MicroScope articles from June 2007

MicroScope archives from June 2007

The ugly side of being big and beautiful.(05 Editorial)(Editorial)(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... The channel landscape is changing rapidly and the first six months of this year have thrown up numerous mergers and acquisitions, as well as sadly a number of companies that have failed to stay in business. It is far too early to try to...

12 Soap.(Editorial)
June 11, 2007... www.weirdworld this week ponders on what might have been had Prince Edward chosen Chessington instead of California, and wonders just why the channel is not enough for some adrenaline junkies One is honoured A few years ago, when IT...

05 Editorial.(Editorial)
June 11, 2007... Steve Shipside Opinion Microsoft thinks it time to bring back table top computing with its 'Surface' concept - but seems to have forgotten about the Tizer 21st century Space Invaders Take a little journey with me back in time....

Agenda.(13 Back Pages)(Calendar)
June 11, 2007... June 12-14 June The In-Store Show 2007 Earl's Court 2, London Web: www.instoreshow.co.uk Email: showenquiries@centaur.co.uk 13-14 June Application Development and Lifecycle Management Symposium London ...

At home with technology.(10 Features)
June 11, 2007... More and more devices are cropping up based on digital technology and the government has warned that digital TV will have to be the norm in less than a decade. But what will the home of the future look like, and how can the channel make the...

Five Minute Interview.(12 Soap)(dialogue with Kevin Wooldridge of OKI Printing Solutions)(Interview)
June 11, 2007... Kevin Wooldridge, head of programmes and development at OKI Printing Solutions, takes the hot seat this week as MicroScope directs some probing questions at him What is the best/worst advice you have received and from whom? Best...

Business channels help drive PC market forward in March.(09 Tech Traders)
June 11, 2007... March proved to be another excellent month for PC sales, with total units up 32 per cent compared with March 2006, writes GfK's Steve Reid. Value increased by 23 per cent over the same period. Average prices were up slightly compared with...

Inside OutCreating loyalty?(15 Columns)
June 11, 2007... Stuart Evans The very word 'loyalty' is a misnomer and to associate it with a marketing scheme designed to entice and retain customers is foolhardy to say the least. Companies and the brands they represent are living a 'fools...

The distributed web offers advantages.(15 Columns)
June 11, 2007... Outside In One of the enduring and real elements of the web 2.0 discussion is the new way in which online businesses are reaching their audiences. This has spawned some buzzwords, such as 'open APIs' and 'widgets', and has added a layer of...

01 News.(share of Laptop computers)(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... Notebooks take half of PC sales The installed base of notebooks should for the first time in history match desktops by year end as the consumer and professional segments continue to underpin growth in the entire PC market. The total UK...

Landline competition for mobile airtime revenues.(03 Networking)
June 11, 2007... Resellers of mobile airtime face a new threat as some businesses plan to set up their own GSM networks to avoid paying high prices for mobile calls made from the office. Already 12 low-power GSM licences have been awarded by Ofcom, the UK...

03 Networking.(Nevis Networks Inc. introduced its first channel programme)(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... Channel first for Nevis Networks Nevis Networks, a US company which specialises in network access security for LANs, has introduced its first channel programme, after selling mainly direct. The programme has two tiers: certified...

Kelway snaps up assets of failed reseller Elcom.(01 News)
June 11, 2007... Pre-pack administration purchase could be first of many channel acquisitions In a pre-pack administration deal Kelway has acquired the assets of long-standing reseller Elcom for an undisclosed fee and the directors have promised to...

DSGi drops out of DCF initiative at eleventh hour.(01 News)(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... Retailer DSGi has been accused of throwing the government's plans to fund distributor collection facilities (DCFs) under the forthcoming WEEE directive into disarray by seeking recycling alternatives. This has led to fears among small...

End of open email prompts alternatives.(07 Security)
June 11, 2007... With email increasingly bogged down in spam the security industry is moving towards alternative methods of protecting users. One approach, touted at Infosecurity back in April, was to focus on reputation and try to make sure that email was...

Cyber attacks fly 'under the radar'.(01 News)
June 11, 2007... Vendors are warning the channel that the latest attacks to be identified circumvent signature-based security products. The latest Web Security Trends report from security specialist Finjan has highlighted the emergence of "a new class of...

EMC readies the troops for ASN accreditation.(08 Storage)
June 11, 2007... Magirus has launched training courses to certify resellers in the servicing of EMC software and hardware, taking partners a step closer to authorised service network (ASN) accreditation that will minimise risks in implementation. Under its...

