IT Reseller May'11

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ADC:Delivering the complete package

Print:The power of mobile printing in thewarehouse and beyond

Document management:Finding and storing documents with oneclick of a button

Network technology:Manageability and efficiency

The magazine for resellers, distributors, system integrators and OEMs

MAY 2011

Cloud computing special report

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IT RESELLER – MAY 2011 3

This edition of IT Reseller features a ten-page special feature on Cloud computing.The Cloud is certainly one of the current

most hotly discussed technology topics; withchampions and sceptics blogging, tweeting andemailing with near religious fervour. But pros andcons aside, the big question is: will it really be

largely embraced bymanufacturers, logisticsprofessionals, retailers, local andcentral government, the healthsector etc. – thus securing ahost of resultant long-termbusiness opportunities for thechannel? Well, if recent researchby Pearlfinders is anything to goby the answer is certainly in theaffirmative camp.

According to Pearlfinders, Q12011 saw a massive leap in thepopularity of Cloud computing.Of 212 executives interviewedby Pearlfinders in 2011 with a

requirement for external support, 42.0 per centexpressed an interest in Cloud solutions. Thishas increased from 12.2 per cent in Q4 2010.According to Pearlfinders, theIndustry/Manufacturing sector had the greatestnumber of Cloud computing opportunities inQ1 (17.2 per cent of projects). Here,executives are beginning to consider the

potential for Cloud-hostedERP and business intelligence(BI) applications. The secondmost popular industry was thePublic Sector, followed byProfessional/BusinessServices.

So, many companies wouldnow appear to recognisebenefits such as lower capital

expenditure, improved financial controland rapid deployment. But with regard tocompanies with financial directors andchief financial officers that are still reticentto take the plunge into the Cloud, RealAsset Management comments that it isperhaps understandable that many FDs orCFOs may be more reticent to rushheadlong into the Cloud with a business-critical application such as the corefinancial software. However, the companypoints out that there are other aspects ofthe financial portfolio that provide a strongopportunity for testing the viability of thehosted model.

Karen Conneely, group commercialmanager at Real Asset Management, hascommented that those companies that optfor a hosted Fixed Asset Register canrapidly discover the benefits of the Cloudand prove the long-term viability of thehosted model for the entire softwareportfolio. Although some reservationsremain, an ever increasing level ofacceptance and confidence in all thingsCloud-related seems to suggest that themomentum is hardly about to run out ofsteam now.

Clear view of the Cloud

IT RESELLER – MAY 2011

Ed HoldenEditor »

4

Editor:Ed Holden

Contributors:

Colin Booth, ScanSource Europe

Bob Rossman, Agentrics

Mark Beauchamp, Citizen Systems Europe

Naveen Louis, Diskeeper Corporation Europe

Publisher:David Lee

Art Direction: Ian Curtis - First Sight Graphics

Production:Carolyn Pither

Circulation: Sarah Schofield

IT Manager:Peter West

Accounts:Katherine Saward

Published by: Interactive Business CommunicationsLtd, Latimer House, 189 High Street,

Potters Bar, Herts EN6 5DA, UKTel: +44 (0) 1707 664200Fax: +44 (0) 1707 664800

Email (publishing):[email protected] (editorial):

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Printed by:The Magazine Printing Company

No part of this publication may bereproduced in any form without writtenpermission from the publisher. Noliability is accepted for any actionarising from the contents of thispublication; readers are advised tocheck any manufacturer’s or supplier’sclaims for products. The publisher doesnot endorse opinions expressed in anyarticle by an outside contributor. Whileevery care is taken over photographsand illustrations, which are returnedwhen requested,no liability can beassumes by the publisher for the loss of such material

ISSN: 1369 - 88

MAY 2011 —

CONTENTS

38 Printing & Labelling

Citizen Systems Europe: Counting the environmental costs of e-waste Datamax O’Neil: The power of mobile printing in the warehouse and beyond Zebra Technologies establishes new EMEA channel marketing team to supportglobal ISV initiativeChannel push continues for Sato

44 Document Management – Data Storage

Konica Minolta's Bizhub Press C8000 receives highest product rating from BERTL Abbyy releases FlexiCapture 10 software system for enterprise data and document capture Diskeeper Corporation Europe: Have you been told ‘you don’t need to defragment’? Version One toasts Green IT Awards success for second year running DocuWare Smart Connect – finding and storing documents with one click of a button

6 Special Cloud Computing Report


48 Networking – Security – UPS – Storage

Eaton 5PX UPS provides manageability, efficiency and energy metering capabilities Riello UPS brand will consolidate entire Riello Elettronica UPS portfolio

16 Automatic Data Capture/Point of Sale

Unitech’s HT660e for greater mobility and productivity ScanSource: Delivering the complete packageDurabook launches the U12C rugged convertible notebookVarlink expands capacity and resources furtherDOTel launches DOTH-300 lightweight and rugged mobile computerOvercoming the complexities of supply chain collaboration with AgentricsIngram Micro EMEA Telecom Division adds BlackBerry Mobile Voice System toBlackBerry offering Honeywell broadens mobile computing portfolio with Microsoft Windows EmbeddedHandheld 6.5 operating systemNine out of ten businesses look to mobility to drive productivity and cost savingsAvnet Technology Solutions: Leveraging the power of the webHampshire Police deploys 170 Panasonic Toughbooks in patrol and specialist vehiclesBlackroc Distribution and Impinj Workshop focuses on RFID opportunities for the channelPsion remains pick of the crop for UK fruit farm

www.docuware.comIntegrated Document Management Solutions

Documents on Demand+44 (0)1932 268434www.DocuWare.com

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6

Organisations are increasingly becoming aware of technical, commercial and economic benefitsof hosting their data and applications in the Cloud. But how do ICT resellers take advantage of

this emerging demand? The following article, based on a Risc Group white paper, discusses thecommercial benefits of traditional ICT resellers offering Cloud services.

Cloud computing White paper

Making money from theCloud – an ICT reseller’s guide

According to recent research

carried out by the Centre for

Economic and Business

Research (CEBR), Cloud

computing could represent a

total market value of €763 billion to the five

leading European nations. This trend is, in

part, driven by a commercial need to

reserve capital expenditure traditionally

associated with IT infrastructure and

application investment; as operational

experience is a current preferred route to

buying required software and infrastructure.

Additionally, organisations are increasingly

becoming aware of the operational benefits

that Cloud computing can offer; such as

increased security, availability and access.

Increasing growth and value

Cloud services offer a unique opportunity

for traditional ICT resellers to enter high-

growth, high-margin business. Business

benefits include low sales barriers,

recurring revenues and low churn

customers. Traditional ICT resellers are

already experiencing the significant

benefits of adding Cloud services to their

current portfolio. These benefits include:

• Recurring revenue based on secure

and sometimes lengthy contracts.

• Increased customer loyalty by offering

business-critical infrastructure services.

