ChannelPro-SMB - Cecilia Galvin's SMB Editor Blog

Beer and Networking

Cecilia G — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:01:09 GMT

Beer and Networking

Beer and networking with like-minded channel partners go together like...well, beer and almost anything. And this spring, SMB Nation is teaming up with SpamSoap, a messaging service provider, to host a series of beer fests in three east coast cities between March 23 and 25, 2010.

The agenda is simple, says Harry Brelsford, who will be in attendance at the events: After opening remarks from SpamSoap regarding its SMB protection software and partner program, Brelsford will introduce the SMB Nation Spring conference to be held in East Brunswick, N.J., from April 30 to May 2. Thereafter, the beer and conversation flow freely.

At previous events, conversations have included:

The withdrawal of Windows Essential Business Server (EBS) from the market
SMB VoIP alternatives
Making money from cloud computing
How to sell managed services

If this sounds like something that's right up your alley, sign up soon because attendance is limited to 25 for each event. Details about the beer fests, held from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., are as follows:

Tuesday, March 23, Boston: http://www.clicktoattend.com/?id=146736

Wednesday, March 24, New York City: http://www.clicktoattend.com/?id=146677

Thursday, March 25, Washington D.C: http://www.clicktoattend.com/?id=146679

Congrats to the ASCII Success Summit Best of Show Winners

Cecilia G — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 20:49:08 GMT

Congrats to the ASCII Success Summit Best of Show Winners

If you missed the 2010 Success Summit held in Newport Beach, Calif., on February 18, please join me in congratulating the event's Best of Show award winners. They are:

Best Software Solution - Autotask
Best Hardware Solution - Datto, Inc.
Best New Product - ITControl Suite
Best Revenue Generator - ConnectWise
Best Channel Incentives - CMS Product
Best Channel Programs - GFI
Best of Show - Reflexion Networks, Inc.
Best Distribution Sales Support - Tech Data

The single-day summit was designed to help vendors and solution providers discover revenue and joint venture opportunities. The event also brings solution providers up to speed on new trends and provides tools for building a more profitable business.

Olympics and Malware: Watch Where You Click

Cecilia G — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 19:01:02 GMT

I have no idea why this continues to amaze me, because I wouldn't be described as naive. But yet again (and again, and again), hackers are using a high-profile event to spread malware: The Olympic Games.

Check out this blog post from Michael Sutton, the CEO of Zscaler to learn more:

http://research.zscaler.com/2010/02/fake-vancouver-winter-olympic-videos.html

Valentine's Day Danger

Cecilia G — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 19:06:57 GMT

Valentine's Day is Sunday, for any of you who did not catch the hints from your significant other. And now is a good time to warn him/her of the dangers that may be lurking in e-cards.

To help you out, AVG Technologies offers these reminders...

E-card companies don't send cards as attachments. If you receive an e-card notification with an attachment, delete the message and attachment immediately
If you don't recognize the e-card sender's name, delete the message immediately
If the subject line says something generic and impersonal like "You've received an e-card from a classmate!" or "You've received a postcard from a family member," chances are the message is not safe to open
If the e-card notification contains a clickable link that includes ".exe" or an unfamiliar Web site name-especially if an IP address appears when you hover your mouse cursor over the link-it's not a legitimate card link.

...And this advice:

Email the sender and ask if you should have received an e-card from him or her and, if so, from which site
Make sure both the sender's name and the name or URL of a legitimate e-card company's Web site are included in the subject line
Check the "From" address to make sure you recognize it. Some e-card companies will also include the sender's name and address in the body of the email notification itself
Legitimate e-card notifications should include a clickable link to the card on the card company's Web site as well as a URL you can copy and paste into a browser (it's always safer to copy and paste a link from an email than to click directly)

Intel Science Competition Winners Take a Seat at the State of the Union Address

Cecilia G — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 17:13:33 GMT

Intel Science Competition Winners Take a Seat at the State of the Union Address

Tonight two student scientists--one a winner of the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair 2009 and the other a top finalist in the Intel Science Talent Search 2009, both programs of Society for Science & the Public--are being recognized by the White House for their scientific achievements and will sit with Michelle Obama at tonight's State of the Union address. How cool is that?

Li Boynton, a high school senior from Houston, was one of the top three winners in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair 2009 and is a semifinalist in the Intel Science Talent Search 2010. Gabriela Farfan of Madison, Wis., who is currently a freshman at Stanford University, earned 10th place at the Intel Science Talent Search 2009. Before attending the State of the Union address, Li and Gabriela will meet with Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education, and John Holdren, Science and Technology advisor to the president.

Intel says it shares President Obama's belief that scientists should be regarded as role models, like athletes and entertainers, and that innovation and education are key to a successful future. Kudos to Intel for that.

And, at 4:00 p.m. EST today Intel will name 40 high school seniors as finalists in the Intel Science Talent Search 2010. Good luck to these young people, some of whom may ultimately find their way into our neck of the woods with careers in technology.

Be Earth-Friendly, Socially Conscious, and Dispose of Old Stuff the Easy Way

Cecilia G — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:06:54 GMT

Be Earth-Friendly, Socially Conscious, and Dispose of Old Stuff the Easy Way

KOM Networks teams with Dell, collecting old storage devices and raising money for Feed the Children.

No one likes to dispose of hardware, especially old storage devices. The environmental concerns are overwhelming enough. Add the security implications, and you're really rolling your eyes. All that work just to toss something.

Right now, though, it's not difficult at all--and you can help feed hungry kids in America while you're at it.

KOM Networks, maker of storage management solutions for secure archiving, compliant data protection, and retention has rolled out a "Junk-A-Juke" program that will collect and recycle obsolete and legacy storage equipment and then donate any money it garners from doing so to the good-works organization Feed The Children.

But there's more. In exchange for the older equipment, KOM is offering a new Dell-powered KOMpliance Archive, a server and archive solution, for free--if, that is, you're also interested in a three-year maintenance agreement.

KOM says its goal is to "collect and recycle enough hardware to feed one million children."

Working jointly with Dell's OEM division, KOM developed its custom storage solution on the Dell PowerVault NX3000 NAS.

KOMpliance is a plug-and-play archive solution that is platform and application agnostic, integrating into any existing infrastructure. More than 10,000 companies and organizations use KOM solutions to protect, access, and manage their data and meet compliance standards.

With this innovative program, not only is KOM helping to make it easier to responsibly dispose of obsolete hardware, it's also helping to feed the some 12 million American children benefiting from Feed the Children.

At this time of year, who can ask more than that?