Business Management


Some Microsoft Partners Fear LinkedIn Deal, Others Predict Growth

Many of Microsoft's partners are eager to learn how its pending $26.2 billion acquisition of LinkedIn will affect their businesses, though some worry it will only help the company undercut their own offerings.

When Partner Growth Stalls, Deeper Problems Are at Work

IT services executives need to take a hard look at their businesses right now to make certain they are fully in sync with -- and preferably ahead of -- the market.

Keeping Up with Microsoft in the 'Rapid Release' Era

Coping with Microsoft's newly frantic pace of cloud product updates, partners are thrilled to at last be moving as fast as the competition, but the pressure is on to get better at advising customers. 

2016 Rocket Award: Crestwood Makes 'Slow and Steady' a Winning Strategy

This year's award winner is Crestwood Associates, a small ERP partner that overcame an uncertain start, two recessions and an overall trend of channel consolidation to achieve multiple consecutive years of double-digit growth. 

For IT Services Partners, All Roads Lead to M&A

The industry doesn't need as many IT services firms as there are presently. The market knows this, the vendor companies know this, customers know this and you know this.

New Business Models Raise Questions for Microsoft Partners

Based on its talking points at WPC, Microsoft considers these four business models as critical for moving its partners into the future.

Microsoft Partners Face a Wild Ride to the Cloud

We ask partners grappling with the realities of transitioning their businesses to the cloud: Is it worth it?

Which Public Cloud Will Win the Microsoft Channel?

In the two-horse race between AWS and Microsoft Azure in the public cloud, only one can be considered to have a robust ecosystem of platform partners. And it's not Microsoft.

Juggling Clouds: Partnering with Both Microsoft and AWS

By most measures, the public cloud market is a two-horse race between AWS and Microsoft. Partners are increasingly seeing the benefits of tying their fortunes to both cloud vendors, but doing so requires a good deal of training, planning and trust.

How Does Microsoft's 'Professional Degree' Impact the Channel?

The new education program, announced by Microsoft at this summer's WPC, seems to raise more questions for partners than answers.

Windows 10 Launches as Subscription Service Through CSP

Microsoft's promised pay-as-you go version of Windows 10 Enterprise is now available through its Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) program.

The Reinvention of the Microsoft ISV

As partners scramble to find their place in the new cloud environment, the ISV category is expanding to include all different types of partners.

10 Steps to Becoming a 'Partner of the Future'

From what they sell to whom they sell to, these are the business areas partners need to transform if they're going to survive the next wave of IT consolidation.

What Microsoft Partners Are Grumbling About

Howard asked partners what their biggest grievances are with Microsoft. They were more than willing to share.

Are We at 'Peak Channel' or Just Ramping Up?

Under pressure from trends like cloud computing and automation, how can the IT channel survive -- and what form will it take if it does?