MicroScope articles from June 2003

MicroScope archives from June 2003

Dell remains direct despite channel revenues: admission from UK general manager that Dell sells to dealers raises concerns over reseller vulnerability.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2003... Channel sales contribute as much as 15 per cent towards Dell's overall revenues, according to the direct vendor's new UK general manager, but rivals have warned resellers about the perils of "dancing with the devil". In an exclusive...

Odds stacked against CRT survival.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2003... The UK CRT monitor market received a double blow last week after sea freight couriers unveiled pending price increases and LG-Philips Displays confirmed its fabrication plant in Wales was to close. The news that the Far Eastern Freight...

CA cuts all ties with Ideal.(Computer Associates and Ideal Hardware)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2003... The stand off between Computer Associates and Ideal Hardware has ended in a draw after the software vendor said it would not be using Ideal's licensing system after all. The developments came after the two companies told MicroScope they...

Dell under the microscope. (News).
June 3, 2003... Talking exclusively to MicroScope first interview with the UK channel press, Bill Rodrigues, general manager UK and vice president Emea at Dell, tackles the questions to which dealers want answers. Q. Will the white box scheme that kicked...

Dealers fear school 'blip' will hit sales. (News).(Brief Article)
June 3, 2003... Resellers have claimed that the schools funding crisis has Led to a temporary reduction in educational spending on IT and will impact sales for the first half of the year. Ray Barker, director of the British Education Suppliers...

Novell tells SCO to prove Unix claims or end threat. (News).(Brief Article)
June 3, 2003... Novell has launched a scathing attack on SCO over its claim to hold copyrights and patents to the Unix operating system. In the wake of SCO's shock announcement that Linux contained illegal use of Unix ode, leaving users vulnerable to legal...

Microsoft changes fuel hopes for new signings. (News).(Brief Article)
June 3, 2003... Resellers are hoping to cash in on changes to Microsoft's software assurance programme by using the scheme to sign up new customers. The upgrade and maintenance programme was launched as part of the software giant's Licensing 6 scheme last...

Extra Time beckons for PC vendor's end of year results filing as extension is granted. (News).(Brief Article)
June 3, 2003... High street manufacturer Time Group has raised concerns among channel watchers and suppliers after extending its accounting period to delay publication of its 2002 results. The PC vendor filed a form at Companies House to extend its...

Tech Data Q1 results mixed. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
June 3, 2003... Tech Data reported a 38.7 per cent drop in net income to $21.5m ([epsilon]13m) in the first quarter to 30 April, while revenues remained flat at $3.9bn. First-quarter sales in Europe decreased by 4.3 per cent in local currency.

NHS 'long list' drawn up. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
June 3, 2003... NHS IT chief Richard Granger has confirmed that 30 individual companies and consortia will be on the "long list" of Local Service Providers and National Application Service Providers. The number of potential candidates for a share in the...

Storage software 'to grow'. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
June 3, 2003... The worldwide storage management software market is expected to grow by 2.9 per cent to $4.8bn in 2003, according to Gartner. Vice president of the storage group, Carolyn DiCenzo, said the difficult economic and competitive environment had put...

Synstar posts positive results. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
June 3, 2003... Pan-European service provider Synstar saw a one per cent growth in revenues to [pounds sterling]111.5m and a 23 per cent growth in pre-tax profits to [pounds sterling]3.8m for the six months to 31 March. Chief executive Steve Vaughan said the...

Experienced channel key to mid-market success. (Interview).(Chris Bushnell, SunSystems)(Interview)
June 3, 2003... SunSystems has its sights set firmly on the mid-market and, undeterred by the hoards of other vendors vying for a piece of this lucrative market, the vendor believes the key to success lies in cultivating an experienced channel. Chris...

New Moon Systems and Expand Networks team up. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
June 3, 2003... Thin client and server-based software company New Moon Systems and bandwidth management group Expand Networks have announced an interoperability tie-up, which will see both firms co-market each other's products to help joint customers with...

