9th-13th October VAR at GITEX 2011 Visit us at
celebrating 1st anniversary
Stand # 718/Hall # 7 Issue 144
16th September 2011
Spotlight - In Search of a Champion
In Focus - Kaspersky
What’s New - Linksys by Cisco
At the summit
The finetuning act
New E-series home routers
Steadfast to core strengths
Faisal Jamal COO, Despec
Arun Chawla, CEO of Trigon, a leading distributor and part of the Al Ghurair group speaks about some of the initiatives during the year from his company and comments on the state of the channel’s health. He also has a few tips to share on how things can be improved in the channel.
Golden Systems set to celebrate its 15th Anniversary To mark its fifteenth anniversary, Golden Systems Middle East (GSME), the leading distributor of IT products in the Middle East, today announced that it is planning to participate in GITEX in a much bigger way this year. The company has planned a number of events to mark the occasion including hosting its annual traditional gala dinner for its customers and partners on October 12, 2011 at the Emirates Towers Hotel. Historically, this annual dinner hosts over 400 channel partners and rewards the partners for their ongoing loyalty and dedication. ...continued on pg 4
...continued on pg 4
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Published by: VAR MEA Magazine. For enquiries, contact Tel: +971-4-3326647 Fax: +971-4-3326621 sales@var-mea.com or info@var-mea.com www.VARonline.com
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4 In Focus
16th September 2011
News
Trigon
...continued from pg 1 What have been the bright spots for the region’s industry in general and for Trigon in particular? Every year is a different challenge and it all depends on an individual company’s vision and plans it has laid down for future growth as well as it’s seriousness to look for long term existence . What have been your initiatives of the year? In spite of a challenging year, there have been several achievements and initiatives. We added vendors like Iomega and Xerox to our portfolio. We introduced the Creative Digital Life Style Wireless Speaker Range. We started the functioning of the Bahrain Sales Office and sales operations for Abu Dhabi market. We built in more focus and expanded the retail & corporate business. We have also expanded the team of Merchandisers by 100%. We also executed the setup of a dedicated corporate business unit. We have invested in the expansion of cour urrent After Sales Service and a dedicated setup of D-Link Support & Service Centre and Elo (Touch) Regional Service Centre. Further, we have actively made investments in Educational Activities such as Sales Training The recent channel runaway episodes/ defaults seem to have been one of the setbacks of the year. Please comment? At Trigon, the philosophy has always been that we have a commitment towards the IT Community and the society so that “together” we can build a better world for everyone to continue to live and enjoy the benefits.
Having said that, no business is risk free but if we concentrate on fkey principles, we all can together build-up a strong network of resellers, where the live and let live idea can prevail and everyone can still do profitable business. What are the ways you suggest things could be improved from a channel perspective? Support and remain loyal to your partners to build quality business. Peer to peer relationship with dealers, resellers and retailers is necessary to understand the business requirements much better and to understand the business model of the partners. The focus should be on selling value, not cheaper products to build profitability and improve gross margins. There should be a better focus on cash flow management and accounts receivables. This can be done by offering dealers and resellers stocks based on bi monthly requirement rather than dumping the stocks for 2-3 months. The stocks need to be managed quite well and there is a need to cut down on stock shelf life. The focus should be on your core products and business strengths. Further, the sales and product management teams need to be motivated so that the passion to drive the business remains intact. It is also quite important that every employee of the company understands company’s goals and vision and the guidelines. This helps to create a strong and focused team.
BenQ Named Top Projector Brand in Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa BenQ was named the top projector brand in Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, by FutureSource Consulting’s Q2 2011 Report, reinforcing its position as a market leader in emerging regions. In the Middle East, for the second quarter of 2011, BenQ projectors sales increased by 20%, in terms of both revenue generated and units sold (in comparison to the same period in 2010). According to FutureSource Consulting’s Q2 2011 Report, at the end of the second quarter of 2011, BenQ is the Number One projector brand in KSA with a 23% market share. In the UAE, BenQ’s market share is over 12%, and it is the Number Three brand in this market. With about 13% total market share, BenQ is also the Number Two projector brand in the entire Middle East and Africa region.
