SMB

The IT skills shortage is a topic that comes up time and time again in the news, and the situation doesn't seem to be getting any better.

New products allow partners to target a wider swath of the SMB space

Acquiring storage vendor EqualLogic will help position Dell in the high growth virtualization market

One vendor has already started making price cuts of 10 per cent

Channel play pitched around backup and value-added services

As the role of the CIO within the organization evolves, so does the support the CIO needs from IT vendors and channel partners.

Traditionally known as a big enterprise player, Cisco Systems began a strong move into the SMB space in 2007 with a host of new product offerings and channel programs designed to drive growth in the segment. While the technology is in place, an analyst says getting the channel marketing strategy right may be the real key to success.

Catalyst Partner Program revised to now include Canadian VARs and SIs

E-mail protection and messaging security company creates North American-wide channel program

New specializations will complement inventory financing and revamped distributor and deal registration programs

Now that it's more comfortably ensconced under the Cisco Systems umbrella, this year Linksys went after the SMB space in a big way and the channel manager for Linksys Canada, Bob Martin, unveiled big plans for growing the vendor's partner base north of the border.

After launching Club Lenovo, a North American-wide SMB partner rewards program, Stefan Bockhop, director of channel sales at Lenovo Canada, says the program has brought nothing but good news for the company and its partners since its October launch.

According to Pete Edwards, general manager of CDW Canada Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of CDW Corp., there is a well-known saying for those working in the company that goes,

Before Mark Scott coined the acronym HaaS, the market was all abuzz about SaaS. No one really gave hardware-as-a-service a second thought.

By: Paul Fruitman Supercom has sold its American arm to Fremont, Calif.-based Synnex Information Technologies Inc., claiming a tough American market made it more worthwhile...