Emulex views market boost on the Horizon.(08 Storage)
June 11, 2007... Fledgling storage distributor Horizon Data Management has joined forces with SAN connectivity specialist Emulex with the primary remit to develop programmes that build sales for OEMs. Around 80 per cent of Emulex's business comes from OEMs,...

Dell to axe 7,000 jobs in drive to cut costs.(01 News)
June 11, 2007... Vendor's review of costs leads to massive reduction in workforce A continued cost-cutting exercise at Dell will see the company slash its global workforce by ten per cent, resulting in the reduction of at least 7,000 jobs in the next 12...

Further investment a possibility as Avnet seeks greater access to European market.(01 News)
June 11, 2007... The chief operating officer at Avnet Inc has not ruled out making further acquisitions in Europe to bolster its infrastructure distribution business and hinted a move into networking could be just the ticket. The distributor has been...

Cash buy-up of voice skills.(01 News)
June 11, 2007... Consolidation in the market for converged network support services stepped up a gear last week after Networks First acquired Access Network Services (ANS) in an unspecified cash deal. Coming primarily from a background in data, Networks...

MFPs to dominate by 2011.(01 News)(Multifunction printers)(Financial report)
June 11, 2007... Analysts predict next generation of multifunction printers will surge ahead of single function Xerox Office Group announced plans for a land grab for the emerging smart multifunction printer (MFP) applications market during a partner...

01 News.(Survey)(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... Survey finds widespread internal threats The preoccupation of businesses with securing their perimeter has left many at risk of internal security breaches and presented channel partners with a strong sales opportunity. A survey of more...

01 News.(green standard for Data centers)(Brief article)
June 11, 2007... Moves towards establishing a green standard for data centres are gaining ground across the Atlantic, and there are expectations that similar moves will be made in the UK towards establishing a power consumption ranking. There have been...

Avaya's financial moves questioned.(01 News)
June 11, 2007... The business as usual mantra that is rolled out to the channel whenever a merger or acquisition takes place has been sounded again to resellers following the tie-up between Avaya and two venture capitalist groups. The telecoms specialist...

01 News.
June 11, 2007... Novell boosts distribution with Bell Micro Novell has confirmed its move to widen the distribution of its educational business, as predicted in last week's MicroScope, after appointing Bell Micro and ending its exclusive relationship with...

Addressing access privileges.(02 Software)
June 11, 2007... The pressure to meet compliance legislation requirements and lock down potential data leaks is leading to a focus on employee access to active databases. Software resellers have been called on in the past to help develop access protocols...

Sun struggles with volume blade market.(01 News)
June 11, 2007... Sales of Sun Microsystems' existing blade family have failed to set the world alight in the short space of time they have been shipping and the firm is pinning its hopes of mass adoption on the 6000 series. The 8000 blade family was...

Tenders.(13 Back Pages)
June 11, 2007... 118485, Tender Invitation UK-London: computer hardware Desktop printers, photocopiers, scanners, fax machines. 110570, Tender Invitation IRL-Dublin: display screens Supply of flat display screens. 113474, Tender...

Not just lacking skills but lacking any idea.(05 Editorial)
June 18, 2007... Discussing recruitment issues recently with a software vendor the comment came back that it would be easy to fill vacancies as long as you didn't mind filling your organisation with idiots. "I had the shortest interview ever when one...

12 Soap.(briefs)(www.weirdworld)
June 18, 2007... www.weirdworld this week wonders just why anyone would want to win The Apprentice and questions if colouring IT equipment orange will make it less attractive for thieves targeting schools Alright, sweetheart? There has been plenty of...

Five Minute Interview.(12 Soap)(Maxa Technologies)(Interview)
June 18, 2007... Andrea Percival, director of Maxa Technologies (Maxatec), takes the hot seat this week as MicroScope directs some probing questions at her What do you believe in most? Honesty and loyalty, and being a good friend. What temptation...

Looking after the pennies.(10 Features)(Company overview)
June 18, 2007... The market for accounting software has changed significantly in the past 18 months. No longer the easy option, resellers which do not reinvent their businesses are being forced to sell up, as Simon Vail explains Ever since accounting...

05 Editorial.(Editorial)
June 18, 2007... Billy MacInnes Opinion Why should being good at business qualify someone to run a country... or a school... over a lifetime's first-hand experience? So now anyone's the expert I was intrigued by the front page story in MicroScope...