Manish Bakshi General Manager, Middle East & Africa, BenQ
Manish Bakshi, General Manager of BenQ for the Middle East and Africa, said: “Our recent rankings reinforce BenQ’s position as leader in the projector market particularly in emerging regions. With our innovative technologies we aim to be at the forefront of the education sector in the region which is a key priority area for BenQ’s projector technology. We are already leading the region’s education segment as the top projector brand in the Asia Pacific education market and we are focused on building on this success.” BenQ’s success in Q2 was shared around the world with over 11% market share achieved in the global market. In Japan, BenQ was the only non-Japanese brand ranked in the top 3 with more than 10% market share. BenQ was also among the top three projector brands in 38 countries, including China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Australia, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Germany, Italy, Russia, Canada, Mexico and Brazil. Similar to the Asia Pacific market, BenQ took the lead in both the DLP and 3D segments. For the second half of this year, BenQ plans to unveil new models across all segments targeted to meet various demands. To help support schools to build a truly versatile learning environment for their students, BenQ has enhanced its projectors with power-saving solutions, optimized brightness and network control features. The company has also completed its shortthrow projector offering from 0.3 to 0.9 throw ratio. Equipped with some of the world’s most innovative technologies, the launch of these cutting-edge products are expected to further enhance BenQ’s success in the projector market.
...continued from pg 1 Golden Systems plans to use GITEX as a platform to promote its latest and most innovative technologies including showcasing world-class products from its renowned global vendor-partners as well as holding a series of meetings with customers and partners at the Emirates Towers Hotel.
from exploring new opportunities, which are in line with our ongoing growth strategy, we will also be looking forward to strengthening our channel network further and increasing the market share of our brands across the region. We are confident that our participation this year will be an even bigger success,” Mr. Hashemi adds.
“This year is a very special year for Golden Systems as we complete 15 successful years in business in this region. We have every reason to celebrate as our business has grown significantly year after year thanks to the solid support and backing that we have received from our customers and partners. In the last two years, we have not only expanded our business across the region but have also managed to strengthen our portfolio by signing up with only the top five best vendors. This GITEX, we want to share our joy with our vendors, channel and customers,” says Ehsan Hashemi, COO, Golden Systems Middle East. “Since GITEX is the largest technology event in the Middle East, it is a perfect forum for us to promote our partners’ products to a wider audience, and meet our local and regional customers and partners in one place during the five-day event. Apart
Golden Systems offers a strong portfolio of world-class products from global vendors such as GIGABYTE, ZOTAC, Logitech, Leadtek, BitDefender, GDATA, Kaspersky, Kingmax, nVidia, Viewsonic and AMD to name a few. Technology experts and senior executives from the company and its vendor partners will meet to discuss the latest and best technologies as well as new products, which have not hit the market yet.
Ehsan Hasemi COO, Golden Systems Middle East
Over the last few years, GSME has built a strong network of channel partners and resellers across the Middle East and Africa. This GITEX, the distributor will be looking forward to strengthening its channel network by adding new resellers across various countries in the Middle East and increasing the market share of all the brands that it represents in the regional market.
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6 In Focus
16th September 2011 Silver Land GT
Equal to the task Silver Land GT has extended its distribution activities with the addition of BitDefender security suites as the flagship brand in its distribution business. Ali Zaeri, MD at the company’s Dubai operations says the focus would be to consolidate and increase BitDefender’s market in the region and then look at further expansion initiatives.
News
ATEN’s DVI KVM products receive NVIDIA 3D Vision Ready certification ATEN International, a leading designer and manufacturer of advanced connectivity solutions, announced today that several new innovative products from their SOHO product lines have achieved NVIDIA 3D Vision Ready certification. The certification signifies that these products are fully compatible with 3D Vision software and active-shutter 3D glasses, giving ATEN customers the assurance of a high-quality 3D application experience. The ATEN products that received the NVIDIA 3D Vision Ready certification include four types of desktop KVMP switches. These can flexibly satisfy all the application demands of the professional or home user, not only to easily control multiple computers, but also providing the ultimate in powerful 3D visual effects. Kevin Chen, President of ATEN International said: “NVIDIA 3D Vision is a world leader in 3D technology for personal computers. Several of ATEN’s KVM switches that support 3D functions have received NVIDIA 3D Vision Ready certification and will fully satisfy all the extensive 3D application demands. In addition to helping users create immersive 3D visual effects, this will also ensure the best collaborative 3D entertainment or working environment when they are used with other software and hardware that supports 3D Vision technology.” NVIDIA 3D Vision technology delivers stereoscopic 3D images for gamers, movie-lovers and photo enthusiasts when configured with NVIDIA GeForce GPUs and a 3D display or projector. It supports the richest array of 3D content available, including more than 550 3D games, Blu-ray 3D movies, photos, and streaming web videos on YouTube and 3DVisionLive.com. “We have assembled the world’s largest 3D Vision ecosystem of more than 1,000 supported products, which includes everything from notebooks, PC, monitors, projectors, and HDTVs, to video applications, video and photo cameras, and much more,” said Andrew Fear, senior product manager for 3D Vision at NVIDIA. “ATEN’s high-quality 3D KVM switches are a great addition to the ecosystem. They allow users with multiple computers to enjoy a convenient, smooth experience for 3D gaming, video editing and other high-performance 3D multimedia applications.”
