Channel Watch


Ballmer's Annual Partner Pep Talk Isn't About Specifics

Ballmer talks about the resetting of the Microsoft Partner program and gives a small dig to Google in the process.

Partners Helping Partners Reach Customers

The Washington, D.C., chapter of the International Association of Microsoft Certified Partners (IAMCP) ran an interesting experiment a few weeks ago.

Cloud Computing: Share and Share Alike

Programs: Microsoft opens data services component of the Azure platform, called Project Huron, to customers for testing.

Microsoft Rolls out Dynamic Incentives

Marketing: Will the new initiatives offset recent hits to Microsoft Business Solutions sales, both for Microsoft and its partners?

Windows 7 on Track for Q3 to early Q4 RTM

Operating Systems: Release Candidate arrives in plenty of time for the new OS to be generally available in Fall 2009.

A Grudging Admission that This Is a Major Launch Wave

Almost every aspect of the Microsoft stack -- from OSes to tools to apps -- is up for renewal in the coming year.

Get Primed to Virtualize SMBs

First Look: Book by Gold Certified Partner provides a good starting point for building a virtualization practice.

The Gold Club

Congratulations to the following organizations that have recently joined Microsoft's top partner group.

Citrix Wants to Dazzle End Users

Company plans to roll out iTunes-like interface where end users can access corporate applications.

Gartner: Middleware Market Hits the Brakes in 2009

Marketplace: Researchers actually find some good news amid the slowdown for Microsoft in the areas of BizTalk and SharePoint.

Microsoft Rolls out Matchmaker for Partners

Programs: New portal looks to link partners with complementary experience and bridge regional gaps.

By the Numbers: A 'Most Difficult Environment'

Company CFO Chris Lidell called the quarter perhaps "the most difficult environment Microsoft has faced in its entire 30-year history."

Small Business Specialists Find Hopeful Signs

Microsoft surveyed more than 600 Small Business Specialists to see where partners were finding glimmers of light at the end of this dark economic tunnel.

Bekker Gets All a-Twitter

At times more burdensome than helpful, Twitter becomes a business driver in these challenging times. So, how are partners using it?