• Easy to deploy through instant

provisioning tools.

• Increase in customer size and sectors

by offering enhanced security and

remote worker access.

This white paper has been written for ICT

reseller owners to discuss the benefits of

offering Cloud services as an extension to

traditional IT, data and voice services.

There has been considerable research into

the emergence of Cloud services

conducted by leading industry analysts;

including Gartner, Forrester and Aberdeen

Group. Many of the topics discussed in this

paper are based on the research that can

be found by these commentators. Cloud

services are commonly divided into two key

categories: Platform as a Service (PaaS)

and Software as a Service (SaaS).

Gartner predicts that 80 per cent of the

Fortune 1000 enterprises will pay for SaaS

by 2012, while 30 per cent of them will pay

for PaaS. The predicted growth of Cloud

services is allowing traditional IT, data and

voice resellers to offer increased services

to their customer base through

partnerships with Cloud services providers

such as Risc Group.

Overview of Cloud services

Platform as a Service: Sometimes called

Infrastructure is a Service, Platform as a

Service provides organisations with the

ability to outsource traditional server

hardware into secure and environmentally

controlled data centres. The benefits of

utilising Platform as a Service include 100

Evidence suggests that the demand for Cloud services will increasethroughout 2011-2012 in the UK marketplace. All sectors and organisations lookset to take advantage of the commercial and operational benefits that Cloudservices have to offer.”

“

Gartner predicts a 26 per cent growth inSaaS demand by 2012 compared with muchsmaller growth in the software licensingindustry as a whole.

www.itrportal.comIT RESELLER – MAY 2011

per cent scalability, access & security

guarantees and availability guarantees.

Additionally, by outsourcing an

infrastructure, organisations enjoy the

ability to remotely monitor usage and set

up significant disaster recovery plans that

would otherwise be cost-prohibitive.

Software as a Service: In addition to

outsourcing their infrastructures, many

organisations are seeking to outsource the

availability and management of their

software applications, known as Software

as a Service, or SaaS. The benefits of

utilising SaaS include: pay-as-you-use

licensing, real-time version upgrades and

remote support from application VARs.

Additionally, outsourcing software licensing

enables organisations to scale licensing in

line with user numbers and avoid the

upfront capital costs of buying individual

licences as most SaaS providers charge a

monthly fee, typically based on a contract

term.

Why do organisations wantCloud services?

‘Cloud service’ or ‘Cloud computing’ offers

significant benefits to organisations. These

benefits include:

Economies of scale: The ability to grow and

manage IT infrastructure and related

software applications without the upfront

capital expenditure normally associated

with running an IT environment.

Greater security: By outsourcing and IT

infrastructure and related software

applications to an ISO-accredited data

centre, smaller organisations enjoy

significant benefits of increased security

and availability. Many providers offer

Service Level Agreements that guarantee

availability and security. For many smaller

organisations this level of security would be

cost-prohibitive if deployed and managed

on premise.

Remote worker access: Many organisations

choose to outsource their IT infrastructure

and related software applications based on

the demands of a remote or out-of-office

workforce who still require access to the

organisation’s infrastructure and

applications.

Quality of service: Many PaaS providers

can offer service levels that internal IT

resources would struggle to compete with.

Many data centre environments have dual

power and backup assurances to enable

their customers to enjoy 24/7/365

availability.

What are the business benefitsof offering Cloud services as anICT reseller?

Recurring revenue: By offering Cloud

services ICT resellers can enjoy regular

monthly income from a contracted

customer, typically based on 12 monthly

payments. These regular payments help

ICT resellers with cash flow and can give a

more predictable forecast of business

income for up to 12 months ahead.

Reduced cost of sale: Sales teams offering

Cloud services typically enjoy a reduced

sales cycle compared with offering

traditional infrastructure and software

services. Cloud services have significantly

less barriers to sales closure due to the

following points:

Fewer barriers to closing a sale: Cloud

services are typically offered on a per-

month-per-user basis. This reduces any

large upfront investment that sometimes

stalls traditional IT services from closing.

No set-up costs: Cloud services can

typically be automatically provisioned.

OPex not CAPex: Cloud services are

typically charged as an operational cost

rather than a capital expense, making it

easier for prospective customers to build a

business case for its deployment.

Increased business value: Many ICT

resellers experience increased business

value by offering Cloud services. The

reasons for this can include:

Longer contract terms: Cloud services

typically represent business-critical

applications and environments; therefore it

is not unusual for customers to extend

contract periods beyond 12 months if they

experience good levels of service.

Increased demand for business services:Many ICT resellers experience additional

income by offering associated professional

support services such as training and

configuration.

Increased status: By offering Cloud services

many ICT resellers experience an increase

in perception by their customer base. Many

ICT reseller customers speak of a deeper

trust being forged by outsourcing traditional

IT services to a third party.


White paper Cloud computing

www.itrportal.com

Cloud services offer a uniqueopportunity for traditional ICTresellers to enter high-growth,high-margin business.

What can an ICT reseller expect toearn by offering Cloud services?

Many ICT resellers enjoy significant

margins compared to offering traditional

vendor-based IT, data, hardware and voice

services. To give an example Risc Group

has taken an average sale opportunity

based on 40 users to illustrate the profits

that can be achieved:

Cloud back-up services?Number of users: 40.

Monthly profit: £860.

Typical contract value: £10,340.

Cloud exchange services? Number of mailboxes: 40.


Typical contract value: £2160.

Cloud security services?Number refuses: 40.


Typical contract value: £2160.

Increasing demand

Evidence suggests that the demand for

Cloud services will increase throughout

2011-2012 in the UK marketplace. All

sectors and organisations look set to take

advantage of the commercial and

operational benefits that Cloud services

have to offer. Early Cloud services

providers look set to benefit most from

emerging market as customer loyalty

appears to be a key benefit of Cloud

services; making the chance of obtaining

commitment from new customers already

inside a contract hard. There are significant

commercial benefits for ICT resellers with

an existing customer base to ‘cross-sell’

Cloud services with minimal marketing and

sales investment.

Remaining barriers?

In terms of remaining concerns related to

the Cloud model, Risc Group still sees

some barriers from VAR customers. “These

barriers typically relate to concerns around

security, access and data compliance,”

explained Andrew Gibbens, sales director

at Risc Group. “Many of these concerns

relate to regulated industries, such as

financial service and organisations

managing public and financial data. It is

our belief that for the vast majority of

customers, the public Cloud offers greater

security, access, control and scale

compared to on premise solutions.

However we would always recommend

dedicated environments (or private Cloud

hosting) where an organisation needs to

offer guarantees to their data owners. But

this approach can be significantly higher

than the economies of scale that the public

Cloud can bring. We would always

recommend that VARs ask where data is

stored and undertake their own due

diligence on a data centre’s ISO and

security accreditation.

Will the Cloud will become anincreasing threat to the on-premise model?