Room 99 releases Virtual Office for private chats. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
June 3, 2003... Networking start-up Room 99 is to launch its new product Remote Virtual Office next week. The company's offering provides users with their own secure and branded Web room, suitable for one-on-one conversations or meetings where the two...

ProCurve expands portfolio with 2626 switch. (In Brief).(broader Ethernet switch)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2003... HP's ProCurve Networking business has expanded its product range with the launch of the 2626 switch. Designed for mid-sized enterprises, the 2626 broadens the scope of HP's Ethernet switch offerings and supports advanced network applications,...

Analysys says cost of Wi-Fi is holding the technology back. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
June 3, 2003... The adoption of Wi-Fi in Europe is being held up by price, a study by Analysys Research has shown. Speaking at The Wireless LAN Event in London last week, Analysys managing director Ross Pow said the price per hour of access was very...

DataCore wins CNS contract for SANsymphony. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
June 3, 2003... Open storage networking software player DataCore Software has won a deal with Community Network Services to supply its SANsymphony software, to implement high-availability functions and improved management of its IBM hardware environment.

Cisco margins made channel scapegoat. (Networking).(resellers blame woes on Cisco margin declines)
June 3, 2003... The past month has seen a marked increase in the number of resellers and distributors looking to blame their woes on Cisco margin declines. During the past four weeks, Dimension Data, Logical Networks, its Comstor sister group and Ingram...

3Com ties security together with reseller programme. (Networking).(Brief Article)
June 3, 2003... 3Com is to follow rival Cisco into the security space through the launch of a dedicated security training and discounts channel programme designed to tie the group's offerings together. The Security Authorised Partner Programme will pull...

Build to order gives choice to Maxdata dealers. (Hardware).(Brief Article)
June 3, 2003... Given the recent noise surrounding build to order (BTO), Maxdata UK managing director Sorcha Dowdall has made a timely and bold statement proclaiming the company as the channel equivalent of Dell. "We are positioning ourselves as the 'Dell...

Handheld PC sales up. (In Brief).(in Germany, UK and France)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2003... Sales of handheld PCs to users in Europe's top Three economies -- Germany, the UK and France -- grew 12.7 per cent year-on-year in April, according to the latest data from Context's SalesOut Handheld PC market tracking service for Europe. The...

Bigger and better LCDs. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
June 3, 2003... Samsung Electronics has unveiled the glass substrate for its future 7th-generation TFT LCD line. Glass measuring 1870mm x 2,200mm will be adopted for maximum efficiencies as demand for large LCD TVs and monitors grows. With the glass substrate...

Big Blue finishes POWER4+ integration in six months flat. (In Brief).(IBM POWER4+ microprocessor technology)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2003... IBM has completed the integration of its POWER4+ microprocessor technology across the IBM eServer pSeries range in just six months --something it said rivals Sun and HP could not claim. With the introduction of the product, Big Blue will offer...

Vendors seek resellers with storage know-how. (Hardware).(Brief Article)
June 3, 2003... Storage companies are planning to take advantage of cheaper ATA and SCSI offerings to expand their channel. Silicon Graphics Inc (SGI), McData and Spectra Logic are all seeking channel partners with storage expertise. According to an...

Ditch the desktop? (Comment).(Intel markets to small and medium sized businesses)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2003... There remain a number of SMEs in the UK which are using desktops as low-end servers, but Intel is trying to get these businesses to ditch those boxes and buy the real thing. The aim of the 'real server campaign', which was launched by...

Reaping the benefits of channel culture change. (Interview).(Panacea Services )(Brief Article)(Interview)
June 3, 2003... City-based services specialist Panacea Services believes it has escaped the gloom that currently hangs over London's Square Mile because it is "not just a City-based organisation". Speaking to MicroScope, managing director Peter Stroud and...