01 News.
June 18, 2007... Old faces return to C2000 Computer 2000 is strengthening its management team, according to sources, with some of the old guard returning to the organisation this summer. Dave Watts is coming back from Samsung, where he ran the monitor...

Fine print.(10 Features)
June 18, 2007... Educating customers on total cost of ownership issues involved in printers can lead to benefits all round, whether through purchases or managed services, writes Guy Clapperton To the unsophisticated purchaser, a printer is a simple beast:...

Banks failing to deliver.(15 Columns)
June 18, 2007... Outside In A report by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) on small business banking shows that banks are still not cutting the mustard with their small business customers. With over 4.3 million small businesses in the UK, small...

the technology story so far.(09 Tech Traders)(Industry overview)
June 18, 2007... Continued from page 54 The second quarter picked up where the first left off with a range of products coming through the door. If there was a common theme then it was probably digital content. Products ranged from storage devices to iPod...

WEEE bit confused.(01 News)
June 18, 2007... From 1 July, UK companies will be legally responsible for the electronic waste they put in the market, but clarity is still required by many of those businesses affected by the legislation. Simon Vail reports From 1 July, the WEEE (Waste...

Agenda.(13 Back Pages)(Brief article)(Calendar)
June 18, 2007... June 20-21 June Derivatives World London QEII Conference Centre London Web: www.fowevents.com/london 27 June HDI Europe Outsourcing Conference (talks by English Heritage, Epson Europe and RM Plc) Local...

Inside OutBack to front.(15 Columns)
June 18, 2007... Tony Speakman At present, the vast majority of organisations operate separate back and front office systems. While back office employees have visibility of data such as sales figures, stock levels and real-time profitability, the front...

01 News.(economic aspects and usage of information management in business organisations)
June 18, 2007... Hidden costs of paper-based processes The fact that HM Revenue & Customs insists upon the six-year retention of paper receipts is a disincentive to organisations to adopt a wholesale electronic strategy to expense claims, despite the...

10 Features.
June 18, 2007... Size isn't everything. Take the RAMAC 305, the first magnetic hard drive, shipped by IBM in 1956. By today's data storage standards, it was a behemoth. A rotating tower of 50 magnetised platters of 24in diameter, the unit squatted in a clunky...

Mind the skills gap.(supply and demand and management of technicians)
June 18, 2007... Worsening shortage of technology expertise could cause projects to overrun A skills shortage across myriad growth areas in the channel is starting to bite and could result in a number of projects being delayed or running over budget...

BT to withdraw PAPC model in September.(01 News)
June 18, 2007... BT has performed a U-turn on previous claims by admitting it plans to scrap the Partner As Prime Contractor (PAPC) model, stating it was no longer commercially viable and did not meet customer needs. Earlier this year, the telecoms operator...

Centerprise restructures.(01 News)(appointments in Centerprise International Ltd.)(Brief article)
June 18, 2007... Centerprise International has denied sales director Andy Chandler had a boardroom bust-up with chairman Rafi Razzak over performance, but has admitted the former is leaving the company as part of a restructure. Managing director Garry...

SME facelift for Cisco unit.(03 Networking)
June 18, 2007... Linksys, the consumer and small business unit of US networking equipment giant Cisco, plans to restructure its Linksys Partner Connection (LPC) programme to align it with its parent's as it tries to grow more SME business through the channel....

03 Networking.(Brief article)
June 18, 2007... Inexpensive mobile handset expected to open up market for 3G services A low-cost third-generation (3G) mobile handset backed by the GSM Association, the industry body for GSM mobile operators, will go on sale this month, with expectations...

Directive could force out small businesses.(04 Hardware)
June 18, 2007... An unforeseen result of the forthcoming WEEE directive could, according to some in the industry, force small PC builders and retailers out of business due to the crippling costs of compliance. The Government's 1 July implementation of the...

Employees able and willing to steal data.(19 Analysis)
June 18, 2007... The security industry and customers appear to have increased their focus on the dangers of internal security threats and breaches in 2007 amid a number of reports highlighting vulnerabilities within the perimeter. The latest survey,...

Security-on-a-stick firm names distributor.(19 Analysis)
June 18, 2007... A company taking a different approach to security by fitting 13 security applications onto what it describes as a 'secure computer on a USB stick' has begun establishing a UK channel for its products. Yoggie Security Solutions has signed...