Ali Zaeri MD, Silver Land GT
When were your operations here established and what is your primary brand in distribution? The Dubai office was established in 2003 while we have been associate with IT business since 1995.We have been working with BitDefender as distributor since March 2011. Prior to taking up distribution of BitDefender, what were your product lines? We used to deal in graphics cards and other components earlier but now we focus more on laptop accessories. While the market has shifted towards finished products, the market is still there for laptop accessories. We have studied the market shift and want to keep moving our business accordingly. Beside the Laptops & Computer Hardware we recently started a new division to our portfolio that provides Software Services for the GCC region. As a start, we offer Security Solutions for soho and enterprise from BitDefender. We are looking at other product segments as well by the beginning of next year. Additionally, we are also a channel partner presently for Iolo. What do you see your immediate set of focus areas? Until the end of the year, we want to focus only on Bitdefender to make sure we achieve our objectives. BitDefender has been among the top security suites consistently globally but the market share so far doesn’t do justice to that. We want to increase their
market share in this region. Are you looking at immediate addition to brands you distribute? We are talking to a couple of brands in Network and security solutions but the priority is to focus on BitDefender till the end of the year. We want to promote the brand and its range of products with as many channel partners and want to broaden the partner network significantly. We believe success would be achieved if we have a good number of active channel partners dealing with BitDefender. The plus point is that BitDefender provides good support to us and the partners. Further, we have a dedicated team in our company that will provide all support to partners. We do see a good potential for BitDefender to substantially increase its market across the corporate and the home segments.
Would you be focusing across customer segments? The first segment that we are looking to promote aggressively is the home segment and through retail. At the second stage, we would look at tapping the customers in the corporate segment. We will continue to do some brand awareness initiatives across both segments. While we have distribution rights to GCC presently, the next step would be to look to extend this to the whole Middle East.
SonicWALL to Showcase Next-Generation of Network Defense at GITEX SonicWALL in its eight year of participation at GITEX, will highlight its SuperMassive E10000 Series of Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFW). With the evolving threats and continued evolution of computing trends, like adoption of virtualization, SaaS, mobility and Web 2.0 applications, SonicWALL’s team of experts will effectively demonstrate its comprehensive portfolio of Next-Generation IT Security solutions to address these burgeoning threats. As enterprises embrace the capabilities of a truly mobile workforce and Web 2.0 applications begin to gain prominence in the workplace, cybercriminals increasingly seek to exploit vulnerabilities in these technologies. Smartphones and tablets are among the most important technological developments and Shahnawaz Sheikh the proliferation of these devices in Regional Director, MEA & Turkey, SonicWALL corporate environments creates new and wider potential for data loss and leakage, whether by theft, unauthorized access or unauthorized transmission. “In order for organisations to gain maximum benefits from the smartphone and tablet phenomenon, security is critical to enable businesses to reap the rewards many of these new devices offer,” said Shahnawaz Sheikh, SonicWALL’s Regional Director, Middle East, Africa and Turkey. “GITEX, this year, will serve as our platform to boost awareness among enterprises and IT professionals in the Middle East. This will be achieved through product and technical demonstration, knowledge exchange and discussions and interactive meetings. It will also be an opportune time to maximize partnership and interaction with new and existing customers.”
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8 In Focus
16th September 2011 Kaspersky
Editorial
The fine-tuning act Kaspersky has further streamlined the partner profiles in order to enhance focus. Aman Manzoor, Channel Sales Manager at VAR Magazine speaks to VAR Magazine about the enhancements in the partner program tiers? Please elaborate? All resellers enter the partner program as Authorized Resellers and based on their commitment to Kaspersky Lab, their investments, the revenue generated and the certifications acquired, the partners can improve their standing in the Kaspersky Lab partner program. For acquiring the status of Trusted Reseller we look at for factors varying from partners attending sales trainings and having the resources dedicated develop business to achieving the revenue required for this status.
Aman Manzoor Channel Sales Manager, Kaspersky Please discuss various partner accreditations that Kaspersky now offers? Which are the new ones added? As per the Kaspersky Lab Partner Program in the Middle East Region we have 3 direct partner types and 5 indirect partner types. In the Direct partner we have the Consumer Republishing Partner, Enterprise Partner and Value-Added Distributor. The Consumer Republishing Partner is focused on the development of consumer-oriented channels and the distribution of retail products. The Enterprise Partner is focused on providing corporate solutions directly to large corporate customers. The Value-Added Distributor operates solely through large-scale reseller networks and is focused on providing corporate solutions to their reseller networks. The Indirect Partner types are Authorized Reseller, Premier Retail Reseller, Premier Business Reseller and the types that were introduced in 2011 are Trusted Reseller and Sub-Distributor. Authorized Reseller is the entry level partner status and the Authorized Reseller could work on the Consumer, SMB and Corporate Kaspersky Lab products. Premier Retail Reseller is an advanced partner status and this partner profile is focused on selling the Kaspersky Lab consumer product range. Premier Business Reseller is an advanced partner status focused on selling the Kaspersky Lab SMB and Corporate product range. Trusted Reseller like the Authorized Reseller could work on Consumer, SMB and Corporate Kaspersky Lab products. Trusted Reseller is the next level of partnership that an Authorized Reseller can obtain. Sub-Distributor is an Indirect Partner who operates solely through large-scale authorized reseller networks. A Sub-Distributor can either work on Consumer or Corporate Kaspersky Lab products. How can partners upgrade to higher
For the Premier Business Reseller and Premier Retail Reseller, apart from the requirements of the Trusted Reseller, we are looking at additional factors such as recommendation from the Distribution partner, investments in pre-sales and post-sales support, developing a Joint Business Plan with Kaspersky Lab, and provide detailed sales reports to Kaspersky Lab and the execution on the business plan. For the status of Sub-Distributor, a deeper engagement is required apart from the planning and resource allocation and revenue generation. We would be having face to face meetings to discuss the sub-distribution Business Plans. What are republishing partners? Who are the republishing partners for Kaspersky in the region? The Consumer Republishing Partners are distribution partners focused on the development of consumer-oriented channels and the distribution of retail products. We have four such partners assigned to make our retail products available the GCC region. The compaines are Al Hosani Computer Programs Trdg LLC , Comguard FZ-LLC, SARIYA Company Ltd. and Golden Systems Electronics L.L.C In the North Africa region we have, ValueSYS and FDC International. We have assigned Softec Distribution for the Levant region and Al Hosani Computer Programs Trdg LLC and Golden Systems Electronics L.L.C are developing the retail channel in the West Asia region. Discuss various distributors of Kaspersky for the region as to what responsibilities they are assigned? As discussed earlier the Consumer Republishing Partners are focused in developing the retail business and the Value-Added Distributors are more focused on providing corporate solutions to their reseller networks. There are three VADs assigned to grow the business in the GCC region, like Comguard FZ-LLC, Computerlinks ME and SARIYA Company Ltd. For the levant region we have iAXCESS FZ LLC and Scope ME, while Middle East Secure Business Technology (Tejarate Amn) and Trillium Information Security Systems drive business in the West Asia region and ValueSYS is focused in the North Africa region.
The changing battlelines It is quite clear which way the wind is blowing in distribution. More distributors are now expanding beyond traditional broadline model into the value side of the game. There is a percentage of shrinkage in the volume business and distributors feel the need to not only offset that loss not only in the short term but prepare for a shift in market approach. Therefore there is a compelling need to build a value focus. For those distributors just starting off the blocks in the value business, it could take some time to be competitive in a new domain. As of now, the value teams that were smaller parts in some of the traditional distributors are now assuming larger significance and say. While broadliners in the distribution business largely stayed out of the value business, it was left to specialist value add distributors to focus on the segments which required some consultancy and expert support after deployments. Now with large distributors in the traditional mould coming into their own in the value business, smaller VADs, which don’t own a volume arm, could feel the pinch because all said and done, volume business brings in economies of scale and helps the cash flow. The volume and value divisions in these companiescould complement each other. The battle lines are drawn on a changing turf as distributors are now vying for a larger piece of the enterprise and larger SMB business. In summary, it looks like the value segment could be a crowded one by next year as more distribution companies firm up their directions to chase new vistas.
News
ESET Launches version 5 of NOD32 Antivirus and Smart Security ESET Middle East has announced the launch of its flagship products ESET Smart Security 5 and ESET NOD32 Antivirus 5. The latest generation of the company’s home user products offers even more advanced detection technology and multi-layered security features. “Even before its release, testing versions of the fifth generation of our flagship security solutions have been downloaded more than four million times. After thorough testing and months of development, we are now proud to present our customers with completely new ESET NOD32 Antivirus 5 and ESET Smart Security 5 products,” says Richard Marko, CEO, ESET.
Richard Marko CEO, ESET
ESET Smart Security 5 and ESET NOD32 Antivirus 5 offers various new and improved features. The top five features are: • ESET Live Grid, cloud-based reputation and protection technology • New Removable Media Control, with more granular control of external devices • Parental Control (ESET Smart Security 5 only) • Advanced Host-based Intrusion Prevention System (HIPS) • Gamer Mode Aji Joseph, General Manager, ESET Middle East; “We are delighted to announce the launch of our Version 5 - ESET Smart Security 5 and ESET NOD32 Antivirus 5 here in the Middle East. With advanced features which have been extensively tested, version 5 will definitely provide a much more secure IT environment for users to operate from.
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Tenda Technology is the recognized leading supplier of networking devices and equipments for consumer, SOHO and small business users. Tenda has committed to delivering easy-to-install and affordable networking solutions for its customers.Welcome to the Future.
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10 Spotlight
16th September 2011 In Search of a Champion
At the summit As the champion of the 2010 inaugural edition of ‘In Search of a Champion’ , Joy Arakkal, Branch Manager at Computer Centre won a 3 nights-4 days holiday to Malaysia. Returning from his well deserved holiday trip, he spoke to VAR magazine about how the event has embellished his personality.
Al Hosani organizes Reseller conference Al Hosani, a leading distributor of Kaspersky and other renowned software brands in the region, organized a reseller conference to showcase the 2012 product line of Kaspersky. The event was organized at the Grand Hyatt in Dubai and was attended by seventy key resellers of Al Hosani from the Middle East and West Asia. The evening’s program also saw the Kaspersky team taking out the time to present elaborately the company’s vision, new product line as well as some of the significant enhancements to the partner program. Tarek Kuzbari, MD at Kaspersky Middle East presented the company’s history and rapid growth over the past few years in terms of brand recognition and leadership in the region. He mentioned the contribution of the partners to the growth of Kaspersky’s business and reiterated the company’s commitment to the partners. Aman Manzoor, Channel Sales Manager at Kaspersky Middle East spoke about the several tiers of partner accreditation and the partner strategy in detail. Aman also mentioned the opportunity for partners to upgrade based on what they could commit in terms of higher revenues and investments. Following his presentation, Mohammed Faisal, Consumer Sales Manager at Kaspersky Middle east presented the highlights of the enhancements that Kaspersky has incorporated in the 2012 suite
Ryad Santouh Managing Partner, Al Hosani
of products including KIS and KAV as well as some of the other products such as Kaspersky Mobile security, Kaspersky Secure etc. Ryad Santouh, Managing partner at Al Hosani in his brief address to the resellers thanked them for growing the volume of business over the past year. He expressed confidence that the resellers would continue to be given the support that Al Hosani has consistently delivered to them. He adds, “Kaspersky has yet again unveiled products that provide unsurpassed security for different user profiles. Partners are quite happy working with Kaspersky and we are confident together of a better growth this year.”
Sage launches ‘Peachtree Partner Program’ in UAE
Do you see the past year as one of your successful years on the professional front? That’s true. It has been an incredible year with a lot of professional and personal achievements. One of the highlights has definitely been , being an active part of the VAR initiative – ‘ IN SEARCH of A CHAMPION ’ where all the participants, including me, discovered a new CHAMPION within ourselves. The concept was very new and appealing and gave an opportunity to all frontline sales personnel to get trained and interact with various vendors and colleagues. Personally, it was a challenge that made me determined to emerge as the eventual winner and culminate in an opportunity to reach Malaysia and visit the majestic PETRONAS TOWERS. How has the participation helped you in the longer run? My participation did help me boost my confidence several levels. The information attained and personality development were other virtues
of this initiative. It helped me to understand the value of time and to manage it well, it be regular and punctual with commitments. I could successfully impart all the knowledge gained by me, to my fellow colleagues at office and help raise their confidence as well so much so that we are always eagerly awaiting customers so that we could assist them. What other benefits did you see coming your way? In Search of a Champion has helped me gain recognition within my company and peer circle too. Suddenly, people have started noticing me and looking up at me with awe and respect.
