Software
Ecosystems rather than solo pitching the way to the cloud
Posted: Fri, 03 Feb 2012Ecosystems of cloud providers could be one way to ensure that resellers can remain competitive and inspire customer loyalty in the face of greater user choice and flexibility.The conclusions of...Read More »
In-depth: The virtualisation channel pitch
Posted: Fri, 27 Jan 2012Virtualisation has long been seen as a market that not only offers growth but provides resellers with a topical technology to talk to customers about. It has spread from servers...Read More »
In-depth: Managing the complexities of virtualisation projects
Posted: Thu, 26 Jan 2012Billy MacInnes identifies opportunities for resellers in virtualised business environments It's one of the unwritten laws of technology that whenever it promises to make something simpler to do, it invariably...Read More »
Consumerisation and social driving software growth
Posted: Tue, 24 Jan 2012The European software industry can expect modest growth this year as consumerisation and social media force firms to open up budgets to enable secure remote working.The latest forecasts from IDC...Read More »
Open source software vendors turn eyes to channel
Posted: Thu, 19 Jan 2012Open source software vendors 10gen and Talend have both turned their attention to the channel this week, announcing their intentions to start recruiting resellers in the UK as part of...Read More »
FAST brings legal experts together to keep IP protection on agenda
Posted: Mon, 16 Jan 2012The Federation Against Software Theft (FAST) is aiming to keep the pressure on the government and those influencing the intectual property protection debate through an event designed to bring together...Read More »
Enterprise software market set for low growth
Posted: Fri, 13 Jan 2012The prospects for the enterprise software market remained delicately poised this year with growth expected but only by a whisker.The latest analysis of the enterprise software market from TechMarketView forecasts...Read More »
Cloud adoption of business intelligence tools lagging
Posted: Tue, 10 Jan 2012The hype and the rush to provide cloud functionality might have led some resellers selling business intelligence to believe that this was the year the technology shifted to delivery via...Read More »
FAST backs Microsoft action against Comet
Posted: Thu, 05 Jan 2012The move by Microsoft to sue Comet for selling counterfeit copies of Windows Vista and Xp has been given the backing of intellectual property rights campaigner the Federation Against Software...Read More »
Green Hat suits Big Blue
Posted: Thu, 05 Jan 2012Yesterday's acquisition of software quality and testing solutions provider Green Hat by IBM has been received as a complementary play to Big Blue's existing application lifecycle management toolkit by analysts....Read More »
In-depth: Technology to pitch in 2012
Posted: Wed, 21 Dec 2011by Billy MacInnes Last month, Gartner published its technology and trend predictions for the next few years and among the dominant trends were a greater move towards cloud computing and...Read More »
Unlicensed software costs grandstand seating firm £11,000
Posted: Tue, 13 Dec 2011A grandstand seating company has become the latest to be caught out using unlicensed software and forced to settle and shell out for the correct licenses with the Business Software...Read More »
C2000 takes wraps off electronic software activation service
Posted: Thu, 08 Dec 2011Computer 2000 has rolled out electronic software activation and the option of downloads for its resellers to speed up the support they offer customers.The TDActivate-here service is designed to help...Read More »
Civica signs SAM pact with FAST Ltd
Posted: Thu, 08 Dec 2011Software asset management (SAM) and IT compliance specialist FAST Ltd has teamed up with IT services house Civica to offer FAST's customers access to additional expertise around licensing and ICT...Read More »
Sage delivers growth but caution remains on uncertain outlook
Posted: Wed, 30 Nov 2011Sage has revealed its customers remain concerned about the short-term prospects for the economy as the ongoing uncertainty over future growth continues to linger in the SME market.The software vendor...Read More »
Infor signs Cambridge to target discrete ERP market
Posted: Tue, 29 Nov 2011Privately-held ERP sector giant Infor has conceded it is "under-represented" in the UK channel after announcing the signging of software services provider Cambridge Online to plot an assault on the discrete...Read More »
Corel offers education unrestricted licenses
Posted: Mon, 21 Nov 2011Corel has given its educational resellers a boost offering an unrestricted academic site license that drops the traditional restrictions based on seats and usage.The move has the potential to shake-up...Read More »
Perkins handed small business division role at Sage
Posted: Thu, 17 Nov 2011Sage has made a raft of changes to its management team with former C2000 and Computacenter man Lee Perkins taking the hot seat managing the vendor's small business division.Along with...Read More »
Oracle reveals customer plans for CRM spending
Posted: Wed, 16 Nov 2011Resellers specialising in CRM will find some good news in the latest research into the market from Oracle as more users look to spend in that area but will also...Read More »
IAITAM brings asset management courses to UK channel
Posted: Thu, 10 Nov 2011Former FAST boss John Lovelock is returning to the channel at the helm of US IT asset management (ITAM) outfit IAITAM, which is expanding into Europe having previously managed the...Read More »
Calyx software acquisition strategy to live on at m-hance
Posted: Wed, 09 Nov 2011Mark Thompson, CEO at m-hance, a new software firm formed last week from the integration of seven businesses, has said the firm will look to continue its predecessor Calyx Software's...Read More »
Centrix Software expands distribution with SDG appointment
Posted: Tue, 08 Nov 2011To take advantage of a ground swell towards virtualisation and desktop transformation as users move towards Windows 7 Centrix Software has expanded its distribution line-up.The virtualisation specialist has added Specialist...Read More »
Stoke insurance firm latest to settle up with BSA
Posted: Tue, 08 Nov 2011The Business Software Alliance (BSA) has snared a Stoke-based insurance firm in its legal net as part of its ongoing drive to crack down on those outfits using unlicensed software.Autonet...Read More »
FAST opens up SAM, compliance training programme
Posted: Mon, 07 Nov 2011Software Asset Management (SAM) and compliance specialist FAST Ltd has opened up a number of its courses to non-customers in an attempt to boost awareness of SAM standards and best...Read More »
In-depth: Selling services for social success
Posted: Mon, 07 Nov 2011Nobody can now dispute that social networking is well-established in the workplace; at Salesforce.com's Cloudforce conference in September, a survey of 150 CEOs revealed 73% said social networks were important...Read More »
In-depth: The social side of CRM
Posted: Mon, 07 Nov 2011Social CRM enables firms to monitor and interact with their followers more effectively than ever before, writes Billy MacInnes. Where is customer relationship management (CRM) going next? It's a simple...Read More »
Trustmarque strengthens SAM capabilities
Posted: Thu, 03 Nov 2011Trustmarque has added a former NHS and Bytes software asset management specialist to beef up its activities in the enterprise end of the SAM market.Andréa Perrot joins the VAR as...Read More »
Software VARs team up in seven-strong MS Dynamics merger
Posted: Tue, 01 Nov 2011Seven business software resellers, including Calyx Software, have teamed up to form a new mid-market facing Microsoft Dynamics supplier to be called m-hance. The new firm is composed of the integrated businesses of Calyx...Read More »
Citrix aims for SMBs with VDI-in-a-Box, posts Q3 results
Posted: Thu, 27 Oct 2011Citrix is making a concerted effort to boost its presence in the SMB market with the launch of VDI-in-a-Box 5, an all-in-one virtual desktop aimed at smaller businesses, allied to...Read More »
Value added distribution is key, says Citrix
Posted: Wed, 26 Oct 2011Citrix has stressed the importance of maintaining a value added distribution channel in the face of increasing pressure from larger distributor rivals. EMEA vice president of channel strategy Carsten Thomsen said...Read More »
SAP benefits from software and services demand
Posted: Wed, 26 Oct 2011SAP has added to the growing evidence that software spending is bouncing back to pre-recessionary levels as customers invest in applications and tools that underpin growth.The German vendor unveiled a...Read More »
Cost still an issue for desktop virtualisation customers
Posted: Tue, 25 Oct 2011The cost of additional infrastructure, licensing issues and complexity of virtualisation technologies are top of the list when it comes to customer concerns about desktop virtualisation.According to the latest Citrix...Read More »
Citrix Elite tier win bigger deals and more of them
Posted: Mon, 24 Oct 2011Citrix's Elite partner programme is bringing increased market share to the 300 EMEA resellers in the scheme with bigger deals and higher win rates than the vendor's other partners. Carsten...Read More »
