News


IBM Ships First Server for Small Customers

With renewed interest in attracting small business customers, IBM has begun to ship the first machines in a new line of single-processor, x86-based, low-cost servers targeted specifically to provide “enterprise class” technology to small-scale businesses.

Microsoft Disk-Based Backup Product Generally Available

Microsoft System Center Data Protection Manager, a new disk-based backup and recovery server for Windows file servers, became generally available on Tuesday. Several partners are rolling out hardware and software based on DPM to coincide with the launch.

Windows Storage Server R2 Enters Beta

Microsoft on Tuesday released a beta of Windows Storage Server 2003 R2, which will include enhancements for storage management, collaboration and branch usage.

Partner Watch, Sept. 23

IBIS and Inacom team up to offer Microsoft training in Atlanta.

IT Weekly Roundup, Sept. 23

From the business wires this week: learning resources for Comptia A+ and Microsoft SQL Server 2005, an IM firewall and a network traffic monitoring tool.

Improved Training Benes Under SA

Next year, Software Assurance will include a sizable increase in training vouchers. The increase can prove to be a boon to Microsoft Certified Training Partners.

IDC Global PC Sales Forecast – Going Up

Strong demand in international markets, and especially for notebooks, will likely drive worldwide sales of new PCs this year to well over 200 million units, research firm IDC said this week.

Coming Soon to a Computer Near You

VBrick Systems is shipping a video-on-demand network appliance that supports Microsoft Windows Media (WM) video and audio formats in enterprise environments.

Password Organizer Update Ships

While the world waits for single-sign on to become a reality, 1-abc.net is shipping version 1.10 of its Password Organizer product.

Sim Versions of 70-293, 70-294 Exams Make Beta

With exam rollout problems apparently worked out, Microsoft has begun beta testing exams 70-293 and 70-294.

Google Unveils Enterprise Partner Program

Today Google launched Google Enterprise Professional, a new partner program designed to help customers maximize the search behemoth's enterprise offerings.

Virtual Server 2005 Available on MSDN

An MSDN subscription will net you a copy of Virtual Server 2005.

Pondering the Partner Repercussions of Microsoft's Reorg

Microsoft's announcement that it is realigning into three business units and—probably more importantly—appointing Ray Ozzie to help it deliver more software-based services has the partner community wondering what it all might mean to their businesses.

Analysts: Dell’s Departure Won’t Spoil Itanium’s Party

Dell’s recent decision to exit the Itanium-based server market may appear on the surface to be another blow to Intel’s 64-bit CPU plans, but it falls far short of putting the chip architecture out to pasture, say analysts.

NetIQ Adds Federal IT Support to Compliance Manager Suite

Add one more acronym to the list of security compliance laws supported by NetIQ’s Security Compliance Suite.

Microsoft Unveils Major Realignment

Microsoft shuffled the deck of top executives on Tuesday, consolidating its seven divisions into three and naming four presidents to report to CEO Steve Ballmer. One of the new presidents, former senior vice president Jim Allchin, will retire at the end of 2006 when Windows Vista ships.

Microsoft Works to Sharpen its Small Business Focus

Microsoft has always tried to nab every sale it can, but it hasn’t always been great about servicing the SMB channels, particularly channels for small businesses. That’s changing, according to senior Microsoft officials, or at the least, the company is renewing its emphasis on those smaller customers.

Microsoft Buys Alacris

Microsoft this week acquired certificate management and identity assurance software provider, Alacris Inc. Terms of the deal weren't disclosed.

IT Weekly Roundup, Sept. 16

From the business wires this week: a beta desktop virtualization software, an e-mail storage software suite and a KVM-over-IP device for remote management of servers.

Report: Microsoft in Talks to Buy Stake in AOL

Microsoft is in talks with Time Warner about buying a stake in the media giant's AOL unit, according to reports in the New York Post and the Wall Street Journal Thursday.