Do you also encourage your associates to be part of the event? Yes, I do encourage my team to attend the program. And why not? When there is so much to gain and nothing to lose and comes free of cost. Their participation has helped them immensely in all aspects.
Sage Software, a leading global supplier of ERP, CRM and HRM solutions to medium and large organizations, has announced the launch of ‘Sage Peachtree Partner Program’ in the UAE. The new initiative has been designed to provide the essential technology and sales support to help Sage partners get up and running in the shortest possible time, delivering high quality and fully efficient services to its customers in the UAE, particularly in the SME segment. Under the terms of the program, Sage will offer its partners with product orientation, training, certification, a sales toolkit, marketing collateral, support guidelines and grading methodology. The launch follows the recent release of Sage Peachtree 2012, an integrated suite of industry specific products that brings affordable business intelligence to SMEs, small manufacturers and distributors across the Middle East region. The ‘Sage Peachtree Partner Program’ aims to provide partners with key tools to help their businesses grow at a rapid rate. According to Sage senior executives, taking part in the new program will also give partners the confidence to set their sights on higher partnership levels by meeting set vendor targets through software sales, developing core competence, acquiring necessary technical & sales skills and delivering solutions at satisfactory levels by making use of vendor resources. The initiative is seen as an enabler in planning the business right from the beginning, where expectations are set right for both Sage and its partners. “The country’s SME segment has demonstrated a strong demand for more new business intelligence capabilities and quick access to essential and strategic data. The release of Sage Peachtree 2012 aims to address this demand as it comes in industry
Mushahid Saify Channel Manager, Sage Software specific versions to cater to different verticals,” said Mushahid Saify, Channel Manager - Small Business, Sage Software. “As part of our thrust towards effectively reaching out to our target industries, we have launched the new ‘Sage Peachtree Partner Program,’ which has been designed to train and equip our partners with the necessary business tools needed in promoting and distributing Peachtree 2012. The program reflects our strong commitment towards working closely with our channel partners and helping them key in more opportunities for growth.”
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16th September 2011
What’s Qosmio F750 3D
NETGEAR ProSafe 52-Port Gigabit Stackable Smart Switch
Key Features: • The Qosmio F750 3D presents two pioneering achievements: it is the world’s first commercially available glasses-free 3D laptop that can display 2D and 3D content simultaneously in one screen. • This is a totally new 3D experience as the user can, for instance, watch 3D content in one window and simultaneously browse the Web for additional information in another window. • The Qosmio F750 3D, featuring high-quality DVD 2D to 3D realtime conversion, also opens up fascinating opportunities for professionals such as architects, scientists, product designerss and doctors. The Qosmio F750 3D and the non-3D version Qosmio F750 will be available in two colour variations during the third quarter of 2011 in the Middle East. • Features Intel Core i7 Quad-Core, up to 8 GB DDR3 (1,333 MHz), 2.5“ HDD DD up to 750 GB and Solid State Hybrid 4G drive (with 500 GB at 7,200rpm) and 39.6cm (15.6'') TruBrite Full HD glasses-free free 3D For more details, log on to www.toshiba.com
Key Features: • The industry’s first 10-gigabit Smart Switch for mid-market networks in the Middle East. • The NETGEAR ProSafe 52-Port Gigabit Stackable Smart Switch (GS752TXS) offers true stacking capability combined with high performance, scalability and reliability. • The new Smart Switch is being presented as the ideal companion to the rapidly emerging class of 10-gigabit servers, delivering maximum throughput from server to switch for demanding tasks. • The GS752TXS, which is currently being offered at almost half the price of a managed switch, comes with 48-gigabit ports to connect to a network and four 10-gigabit SFP+ ports for stacking or uplift functions to servers. • The new unit can stack as much as six switches for a total of 285 network ready ports with full redundancy for maximum reliability. • The GS752TXS comes with a lifetime warranty. • The ProSafe Smart Switches are being offered as alternatives to the fully Managed Stackable Switches.
