Channel awards
Simon Meredith profiles two leading vendors that could be in the running to go home with a trophy this year.
AMD is feeling chipper
If there is one company that understands the value of the Channel Awards it is AMD. The chip vendor has sponsored the event for several years, and with this year's revised categories and voting system, it has a real chance of being nominated.
The technologies AMD is delivering are key, said Dave Everitt, product manager at the company. "We delivered the Opteron back in April and we are putting together server systems that enable small system builders to add more margin.
"Opteron gives the added flexibility of having one-, two- or four-way systems so partners can build simpler solutions."
Keeping things simple helps resellers, said Everitt. AMD introduced its model number initiative to make it easy for partners to identify the most suitable processors for their systems. Its new Validated Server Programme provides additional credibility for reseller-built systems.
Scheduled for a September launch, the 64-bit Athlon will add momentum to AMD's strategy of bringing high-performance processors down to the home-user and small-business market.
Everitt hopes that AMD's straightforward approach will give it a real chance in the SME and Specialist categories this year. "Our mantra is customer-centric innovation. We have been listening to our customers and adapting to their needs.
"If the people you are supplying appreciate what you are doing that helps us to reach a wider audience," he said.
CRN analysis
With the 64-bit versions of the Opteron and Athlon processors now arriving, AMD is delivering choice and exceptional price-performance to the market. Resellers, retailers and system builders that value these offerings may well be persuaded to support the company in this year's Channel Awards and give it a chance in the SME and Specialist categories.
Veritas counts on its VARs
This year Veritas Software is working more closely with fewer resellers and demonstrating that it can make a real impact on their revenues, according to Mark Bradley, enterprise channel manager at the firm.
"We have trained 150 delegates on how to find incremental business and sell more technical, margin-rich solutions," he said.
"At the same time we have recruited about 700 SME resellers that would not have heard from us before. These two areas are the reason we are seeing an upturn in run-rate business as well as a much better product mix."
Bradley believes this concentrated activity could put Veritas in contention for both the Corporate and SME Vendor of the Year awards.
"It would confirm that what we are doing is being noticed and having a positive effect," he said.
Veritas is one of the world's biggest storage software companies, employing 5,600 staff and making turnover of about $1.51bn. It does about $35m worth of business though the UK channel.
CRN analysis
Veritas has grown quickly and become a major force in the increasingly important area of storage management. With some impressive technology that holds its value well, the vendor could prove to be a popular choice for an award among VARs.
Time is running out for award entries
The final countdown to the deadline for entries to this year's Channel Awards has started.
There are eight awards for which a panel of 12 independent judges will select short-lists of six contenders. Readers of CRN and its sister title Computing will be asked to vote for one of these six companies to select the winners.
To enter, simply write a synopsis of between 250 and 1,500 words. To find out more and to place your entry, go to www.crn.vnunet.com and click on the Channel Awards button, or call (01923) 330 220. Entries must be in by 4 July 2003.
The Channel Awards dinner, to be attended by 1,100 guests, will be held on Wednesday 19 November 2003 at Battersea Park Arena, London.
The eight categories you can enter are:
- Corporate Vendor of the Year
- SME Vendor of the Year
- Specialist Vendor of the Year
- Corporate Distributor of the Year
- SME Distributor of the Year
- Specialist Distributor of the Year
- Corporate Reseller of the Year
- SME Reseller of the Year
All CRN reader votes will be audited by the Audit Bureau of Circulation.