Gartner predicts a 26 per cent growth in

SaaS demand by 2012 compared with

much smaller growth in the software

licensing industry as a whole. But it is not

just software licensing that’s driving Cloud

demand, believes Gibbens. “At Risc Group

our VAR network mainly serves SMB

audiences and we’re seeing an increasing

demand as the need to upgrade or replace

internal storage and application servers

takes hold,” he said. “The benefits for an

SMB to offer an accredited and fully

supported IT infrastructure that is 100 per

cent scalable is starting to be understood

by business owners. Additionally, the

economy is driving the need for many

organisations to reserve capital. So the

idea of IT as an operational cost has great

appeal for CFOs who seem to be driving IT

decisions more and more these days. This

said, we still see a need for a hybrid

environment within some organisations

where the return of investment for a

dedicated hosting environment cannot be

justified as significant internal infrastructure

investment has already been made.”

Gibbens concluded: “Cloud computing

represents a cultural shift in the VAR

network, and whilst many of our partners

still see significant growth from providing

traditional on premise services, demand is

growing as the benefits are acknowledged

at a business level.” �

IT RESELLER – MAY 20118 www.itrportal.com

Cloud computing White paper

As the Cloud computing

debate rolls on, MTI’s Aad

Dekkers is keen to turn the

spotlight on the hybrid model,

where an organisation

combines the resources of both its private

and public Cloud infrastructures. Using this

model, a company needs to decide where

it stores certain types of data and where it

processes this data – either in the public or

private Cloud. Some commentators also

bring up the issue of security as being a

key driver in determining where data is

stored. However, Dekkers doesn’t consider

this to be a core concern. “It's more of a

trust issue in terms of whether data should

be kept in-house or stored externally,” he

said. “It’s just a matter of confidence and a

matter of getting over certain perceived

drawbacks. You could say it’s a bit like

keeping your money in a certain bank –

you need to be able to trust that bank and

know it’s safe.”

Dekkers added that end users’ desire to

secure the best possible solution from their

Cloud/on-premise mix opens up an

opportunity for Cloud infrastructure

consultancy and integrator companies

such as MTI to help users to build what

could be referred to as a virtual private

Cloud. “Many users have been using virtual

private networks for quite some time, and

essentially the virtual private Cloud is an

addition to this where users have on-site

and off-site resources controlled by

themselves,” he said. “This is what service

providers need to work with to make sure

that it’s clear who is responsible for what,

and who does what. In many cases it is

good to have companies like MTI sitting in

the middle in order to ensure everything

runs smoothly; so this is where we position

ourselves.”

Application services

Historically, systems integrators and

consultants have relied on on-premise

implementations and customisation of

applications. However, Dekkers considers

that if these organisations remain purely

focused on supplying and distributing

products they will be on a hiding to

nothing. “Users are increasingly

considering what they should keep inside

the organisation and what should be stored

in the Cloud,” he said. However, Dekkers

adds that many established companies will

have legacy systems that, in many cases,

have been in use for many years. He

maintains that a growing number of these

companies want to determine which of their

applications can be efficiently replaced by

applications services. “We’ll probably see

the Cloud increasingly having an influence

within the organisation, where the internal

IT team will become the service provider

inside the organisation, complemented with

resources that are more cost-effective and

flexible than the ones that are being used

inside the organisation,” he remarked.

Progressive journey

So Dekkers believes we are seeing a

progressive journey to the Cloud, and

moreover a journey to the hybrid Cloud

where end-users, service providers and

systems integrators will increasingly need

to work together. “Companies like MTI can

be the partner that brings the best parties

together,” he said. “There are a number of

important perspectives to consider –

including security, unified communications,

hosting, application service provisioning

and Cloud infrastructure building.

Therefore, companies should seek the

assistance of an organisation that can be

the broker in bringing all these elements

together in order to produce an effective

total solution for the end customer.” �

IT RESELLER – MAY 2011 9www.itrportal.com

Interview Cloud computing

MTI AT A GLANCE MTI Europe is a specialist Cloudinfrastructure consultancy andintegrator. MTI Europe has abackground of more than 20 years’experience as a technologyinnovator, providing customers withstrategic consultancy, technicalexpertise and a single point ofcontact that can eliminatecomplexities while deliveringoperational efficiencies. MTI is alsoa qualified member of the Vblockpartner ecosystem for VCE, theVirtual Computing EnvironmentCompany. MTI Europe utilises itsthree inter-connected solutioncentres in France, Germany andthe UK to demonstrate completeproof-of-concept for its Vblockcustomer Cloud solutions.

Aad Dekkers: “Many users have been using virtual private networks for quitesome time, and essentially the virtual private Cloud is an addition to this whereusers have on-site and off-site resources controlled by themselves.”

Building the best IT Reseller spoke with Aad Dekkers, chief marketing officer at MTI, about

Cloud computing, the benefits of the hybrid model and how reputableCloud infrastructure consultancies and integrators can help ensure end

users enjoy the very best total solution.


Cloud computing Research

The research, conducted in

January and February this year,

found that 73 per cent believed

end users were now ready to

embrace Cloud services even

though they were fairly evenly split on

whether the current market messaging was

over-hyped. In a further statement of

confidence, 83 per cent of the participants

rated Cloud services as either equal to or

better than on-premise solution (46 per cent

specifically cited ‘better than’ on premise).

Some 63 per cent are already active in the

sale and/or support of Cloud services

(comprising a mix of SaaS, IaaS and PaaS

solutions). On average 18 per cent of 2010

revenues for the IT channel were purported

to have been generated from

Cloud-based services, and this

figure is expected to increase to

an average projected figure of

32.87 per cent by 2014.

Andy Burton, chairman of the

Cloud Industry Forum, stated:

“There has been a noticeable

increase in speculation over the

future of the IT channel as a

direct result of end user

adoption of Cloud computing in

recent months. However, the

findings of this research indicate

that the IT channel is in fact

evolving and embracing the

Cloud opportunity as a key part

of its value proposition, intending

to bring real value to its

customer base in turn.”

Three quarters (76 per cent) of

IT channel partners selling Cloud

services also provide proactive

advice and guidance on how to implement

them within their wider IT capabilities and

48 per cent of them prefer to sell Cloud

services over on-premise and a further 40

per cent had no preference between the

two models.

However, amid all the positive feedback

from the research, inconsistencies arose

between the priorities of what end users

were seeking in terms of Cloud services

and the maturity of what is being offered

through the channel. In addition, there was

a tendency in IT channel organisations who

are not participating in Cloud services

today to over-emphasise perceived issues

that prevent adoption (such as is the cloud

secure, or, does the Cloud minimise the

customer’s ability to maintain control)

compared to the actual feedback received

from end users who saw these as

questions to be answered and not

fundamental barriers. Other Key findings

include:

• Of those offering Cloud services 14 per

cent purely resell third-party branded

services, while 22 per cent solely

deliver their own solution/s. The majority

(64 per cent) offer end users a mix of

both models.

