MicroScope articles from April 2003

MicroScope archives from April 2003

Dealers face supply chain crisis: channel hit by double whammy with lack of HP stock plus air and sea freight rate hike.
April 1, 2003... The channel has been dealt a N double blow after revelations that Hewlett-Packard was struggling with alterations to its supply chain coincided with the disclosure that sea and air freight charges were set to increase. Last week, both...

Departures at Ingram spark sales shuffle.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Ingram Micro has carried out a I reorganisation of its senior sales staff and made two appointments to replace recently departed national sales managers Nick Tomey and Dianne Moynihan. The Milton Keynes-based broadliner has appointed Barry...

Start of war fails to turn channel optimism to dust. (News).
April 1, 2003... Thoughts of an extended war in Iraq appear to be having a limited impact on the growing confidence in the channel that business is improving. A survey of channel players revealed that although most reported a slow start to the first...

NAI delays results during accounts probe. (News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Network Associates has postponed the filing of its 2002 results while it restates its 2000,1999 and 1998 figures. The vendor claimed it had instigated the move to reflect the change from a sell in to a sell through method of measuring sales...

InTechnology will buy--not be bought. (News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... InTechnology has quashed industry talk linking it with OpenPSL and SCH, but admitted it was on the lookout to acquire a niche player in the storage market Talking exclusively to MicroScope, InTechnology chief operating officer Steve Pearce...

Acer tipped to take on ETC to bolster attack on SMEs. (News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Less than four weeks after Acer split with Ideal Hardware, the PC manufacturer is believed to be locked in negotiations with Birmingham-based distributor ETC. Last month, the Taiwanese vendor and Ideal Hardware confirmed their relationship...

Getronics willing to sell sections of business. (News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Troubled services supplier Getronics has admitted it is willing to sell parts of the business as new management attempts to resurrect the company from [euro]615m ([pounds sterling]410m) of debt. Sources monitoring Getronics had indicated...

Fujitsu Siemens adds an extra year to grow sales. (News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Fujitsu Siemens has claimed Fan initiative to extend three year standard warranties on its desktops by a further 12 months will drive 30 per cent growth in the struggling PC arena over the next quarter. The initiative, Refresh 4 You, will...

Neil Holloway climbs the Microsoft ladder. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Microsoft UK managing director and Emea vice president Neil Holloway has been promoted to corporate vice president of the company and vice president of sales, marketing and services Emea, effective 1 July. Holloway will continue to hold his...

Settlement due from Lucent. (In Brief).
April 1, 2003... Lucent has reached an agreement to settle all pending shareholder and related litigation against the company, its current and former officers and directors, and certain other defendants. The company did not admit any wrongdoing as part of the...

Costly tax ruling to impact small businesses. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Small businesses were dealt a bitter blow when the High Court upheld a controversial ruling in favour of the Inland Revenue. Gordon Stutchbury, founder of software consultancy Synaptek, had challenged a decision of the Tax Commissioners that,...

Customers to weigh up the KOSt of PC purchases. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Croydon-based reseller KOS Systems has launched a services-focused corporate sales drive which will see the company pay customers [pounds sterling]10 for every PC it supplies to them. KOS managing director Jurra Phoule told MicroScope the "Cash...

Why Microsoft must care about management. (Software).
April 1, 2003... Microsoft's attempts to Incorporate management features into its operating systems is a move designed to counter the threat of open source and rival alternatives. According to Windows infrastructure management consultancy and software...

Citrix licenses Passlogix for SSO offering. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Citrix Systems has announced that is has licensed technology from Passlogix, an enterprise software company, for its Citrix Metaframe Password Manager software. Available in the second quarter of the year, the kit is designed to offer customers...

FormScape wins SAP deal for XSF interface. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... SAP has awarded FormScape certification for its output management products. The certification covers FormScape version 2.4 for integration with SAP's XSF interface. FormScape chief technical officer Darren Atkinson said: "This certification...

Novasoft hires Sainsbury's man for retail strategy. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Novasoft UK has appointed former Sainsbury's IT director Chris Montagnon as its non-executive director. Montagnon, who worked at the supermarket chain for ten years, will be responsible for developing Novasoft's retail market strategy.

Software developers admit to poor piracy prevention. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Up to 43 per cent of software publishers do not protect their software against unauthorised use, according to a survey of more than 250 UK firms by Rainbow Technologies. Of the 57 per cent that do use protection, the majority said it was...

Systems Union insists revenue dip will not slow momentum of takeover drive. (Software).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Systems Union has shrugged off last year's five per cent drop in turnover to [pounds sterling]74.6m as a symptom of "demanding market conditions" and said its doubling of pre-tax profits to [pounds sterling]4.3m would keep the company in a...

Companies reveal reckless attitude to piracy despite knowledge of the risks. (Software).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Awareness of software piracy has increased among businesses, but many are still failing to take preventative measures, according to research. A Lodestar study of business software piracy revealed a big disparity between accepted opinion...

HP motivates dealers with flights for sales offer. (Networking).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Hewlett-Packard is raising the stakes in its battle for the Layer 3 switching market through a wide-reaching reseller incentive programme. Put in place after research carried out for the vendor found customers made buying decisions based on...

EC gives Tech Data green light to finalise Alan deal. (Networking).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Tech Data is set to begin integrating Azlan's distribution and services business into its operation following European Commission approval of the acquisition deal. In a statement issued last week, the EC said an investigation into the IT...

Tiscali wins GAME deal. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Tiscali Business Services UK has signed a contract to supply a broadband-enabled IP-VPN solution to games retailer GAME. The contract was awarded to Tiscali in partnership with systems integrator and channel partner Prime Business Solutions.

D-Link unveils AirPlus. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... D-Link has launched the AirPlus wireless broadband Internet gateway with built-in wireless LAN access point, 10/100Mbps switch and print server functions. Designed for the office and public hotspots, the D1-714P+ allows easy sharing of Web...

Channel warned to prepare for impending D-Day. (Hardware).
April 1, 2003... The channel has less than six months to takes notes and examine how Dell operates in the US printer market before the direct-selling giant reaches the shores of our sceptred isle. Last week, the battle grounds were set down across the pond...

Big Blue cuts R series prices to 'thank' dealers and rattle rivals. (Hardware).(IBM's marketing approach)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... IBM is looking to turn up the heat on rivals in the SME market by offering heavy discounts on its R series of ThinkPad notebooks as part of the Top Seller programme. Top Seller, which was launched over a year ago, offers a selection of...

No one needs a wireless monitor, so who will buy these glorified PDAs? (Comment).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Other than the roller-coaster nature of panel prices, there is very little to shout about in the monitor market these days, but Smart Displays have created a real buzz in the industry. The products are 802.11b wireless detachable monitors...

ServiceTec tailors services to tough climate. (Services).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Managed services supplier ServiceTec has praised the item-by-item pricing model as a method of winning business from cash-strapped firms. The Stevenage-based systems support company has aimed the pricing model at businesses in the process...

ICM boosts business continuity strategy with City data centre. (Services).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... ICM is set to increase its profile with the lucrative financial companies based in the City through the acquisition of a [pounds sterling]2.8m data centre offering business continuity coverage in the capital. The centre gives the...

Are Web services a worthwhile investment? (Services).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Claims that Web services are a hugely profitable area have been treated with a fair amount of scepticism, but resellers are still being urged to get involved with the market. In an interview with MicroScope, Solicitec managing director Neil...

Services companies call on the BCI to provide more guidance. (Services).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Those involved in selling services to keep firms up and running are looking to the Business Continuity Institute (BCI) to influence government attitudes to disaster recovery and provide more guidance to company directors. In a survey of...

Channel split over what it wants from Brown. (Finance).
April 1, 2003... With just days to go until chancellor Gordon Brown unveils his budget a survey of channel desires has indicated low expectations that a commitment to improve sales and skills for resellers will be included in the red box. Calls for an...

Education is best policy to ensure security. (The Knowledge: Security Policy).
April 1, 2003... Forget fire walling, intrusion F detection, anti-virus and wireless encryption. Without a well-designed, properly implemented security policy, any other security measures an organisation puts in place are next to useless. Too often in the...

Now is not the time to miss delivery. (Editorial).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2003 is behind us and the message from all levels of the market appears to be that although it is still fragile, the IT market is moving in the right direction. There will be a few doomsayers pointing to the war, which...

A Google addiction: despite really, really trying, Caroline Bassett can't imagine a world without the powers of Google. Come to think of it, neither can we. (Editorial).
April 1, 2003... Imagine there's no Google, see it if YOU can. Personally, I can't. The point is, without Google I don't see what I want: I see detritus, information overload and too many people called the same name. I run my Web activities through Google and I...

Warning: the OFT is a force not to be reckoned with. (Comment).(Office of Fair Trading)
April 1, 2003... Despite the risk of spending time behind bars and facing a hefty fine, it seems at least one manufacturer is willing to bear the wrath of the OFT. Barry Young puts it down to case of mad price fixing disease With the Office of Fair Trading...

Convergence sales suffering due to 'lack of understanding'. (Margin Makers -- Convergence).
April 1, 2003... The sale of convergence technology is being hindered by the slow integration of the IT and telecoms channels, according to market research specialist Canalys. Andy Buss, senior analyst at Canalys, argued the channel was not geared up to...

Crane heads into telecoms sector with new Anikti unit. (Margin Makers -- Convergence).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Convergence distributor Crane is moving into telecoms server manufacturing via a new focused unit trading under the name Anikti. The new unit will target its Intel-driven, open architecture enterprise telecoms servers at independent...

Specialists look to the future with optimism. (Margin Makers -- Security).
April 1, 2003... The debate raging on the pages of MicroScope during the months over the merits of specialised against broadline security distribution and the process of product commoditisation has thrown up some interesting issues. But central to the...

Virtualisation predictions cause surprise. (Margin Makers -- Storage).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... Adoption of storage virtualisation is expected to soar this year, despite vendor concerns that the technology is still nowhere near being a final product The surprising... According to research from the Storage Networking Industry...

A new kind of language is hitting the storage sector. (Comment).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... A couple of years ago, a storage software specialist had a simple message --our product helps you manage your stored data. Now that message is being expressed differently, posing both threats and opportunities for storage dealers, writes Simon...

The secret life of printers: in the first of a two-part feature, we look at how the OFT's call for an industry standard governing the total cost of ownership for printers has been received by the market.
April 1, 2003... Richard Herman, managing director of telephone recording device company Retell, is a happy printer customer. "We bought a Kyocera," he says, "and it's something like a third of the cost per page -- maybe less -- of what it would be from other...

A real money spinner; proband appears to have solved one of the channel's great mysteries: how to make a profit from selling it products.
April 1, 2003... Birmingham-based Probrand's marketing director Ian Williamson is on the phone to MicroScope and we've had to ask him to repeat his company's gross margin figure because we're not sure we heard him correctly. He repeats the figure, then...

A two-timer who'd like to eat you for breakfast. (5 Minute Interview).(James Edgecombe's interview)
April 1, 2003... James Edgecombe, channel manager, Cobweb Solutions With whom would you most like to have a date? My sister-in-law. It would be a great opportunity to tell her what a silly and selfish cow she is without my wife interfering. What do...

Soap.
April 1, 2003... We all love to have a laugh on April Fool's Day and those of you who haven't noticed our own efforts to cause a chuckle in this issue will presumably believe anything you read. Hopefully the compilers of Soap are a little bit more discerning,...

Handsights.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2003... From MicroScope April 1987 Some money" An Atari spokesman reveals what Commodore had offered to settle a lawsuit. "News shouldn't have gone out this week. There was an administrative cock-up. It shouldn't have been announced for a...

Problem postbag.(Nigel Judd answers responds to reseller query)
April 1, 2003... Nigel Judd, general manager of marketing at Computer 2000 and our resident marketing guru, tackles this month's reseller query. Q. I have been put in charge of marketing for my company, a South-West-based reseller servicing local businesses...

Vendors ring in the changes: Sun, HP and Apple outline plans to improve routes to market in channel spring clean.
April 8, 2003... Sun Microsystems, Hewlett-Packard and Apple have indicated the level of changes to come this year as they look to strengthen their channels. The alterations could leave some partners facing contract termination and others with an...

Jobs on the line as Fujitsu Services MCD aims to reduce costs.(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... Two months after taking the reins at Fujitsu Services Multivendor Computing Division (MCD), managing director Mike Stares has implemented a round of job cuts. Stares took over responsibility for MCD when Fujitsu Services opted not to sell...

Traffic up but concerns over quality still remain: Paul Kunert and Dominic Hall report from the Computer Trade Show and Comms Channel Expo at Birmingham NEC last week. (News).
April 8, 2003... The new-look Computer I Trade Show has breathed much-needed life into an otherwise tired format; but some of the event's core exhibitors have questioned whether the mobile and retail elements have diluted its focus. In the aftermath of the...

