Articles by Mark Cox

Networking

Dell extends proactive automated support to consumer PCs and tablets

June 2, 2015 Mark Cox Comments Off on Dell extends proactive automated support to consumer PCs and tablets
Dell’s proactive support services have been a big hit in the channel, but this particular product is designed as a retail play, rather than for solution providers.

Channel Communities

Customers moving beyond cost issues in considering managed services

June 1, 2015 Mark Cox Comments Off on Customers moving beyond cost issues in considering managed services
CompTIA data indicate that customer knowledge of managed services is up significantly over last year, and that emphasis on cost saving is no longer their main concern. This should impact the way that MSPs sell their offerings.

Data Centre

Moving beyond hyperscale: Dell DCS looks to embrace smaller customers

June 1, 2015 Mark Cox Comments Off on Moving beyond hyperscale: Dell DCS looks to embrace smaller customers
Dell’s Data Center Solutions group was created to optimize Dell’s working relationship with its large hyperscale customers, but today, partly as a result of Dell going private, DCS is working with a broader range of customers to design customized solutions that meet their needs.

Data Centre

SanDisk targets next-gen CloudSpeed Eco SSD at hyperscale market

June 1, 2015 Mark Cox Comments Off on SanDisk targets next-gen CloudSpeed Eco SSD at hyperscale market
The announcement at Computex Taipei 2015 is intended to be SanDisk’s coming out party for the large Taiwanese ODM market, with a product that will sell mainly through the ODMs, but will have some channel pockets.

Hardware

Designing Dell: Dell’s Industrial Design team talks turkey with media

May 29, 2015 Mark Cox Comments Off on Designing Dell: Dell’s Industrial Design team talks turkey with media
Dell’s hardware designers explain their original mandate, to turn Dell from a follower to a leader in product innovation, and discuss their design philosophy and principles that underlay the large degree of success they have in this area now compared to a decade ago.

Cloud

Avaya buys Richmond Hill’s Esna to easily integrate multi-vendor communications into cloud apps

May 29, 2015 Mark Cox Comments Off on Avaya buys Richmond Hill’s Esna to easily integrate multi-vendor communications into cloud apps
Esna will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Avaya, with Avaya ‘planning to adopt’ Esna’s over 200 active channel partners. Avaya also said the deal will provide existing Avaya partners with significant new opportunities.

Cloud

Virtustream acquired by EMC, to become separate EMC Federation business

May 26, 2015 Mark Cox Comments Off on Virtustream acquired by EMC, to become separate EMC Federation business
Virtustream will form the basis of EMC’s managed cloud services business, and will be sold both direct and through service provider and integrator partners.

Channel Programs

Xirrus completely recrafts channel program with new Xirrus Xcellerate

May 26, 2015 Mark Cox Comments Off on Xirrus completely recrafts channel program with new Xirrus Xcellerate
The changes reflect the wireless networking vendor’s transition in the last several years from a direct seller to a company that sells entirely through the channel, where the internal sales force now works to drum up business for partners.

Virtualization

Dell continues VDI appliance push with VMware EVO:RAIL Horizon Edition appliance

May 22, 2015 Mark Cox Comments Off on Dell continues VDI appliance push with VMware EVO:RAIL Horizon Edition appliance
Dell becomes the first vendor to offer a hyper-converged end-to-end VDI appliance for EVO:RAIL, which becomes its fifth different VDI appliance in five months, as the company intensifies its emphasis on the space

Solution Provider News

Partnering leads to acquisition as Winnipeg’s Powerland buys FACT Computers

May 22, 2015 Mark Cox Comments Off on Partnering leads to acquisition as Winnipeg’s Powerland buys FACT Computers
The deal takes a previous partnering relationship one step further, expands Powerland’s presence in Saskatchewan, and gives them complete control of FACT’s comparatively large pool of technical people, who complement Powerland’s previous shortage of feet on the street in Saskatchewan.