The IT channel isconvinced of the Cloudopportunity

… the findings of this research indicate that the IT channel is in factevolving and embracing the Cloud opportunity as a key part of its valueproposition, intending to bring real value to its customer base in turn.”

– Andy Burton, the Cloud Industry Forum.

“

Cloud services are seen to be important – and increasingly so – to the majority of the UK ITchannel today, according to the latest research conducted by the Cloud Industry Forum…

• Of those offering Cloud services, 39

per cent operate their own data centre,

33 per cent manage their own

infrastructure but using a co-location

data centre partner, 11 per cent OEM a

service from a third-party white label

provider and 17 per cent resell services

on behalf of other providers.

• For those organisations not yet offering

Cloud services, 51 per cent intend to

but are not ready, 19 per cent do not

believe they have the skills to sell or

manage cloud services and 30 per

cent do not ever intend to offer them as

they do not believe the market is

tangible yet.

• Some 14 per cent of those companies

not offering Cloud services believe

them to be a threat to their business

whereas the majority (86 per cent)

do not.

• Where partners see Cloud as a

competitive threat, 36 per cent believe

Cloud competes with their primary

offering, 27 per cent believe the Cloud

diminishes their relationship with their

customers and 18 per cent do not

believe there is a viable business model.

Alex Hilton, sales director at Rise, stated:

“There is an apparent disconnect between

the end user and the IT channel providing

Cloud services. The channel should

consider what solutions are required by

their customers and how to overcome

concerns of a service-led sale over an on-

premise sale. The answer could lie (in the

shorter term) in the development of white

label self-service from the channel for

Cloud solutions, with more complex

applications such as business intelligence,

remaining on premise.”

Ian McEwan, VP EMEA, FrontRange stated:

"The research highlights how a three-way

relationship between customers, channel

partners and vendors needs to evolve. I

understand the IT channel's desire to get

involved in Cloud solutions, and there is a

strong market opportunity for them, but it

also requires a change in mindset to

accommodate the different type of solution

and the customer expectations."

Ian Moyse, EMEA channel director of

Webroot, added: “What stands out clearly

from this research is that the IT channel is

realising there is a place for them in the

value chain of providing Cloud solutions.

What is also clear is that there is an

opportunity for the IT channel to provide

sound guidance, support and services to

their customers, establishing an effective

balance between on-premise and Cloud-

based services.” �


Research Cloud computing

www.itrportal.com

There is an apparent disconnect between the end user and the IT channelproviding Cloud services. The channel should consider what solutions arerequired by their customers and how to overcome concerns of a service-ledsale over an on-premise sale.”

– Alex Hilton, Rise.

“

Companies in the IT channel are realising there is a place for them in the valuechain of providing Cloud solutions.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND SAMPLING In January and February 2011, Vanson Bourne conducted research onbehalf of the Cloud Industry Forum to determine Cloud adoption attitudesand trends both among end users and the IT channel. The research polled200 respondents from the UK IT channel covering a broad cross-section ofbusiness models and is spilt between IT consultancies making up 24 percent; managed service providers at 22 per cent; systems integrators at 13per cent; specialist resellers at 10 per cent; technical VARs at 10 per cent, IToutsourcers at 10 per cent, distributors and large resellers comprising 7 percent and finally, IT retailers on 5 per cent. Overall, 24 of the participantsdefined themselves as transactional vendors, the remaining 176 as moretechnical focused organisations.

Pearlfinders IT spoke to over 3500 UK-based IT decision-makers across all industries touncover new business opportunities across a range of IT disciplines…

The state of play at Q1


IT services Survey

The Pearlfinders Index collects

and analyses data from these

interviews, allowing the

company to monitor key

characteristics of the IT industry.

What follows are the results from Q1 2011 -

presented in comparison with results from

last year. The Index includes detailed

commentary on trends and patterns across

the complete spectrum of IT services. The

analysis looks at the following services

categories: Cloud computing; Virtualisation;

and unified communications &

collaboration.

Sector heat

Pearlfinders tracked the level of planned-

for corporate activity in Q1 2011, to

determine which sectors are most likely to

hire IT support. This is a reliable method for

deciding where to focus new business

resources. The indicators we use include

news of company growth, hiring of new

staff and corporate transactions.

The Industry/Manufacturing sector was the

most prominent area of IT investment in Q1

2011, up 6.5 per cent on the same period

last year. This reflects recent statistics from

the ONS's ‘Index of Production’, which

indicate the sector is up 2.4 per cent on

the same period in 2010. Retail and

Prof/Business Services remain good areas

to be targeting,

although their development is flat when

compared to last year.

Most likely to engage technology

support (%) Q1 2011:

1. Industry/manufacturing 16.4

2. Retail 10.9

3. Professional/business services 10.2

4. Public sector 8.7

5. Financial services 8.3

Q1 2010:

1. Industry/manufacturing 9.9

2. Retail 11.5

3. Professional/business services 11.5

4. Public sector 9.9

5. Financial services 9.0

Technology sought

Some 212 decision-makers specified an

immediate requirement for a technology

solution in Q1. Cloud computing's

popularity exploded in Q1 (its prevalence

more than tripled compared to Q1 2010),

overtaking virtualisation to become the

most popular service category. While

Cloud-based services are now perceived

to offer a secure, cost-effective alternative

to locally hosted solutions, concerns

remain over the shift in working practices

required to make the most of such set-ups.

Most desired technology solution (%) Q1

2011:

1. Cloud computing 42.0

2. Virtualisation 20.3

3. Unified comms/collaboration 20.3

Q1 2010:

1. Cloud computing 12.2

2. Virtualisation 38.8

3. Unified comms/collaboration 31.7

Pearlfinders also tracked the skill-sets

prospective suppliers would need to

demonstrate to be eligible for these

opportunities. Compared to 2010, IT

decision-makers are most interested in

those with software, hardware, managed

services and telecommunications

expertise, rather than those who specialise

in network infrastructure maintenance.

Expertise most desired of suppliers (%)

Q1 2011:

1. Software 58.5

2. Hardware 38.4

3. Managed services 35.7

4. Telecoms 23.4

5. Networking/infrastructure 17.8

Q1 2010:

1. Software 40.1

2. Hardware 35.2

3. Managed services 35.4

4. Telecoms 12.2

5. Networking/infrastructure 36.8

The business driver

Compared to Q1 2010, this quarter has

seen a total collapse in the number of

decision-makers investing in IT projects for

reasons of cost cutting. Paradoxically,

fragile economic confidence in February

and March 2011 has also seen a drop in

the number of executives spending to drive

business growth when compared to

January, although this is still up when

compared to the same period in 2010.

Sustainability and efficiency drives remain

good reasons to be pitching IT solutions to

your prospects.