Overland Storage warned against single-tier model.(08 Storage)(Brief article)
June 18, 2007... Direct marketing resellers (DMRs) will be tapped up by Overland Storage to sell its low-end tape libraries, but UK distributors have warned the vendor that pursuing the single-tier model it operates on the continent will create channel...

Businesses acting on data storage advice.(08 Storage)
June 18, 2007... The message stressing the need to back up and restore data appears to be getting through to SMEs despite concern in some quarters over a continuing level of complacency. Most vendors operating in the backaup arena have plenty of anecdotal...

Comet sticks to Mesh after services revamp.(01 News)(Mesh Computers PLC)(Brief article)
June 18, 2007... PC maker improves back office support following Watchdog report Following a revamp of back office support, Comet is satisfied that Mesh Computers can overcome customer service concerns that recently emerged on the BBC TV programme Watchdog....

Icon and Source Claim insolvent.(01 News)(Icon Information Technologies)(Brief article)
June 18, 2007... The channel has been left counting the cost of reseller insolvencies after the collapse of Icon Information Technologies and Source Claim, leaving creditors up to [pounds sterling]200,000 and [pounds sterling]2m out of pocket respectively. ...

UK's Resolve included in sale of Jet Distribution.(01 News)
June 18, 2007... Westcon has made a bid to strengthen its sub-Saharan distribution business in Africa by buying Jet Distribution, which also includes UK-based reseller Resolve Computers. This is the third acquisition the vendor has made in as many months...

Payment card standard looms.(01 News)(Brief article)
June 18, 2007... Resellers could lose right to take card payments if they fail to encrypt data under PCI DSS law Numerous resellers could be exposed to penalties if they fail to adhere to the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), which is...

01 News.(briefs)(Computer Software Group Inc.)(Brief article)
June 18, 2007... Private equity players make their presence felt in the channel The shadow of venture capitalists loomed large over the channel last week, as CSG was bought and Civica revealed it was in talks with a potential buyer. Civica saw its...

A smart start.(10 Features)
June 18, 2007... The Gartner Group has identified a new generation of devices that will make us more effective and productive: smart MFPs. But can they reach a mass market? Only if the channel seizes the opportunities available, say analysts. Amanda Dean...

Damovo funds freedom through debt reduction.(01 News)
June 18, 2007... Systems integrator strengthens financial position in refinancing deal Having substantially lowered its debt by offering bondholders shares, systems integrator Damovo has more freedom to invest in new products and services, according to...

Resellers play crucial role in business success.(01 News)
June 18, 2007... Companies that want to grow ahead of their rivals will have to lean on resellers to help them fulfil their ambitions or they risk ploughing time and resources in the wrong direction. According to a report commissioned by Hewlett-Packard and...

09 Tech Traders.(briefs)
June 18, 2007... The second quarter picked up where the first left off with a range of products coming through the door. If there was a common theme then it was probably digital content with the products ranging from storage devices to iPod stereos all...

A blast from the past.(19 Analysis)(briefs)
June 18, 2007... Twenty years ago Alan Sugar upped the ante by taking his mixture of aggressive pricing and showmanship to the US, launching a PC that was designed to hand Amstrad a slice of the American market. Despite Sugar's admission on The Apprentice...

Novell ends Salford distribution contract.(02 Software)
June 18, 2007... Novell has confirmed that Salford Software's distribution contract to sell academic licences will not be renewed next month, ending a conflict that erupted in its channel between hybrid and pure resellers. Earlier this month, Bell Micro...

Tenders.(13 Back Pages)
June 18, 2007... 128249, Tender Invitation UK-Cambridge: inkjet printing tool Supply and installation of an inkjet printing tool. 128534, Tender Invitation UK-London: software support Support and maintenance for intake 2 software. ...

01 News.(Letter to the editor)
June 25, 2007... Letter of the week Storage on green side of the law In his article 'Hop on the green bandwagon' (MicroScope, 4 June), Chris Mellor may well be right to point out that storage companies' green strategies are looking to take advantage of...

01 News.(brief)
June 25, 2007... Managing merging data Merger and acquisition volumes were exceptional during the first few months of 2007, but spare a thought for those people tasked with managing the creation of the new IT infrastructure. Following any M&A activity,...

