Some longtime HP-exclusive partners are having logistical problems with the vendor's flagship PartnerOne Attach Plus rebate program, which pays partners for bundling HP products and services into a single solution. The most common problem reported was that HP's "sales out" data didn't match their own internal numbers, making their HP rebate payments difficult to track and virtually impossible to predict. The rebate trouble, paired with some gaps in HP's storage lineup, has some major partners sniffing around the competition. [READ MORE]

NEW SWITCHES FACE NETWORKING SLOWDOWN

Just new vendors enter the market and established players launch eight new switches, the networking market is looking weak. Economic uncertainty and fluctuating markets could diminish enterprise network spending, says one industry study. That, followed by a rather reserved outlook from bellwether Cisco Systems, has some networking VARs bracing themselves to be ahead of whatever may come and looking at other markets. [READ MORE]

A CONVERSATION WITH MICHAEL DELL

In a Q&A with ChannelWeb, Dell Inc. Chairman and CEO Michael Dell says he is committed to being a strong partner of the channel in the wake of Dell's acquisition of EqualLogic. But he chose his words carefully when asked about how the acquisition of EqualLogic might impact his company's relationship with its OEM storage partner EMC and with CDW, a Dell competitor and a top partner of EqualLogic. [READ MORE]

SOLUTION PROVIDERS PREP FOR UNCERTAIN ECONOMY

Many solution providers have enjoyed the robust economy of the past several years, using profits to expand business both organically as well as through acquisition. However, with economic indicators increasingly worrisome, some solution providers are taking steps to better position their businesses in the event of a slowdown or recession. [READ MORE]