Business driver (%) Q1 2011:

1. Supporting growth 27.1

2. Efficiency 15.4

Anthony Cooper:“CIO's haveaccepted thatCloud has thepotential to delivercost efficiencies toorganisationsacross all industrysectors as well asacross companiesof all sizes.”

3. Green IT 14.4

4. Cost-cutting 2.3

Q1 2010:

1. Supporting growth 15.6

2. Efficiency 13.7

3. Green IT 16.3

4. Cost-cutting 8.2

Fertile regions

Pearlfinders gathered data on companies' IT

interest for different areas of the UK.

Business driver (%) Q1 2011:

1. South East 41.0

2. Midlands 13.5

3. North West 12.1

4. North East 11.1

5.Scotland 6.7

Q1 2010:

1. South East 33.5

2. Midlands 9.9

3. North West 17.2

4. North East 15.3

5.Scotland 5.2

Prospecting preferences

Pearlfinders gathered data for where IT

decision-makers specified how they wanted

suppliers to engage with them from a new

business perspective. This quarter has seen

an increase in the proportion of execs

requesting in-depth written prospecting

communications from suppliers via email

and/or post, and a slight fall in those stating a

preference for telephone-based introductions.

Prospecting Preferences (%) Q1 2011:

1. Email 46.5

2. Phone 46.3

3. Post 31.1

4. Networking 4.5

Q1 2010:

1. Email 35.6

2. Phone 47.4

3. Post 13.0

4. Networking 1.4

Q1 2011 Highlights:Cloud computing• Q1 2011 saw a massive leap in the

popularity of Cloud computing as an IT

service category. Of the 212 executives

interviewed in 2011 with a requirement for

external support, 42.0 per cent expressed

an interest in Cloud solutions. This has

increased from 12.2 per cent in Q4 2010.

• Acceptance of Cloud computing as a

viable, secure alternative to locally-hosted

services is being driven, in part, by the

Coalition Government's decision to push

forward with the G-Cloud project. This

effort to share services across Whitehall

departments, led by the Cabinet Office, is

part of an ambition to slash £3.5 billion

from the public sector's IT bill by 2013.

• Demand for Cloud computing in both the

Industry/Manufacturing and the

professional/business services sector

rebounded from a slow Q4. In the latter,

accountancies, law firms and recruiters

sought to boost remote workers' efficiency

through external hosting of applications.

• Security concerns have lessened

compared to last quarter. Now, the

barriers to Cloud computing adoption

relate to the practicalities of its use;

ensuring sufficient bandwidth in remote

locations, and making sure working

practices shift to ensure ROI from the

investment.

Sector heat

The Industry/Manufacturing sector had the

greatest number of Cloud computing

opportunities in Q1 (17.2 per cent of projects).

Here, executives are beginning to consider

the potential for Cloud-hosted ERP and

business intelligence (BI) applications. The

second most popular industry was the public

sector, followed by Professional/Business

Services. The public sector's adoption of

Cloud computing is being driven by the G-

Cloud project, which was recently given the

go-ahead by the Coalition Government. When

it comes to the reason why executives are

investing in Cloud computing in these sectors,

one theme was the potential for Cloud-based


Survey IT services

The Industry/Manufacturing sector had the greatest number of Cloudcomputing opportunities in Q1 (17.2 per cent of projects). Here, executives arebeginning to consider the potential for Cloud-hosted ERP and businessintelligence (BI) applications.”

“

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IT services Survey

applications to allow access from anywhere in

the world. In the Professional/Business

Services sector, accountancies, law firms and

recruitment consultancies are considering

Cloud computing solutions to deliver access

to mission-critical applications on the move.

Sectors with most Cloud computing

opportunities (%) Q1 2011:

Industry/manufacturing 17.2

Public sector 14.9

Professional/business services 13.8

Q4 2010:


Public sector 7.7


Shifting working practices tosuit Cloud-based delivery

It is now generally accepted that Cloud

computing has the potential to deliver cost

efficiencies to organisations across all industry

sectors. This quarter we've seen executives

concern themselves less with the perceived

security threats associated with Cloud

computing, although some reservations

remain here. One notable trend this quarter

has been the challenges decision-makers feel

exist when it comes to changing existing

working practices to suit Cloud-based

services. At LV=, for example, the group

infrastructure & service delivery manager

talked about the undertaking of a feasibility

study to investigate the ‘cultural shifts’ that

using Cloud-based tools can lead to.

The issue of bandwidth is another key

concern. This quarter saw a number of

companies – particularly those with a

presence in remote locations – expressing

concern that their incumbent connectivity

solutions would lead to poor user experience

of Cloud-hosted programs. One exec spoke

about the possibility of re-routing connections

to data centres in the US and Germany

through a Telecity facility in London, although

there were worries over cost here.

Pearlfinders’ managing director, Anthony

Cooper, commented: “Cloud computing has

already been named top inquiry topic in 2010,

which suggests the global Cloud computing

market could reach US$150 billion by 2014.

It's a growing market and any VAR who

chooses to ignore and hope it goes away is

frankly naïve and missing a huge opportunity.

There is still a lot of debate going on about

whether or not it's actually anything ‘new’ but

the initial security-related objections are

becoming less of a focus. CIO's have

accepted that Cloud has the potential to

deliver cost efficiencies to organisations

across all industry sectors as well as across

companies of all sizes. This is where the

opportunity lies for resellers to capitalise on

this shift in demand by evolving their own

product portfolio, and positioning themselves

as a service-focused

consultative partner.”

Cooper continued:

“We've been told by a

number of clients that

they're already seeing

ROI having evolved

their service offering in

this way, mainly by

putting together

dedicated cloud sales

and support teams.

This doesn't mean VAR's should abandon

existing specialisms, least of all around

virtualisation. The two technologies go hand-

in-hand with each other, and at enterprise

level it's pointless investing in private clouds if

you haven't already got a virtualised server

environment. Establishing your credentials as

a flexible, agile and innovative partner, makes

cross-selling cloud and virtualisation solutions

more attractive and let's face it, more credible.

There's no point sugar-coating it, most VARs

will find this period to be extremely stressful

and it may be the end for those who keep

following the same, tired business model. But

this is an opportunity to demonstrate you can

take the pain and risk out of what is likely to

become inevitable for most companies.”

Q1 2011 Highlights:Virtualisation • Virtualisation was no longer the most

popular distinct IT category for investment

in Q1 2011. Of those 212 execs that

specified an immediate technology

requirement, virtualisation work made up

20.3 per cent of these. This is down from

38.3 per cent in Q4 2010.

• Desktop virtualisation remained the primary

focus with 51.6 per cent of execs planning

to invest, marginally greater than the

numbers planning server virtualisation work.

• Some 44 per cent of decision-makers

planning a virtualisation project were

doing so to facilitate growth at their

organisation. This overtook cost cutting

There's no point sugar-coating it, most VARs will find this period to beextremely stressful and it may be the end for those who keep following thesame, tired business model.”