RM sales dip. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
June 3, 2003... RM reported turnover of [pounds sterling]85.4m for the six months to 31 March, down slightly from sales of [pounds sterling]89.1 m last year. Interim losses before tax and goodwill amortisation were cut from [pounds sterling]4.7m last year to...

Amey sells Vectra. (In Brief).(Amey PLC sells Amey Vectra to Volvere)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2003... Troubled business services firm Amey plc has completed the disposal of Amey Vectra, provider of technical and business consulting services to the nuclear, oil and gas, defence and transportation sectors, to Volvere for [pounds sterling]2m.

CSC gains outsourcing deal with Marconi. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
June 3, 2003... CSC has won an outsourcing agreement with telecoms giant Marconi valued at $735m ([pounds sterling]450m) over ten years. Under the terms of the deal, CSC will support and manage Marconi's help desk and provide services.

Employees take stress home with them. (In Brief).(findings of survey on workplace stress in UK employees)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2003... Anxiety in the workplace is threatening the health of UK employees, according to research by Parity, which found two-thirds of people take office traumas home with them. The main reasons given for these high stress levels were unrealistic...

Services boom forecast. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
June 3, 2003... Growth in the UK public sector IT services market will be at least 30 times faster than any growth in the commercial sector to 2005, according to a report by Ovum Holway. It forecast the UK public sector IT services market would grow by an...

Datatec keeps networking watchers guessing moves. (Finance).
June 3, 2003... Datatec, the South Africa-based owner of Westcon, Comstor and Logical, has certainly kept the rumour merchants busy over the past couple of weeks. Firstly, the company issued a cautionary statement suggesting its share price could be...

Giving storage customers what they want.(Interview)
June 3, 2003... Judi Feeley, senior sales director and UK country manager at Veritas, predicts the technology trends of the future and explains why the vendor believes it is currently in a particularly strong position in the storage market. With the...

The middlemen hold the keys to the market. .(Brief Article)(Editorial)
June 3, 2003... HOPING FOR A REVERSAL OF strategy with a confession that the channel plays a vital role and indirect business will increase was probably too much to expect in an interview with the new general manager of Dell UK, Bill Rodrigues. However,...

Up, up and away: Wi-Fi could be the saviour of IT, says Steve Shipside, as long as it doesn't go the same way as Rabbit, which was rubbish. Why not use helium balloons? .(Editorial)
June 3, 2003... Wi-Fi could be the saviour of IT, says Steve Shipside, as long as it doesn't go the same way as Rabbit, which was rubbish. Why not use helium balloons? 19 Alfy Bey St. is one of my all-time favourite addresses. The address itself,...

National Grid upgrades network but shuns IP. (Margin Makers--Convergence).(telephone networks )(Brief Article)
June 3, 2003... The National Grid is halfway through a [pounds sterling]1.7m upgrade of the telephone networks linking its power generation control rooms and substations. The utility decided against adopting IP-based telephony because existing standards...

Polycom deploys video conferencing to Brittany. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
June 3, 2003... Brittany Ferries has deployed a video communications system from Polycom to help it address the challenges of distance communication. With offices at four French ports and three in the UK, Brittany Ferries is using Polycom ViewStation 512 video...

Total Network Solutions gets offshore sales director. (In Brief).(hires Darren Martin)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2003... Total Network Solutions has hired Darren Martin as director of offshore sales. He will be responsible for developing sales and marketing strategies Throughout the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. Martin joined Total Network Solutions in...

Avaya to teach marketing. (Margin Makers--Convergence).(Brief Article)
June 3, 2003... Avaya is to help resellers make the most of marketing funds through a training programme developed alongside the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM). The vendor is to co-host two Business Partner Masterclass events next week at CIM's...

Secure e-mail systems take high priority. (Margin Makers--Security).
June 3, 2003... Fears over litigation, defamation and losing business have fuelled the growth of the e-mail security market. "The content security market has boomed," she revealed. After firewalls, e-mail security is next on most IT directors' list;...