Microsoft cloud offerings delivering revenue growth
Posted: Fri, 21 Oct 2011The cloud portfolio of Office 365, Azure and Dynamics CRM Online contributed to delivering a decent fiscal first quarter for Microsoft which is looking forward to its consumer products hitting...Read More »
Intact Software gunning for ERP mid-market
Posted: Wed, 19 Oct 2011The battle for the mid market in the business intelligence space is expanding with resellers being given even greater choice of which vendor to partner with to deliver customers ERP...Read More »
SAP shares upbeat results with the market early
Posted: Mon, 17 Oct 2011It's results might not be out but SAP has felt confident enough to offer investors a preview of its performance in the third quarter which has featured increases in both...Read More »
SAP extends service cover on ERP product through to 2020
Posted: Tue, 11 Oct 2011SAP has raised the bar in the length of time customers can expect standard maintenance around its ERP suite applications extending it to five years to reduce the concerns about...Read More »
Tomb rejoins SAP to drive on-demand sales
Posted: Thu, 06 Oct 2011SAP has tempted back a former executive to head up its cloud efforts and oversee its on-demand activities.Greg Tomb, who had at one point run the US operations for SAP,...Read More »
Informatica launches channel programme to extend indirect reach
Posted: Thu, 06 Oct 2011Data integration specialist Informatica has taken the wraps off a channel programme designed to increase the revenues that come from its indirect business.Up until last year the software player had...Read More »
BSA takes anti-piracy campaign to Nottingham
Posted: Wed, 05 Oct 2011The Business Software Alliance is heading to Nottingham in the next stage of its ongoing campaign to educate firms and stamp out piracy and the use of unlicensed software in...Read More »
App store model to transform channel by 2015
Posted: Tue, 04 Oct 2011Analyst firm Canalys has used its Channels Forum in Barcelona to urge resellers to look beyond cloud computing, saying the growth of enterprise app stores represents "the true transformational force...Read More »
Jaspersoft claims world first open source mobile BI package
Posted: Tue, 27 Sep 2011Business intelligence (BI) software specialist Jaspersoft has made its move on the mobility space with the latest (4.2) version of its BI Suite, released under open source in what the company...Read More »
FAST backs government's intellectual property education
Posted: Fri, 23 Sep 2011The Federation Against Software Theft (FAST) has backed the government's latest attempts to educate users around the importance of intellectual property.The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) is currently promoting a website...Read More »
Red Hat numbers add to evidence of solid software demand
Posted: Thu, 22 Sep 2011Just a day after fellow software player Oracle showed that demand was holding up in the market open source specialist Red Hat has added its own figures to illustrate that...Read More »
Micro Focus trading ahead of expectations
Posted: Thu, 22 Sep 2011The consequences of taking down the for sale signs appear to have been positive for Micro Focus with the UK software specialist beating its own trading expectations.The firm holds its...Read More »
Strong software demand bolsters Oracle performance
Posted: Wed, 21 Sep 2011With the International Monetary Fund warning that the global economy is in a difficult position the temptation to slide into doom and gloom could be overpowering but Oracle has indicated...Read More »
BYOD and XP end of life drive desktop virtualisation
Posted: Fri, 16 Sep 2011As Microsoft winds down the support for XP, and increasing number of employees own and rely on smart phones, tablets and netbooks organisations have new challenges in their desktop virtualisation...Read More »
FAST kicks off piracy education campaign across Wales
Posted: Wed, 14 Sep 2011The Federation Against Software Theft has set its sights on cracking software piracy in Wales through an education campaign that is being targeted at Trading Standards.The 'Software - Stay Legal'...Read More »
Document management moves beyond the back office
Posted: Tue, 13 Sep 2011With the extension of compliance regulations and the need for faster and more precise customer communication the role of document management is stepping out of the back office shadows.Traditionally resellers...Read More »
Government to ask Google to do more to fight piracy