– Anthony Cooper, Pearlfinders.

“

In the last quarter of 2010, the marketsaw the number of virtualisation projectsat SMEs increase to represent 38.8 percent of all work, suggesting virtualtechnologies are becoming standard farefor any company's IT infrastructure,regardless of size.


Survey IT services

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and green IT as the primary reason for

virtualising.

Sector heat

The Industry/Manufacturing sector had the

greatest number of virtualisation opportunities

in Q1 (22.4 per cent of projects). The retail

sector saw the greatest increase in

virtualisation projects (+2.7 per cent) – disaster

recovery was a factor here following the havoc

wreaked by the weather over Christmas.

Sectors with most virtualisation

opportunities (%) Q1:



Retail 8.9

Q4:



Retail 6.2

Scalable, virtual infrastructuresto drive business growth

Over the past year, decision-makers have

given reasons such as cost cutting and green

IT considerations as the main drivers behind

virtualisation projects. For the first time, in

2011 the greatest number of decision-makers

are using virtualisation projects to facilitate

expansion (24 per cent) – there is now a

consistent viewpoint that a virtual

infrastructure provides a scalable platform for

company growth. Companies within the

industry/manufacturing, retail and leisure

sectors were those most likely to expand

either through office moves,

mergers/acquisitions or increasing the size of

their user-base in Q1.

Virtualisation for all?

Decision-makers were split almost 50/50

between those planning to adopt VDIs and

those looking to roll out server virtualisation.

As we've seen previously, those choosing to

go down the thin client route had, by and

large, already invested in server virtualisation.

In the last quarter of 2010, the market saw the

number of virtualisation projects at SMEs

increase to represent 38.8 per cent of all work,

suggesting virtual technologies are becoming

standard fare for any company's IT

infrastructure, regardless of size. In Q1 2011

however, uptake of virtualisation projects at

SMEs dropped back to 27.3 per cent,

showing that it is enterprise businesses that

are continuing to drive the strength of this

technology service category.

Q1 2011 Highlights:Unified communications& collaboration • Of those decision-makers with an

immediate requirement for external

support, Unified communications projects

make up a smaller percentage of work

than they did last quarter (down 11.4 per

cent). Like virtualisation the technology is

being 'diluted' in the marketplace by the

popularity of Cloud computing solutions.

• That said, the demand for UC is on-going,

driven by the emergence of second

generation products and services, which

have assuaged fears about technological

maturity and reliability.

• UC investment is now more of a business

decision than a technological one;

companies are deciding on it in

collaboration with finance and operations

departments. For suppliers, the argument

to win is simple – do the solutions you're

pitching improve your prospects' margins?

Sector heat

The Public Sector had the greatest number of

UC opportunities in Q1 (14 per cent of

projects) although this was down 7.9 per cent

on Q4 2010. This was followed by the Retail

and Industry/Manufacturing sectors (both 11.6

per cent). Retail has posted the greatest

increase when compared to Q4 2010 (+7.5

per cent). Within the public sector, it was

educational and healthcare organisations that

were driving investment. For example, the

head of IT at the Glasgow School of Art

highlighted an interest in the presence

features of second generation Cisco UC

solutions.

Sectors with most UC opportunities (%)

Q1:

Public sector 14.0

Retail 11.6


Q4:

Public sector 21.9

Retail 3.1


Second-generation UC

The prevalence of so-called 'second

generation' UC technologies has been

notable in Q1 2011. Vendors have responded

to businesses – particularly SMEs – that are

reluctant to invest large sums of money in all-

encompassing solutions by encouraging

partners to develop applications that allow for

the federation of existing applications, such as

Outlook, Skype, Yahoo! and MSN Messenger.

Early 2011 saw a slew of decision-makers

express an interest in the use of

videoconferencing as the technology freed

itself from its reputation for being patchy,

unreliable and not a viable substitute for face-

to-face meetings. FMCG manufacturer PZ

Cussons identified improving

videoconferencing facilities as being a

primary goal this year, as did engineering

giant Aker Solutions and security services

firm G4S.

For suppliers, the objections you have to

overcome are now less about the

technologies powering UC, and more

about whether or not there's a business

case to be investing in them. There were

fewer instances of decision-makers citing

problems with the quality of VoIP

technology, but one thing remains constant

– you have to prove the potential for your

prospects to generate ROI from a UC

investment. �

Q1 2011 saw a massive leap in thepopularity of Cloud computing as an ITservice category.


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When a reseller receivesan order for hardware– be it barcodescanners, EPOSsystems, handheld

terminals – there are a number ofrequirements that their customer mayhave which go beyond the simplepurchase of the hardware. Meetingcustomer’s needs can certainly becomeproblematic, costly and timeconsuming. Especially when youconsider that those requests differ withevery order from every customer. Whatresellers need is a place to go to takecare of one-time pre-sales servicerequirements efficiently in terms of time,cost and utilises services that pre-configures hardware.

For this reason, at ScanSource Europewe have seen an ever-growing trend ofresellers demanding pre-salesconfiguration services. So much so thatwe have recently upgraded our currentConfiguration Services and transferred itto a purpose-built Configuration Centre.This will allow us to handle pre-salesconfiguration projects of any size.

Configuration Services includes a widerange of tasks. Whether it is physicalproduct customisation, such aspreloading of operating systems orapplications, bundling of equipment,charging batteries or even productdispatch customisation – simpleadditions of reseller marketing material –ScanSource will take care of it all. Thisfrees up resellers’ internal technical

resources so they can work on tasks,like installing hardware that requirestheir specialised knowledge. It alsoenables resellers to take on largerprojects than their existing resourcesmay otherwise allow; ultimately helpingthem to manage peaks and troughs intheir business.

Focusing on the core business

Technical resources are extremelyvaluable to resellers so what theConfiguration Centre does is it allowscompanies to deploy those resources tomore business-critical areas. Now thatwe have a larger, purpose-builtconfiguration environment we can makeit even easier for resellers to dobusiness by taking on their time-consuming, repetitive tasks so theydon’t have to, and allowing them tofocus on their core business, increaseprofitability and, crucially, meeting thecustomer’s demands.

The time and cost saving are not onlylimited to the allocation of resellers’internal staff. The pre-shipping

configuration of hardware at thewarehouse allows a reseller to opt fordirect shipment to their customer, safein the knowledge that the products willbe ready for use, or ready for installation

by an engineer. Time is saved byavoiding having to ship the goods viathe reseller and therefore also shippingcosts are reduced. In an industry wherewe talk so much about value adds it isessential that we can provide resellerswith real concrete savings.

At ScanSource Europe we continuallyaim to be as flexible as possible tosupply resellers with not just hardware,but full wrap-around solutions, covering


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Delivering thecomplete package

Colin Booth, director of Professional Services Europe, ScanSource Europe, outlinesthe role a value-added distributor is providing in pre-shipment product configuration

which provides resellers with real savings.

