I'm filling in for a vacationing Lee Pender today, which is fitting since somebody
needs to shill for some good work he's been doing.
Lee's just wrapped up Redmond Channel Partner magazine's first ever
salary survey. We asked how much you're paid, how much you pay yourself if you
run your own show, how much you charge for consulting and much, much more.
Read the full story here,
and download the PDF that adds details on how satisfied you are with your job
here
(registration required).
Posted by Scott Bekker on May 23, 20070 comments
In light of Microsoft's ongoing efforts to herd partners into vertical industries,
we've launched a series of profiles of different industries in
Redmond Channel
Partner magazine.
The
first one, if you missed it, was on professional services. Our latest issue
features our
second piece in this series, this time on government as a vertical. It's
a great piece by Rich Freeman primarily aimed at beginners -- kind of an examination
of issues to work through if you're thinking about getting into government work.
If you're a veteran of government contracting, or just enjoy reading about
how things work in Washington, I've got something else for you.
My wife subscribes to Vanity Fair -- you know, that phonebook-size magazine
that forces you to flip through about 30 pages of ads to find the table of
contents. The issues usually stack up in our bedroom about six high.
I just waded far enough into the March issue (page 342) to find a jewel of
a piece about SAIC, a huge federal government contractor and one of the largest
solution providers that lists Microsoft as a top vendor. It's by Donald L. Barlett
and James B. Steele, two journalists' journalists who live by the old rule that
real reporting involves forgetting how things are supposed to work and finding
out how they really work. (Also known as "follow the money.") The
story of revolving doors and no-bid contracts is an eye-opener about the state
of federal government contracting today.
The article happens to be available online here.
Posted by Scott Bekker on May 23, 20070 comments
Every now and again, we're honored to have Ted Dinsmore grace the pages of
Redmond Channel Partner magazine. Ted, along with Ed O'Connor, is the
author of "
Partnering
with Microsoft," the only book-length examination I know of that covers
the basic dos and don'ts and ins and outs of partnering with Microsoft.
Ted, who works as a consultant, thinks the release of Microsoft Office SharePoint
Server 2007 is a game-changer when it comes to migrating customers from Lotus
to Microsoft technologies. While Exchange and Outlook have been stealing Lotus
mail customers for years, moving customers off Lotus collaborative applications
has been a tougher sell.
Check out Ted's feature on the market opportunity, along with some nice guides
to help you start landing and performing this business, here.
Posted by Scott Bekker on May 23, 20070 comments
Registration for the
Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference in Denver in July is at 60 percent capacity and is expected to sell out by early June, Microsoft said today in an e-mail to partners. The company predicts it will have about 10,000 people altogether at the conference. Microsoft hasn't yet revealed how many partner registrations it will accept this year, although it will start a waiting list once the event is sold out. Partner attendance at the last WPC, held in Boston last July, was officially listed at 7,000 attendees.
This year's WPC promises to be another networking opportunity at Microsoft's biggest annual channel event. In addition, Microsoft is expected to reveal changes to the Microsoft Partner Program, shed further light on how partners fit into the Software Plus Services plans and give partners more detail on how to prepare for Windows Server 2008, formerly known as "Longhorn," and its associated wave of products.
The conference runs from July 10 through July 12, with a full day of preconference activities on July 9. Keep an eye out for the June issue of Redmond Channel Partner magazine, which will have a lot more detail about what to expect from the event.
Posted by Scott Bekker on May 17, 20070 comments
OK, it's not "Longhorn" anymore, now that
Bill Gates has made it official that the next version of the server OS will be called Windows Server 2008. Whatever it's called, Microsoft is looking for ISV partners to earn early certification for their applications on this edition of Windows Server. They're calling the program the Early Access Program (EAP) for Windows Server Logo Certification, and the enrollment deadline is May 31. Some benefits include Microsoft Partner Points, testing support and joint marketing.
More details on the Windows Server 2008 programs for partners is available here.
Posted by Scott Bekker on May 17, 20070 comments
Windows Home Server news got announced today at Microsoft's Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC) in Los Angeles. WHS is the little product that's supposed to give home users centralized data storage and network security and enable remote access. That's all well and good, and similar to Windows Small Business Server. What will make or break WHS is the emergence of the killer app -- in this case, some kind of home-entertainment coolness that makes the neighbors weep with jealousy.