Brave HP signals that its gold rush is over.(05 Editorial)
June 25, 2007... Getting channel accreditation and segmentation right is an art that eludes almost every vendor in the channel. It is just so difficult to keep everyone happy. You can either opt for rewarding volume or you can try to set up a matrix that...

12 Soap.(brief)
June 25, 2007... www.weirdworld this week wonders what would have happened in The Apprentice if an HP employee had gone head to head with those behind the famous Amstrad brand, and gets in line to escape to Mars Turning the tables It's a great shame...

Five Minute Interview.(12 Soap)(Double-Take Software)(Interview)
June 25, 2007... Ian Master, UK sales and marketing director at Double-Take Software, takes the hot seat this week as MicroScope directs some probing questions at him Tell us something most people do not know about you I studied Marine Zoology at...

Agenda.(13 Back Pages)
June 25, 2007... June 27 June HDI Europe Outsourcing Conference (talks by English Heritage, Epson Europe and RM Plc) Local Government House London Contact: Laurena McKenna or Rebecca Gregory Tel: 020 7494 6597 Email:...

Tools of the trade.(10 Features)
June 25, 2007... Simon Quicke identifies the technologies that resellers would do well to focus on in the ever-changing education market The education market is one of those key verticals that channel players aspire to work in because the business can be...

The future vision.(10 Features)
June 25, 2007... Darren Lewitt, divisional director at Midwich Limited, advises resellers the time is right to get involved in products for the education sector Interactive whiteboards (IWBs) have enjoyed phenomenal success in the UK over the past few...

Inside OutThe wait of the world.(15 Columns)(Column)
June 25, 2007... Tony Bray With climate change in the news more than Big Brother, companies could be forgiven for jumping on the publicity bandwagon by announcing their own green initiatives (often with little substance). However, research by Version...

IT dealers are losing out.(04 Hardware)
June 25, 2007... Printer vendors are increasingly turning to copier dealers to sell MFPs and even single-function devices wrapped up in a services contract, leaving many IT VARs that lack the skills to compete languishing on the sidelines. The latest to...

Storage favours greenness.(08 Storage)
June 25, 2007... Disk storage roars ahead, tape refuses to die and green issues start to come to the fore Six months of the year have come and gone, with disk driving most of the main storage events. It holds and protects more data, it's become removable...

Dispelling portable data fears.(09 Tech Traders)(Brief article)
June 25, 2007... When it comes to USB flash drives it is no longer good enough to talk about capacity because the focus has shifted to security. Fears of data leakage and virus infection coming in through a device have led some companies to carry out a...

Never fear, Flash Survivor's here.(09 Tech Traders)(Corsair Flash Survivor GT)(Brief article)
June 25, 2007... As most IT managers know, data is the lifeblood of any company and keeping it safe is a major priority. Corsair thinks it has the answer for your customers' mobile data solutions with its ultra rugged Flash Survivor GT series. The Flash...

Creative makes much ado about musical appeal.(09 Tech Traders)(Brief article)
June 25, 2007... With so many MP3 players now available buyers are spoilt for choice, although getting the features to suit their needs can sometimes be more difficult. Creative has decided to make the decision easier by packing everything it could into...

Picture perfect.(09 Tech Traders)
June 25, 2007... Camcorders, like digital cameras a few years back, are now starting to make the jump to solid state memory, and although they face the same challenges of storage space and memory speed the Panasonic HDC-SD1 is certainly a great entry point for...

Getting ready for DirectX10.(09 Tech Traders)(Brief article)
June 25, 2007... Over the past few months nVidia has been nibbling at the DirectX10 cake without anyone else to worry about, but now ATI has released its new 2000 series cards with DirectX10 capability the battle lines are being drawn. Sapphire is one of...

HP Gold is tarnished.(01 News)
June 25, 2007... Vendor abandons plans to differentiate top performing partners with gold badge Despite making a huge splash about the Gold partner status due to be introduced this month, Hewlett-Packard has quietly shelved the top level accreditation...

Klein returns to channel with Ingram Micro MD role.(01 News)
June 25, 2007... The distribution sector has voiced surprise at the appointment of Julian Klein as managing director of Ingram Micro UK, which came like a bolt from the blue. From 6 July, distribution veteran Klein will lead the broadline giant in the UK,...

Target schools over failing with security.(07 Security)(Brief article)
June 25, 2007... Security news desk 020 8652 2064 In the light of the smashing of a paedophile ring across several continents that used technology as its method of sharing information and images, resellers are being encouraged to target schools on the...