SafeGuard against attack. (News in Brief).(SafeGuard Advanced Security 4.1)(Brief Article)
June 3, 2003... Utimaco Safeware has shipped SafeGuard Advanced Security 4.1, designed to enable protection in Terminal Server and Citrix MetaFrame systems through secure authentication and implementation and management of security policies for all clients and...

Juniper Networks launches all-round security offering. (News in Brief).(Brief Article)
June 3, 2003... Juniper Networks has unveiled J-Protect, a solution for network security that ensures protection of the network, the user experience and security investments, through integration and scalability. According to a Juniper spokesman, J-Protect...

NetIQ warns businesses about dangers of spam. (Margin Makers--Security).(Brief Article)
June 3, 2003... The rapid growth of spain poses a serious threat to businesses, according to Internet management software vendor NetIQ. Unsolicited e-mails could cost firms millions of pounds a year in time spent deleting and filtering e-mails and loss of...

Rainfinity hires director for Northern Europe. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
June 3, 2003... Rainfinity has appointed Gerard Kerrigan as director of Northern European operations. One of his key tasks will be to continue the development of Rainfinity's channel. Kerrigan joins from Integralis where he was responsible for managing the...

Tandberg sends StorageCab to market. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
June 3, 2003... Tape specialist Tandberg Data has released its StorageCab family of storage solutions designed for SMEs. The StorageCab range is a central mass storage system available in tower or rack mount configurations. They contain hot swappable' SCSI...

Lucent and McDATA team up for storage networking. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
June 3, 2003... Lucent Technologies and McDATA Corporation has formed a joint development initiative to provide businesses with solutions for storage networking both in and between data centres. The solutions offer business continuity, disaster recovery,...

CA releases version 10.5 of BrightStor product. (In Brief).(Computer Associates )(Brief Article)
June 3, 2003... Computer Associates has shipped BrightStor Enterprise Backup 10.5, which is designed to give policy-based management back-up functions that allow storage administrators to assign virtually every type of data across the enterprise to any...

Cheap systems open the door to SMEs: Marcia McLeod takes the pulse of the storage industry on a trip to sunny California. (Margin Makers--Storage).
June 3, 2003... Mid-range and even smaller companies are now being offered cheaper solutions to the huge problem of data storage. Until recently, a good storage system could cost [pounds sterling]100,000 or more. Now the development of Serial SCSI (SAS),...

Building the e-channel. (Electronic Channel).(resellers use electronic channels to sell)
June 3, 2003... The recent economic downturn has provided a wake-up call for resellers to turn the electronic channel from pipe dream into reality - at least for those dealers who want to make a profit and ultimately remain in business. The electronic...

Treasure island. (IT in Ireland).
June 3, 2003... The Irish IT market enjoys massive investment from foreign companies, but that doesn't mean it is easy to operate in. The republic has a business culture all of its own, and not everyone finds the end of the rainbow. While things might not...

Something special: ITP continues to compete with the direct price tag and the reseller's determination to succeed will ensure it sticks around. (Meet the Reseller).
June 3, 2003... Reseller ITP has appeared in the magazine before, when it took front page billing for an aggressive advertising campaign targeting users that had traditionally bought direct, in a bid to educate them about the benefits of using an indirect...

A man who knows how to laugh at Windows. (5 Minute Interview).(Interview)
June 3, 2003... What have you got in your pockets? Car keys, mobile phone, lint What's the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to you? Well, if I tell you, then it will become the second most embarrassing thing that ever happened to me....

Agenda.(Calendar)
June 3, 2003... To list events on this page, send an e-mail to lindsey.macdonald-bull@rbi.co.uk JUNE 3-5 June Integrated Security Conference and Expo Ronald Reagan Building Washington DC www.integratedsecurityexpo.com 3-6 June...