On that front, Bill Gates spoke at WinHEC about six ISVs that are currently developing solutions to make WHS look cool. Personally, I liked the sound of Embedded Automation Inc.'s mControl software. The company's solution helps manage home lighting, security cameras, climate control and audio and visual components. Lagotek Corp. is another home automation vendor working to support WHS with its Home Intelligence Platform. Then there's PacketVideo Corp.'s PacketVideo Connect, which supports streaming media from WHS to home entertainment devices. Another company pushing entertainment content from WHS to home devices -- and to remote devices -- is SageTV. HP is also working on enhancing the Windows Home Server console and on sharing photos and media on the Web. Finally, a company called Riptopia -- you've got to love that name -- is developing a CD loading service that converts your CD collection for storage and protection on WHS.
Are these kinds of solutions representative of the killer apps that will get the neighbors excited about WHS? It's not clear right now, but these companies are moving in the right direction.
Posted by Scott Bekker on May 15, 20071 comments
You may recall that Microsoft had been hinting that there might be more editions of Windows Home Server than just the original one. The hint came even while the original version was going out to major OEMs to develop mass-market, horizontally focused, complete hardware/software systems.
Now the notion of more to come has got legs. Bill Gates made it official today with the announcement of a version of WHS for the system builder channel. The company is hoping its thousands of system builders can create customized versions of WHS to fit every conceivable need.
Posted by Scott Bekker on May 15, 20070 comments
Robert Deshaies won't confirm the code-name "Octane," but he does say that big changes are coming to the Microsoft Partner Program. Deshaies, vice president in charge of the Microsoft U.S. Partner Group, gave the keynote speech Wednesday morning at Redmond Channel Partner magazine's TechPartner conference in Orlando, Fla.
Deshaies told attendees that Microsoft will announce changes to the partner program at the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference, July 10-12 in Denver. While Microsoft has tweaked the partner program over the last few years, the last major overhaul came three years ago. We'll be in Denver for the WPC to keep you posted on all the important details.
Posted by Scott Bekker on March 28, 20070 comments
If you're worried about how Microsoft's software-as-a-service strategy will affect you as a partner, you're not alone. Robert Deshaies, vice president of the Microsoft U.S. Partner Group, says figuring out how to create partner programs around SaaS is one of the topics that keep him up at night.
Talking to partners during his opening keynote at Redmond Channel Partner magazine's TechPartner conference in Orlando on Wednesday, Deshaies said Microsoft will be providing a lot more clarity on its SaaS strategy for partners at the Worldwide Partner Conference in Denver, July 10-12.
Deshaies provided a few hints on Wednesday, however. For example, the "Software Plus Services" name that Chief Software Architect Ray Ozzie started using at TechEd last year (instead of the industry term, "software as a service") appears to have stuck at Microsoft.
"You're going to see Microsoft brand [SaaS] a little differently," Deshaies explained.
It's not just to change the name, though, he added. Software Plus Services gets at how Microsoft will approach SaaS -- namely, offer three different deployment models: 1) on-site deployment; 2) on-site deployments augmented by services in the cloud; and 3) completely in the cloud (either hosted by a partner or hosted by Microsoft).
Analysts at IDC recently said it's critical for Microsoft and other big vendors to announce SaaS strategies this year, because partners in nearly all channels are pushing so hard for answers. So let's hope Redmond follows through with those Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference details.
In the meantime, it happens that we recently published a feature looking at Microsoft's Dynamics CRM "Titan" plans for clues to Microsoft's SaaS strategy. Here's what we found:
- Microsoft will adopt a blended approach (on-site, hosted, and mixed).
- Microsoft's first moves will involve following others into established markets.
- Microsoft will make a serious effort to haul partners along.
- Some partners will be hurt.
- Opportunities will open up for other partners.
See the full article about those plans here: http://rcpmag.com/features/article.aspx?editorialsid=694.
Posted by Scott Bekker on March 28, 20071 comments
In announcing on Wednesday that it will acquire voice services provider Tellme
Networks Inc., Microsoft picked up another puzzle piece that could fill holes
on several puzzle boards -- unified collaboration, speech-recognition solutions,
mobile applications, even software-plus-services, Microsoft's take on software-as-a-service
(SaaS). The question is, which of those puzzles will get this particular piece?
There was notable confusion on a media and analyst call to announce the purchase
of the privately held Tellme Networks, which is based in Mountain View, Calif.
Not least about the purchase price, which is rumored at $800 million, but which
neither Microsoft nor Tellme executives would comment on.
While financial analysts seemed generally supportive of the deal, several of
the callers did wonder exactly how Microsoft plans to use Tellme's capabilities,
which overlap with speech recognition research and technologies that Microsoft
has been working on for a decade.
