Software distributor Interactive Ideas has unveiled ambitious growth plans as it predicts 30 to 40 per cent expansion in the coming year.

The distributor, which is heading further down the VAD path, also has its eyes on possible acquisition targets in both the UK and abroad as it looks to bolster its services offering.

Mike Trup, managing director of Interactive Ideas, said: “Our corporate licensing business is up about 70 per cent on last year. The majority of that is taken by Linux. However, we are also seeing a large uptake in Solarwinds ­ a system and server monitoring software.”

Other growth areas for the distributor, according to Trup, include network performance monitoring and green computing, including virtualisation.

“If we are going to make acquisitions, I think it will be in the service area. We have potential targets in the UK and possibly in India,” he added.

Jon Collins, service director at analyst firm Freeform Dynamics, said: “There are a number of disruptive technologies including virtualisation, software-as-a-service, cloud computing and we have other developments such as Web 2.0.

“Channel players can either stick with what they have always done, or really learn about and understand what other technologies can offer.”