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… all technical and physical product configuration work, forboth business units, is taken care of by qualified engineers andall work is performed following recognised industry standards.” “

Colin Booth: ScanSource Europe – continuallyaiming to be as flexible as possible.

as many aspects of the purchasing andsupply process as possible andproviding resellers with peace of mind.The Configuration Centre ticks this boxas well. Deliveries can be made tomultiple countries and configuration canbe performed on any product that wesell. Configuration Services is a part ofour business that is becoming wellestablished for auto ID, POS andbarcoding products, and we are nowextending this to our Communicationsbusiness as well.

All taken care of

The concept is the same for each of thebusiness units. On a more aestheticlevel for communications productsresellers can request that theircustomer’s logo already appears on ahandset for example, while on atechnical level, our qualified engineers

will configure units andpre-install IP addressesas requested. In fact, alltechnical and physicalproduct configurationwork, for both businessunits, is taken care of byqualified engineers andall work is performedfollowing recognisedindustry standards.

We also work closely with all ourvendors from every part of the businessto provide resellers with a stable andreliable service. By doing this, it meansall warranties and service andmaintenance contracts can be updatedand resellers avoid issues relating to thecustomisation at a later stage shouldsomething go wrong with the hardware.

On a final note, Configuration Services

forms part of ScanSource Europe’sProfessional Services, which offers aseries of pre- and post-sales services,including radio frequency site surveys,installation and commissioning, stagingand rolls out, systems integration andindeed maintenance and servicecontracts. And as such, represents forresellers a one-stop-shop for all theirservice needs. �


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ScanSource Europe hasunveiled its new web portal,ScanSource City, a virtual cityshowcasing the distributor’svalue-added services using

an interactive, dynamic and modernapproach. Accessible atwww.scansource.eu/city, the portal is anengaging way for resellers to learn aboutthe services that add value to theirbusinesses and help make thedistribution channel more efficient.

Each building in ScanSource Citydesignates an available service; forexample a school representsScanSource’s channel education

initiatives, while a construction site givesdetails on the distributor’s ProfessionalServices offering. By clicking on thebuilding, users get the information theyneed about the service.

"We’ve put the information on our valueadds all in one place," said XavierCartiaux, president of ScanSourceEurope. "These are crucial to the way wedo business. Our value adds helpresellers boost their business, increasemargins, and diversify their own offering.We provide the broadest value addedoffering in the industry and give ourcustomers access to leading vendors, ahuge product inventory, and services and

tool that make resellers more successful.”

Cartiaux continued: "For our best-of-breed vendor partners, ScanSource Cityenables them to learn more about ourcommitment to growing the channel,creating new business opportunities andraising awareness of their brands andproducts. We work hard to highlight ourunique selling points in the channel andScanSource City is an innovative andstylish way of doing this."

The services illustrated on ScanSourceCity are available to resellers from boththe communications and barcodebusinesses. �

ScanSource Europeunveils new web portal

Durabook has launched theU12C, a versatileconvertible notebook with a12-inch LCD screen.Rugged and lightweight,

the U12C has passed MIL-STD 810G fordrop, vibration and shock and isdesigned with innovative features andflexibilities for a wide-range ofapplications and work environments;such as government, field service, utility,emergency, police, transportation and

logistics.

In the case ofthe logisticsmarket alone, itis said to besuitable for useat airports, railyards, truckcabs,

maintenance bays, courier vehicles,warehouses – and any otherenvironments that can leverage majoradvantages from the use of modernmobile computer systems andtechnology.

Staying operational longer

Because any malfunctions orinefficiencies can quickly erode profitsand impact scheduling. Durabook laptopswith integrated mobile technology aredesigned to stay operational longer,ensuring less downtime and fewerrepairs. Durabook reports that theseadvantages result in a lower total cost ofownership and a greater ROI.

Durabook comments that mobileworkers no longer need to worry aboutroughing the edges of their computer,or suffering the inconvenience of afailing computer due to vibration andshock. The U12C also features anintegrated ergonomic handle, making iteasily and conveniently transportable‘on the go’.

Suitable for mission-criticalapplications

U12C is designed with special featuressuch as One-Click Stealth Mode thatimmediately disables all emitting lightand sounds. This feature is designedfor the mission-critical applicationssuch as covert operations – includingstakeouts. Modular I/O ports allow

user to change different I/Os forvaries applications in just a few

seconds.

In addition, the aluminum- magnesiumalloy case is said to be able to resistvibration or shock on the road or field,while the built-in GPS feature enablesdrivers to precisely pin-point deliverylocations. Additionally, the wireless WANdevice keeps the connection with thecompany’s network all the way, and thetouch panel and sunlight readabledisplay enables users to undertake workmore easily and check information inany light conditions. �

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U12C is designed with special features such as One-ClickStealth Mode that immediately disables all emitting light andsounds. This feature is designed for the mission-criticalapplications such as covert operations – including stakeouts.”

“

Durabooklaunches the U12Crugged convertible notebook


Durabook’s U12C is a versatile convertiblenotebook with a 12-inch LCD screen. Ruggedand lightweight, the U12C has passed MIL-STD810G for drop, vibration and shock.

To accommodate theadditional people andwarehousing requirementsthat had been caused bysales growth of over 30 per

cent in the previous 6 months, thecompany has moved into a second uniton the Osbaldwick Industrial Estate.

“Our fast-growing sales of PosiflexEPoS terminals, and Orient and Bixolontransaction printers, required us toincrease the size of our bulk purchasesto keep pace with the needs of ourcustomers,” explained Bill Gordon,director with operations responsibility.”The physical bulk of theseconsignments meant that we neededextra warehouse capacity. Wemanaged to secure our target building,which provides not only warehousingcapacity, but also the space to locateour finance and purchasing teams,together with our technical support andproduct configuration group. The office

space that was freed up in ourestablished building has beenredeveloped to house additional salesand marketing personnel. It also givesus extra space to store our higherstock levels of mobile computers.”

Strengthened offering

Varlink CEO Mike Pullon takes up thestory: “Since we established Varlinkwe have worked hard to shape ourbusiness to anticipate and meet the

needs of our customers. We havespent quite some time evaluating therange of products provided by themanufacturers we represent, andidentifying opportunities to strengthenour offering, and therefore that of ourcustomers, by adding additionalbrands. Clearly, to do a good job forthese brands, and for our customerswho resell them, we had to get theinfrastructure right. The extra spacethat we have obtained enabled us toput a recruitment campaign in place


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Varlink expandscapacity and resources further

The spring of 2011 saw a number of significant developments takeplace at Varlink, the York based specialist distributor of Mobile

Computing & Data Capture products…

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The office space that was freed up in our establishedbuilding has been redeveloped to house additional sales andmarketing personnel. It also gives us extra space to store ourhigher stock levels of mobile computers.”

– Bill Gordon, Varlink.