DIR 657-Media Router For more details, log on to www.netgear.com
Key Features: • Features HD Fuel for uninterrupted wireless HD video, gaming, and VOIP calls • USB SharePort and SD Card slot for accessing HD media and streaming USB devices • Wireless N 300 and four built-in Gigabit ports for exceptional speed • IEEE 802.11n and 802.11g Compliant • HD Fuel for smooth video streaming and online gaming • This is a D-Link Green router and conserves energy • Features Wi-PnP for easy wireless setup
For more details, il llog on tto www.dlink.com dli k
New E-series home routers Key Features: • The new lineup of five routers provides the power required for today’s connected home. • Providing speeds up to 450Mbps. • 3x3 spatial stream configuration for improved coverage • External power amplifiers to maintain signal strength over a greater distance and reduce dead spots • Virtual USB technology to connect USB printers, storage, and other devices to the network • Also new on select E-series models is native IPv6 and 6rd support.
SonicWALLSuperMassive E10000 Series Key Features: • The SonicWALL SuperMassive chassis includes 6 x 10-GbE SFP+ and 16 x 1-GbE SFP ports, redundant 850W AC power supplies, hot swappable dual redundant fan modules, and massively scales up to 96 processing cores. • The design provides near-linear performance increases and scales up to 96 cores of processing power to deliver 40+ Gbps of Firewall throughput, 30+ Gbps of Application Inspection with Intrusion Prevention, and 10+ Gbps of Anti-Malware protection. • Consisting of the E10100, E10200, E10400 and E10800, the SuperMassive E10000 Series is field upgradeable, future-proofing the security infrastructure investment as network bandwidth and security requirements increase. • As the flagship of the SonicWALL lineup, the SuperMassive E10000 Series combines sophisticated software with a massively scalable multi-core hardware design to provide up to 30 Gbps of deep packet inspection performance.
For more details, log on to www.linksysbycisco.com
For more details, log on to www.sonicwall.com
AOC Photo Frame style LED Monitor Key features: • The screen body can be lifted away from the supporting stand, to reveal a shorter support that lets the bottom edge of the screen rest directly on the desk surface, presenting a stylish exception to the typical layout.
• e2351Fh is a 23 inches ultra slim ergonomic LED Monitor which comes with unique stand that transforms from conventional to a special photo frame style. • AOC e2351FH has a radically slim display body measuring just 10.6 mm thin, backed by a compact electronics box perched atop a sleek angled strut.
• The LED backlight generates a stunning 20,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, contains no toxic mercury and enables substantial power saving.
• The rear surface features an exquisite matrix-pattern embossed texture, whilst the screen bezel and base shine glossy black.
For more details, log on to www.aoc.com
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16th September 2011
Hard Disk Drive Shipments Rise 4 Percent in Second Quarter Despite the impact of the Japan earthquake, shipments of hard disk drives (HDD) edged up in the second quarter, according to a new IHS iSuppli Storage Space Market Brief. For the quarter ending in June, HDD shipments amounted to 167.1 million units, up 4.1 percent from 160.5 million in the first quarter. Western Digital led the market with 32 percent of global unit shipments, followed closely by main rival Seagate Technology at 31 percent. Seagate, previously the shipment leader in the space, has been unable to overcome Western Digital’s market share advantage.
Worldwide Hard Disk Unit Shipment Market Share, Q2 2011 (Ranking by Percentage of Unit Shipment)
The rest of the HDD market in the second quarter was divided among Hitachi Global Storage Technologies at 16 percent, Toshiba at 11 percent and Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd at 10 percent. Western Digital shipped 53.8 million HDDs in the second quarter—the most ever in the company’s history—up 6 percent from the previous quarter. Revenue totaled $2.4 billion, second only to Seagate at $2.9 billion because of Seagate’s larger share in the business enterprise segment, which commands higher average selling prices. Meanwhile, runner-up Seagate during the same period shipped 52.3 million HDD units, up 7.2 percent. Moving forward, HDD shipments in the third quarter will rise 3.4 percent because of anticipated sales increases during the back-to-school and pre-holiday season on the consumer front, as well as continued corporate PC upgrades driving the enterprise segment. In particular, the enterprise space will remain strong due to new microprocessors such as Sandy Bridge and Romley from Intel Corp., and Bulldozer and Interlagos from Advanced Micro Devices Inc.
Source: IHS iSuppli Research, September 2011
The adoption of these new processors by enterprise businesses, which demand higher performance for server and storage virtualization, will lift enterprise HDD demand in the second half of this year, IHS believes.