Traditional comms distributors struggle with convergence sales. (News).(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... Traditional telecoms distributors have admitted they are having a harder time than expected selling convergence products into the traditional IT reseller market. Speaking to MicroScope at last week's Comms Channel event in Birmingham, both...

CA launches services arm to wrestle sales slide. (News).(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... Computer Associates has launched a formal assault on the services market with the creation of CA Technology Services. The division will include CA's existing technical pre-sales and professional services units to beef up the vendor's...

NEC and Micro P 'mutual decision' to end data deal. (New).(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... NEC has ended a distribution agreement with Micro P for its data storage products but claims to have left the door open for future work with the firm. Speaking to MicroScope, NEC business equipment division commercial manager Andrew Wylie...

Industry warns Sars virus could raise system costs. (News).(Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... The outbreak of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) pneumonia virus could have serious implications for the IT supply chain, according to industry sources. Services director at Quocirca, Clive Longbottom, argued the recent...

ETC contract kicks off Acer double attack. (News).(Interchange is involved)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... Both the corporate and SME markets are to be opened to Acer after its expected distribution agreement with ETC and the Birmingham-based distributor's sister company Interchange kicked off this week. The move, which was predicted in...

Ideal and Morse to make cuts. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... Ideal Hardware is understood to be wielding the axe in the UK as part of an ongoing assessment of its sales force. At the same time, Morse is making a number of redundancies. Partner marketing manager Clare Findlay said it was consulting staff...

Maverick makes a Splash. (In Brief).(with Splash AV)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... Maverick has founded a distribution business called Splash AV, which will be a separate legal entity. Ex-Ingram Micro marketing director Greg Finney has been appointed as divisional managing director at Splash AV, which will offer resellers...

Richardson leaves Samsung. (In Brief).(Will Richardson)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... Will Richardson, general manager of the PC division at Samsung, has resigned from the company to spend more time with his family. He denied suggestions from several industry sources that his departure was the result of a clash with management.

Single scheme for three Microsoft products. (Software).(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... Microsoft Business Solutions is to unify its three flagship products under a single accreditation programme. The scheme which will be officially unveiled on 26 April, will bring Navision, Great Plains and Axapta partners under one umbrella. ...

Novell puts channel at centre of Web application drive. (Software).(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... Novell claims to have placed the channel at the centre of its Nsure Secure Identity Management strategy. The software vendor said it was aiming to raise its profile in the market and simplify its offerings for the channel and users. ...

NAI set to buy IntruVert. (In Brief).(Network Associates)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... Network Associates has signed an agreement to acquire IntruVert Networks, a provider of network-based intrusion protection kit, for $100m ([pounds sterling]63.8m) in cash.

StarOffice for download. (In Brief).(from Sun Microsystems)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... Sun Microsystems has made the beta version of StarOffice 6.1 available for download to obtain user evaluation and feedback. It runs on Linux, Solaris and Windows.

IXOS integrates Obtree. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... IXOS Software AG is integrating the Obtree Technologies sales and service companies in Switzerland and the UK with the group's regional sales divisions. The Swiss company was acquired by IXOS in January.

Nortel makes a push into wireless market. (Networking).(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... Nortel is launching a broadside into the enterprise wireless LAN market in a bid to extend its all-encompassing One Networks strategy into the wireless space. The vendor, which has so far been notable by its absence from the wireless LAN...

BT Indirect Channels in search of specialist partners to drive voice and data business. (Networking).(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... BT Indirect Channels has launched a reseller recruitment drive as it aims to grow its voice and data business. The telecoms giant revealed it was looking for partners with specialist applications, such as storage area networking and those...

Release date approaches for D-Link wireless products. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... D-Link has launched its Airplus Xtreme G 802.11 g draft standard WLAN range. The products, which will be available from mid-April, incorporate the DI-624 wireless router, the DWL-2000AP wireless access point, the DWL-G650 cardbus adaptor and...

ICT terminology guide brought up to date. (In Brief).(CMA launches the fourth edition)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... CMA has launched a fourth edition of its guide to CT terminology to help communications workers cut through the endless jargon associated with telecommunications, which has become even more challenging with developments in the convergence of...

European first as university gets 10Gb capacity network. (In Brief).(University of Strathclyde)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... The University of Strathclyde has become the first European university to install a 10Gb Ethemet network. The new network, supplied by Foundry and installed and supported by Total Network Solutions, provides enhanced capacity for the...