Soap.
June 3, 2003... One of the criticisms that occasionally gets thrown at the magazine is that we are personality-led, full of pictures of the same old faces. simon.quicke@rbi.co.uk However, we are not the only ones to have succumbed to the fluttering...

Microsoft Action Pack Competition: gain access to a package of Microsoft Software worth [pounds sterling]16,000.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2003... Microsoft and MicroScope have teamed up to give five readers the chance to win one of five new, enhanced Microsoft Action Packs. The Action Pack offers partners one year's access to [pounds sterling]16,000 worth of the latest Microsoft...

10 years ago.
June 3, 2003... Vendors consider boycotting trade shows after a disappointing response to the Solutions with Workstations show. Poor attendance figures led some big names -- including IBM, DEC and Hewlett-Packard -- to meet to discuss their concerns. A...

15 years ago.
June 3, 2003... Novell announces plans to launch a product that will patch Apple machines into corporate networks. The product, for which details are vague, allows Macs, DEC machines, MS DOS and OS/2 to all run on the same network. The British government...

20 years ago.
June 3, 2003... Cash flow problems hit Osborne Computers after delays of its Executive model. Chairman Adam Osborne denies there is a long-term cash flow problem, but admits to MicroScope that the company is in the process of negotiating on several of its...

HP offers buy-back route out of PC malaise: resellers welcome Clearway initiative from Hewlett-Packard, Intel and Microsoft to kick-start desktop sales.
June 10, 2003... Hewlett-Packard has joined forces with Intel and Microsoft in a major leasing-backed push to address lengthening PC and desktop refreshment cycles. The three companies, led by HP, are to offer resellers a financing programme, marketed...

Future of channel businesses threatened by IBM patent charges.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... There are growing fears among UK system builders that IBM patent charges could force them out of business. Big Blue has reportedly sent letters to several in the community stating their products may incorporate its inventions. The US...

Polar hit by pay-out delays. (News).(Polar Technology to close)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... After a string of unfortunate events that forced Stockport-based system builder Polar Technology to shut up shop, managing director Matthew Pipe has said there are no plans to relaunch a reseller business. Polar was raided by thieves on 20...

Interface exposes laptop order scam. (News).(Transputec, Interface Solutions )(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... West London-based reseller Transputec and distributor Interface Solutions have foiled a fraudulent order scam and are warning others to be vigilant. Transputec, along with four other resellers, was tipped off by Interface when the...

SME server performance stays buoyant for European vendors. (News).(small business server market)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... The SME market remains the most fruitful for server vendors according to European market analyst firm IDC. With most vendors suffering negative revenue growth in a comparison of the first quarter this year with the same period last year,...

VAT tribunal a victory for small firms. (News).(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Customs won a victory for small businesses after an independent tribunal ruled that high street retailers had gained an unfair competitive advantage over smaller rivals through a VAT avoidance scheme. Over 50 major retailers were trying to...

Oracle stalk PeopleSoft.(seeks to acquire)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... The business software market faced major upheaval as it emerged that PeopleSoft, which [last week] signed a merger agreement with JD Edwards, had become a target for acquisition by Oracle. At the start of the week, PeopleSoft agreed to...

CMS victim of underwriters' misunderstanding. (News).(CMS Peripherals' loss of insurance said to be misunderstanding over late payemnts)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... CMS Peripherals believes its credit issues should be resolved this week, after a misunderstanding over late payments to vendors led Gerling NCM to withdraw insurance. Frank Salmon, managing director of the distributor, confirmed there had...

Clarity seeks partners. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Sun specialist distributor Clarity is seeking broadline distribution partners for its inhouse software. Simon Welch, marketing manager at Clarity, said the company had drawn up a shortlist, with a "telecoms-based distributor' at the top of the...

Palm snaps up Handspring. (In Brief).(acquisition deal)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Palm bought rival Handspring for $169m ([pounds sterling]101 m) in stock. The merged company will be renamed later this year. Todd Bradley will continue his role as chief executive officer as the company targets the wireless and smart phone...

