It may be summer, but that doesn’t mean there’s not newsbeing made in the IT channel. Here’s this week’s edition of CDN’snews that didn’t quite fit to print:
*Distributor Tech Data Canada has announced theimplementation of a new case management software tool to administer HP Serverand Storage Configure to Order (CTO) requests. The communication tool called“i-Sight” is a commercially available case management solution that Tech Datahas customized to manage its CTO business. It will streamline the entireprocess by using a case number to centralize all updates associated with eachCTO request and by allowing resellers to track progress online. Designed tofunction as a completely self-driven tool, resellers can now enter theirrequests online. i-Sight also prompts users with relevant questions so that allof the necessary details are captured and requests are responded toefficiently. Once submitted, resellers can track their request – from creationto invoicing – through a link on Tech Data’s web site. i-Sight will also handleall incoming HP National Master StandingOrder (NMSO) requests for servers and storage products, including all CTO,custom Build to Order (BTO) and Enterprise Storage requests.
*Hitachi Data Systems announced that Canadian channelpartners ESI Technologies, FlexITy Solutions, HighVail Systems, and TeraMachTechnologies received awards from HDS Canada to acknowledge their achievementsin promoting and selling HDS products and solutions in fiscal 2009. “TheseCanadian solution providers exemplify the word 'partner' and consistently showtheir extensive knowledge of and commitment to HDS products and solutions,”said Barry Morrison, regional VP, HDS Canada. “They understand the value HDSsolutions bring to organizations and share our goal of providing industry-leadingstorage solutions that deliver superior ROI and maximize our customers'existing infrastructure investments. They were great partners for a greatyear.” The awards were given out at HDSCanada's annual channel conference, which was held this year in Montreal on June2nd.
*A recent survey by the Association for Informationand Image Management has found that less than 50 per cent of SharePointimplementations were subject to a formal business case, and only half of thoserequired a financial justification. As a result, most did not have a managementplan as to which of SharePoint’s many features were to be used, and where.Meanwhile, SharePoint deployment is proceeding rapidly, with 22 per cent ofrespondents reporting it to be in use by 100 per cent of staff. This adoptionrate is set to double by this time next year. Half of the smaller businessesimplementing SharePoint are addressing the issues of information management forthe first time. Even in the largest organizations, a quarter have no previousexperience with Enterprise Content Management or Document Management systems. The report is free to download from theAIIM Web site.
*Dell is partnering with community-based designwebsite Threadless to offer 11 new uniquely crafted lid choices for its Studiolaptops. People can choose from a diverse collection of original graphiccreations to customize the look of their laptop. The Threadless Collection adds11 inspired designs, each uniquely crafted by individual members of theThreadless community to the more than 200 lid choices from Dell’s DesignStudio. Art titles include, Daisy by Bryan Ische, Stone Jungle by André daSilva Cruz, and Grandma’s Hot Air Balloon by featured student artist BrentSchoepf. The Design Studio will regularly refresh its Threadless Collectionwith the best and newest selections from the Threadless community.
*NetSuite Inc., a provider of cloud-basedenterprise resource planning/financial suites, and Zuora Inc., a provider ofcloud subscription billing solutions, announced a partnership to jointlydevelop and offer combined solutions to companies that need to meter, price andbill for subscription- and usage-based products. The companies plan tointegrate Zuora’s Z-Commerce Platform with NetSuite and NetSuite’s nativecloud-based billing engine. The solution will support any subscription pricingmodel including one-time, recurring, usage and metering charges, and volumetier pricing, and enables companies to tailor products and pricing to specificmarket segments. Current NetSuite customers will be able to leverage theintegrated capabilities to rapidly enable and expand subscription-basedproducts and services, and automatically meter and bill customers throughZuora's Z-Billing capabilities.
