ChannelTrends: OS Options Grow; Storage for the Masses

The preliminary news on Microsoft’s next version of Windows could lead to several ripples in the IT channel, far beyond its effects on the company’s escalating battles with rivals Apple and Google. According to long-time Microsoft expert and ZDNet blogger Mary-Jo Foley, the software company is on track to release Windows 8 (though this name hasn’t been finalized) in mid-2012, with beta clients getting access to the OS earlier in the year. The big question seems to be how many versions there will be – with several experts suggesting a mobile adaptation will appear in the upcoming Dell and other high-profile tablets prior to the full-blown OS introduction. But the bigger story here is the business opportunity for solution providers and the calculated risk Microsoft is taking.

Is Windows News an Opening for VARs—and Google?   

While Microsoft hasn’t made an official announcement on the release date of its next-generation Windows OS, the competition continues to launch new products and introduce channel programs of their own. With global usage share of Windows 7 just surpassing 20-percent market share in Decembe), a lot of computers are still running on XP, Vista or other operating systems. The replacement is a huge channel opportunity.  But what vendor will solution providers use? What used to be a simple Windows upgrade could get more complicated in the coming months.

Microsoft has competition like it’s never seen before, perhaps adding to the urgency to roll out the next version of Windows. The company’s bread-and-butter remains PC operating systems, but Apple and its iPad tablet are leading the switch to mobile computing and gaining market share. And other tablets and mobile devices are being rolled out each day.

Google’s Honeycomb (Android 3.0) OS made its official debut in Motorola’s XOOM this week and, although reviews have not been rosy, upgrades could make it a viable competitor to a Windows 8 mobile platform. Let’s not forget HP, which purchased mobile device manufacturer Palm last year primarily for its Web OS. Earlier this month the company announced two new tablets based on its latest platform, with smart phones and other mobile devices to follow. In other words, consumers and solution providers now have options. Just consider how far Apple has come in the past five years, with the Mac, iPhone and finally the iPad. It won’t be long before Microsoft’s competitors develop their own viable PC and server platforms too.

Why does this matter to solution providers? Quite frankly, the channel relationship with Microsoft has been almost symbiotic, with a high degree of support on both sides. The company and its partners share a long history, with a high degree of VAR allegiance to the Redmond-based software giant. While cracks in the relationship have taken place in recent months with Microsoft’s cloud computing strategy (smaller margins and client registration concerns), most solution providers remain faithful. They likely will stay that way—as long as the business model works.

But another slip—such as the Vista platform or margin decline—could change all that, especially with the number of options and enhanced channel programs being offered by some of the competitors. HP has a significant channel of its own, Google is growing one quickly, and even Apple gets support from some solution providers. If solution providers find a better technology for their clients, or an improved user experience (with another OS) becomes a game changer, it could create a significant shift in the channel. Stay tuned, it should be interesting to see how the platform battle plays out.

Data Storage Getting Crowded

While the topic may not be quite as exciting as healthcare IT or the latest unified communications solutions, data storage continues to play an important part in the channel. Saving and protecting the business and customer information may not seem like job number one to some organizations, until a disaster or outage causes it all to disappear. That isn’t always easy to convey to SMB clients, especially in a tough economy when they need to cut costs. The need for cost-effective solutions continues to grow and, luckily for IT providers, so does the number of options.

A significant part of this growth comes in the form of cloud-based solutions from vendors offering their enterprise capabilities through the indirect channel. In the case of EMC-owned Mozy, they actually have two partner programs; one for resellers with enterprise clients and the other for SMB VARs and MSPs. This week the company announced enhancements to its programs including a new co-branding initiative, reporting tools and a reseller portal for training, partner materials and online support. Mozy joins a number of vendors offering options and enhanced solutions that meet the compliance and needs of end-users, with marketing and sales tools to help their IT channel partners build a successful data storage practice.