Gartner says PC shipments to slow to 3.8% growth in 2011 Worldwide PC unit growth is on pace to total 364 million units in 2011, a 3.8 percent increase from 2010, according to the latest preliminary forecast by Gartner, Inc. PC shipments are forecast to see better growth by the end 2012, when units are expected to reach 404 million units, a 10.9 percent increase from 2011. PC unit growth for both 2011 and 2012 has been reduced from previous projections: from 9.3 percent growth for 2011 and from 12.8 percent growth for 2012. The notably lower outlook for 2011 PC growth is largely due to sharply downgraded forecasts for Western Europe and the United States in the second half of the year. The lower outlook for 2012 is the result of a weaker 2011, and also a slower start to 2012 — with an expectation for better growth in the second half of next year as economies stabilize and new mobile PC form factors enter the market. Even so, the slowdown in the market is notable: Total unit shipments in 2012 are expected to barely reach 400 million units, which was originally a target for 2011. "Western Europe is not only struggling through excess PC inventory, but economic upheaval as well," said Ranjit Atwal, research director at Gartner. "U.S. consumer PC shipments were much weaker than expected in the second quarter, and indications are that back-toschool PC sales are disappointing. An increasing pessimistic economic outlook is causing both consumer and business sentiment to deteriorate in both regions.
We're expecting consumer spending to tighten in response. Business spending will also tighten, but less than the consumer space." Gartner analysts said that while PCs remain important to consumers and businesses, purchases can be easily delayed, especially when there are complementary devices that are seen to be more attractive. "More worrisome for the long term is that Generation Y has an altogether different view of client devices than older generations and are not buying PCs as their first, or necessarily main, device," Mr. Atwal said. "For older buyers, today's PCs are not a particularly compelling product, so they continue to extend lifetimes, as PC shops and IT departments repair rather than replace these systems." "Media tablets have dramatically changed the dynamic of the PC market and HP's decision to rethink its PC strategy simply highlights the pressure that PC vendors are under to adapt to the new dynamic or abandon the market," said George Shiffler, research director at Gartner. "Vendors' tried and true business models are failing as traditional PC functionality is extended to other devices, and users continue to lengthen PC lifetimes. Vendors only seem to be flailing as they look for quick fixes to their problems. Unfortunately, the resulting chaos is just creating more confusion across the entire PC supply chain, impacting sell-in."
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VAR Magazine Empowering and educating the channel
VAR Magazine is the fastest growing channel magazine in the MEA region. VAR MEA Magazine, which has completed over 125 issues of print, is the leading channel magazin in the region. Over five years and more, the magazine has become the preferred mode of communication with the channel for many leading vendors, distributors and resellers. VAR Magazine is presented in an easy to read print format, one of the reasons for its endearing appeal. It has deep and wide channel
penetration in terms of its distribution, a feature well recognized by the industry. VAR MEA magazine has introduced several expansion initiatives including the exciting bilingual VAR Arabia. www.varonline.com, an interactive portal for the channel, was launched towards end of 2009 and has a fast growing readership in the channel
VAR Arabia - A bilingual magazine for KSA IT channel With the monthly VAR Arabia edition, the magazine extends its value proposition to benefit the Saudi Arabia ICT channel. The VAR Arabia print edition has a specific focus on the large strategic market of Saudi Arabia and is in line with the commitment of the VAR team to meet the expectations of a larger local IT channel readership across the Middle East. The intent is to deliver a product that builds on the strengths of VAR magazine with a strong editorial focus as well as providing unique value to advertisers.
Milestones of VAR Magazine • VAR MEA Magazine was founded on Sept. 18th 2005 for providing better, in-depth & sustained communication across the MEA IT channel. • Over the past 5 years and 125 plus issues, VAR has successfully informed and executed channel centric communication like product launches, call to action campaigns, special offers, etc. • 1st to launch a channel magazine in eBook format • With over 5000 resellers in OGCC having access to the magazine, the VAR Advantage delivers wide and deep penetration into the channel for advertisers. • VAR Value fortnightly e-newsletters re-launched in January 2010 • First to launch channel awards in the region. The awards ceremony for the 4th edition of the VAR Choice of Channel Awards was held on the 21st of March at the landmark Meydan hotel in Dubai.
VAR Magazine’s vision of being a most reliable information media for the IT resellers in the region is backed by the execution from a team that has over a decade’s experience working closely with the channel. For VAR, the greatest success has been in winning trust from the region’s channel and the magazine will look forward to emulating that with its KSA edition.
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