Microsoft Business Division President Jeff Raikes said Microsoft is buying Tellme's
hosting experience.
"Why Tellme? Because Tellme has the best hosted speech platform for services
today. [It's] used by 40 million people per month," Raikes said. "Their
investments in speech recognition and voice will enhance our own technologies."
Tellme co-founder and CEO Mike McCue added that the company's volume of calls
-- Tellme's customers include American Airlines and the Domino's Pizza chain
-- is as much a driver of platform maturity as any laboratory work.
"Last year alone, we did almost 10 billion speech utterances. What that
has allowed us to do is to make the platform smarter and better and more capable,"
McCue said.
There are two areas right off the bat where the announcements could benefit
Microsoft partners. If Microsoft integrates the Tellme hosted capabilities quickly
into its unified communications platform and its speech platforms, those platforms
will be richer for solution provider and ISV partners to start building on.
There are challenges in both areas. Microsoft has just released Exchange Server
2007 with its unified collaboration technology set, so some technology will
need to be elbowed out or enhanced. Same goes on the speech platform side, where
Office Communications Server is pretty well-baked.
Other areas where the technology could fit include mobile services and search,
which would be primarily an opportunity for Microsoft to compete with Google
for the broad search market. Raikes also positioned the acquisition as an important
step in Microsoft's software-plus-services effort. However, the company is calling
that a longer-term opportunity.
All of these areas make sense. But even in a company with Microsoft's size and
available cash, priorities have to be set. You can't do everything all at once,
at least not well. Stay tuned for more details on which of these opportunities
will get priority.
Posted by Scott Bekker on March 16, 20070 comments
In announcing on Wednesday that it will acquire voice services provider Tellme Networks Inc., Microsoft picked up another puzzle piece that could fill holes on several puzzle boards – unified collaboration, speech-recognition solutions, mobile applications, even Software plus services (Microsoft's take on Software as a Service). The question is, which of those puzzles will get this particular piece?
There was notable confusion on a media and analyst call to announce the purchase of the privately held company based in Mountain View, Calif. One area of concern was over the purchase price, which is rumored at $800 million, but which neither Microsoft nor Tellme executives would comment on.
While financial analysts seemed generally supportive of the deal, several of the callers did wonder exactly how Microsoft plans to use Tellme's capabilities, which overlap with speech recognition research and technologies Microsoft itself has been working on for a decade.
Microsoft Business Division President Jeff Raikes said Microsoft is buying Tellme's hosting experience. "Why Tellme? Because Tellme has the best hosted speech platform for services today. [It's] used by 40 million people per month," Raikes said. "Their investments in speech recognition and voice will enhance our own technologies."
Tellme co-founder and CEO Mike McCue added that the company's volume of calls – Tellme's customers include American Airlines and the Domino's Pizza Inc. – is as much a driver of platform maturity as any laboratory work. "Last year alone, we did almost 10 billion speech utterances. What that has allowed us to do is to make the platform smarter and better and more capable," McCue said.
There are two areas right off the bat where the announcements could benefit Microsoft partners. If Microsoft integrates the Tellme hosted capabilities quickly into its unified communications platform and its speech platforms, those platforms will be richer for solution provider and ISV partners to start building on. There are challenges in both areas. Microsoft has just release Exchange Server 2007 with its unified collaboration technology set, so some technology will need to be elbowed out or enhanced. Same goes on the speech platform side, where Office Communications Server is pretty well baked.
Other areas where the technology could fit, include mobile services and search, which would be primarily an opportunity for Microsoft to compete with Google for the broad search market. Raikes also positioned the acquisition as an important step in Microsoft's Software plus services effort. However, the company is calling that a longer-term opportunity.
All of these areas make sense. But even in a company with Microsoft's size and available cash, priorities have to be set. You can't do everything all at once, at least not well. Stay tuned for more detail on which of these opportunities will get priority.
Posted by Scott Bekker on March 14, 20070 comments
CompUSA Inc. is putting together a campaign to reach out to small business
customers, and they're looking for help from the Microsoft Small Business Specialist
Community. CompUSA and Microsoft announced the new program, called the CompUSA
TechPro Business Providers program, on Monday. It's part of Microsoft's multi-pronged
effort to connect with the small business market -- but unlike other major Microsoft
partnerships,
like
the one with Best Buy, this one is quite friendly to Microsoft's smaller
partners. Check out the details
here.
Posted by Scott Bekker on March 14, 20070 comments