Keefe joins Logical as UK sales director. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... Networking services group Logical has appointed Jeremy Keefe as UK sales director. Keefe joins Logical UK from Computacenter, where he was business development director for the commercial sector. He will be tasked with growing Logical's...

Alcatel to connect over 1,000 City & Hackney users. (In Brief).
April 8, 2003... Alcatel has won a contract to implement an IP telephony network for City & Hackney Teaching Primary Care Trust. The network is designed to improve internal communications and virtually remove call charges through tile use of VoIP. It will join...

Smart money on a long-term display of profits. (Hardware).
April 8, 2003... Vendors often dress IT up in glamorous marketing robes to create hype, and Smart Displays have become the latest products to receive the catwalk treatment. If you listen to Microsoft, Smart Displays have been hailed as the product of the...

Fujitsu and AMD partner for joint Flash operation in US. (In Brief).(Fujitsu, Advanced Micro Devices collaborate in US)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... AMD and Fujitsu have teamed up to establish a Flash memory semiconductor company based in California. The company, FASL LLC, will be based on the integration of AMD and Fujitsu's Flash memory businesses, including Their existing joint...

C2000 predicts CRT downfall. (In Brief).(Computer 200 anticipates growth of flat screen sales)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... Computer 2000 is expecting sales of flat screens to push CRT monitor sales into niche markets before the end of 2003 as screen sizes increase, prices fall and users become more aware of the benefits of using LCDs, according to The company....

Kyocera lowers laser prices. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... Kyocera Mita has reduced The trade pricing on all configurations of its FS-010 and FS-900 mono laser printers. The reductions, with up to 12 per cent off some models, will be available on all orders placed before 30 April. Head of marketing...

Dell on target for sales rise. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... Dell has revealed it expects to meet its forecast of an 18 per cent rise in revenues in its first fiscal quarter, citing strong demand for PCs.

New CEO to transform EDS. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... The change of CEO at services giant EDS has signalled a significant shift in corporate strategy, according to research by the Meta Group. "We believe [new CEO] Michael Jordan will target corporate structural changes such as acquisition or...

Resellers offered training to StayAhead of IBM Education. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... Unix and Oracle training specialist StayAhead has launched a range of vendor-independent courses targeted at resellers. "StayAhead's extended AIX curriculum allows us and our channel partners to compete directly with IBM Education by offering...

IT vendors unaware of customer dissatisfaction. (In Brief).
April 8, 2003... Research consultancy BMRB International has warned IT vendors that they are not doing enough to find out how satisfied clients are with their services. In a survey of vendors' customers, less than half admitted they had "positive perceptions"...

Short-term employment contracts are getting shorter. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... Services and staffing specialist Parity has indicated that the average contract of a temporary employee has reduced from five months to three. Parity managing director Rick Bacon said: "Short-term contracts dramatically impact employee...

Pink Roccade in managed services push. (Interview).
April 8, 2003... Pink Roccade has outlined its services strategy by stating a desire to "push managed services up the value chain" and will continue its partnership with IBM implementing a practical vision for Big Blue's 'e-business on demand' services delivery...

Novell aims to 'wipe out problems' of Web services. (Services).(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... Software vendor Novell has unleashed its Web services offerings for channel partners, which will be encouraged to create services revenue based on high-end consultancy. Dealers will offer Web services through the vendor's Ngage consulting...

Does InTechnology have the strength to succeed? (Finance).
April 8, 2003... Last week's report in MicroScope that storage distributor InTechnology would be the driver rather than the target in any acquisition activity was a confident statement for a company trading in the under-fire and under-valued IT sector. Yet...

PBC warned IP channel building will not be easy. (Margin Makers - Convergence).(Philips Buiness EVE Communications wants to form channel)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... Manufacturer Philips Business EVE Communications has been warned it will not have an easy ride as it looks to form a channel to help it tackle the mid-IP telephony market. The vendor has traditionally sold direct; but on the back of a...

Westcon unveils dedicated voice unit with Mitel signing. (Margin Makers - Convergence).(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... Westcon has moved to stake a deeper claim on the convergence market through a distribution agreement with Mitel and the launch of a standalone voice-focused unit. The Mitel deal will see the IP telephony vendor join a rank of existing...

Crane launches Anikti. (In Brief).(Crane Telecommunications forms Anikti subsidiary)(Brief Article)
April 8, 2003... Crane Telecommunications has launched a communications distributor called Anikti. The wholly owned subsidiary is tasked with "spearheading strategic moves into a rapidly emerging market sector", said chief executive David George.