Posted: Tue, 13 Sep 2011The UK government is to call on search engines such as Google, advertisers and credit card companies to join the fight against online software piracy.These organisations should take reasonable steps...Read More »
Software and services sector remains confident
Posted: Tue, 13 Sep 2011The software and services (SITS) sector remains confident that the next 12 months are going to be a positive in both profits and staff expansion, reports Linda Endersby.According to the...Read More »
FAST reveals depressing user attitude to software piracy
Posted: Mon, 12 Sep 2011Users might have been encouraged to whistleblow on software piracy at work but are unlikely to speak out because they are unaware that there is specific legislation on the statute...Read More »
Tech Data expands software design muscle with Man and Machine buy
Posted: Mon, 12 Sep 2011Consolidation in the channel continues with Tech Data picking up distribution assets from Man and Machine to give it a greater penetration of the design software market.Man and Machine, which...Read More »
BSA compliance campaign settles on the North East
Posted: Fri, 09 Sep 2011The Business Software Alliance (BSA) has launched a campaign encouraging software licensing compliance in the North East of England as part of its ongoing determination to spread the message about...Read More »
Sage launches developer certfication
Posted: Fri, 09 Sep 2011Sage has unveiled a certification process to speed up the validation of developers products that aim to extend the functionality and add value to its accounting products.The decision to introduce...Read More »
SAM the answer to overcoming software ignorance
Posted: Fri, 02 Sep 2011Customers struggling to cope with their software estate will have to embrace tools that enable them to understand what they are using and as a result which applications need to...Read More »
Insight launches Apple services
Posted: Thu, 01 Sep 2011Insight UK has taken the wraps off a service designed to provide support for the growing number of Apple products being used in the corporate environment as consumerisation starts to...Read More »
Software buyers confess ignorance over investments
Posted: Wed, 31 Aug 2011Customers might be spending more money on software but that doesn't mean they feel they are getting the most of it with a large number wrestling with the feeling that...Read More »
Centrix Software plans US expansion after $10m investment
Posted: Tue, 30 Aug 2011Centrix Software is planning to expand its operations and put some cash into research and development of cloud and virtualisation products after securing $10m of investment.The UK headquartered software firm...Read More »
Transparency over licensing essential as competition heats up
Posted: Fri, 26 Aug 2011Reseller advising customers on software licences have urged to be transparent with the costs or face the prospect of finding a rival delivering a more reasonable solution.With licensing remaining a...Read More »
Belfast firm hit by £33,000 bill for failing to license software
Posted: Thu, 25 Aug 2011A Belfast-based architecture firm has become the latest to fall foul of the Business Software Alliance (BSA) in its on-going crack down on those firms using unlicensed applications. Coogan &...Read More »
User virtualisation demands continue to develop
Posted: Tue, 23 Aug 2011Virtualisation demands are becoming more complex as customers look to replicate some of the multi-tasking they enjoy in the physical world in their virtual environments.The result is a change in...Read More »
Micro Focus sale talks collapse
Posted: Tue, 23 Aug 2011UK software firm Micro Focus has watched its share price slide after revealing that takeover talks with two finance houses have come to an end without a deal being struck.Originally...Read More »
Business process outsourcing growth set to continue
Posted: Mon, 22 Aug 2011Business process outsourcing is set to grow by just shy of double digits in Western Europe this year as customers keep the faith with using third-party providers to help them...Read More »
Sage linked with MYOB acquisition
Posted: Wed, 17 Aug 2011UK software firm Sage appears to be near the front of the pack trying to acquire Australian small business accounting specialist MYOB. According to reports the UK firm has confirmed...Read More »
Resellers have to work to persuade users to switch brands
Posted: Wed, 17 Aug 2011Customers might becoming more open-minded about brands and can be prepared to take alternatives but resellers have to work hard making a strong enough return on investment pitch if they...Read More »
Windows 7 usage lifted by healthier IT budgets
