Robert Dutt

Robert Dutt is the founder and head blogger at ChannelBuzz.ca. He has been covering the Canadian solution provider channel community for a variety of publications and Web sites since 1997.

QuickVid: Virtualization at Bell Canada

Bell Canada has been on a virtualization path for five years now, and despite seeing significant impacts on its data centre space and energy costs, it’s still got a long way to go in the estimation of James Beer, director of data centre strategy and operations.

ChannelBuzz.ca caught up with Beer at the recent VMware Forum in Toronto to talk about Bell’s virtual strategy, where it’s been, where it’s going and what it’s learned along the way.

Check out what Beer had to say in this QuickVid video.

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G52Bblc_-W4

Liveblog: Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference – Day Three

LOS ANGELES — After a wild night for partners at last night’s Canadian Party (and After Party) here, WPC continues, wrapping up the main-tent activities Wednesday morning with keynotes from channel chief Jon Roskill, top exec Kevin Turner and guest speaker Sir Richard Branson. Grab your cup of coffee and join us for the liveblog after…

Liveblog: Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference, Day 2

LOS ANGELES — Microsoft’s 2011 edition of its Worldwide Partner Conference gets underway Tuesday morning with keynotes from some of the heads of Microsoft’s business units. After getting the grand vision from the top with CEO Steve Ballmer on Monday morning, the company promises a closer eye on opportunities with Tuesday morning’s presentations, focusing on…

Liveblog: Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference Day One

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer

LOS ANGELES — Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference gets underway Monday morning with keynotes expected from CEO Steve Ballmer, worldwide channel chief Jon Roskill and other top executives. It’s been a year since last year’s “all in” WPC, when Microsoft proclaimed itself a cloud company. What does the company have in store for channel partners a…

QuickVid: Partner opportunities with Office 365

ChannelBuzz.ca caught up with Microsoft Canada president Eric Gales at the company’s Toronto launch media event for Office 365 to discuss partner implications of the new online productivity suite. On the agenda: how Gales is seeing partners innovate around the new cloud-based service, and how partners are reacting to Microsoft’s decision to retain control of customer billing even with partner-sold 365 implementations.

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30liLzyU_IY

QuickVid: Top opportunities for VMware partners

ChannelBuzz.ca caught up with VMware Canada chief Grant Aitken at the company’s recent VMware Forum in Toronto to discuss all things virtualization. In this QuickVid, Aitken outlines two of what he feels are the most untapped opportunities for VMware partners: cross-selling and desktop virtualization.

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJDXcPDOLYs