Rewind: 2014 channel timeline

We take a look back at the biggest news stories of the year

January

- XMA and Viglen seal super-merger

Viglen and XMA merged to create a super-OEM with turnover of close to £250m. The duo joined forces to challenge tier-one players in the education space.

- Microsoft gives away Windows 8 in Shape the Future overhaul

Microsoft began effectively giving away Windows 8 software to education suppliers as it squared up against Google and Apple in the schools market. Resellers later criticised the lack of publicity around the new scheme and Microsoft rebranded it to Technology Access Programme.

- Brit tablet maker KMS floored after Argos and Google spat

UK distie and tablet maker KMS Components was the first major channel casualty of 2014 after a licensing bust up with Google left it with a mountain of unsold stock. The firm left debts of up tp £500,000.

February

- Satya Nadella crowned Microsoft chief

Microsoft ended a six-month search for a new chief executive by appointing Satya Nadella to the top job. He used to lead the firm's cloud and enterprise division and took over from Steve Ballmer.

March

- Government and Microsoft thrash out post-XP support plan

The Crown Commercial Service and Microsoft agreed a 12-month extension for Windows XP support. CRN research found at the time support was cut off, the majority of local councils were still running the OS.

June

- EMC partners slam "crazy" new revenue requirements

EMC partners were left fuming after the vendor upped the requirements for various tiers on its partner programme. To get to top-level Platinum level, partners were told they must transact $65m a year. The news sparked a trend in vendors aiming to push more revenue through fewer partners.

August

- Channel bigwigs take on the Ice Bucket Challenge

Kelway's Phil Doye, Softcat's Martin Hellawell and Avnet's Laura Bouchard were among the many channel and tech industry faces to take part in the Ice Bucket Challenge which swept the internet. Participants were encouraged to donate to charities supporting those living with motor neurone disease.

September

- Troubled Trustmarque hunts alternative backer

Reseller Trustmarque endured a week-long search for alternative funding after a change in the way it recognises revenue - prompted by a change in auditor - revealed a funding gap. Liberata swooped in and took over the company.

October

- HP and Symantec split in two
HP boss Meg Whitman announced the latest phase of her turnaround master plan, ruling that the firm would be divided into a PC and printer unit called HP Inc and an enterprise hardware and services arm known as HP Enterprise. Symantec followed within the week and announced it too was splitting in half.

Lenovo and IBM close x86 server deal

Lenovo and IBM finalised negotiations for the former to buy the latter's x86 server business for $2.1bn (£1.3bn).

November

- CDW grabs a slice of Kelway

US reseller giant CDW bought a 35 per cent stake in Kelway for an undisclosed sum. The duo had been linked through a trade agreement previously.

- Two thirds of G-Cloud suppliers yet to make a penny

Sales data analysis carried out by CRN found that two thirds of G-Cloud suppliers had yet to make a penny on the framework so far, and the majority of its total sales went through just 25 suppliers. The government talked up the framework all year and insisted it was helping a wider pool of suppliers sell to the government.

December

- Muller picks Daisy for next role

Daisy announced that Computacenter's managing director Neil Muller would be joining the firm in February 2015 as its chief executive. The telecoms player's current CEO Matt Riley will move to become executive chairman to make way for Muller.