Posted: Tue, 09 Aug 2011Microsoft might well be thinking of Windows 8 but it will be encouraged to see that a major analyst house is forecasting the current OS version 7 will be on...Read More »
SAP names Noble successor
Posted: Mon, 08 Aug 2011SAP has filled the vacant UK managing director post just weeks after the previous incumbent Tim Noble was moved to emerging markets, turning to a US director with channel experience....Read More »
SAP still holding door open for cloud hungry VARs
Posted: Fri, 05 Aug 2011Sticking to its road-map SAP has issued the second annual update of its cloud Business ByDesign service and reiterated that the door is open for further resellers to get involved...Read More »
Research: Several categories lead Q2 B2B growth in the IT market
Posted: Fri, 05 Aug 2011With sustained global and local economic pressures you'd be forgiven for thinking that all was doom gloom. The list of issues currently facing the IT market continues to mount: consumer...Read More »
ComputerLinks extends Alvea cloud service
Posted: Fri, 05 Aug 2011ComputerLinks is expanding its cloud and managed services platform in both terms of geographical coverage and the number of features it offers resellers. The distributor has now made its Alvea...Read More »
File-sharing blocking u-turn met with dismay by piracy fighters
Posted: Thu, 04 Aug 2011The decision by the government to abandon plans to block web sites sharing illegal software, games, video and music has been met with dismay from those trying to fight piracy....Read More »
Government backs down on plans to block file-sharing sites
Posted: Wed, 03 Aug 2011Proposals to block illegal filesharing websites have been dropped by the government because attempts to stop users downloading illegal software and music were deemed to be unworkable.But Vince Cable, the...Read More »
FAST gives backing to anti-counterfeit web site
Posted: Wed, 03 Aug 2011The Federation Against Software Theft has given its backing to an online service designed to help users avoid ending up with counterfeit goods as it looks to help crack down...Read More »
Software market set for continued decline
Posted: Tue, 02 Aug 2011The UK software and IT services market is set for a second consecutive year of decline with fears that the medium term prognosis is not as rosy as some had...Read More »
TouchstoneNAV slams lack of MS Dynamics support skills
Posted: Mon, 01 Aug 2011A perceived lack of channel support around installations of Microsoft Dynamics NAV has led Microsoft partner TouchstoneNAV to launch a new lifeboat service for customers who feel their partner is...Read More »
NetSuite Q2 revenues rise but losses deepen
Posted: Fri, 29 Jul 2011Cloud-based financial and ERP software provider NetSuite has reported record Q2 revenue up 23% to $57.8m and the largest number of new customer wins in two years, but they could...Read More »
Computacenter picks nlyte for C3 cloud initiative
Posted: Wed, 27 Jul 2011Computacenter has extended the use of nlyte Software's Data Centre Infrastructure Management (DCIM) suite to support its new C3 cloud initiative, which offers ability to adopt the cloud using an...Read More »
Amazon international cloud growth dwarfed by American performance
Posted: Wed, 27 Jul 2011Growth at Amazon's web services division internationally is falling further behind the company's performance in the North American market where AWS reported a massive revenue growth rate of 85% for...Read More »
CA partners adapt to deliver cloud-based services
Posted: Tue, 26 Jul 2011Large numbers of CA partners are set to adapt their business models to provide cloud-based services for data protection and managed services for backup and data management - and nearly...Read More »
Centrix Software looks for big increase in UK partner numbers
Posted: Tue, 26 Jul 2011The company develops analytics and reporting software to assess IT landscapes and monitor, meter and manage internal and external service delivery in a mixed environment that helps customers with virtualisation...Read More »
MS cloud boss Muglia pops up at Juniper
Posted: Tue, 26 Jul 2011Former Microsoft cloud supremo Bob Muglia, who left the firm at the start of the year, has joined networking vendor Juniper Networks in the newly created role of executive vice president of...Read More »
Ubuntu commercial arm launches VAR programme
Posted: Mon, 25 Jul 2011Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu, the open source operating system has launched itself into the channel with its Ubuntu Advantage (UA) partner programme, designed to help resellers bring a new set...Read More »
Judge tells Oracle to rethink Google Java damages claim