Alcatel bond issue. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... French-network specialist Alcatel has issued [euro]1bn ([pounds sterling]710m) in bonds with the hope of doubling the company's share price.

HP still stealing market share. (In Brief).(according to CEO Carly Fiorina)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... HP has said it will meet analysts' estimates for second half earnings of some $36.6bn. Chief executive Carly Fiorina admitted that while customers were spending less than 20 per cent of their IT budgets on HP, the company would still grow by...

Intel caps Q2 forecast. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Intel has capped its revenue forecast to $6.8bn for second quarter earnings. The company had previously stated it could expect revenues of up to $7bn for the quarter ending 28 June.

Defcom receivership. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Independent information security provider Defcom went into administrative receivership on 2 June. Jeremy French, senior partner at specialist corporate recovery firm RedHead French, told MicroScope 'We have had significant interest in the...

Fujitsu Siemens v. Unisys. (In Brief).(in the Technology and Construction Court )(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Fujitsu Services is defending claims that it owes rival Unisys unspecified damages following a pre-trial hearing in the Technology and Construction Court last week. Unisys claimed it was entitled to either a termination fee or damages...

ERP expected to undergo massive transformation. (Software).(enterprise resource planning )(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... As enterprise resource planning (ERP) vendors battle for pole position in the mid-market, users are shifting the goalposts as demand for function-driven systems gives way to a more flexible, process-focused approach. Christophe Gasc,...

Isolationist approach to the autonomic mission. (Software).
June 10, 2003... At the recent Information Builders user summit in Chicago, the subject of autonomic computing was trumpeted by CEO Gerry Cohen who outlined the theory of self-healing computer systems as something rather new. Some of his audience at the...

Acal increases storage focus. (Networking).(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Pan-European distributor Acal is moving away from its roots in the electronics market to a specialised position which will take in fibre channel products, connectivity and storage area networking. The company revealed details of the growth...

Tech Data reports Azlan integration "going well". (Networking).(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Three months after the completion of its [pounds sterling]140m deal to acquire the European operations of Azlan, Tech Data's European president Graeme Watt revealed the integration of the business was "going well." He said the company had...

Not all SMEs require small server systems. (Hardware).(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Hewlett-Packard is aiming to tackle a common misconception which it claims tier-one vendors make when selling to SMEs -- that smaller businesses require small server systems. Talking to MicroScope, Phil McLean, product marketing manager for...

SIA says April figures show positive signs. (In Brief).(Semiconductor Industry Association)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... The Semiconductor Industry Association, which tracks worldwide sales, has released figures for April 2003 with revenues increasing year an year by 9.7 per cent to $12.1 bn, but remaining static sequentially. The organisation's president, George...

Philips unveils Brilliance LCD monitor range. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Philips has unveiled the 15in Brilliance LCD PC monitor range. The 1 50P4 amalgamates the manufacturer's LCD panels with LightFrame technology, which it claims delivers TV-quality video and photo display. The product is available in three...

Intel adds to Centrino processor line. (In Brief).(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Intel Corporation has made three additions to the Centrino line of processors -- with the availability of a processor operating at 1.7GHz, a low-voltage 1.2GHz processor and the ultra-low-voltage part running at 1GHz. Later this month, Intel...

AMD introduces latest member of Flash family. (In Brief).(Am29SL800D)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... AMD has unveiled the 8Mbit Am29SL800D, the highest performance member of its AM29SL Flash memory device family, designed to enable advanced Bluetooth and global positioning system modules. Optimised for low-density portable applications with...

EDS deal points to desktop services return. (Services).(outsourcing deal with Barclays Bank)
June 10, 2003... A multi-million pound managed desktop outsourcing deal from EDS coupled with positive voices from services specialists in the channel have led to claims of a renaissance for the desktop services market. EDS, the UK's largest services...