Posted: Mon, 25 Jul 2011A United States District Court Judge has dismissed Oracle's initial damages estimate for its Java patent case against Google after accusing the company of over-reaching in multiple ways with the...Read More »
Windows sales slip but business products fuel record MS results
Posted: Fri, 22 Jul 2011Microsoft reported record sales of $69.9bn and net income of $23.15bn for the full year ending 30 June 2011, with a small decline in Windows sales more than offset by...Read More »
SAP opens up Sybase mobility solutions to VARs
Posted: Thu, 21 Jul 2011SAP VARs are being given the opportunity to sell Sybase enterprise mobility apps and solutions for the first time in a move that could provide new mobile and revenue opportunities...Read More »
Onyx first to deliver SAP Business One services
Posted: Thu, 21 Jul 2011Teesside-based SAP partner Onyx Group has been selected to become the first UK partner to provide SAP's Business One hosted ERP software solution as a service. Midmarket specialist Onyx said the currently...Read More »
CoSoSys splits from owners Astaro, Sophos in MBO
Posted: Thu, 21 Jul 2011CoSoSys, the device control, endpoint security and portable management software unit of UTM vendor Astaro and is starting life as an independent company after an MBO. The founder and CEO...Read More »
Riverbed acquires to boost partner cloud proposition
Posted: Wed, 20 Jul 2011Network performance specialist Riverbed has splashed out $110m (£68m) to acquire Cambridge-based Zeus Technology to boost its reseller-facing cloud proposition. Zeus specialises in high-performance software-based load balancing and traffic management...Read More »
EMC raises outlook after strong Q2 results
Posted: Wed, 20 Jul 2011EMC has raised its financial outlook for the year after reporting second quarter revenue of $4.5bn and a 28% increase in net income to $546m. EMC chairman and CEO Joe...Read More »
Consumerisation can improve BI use, says Gartner
Posted: Wed, 20 Jul 2011The consumerisation of Business Intelligence (BI) via mobile devices could help companies to reach many more users and drive greater adoption according to Gartner. The market research specialist reports that...Read More »
IBM beats Q2 estimates, raises expectations for full year
Posted: Tue, 19 Jul 2011IBM's mainframe revenue jumped 61% as it posted better than expected results for its second quarter with revenue up 12% to $26.7bn and an 8% increase in net income to...Read More »
Akamai extends channel with NetAlliance partner programme
Posted: Mon, 18 Jul 2011Cloud optimisation services specialist Akamai Technologies has announced plans to expand its channel with a partner programme designed to help global IT solution providers integrate the company's services into their...Read More »
ACS inks Vodafone deal to get closer to medical contracts
Posted: Mon, 18 Jul 2011Advanced Computer Software Group (ACS) has signed a partnership agreement with Vodafone to target a wider range of healthcare sector contracts. The deal, the value of which was not disclosed, will see...Read More »
Microsoft calls on channel to carry on with Windows 7 push
Posted: Tue, 12 Jul 2011Microsoft has urged resellers to keep the momentum going around Windows 7 pointing out it is the foundation for an upgrade path to future operating systems.The call for further sales...Read More »
Web based pirates continue to flout IP
Posted: Tue, 12 Jul 2011The Federation Against Software Theft (FAST) has reacted with dismay at the findings of a European report revealing that intellectual property is being undermined by illegal downloads over the internet.Research...Read More »
Quest Software unifies reseller programmes
Posted: Mon, 11 Jul 2011Quest Software has used Microsoft's worldwide partner conference as the platform to launch a radical overhaul in its channel programme to simplify a disparate system that has developed over the...Read More »
Corel appoints Ingram to gain more reseller numbers
Posted: Fri, 08 Jul 2011Just days after talking of its plans to review and expand its channel operations Corel has inked a contract with Ingram Micro.The decision to appoint another distribution partner to sit...Read More »
SaaS set to grow as users embrace hosted option
Posted: Thu, 07 Jul 2011Software as a service (SaaS) revenue is going to reach $12.1bn by the end of this year as users look for cheaper alternatives to on-premise products and start to embrace...Read More »
SAP in hunt for UK boss as Noble moves into emerging role
Posted: Tue, 05 Jul 2011SAP is on the hunt for a new boss to run its UK and Ireland operations after the current incumbent was handed the role of looking after emerging markets for...Read More »