“

Mike Pullon: “We are now well positioned to continue the growth in sales of our establishedbrands and to create and develop business for the recent additions to our brand range.”

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that has seen us add sales andmarketing resource, for both Varlinkand EPoS Distributor customers, aswell as adding to our technicalsupport and warehousing teams. Weare now well positioned to continuethe growth in sales of our establishedbrands and to create and developbusiness for the recent additions toour brand range.”

Significant demand

Varlink’s business developmentmanager, Georgina McWhirter, added:“Since our Meet The ManufacturerEvent in February we have seeninterest turn into sales for the keyproducts that came to market in late2010. The Datalogic Elf terminal is nowwell established in a number ofsolutions developed by our customers,and sales of the Getac MH132 andPsion Omnii are strong. The expansionof capacity and resource that we haveput in place means we can maintainour service levels while growing sales.This will have even more significance

when the eagerly awaitedPsion EP10 is launched;as we can already see asignificant demand for thiswell specified and pricedterminal.”

Focused andcomprehensivemarketing support

Sabine Kelly, Varlink’smarketing manager,concluded: “Ourexpanded marketing teamcan now offer ourcustomers focused andcomprehensive marketing

support for Zebra,Datalogic Mobile, Seagull(Bartender), Brother,Zebex, DatalogicScanning, Getac, Unitech,Psion, Opticon, Trimbleand Janam. Ourappointment of SarahEggleton as EPoSDistributor marketingexecutive gives our EPoScustomers a single pointof contact, which will helpthem put in placecampaigns to drive salesof their solutions in theretail space.” �


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Our expanded marketing team can now offer ourcustomers focused and comprehensive marketing support forZebra, Datalogic Mobile, Seagull (Bartender), Brother, Zebex,Datalogic Scanning, Getac, Unitech, Psion, Opticon, Trimbleand Janam.”

– Sabine Kelly, Varlink.

“

Organised by Supported by

DETAILS & REGISTRATION

For locations and timings and to reserve your place, visit http://www.varlink.co.uk/psionroadshow

Coming soon to a city near you!1ST JUNE

Leicester

8TH JUNE

Swindon

15TH JUNE

North London

Georgina McWhirter: “Sinceour Meet The ManufacturerEvent in February we haveseen interest turn into salesfor the key products thatcame to market in late 2010.”

DOTel has launched theDOTH 300 mobilecomputer; a slim,lightweight and compactPDA that features the

Monahan PXA 320 806MHz processorfor high-speed data processing, Theunit is highly ruggedised and certifiedto IP64 standards; confirming thatunder test conditions it is able towithstand drops to up to 1.5m. It canalso be operated in temperatures aslow as -20ºC; consequently the devicecan work in particularly toughconditions, including dusty or low/hottemperature warehouse environments.

Host of built-in features

According to DOTel, the button on theDOTH 300 is durable enough towithstand thousands of pushes byworkers. It is also said to be a highlysecure device with a host of state-of-the-art built-in features; including HSPA,WLAN, GPS, 3M AF camera andHF/UHF RFID reader. Also, its full QVGA3.5in LCD screen provides the mobileworker with a graphical display that iseasy to ready in just about any workingenvironment. Additionally, DOTel pointsout that the extended battery life offeredby the unit means users in sectors suchas logistics, retail and parcel deliverycan be assured of long, reliable andcontinuous hours of use.

Flexible communicationsystem The DOTH 300 features a flexiblecommunication system with HSPA,WLAN and Bluetooth, making it easyfor users to send and receive data, and

synchronise with otherdevices. And thedevice’s powerful fast-reading laser barcodescanner makesreading and scanningbarcodes a simple,efficient and accurateprocess.

DOTel comments thatthis lightweight andslim but ruggeddevice is anenhanced handheldmobile computer witha design that lookslike an attractivesmart phone. It addsthat workers caneasily fit the device intheir pocket, meaningit can be carried justabout anywhere. The company reportsthat many companies active within adiverse range of industries are lookingto both increase data accuracy andefficiency while also cutting costs. Withthese mission-critical requirements inmind, DOTel believes the DOTH 300provides them with the key mobile-device functionality they need.

Durability and stability DOTel highlights durability and stabilityas being two of the key strengths of thenew offering. It adds that throughleveraging these benefits companiescan not only improve their own bottom

lines but also provide a morereliable and professionalservice to their endcustomers, which canhelp to cement strongerbusiness relations goingforward.

DoTel is rolling out theDOTH-300 this month.The company also reportsthat UHF compact andUHF gun type readers arescheduled to be availablein the Autumn. �



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The DOTH 300 mobile computer can be operated intemperatures as low as -20ºC; consequently the device canwork in particularly tough conditions, including dusty or low/hottemperature warehouse environments.”

“

DOTel’s new DOTH 300 mobilecomputer is highly ruggedisedand certified to IP64dust/splash-proof standards.

DOTEL AT A GLANCE Established in 1999, DOTel is a totalsolutions provider for the Auto IDindustry, covering PDA units,embedded system development,enterprise mobility, set-top boxes,vehicle navigation systems andmobile point-of-sale units. DOTel isone of the leading mobile computermanufacturers in Korea.

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and rugged mobile computer

Agents in the distribution ofgoods and services arebecoming increasinglyreliant upon strongrelationships with their

trading partners, customers andsuppliers to ensure the efficient deliveryof products to their target audience.According to a 2011 Aberdeen researchreport, almost half of the world’s topretailers are increasing supply chaincollaboration or business processinitiatives with suppliers. A typical retailertoday will be managing many millions ofproduct items, dealing with thousands ofsuppliers, and potentially millions ofcustomers every week. But how well areretailers working together with thosetrading partners?

Traditionally, the buyer and supplierrelationship has hinged upon the creationof a purchase order, or ‘PO’, as the vitaldocument on which all orders anddeliveries are based. Until the supplierreceived the PO, they had no insight intowhether their product would be sold. Butas the process of delivering goods to themarket becomes more complex – forinstance, on multiple orders subject tolast minute changes; or against a

backlog of deliveries fromoverseas

manufacturers with long lead times andpossible delays - there is a significantrequirement for sharing of information thatwill allow buyers and suppliers toeffectively plan for the unknown. Retailersand suppliers can work together to makesure that the source of supply is availablewhen the buyer comes calling, as well asensuring that the buyer doesn’tcompletely relieve the supplier of all itsinventory. And so the need forcollaboration among trading partnerswas born.

However, effective collaboration isn’tnecessarily that easy, especially inpractice. Research by the Institute ofGrocery and Distribution (IGD) in 2010revealed that only around forty percent ofcompanies believed their collaborativeapproaches to be any good, mainly dueto inaccurate demand forecasts and out-of-date sales history. Most industryinsiders claim that availability ofresources remains the biggest hurdle toeffective collaboration. We’d argue thatit’s not necessarily that difficult, you justneed to be shown the way. And thebenefits certainly far outweigh the costs.

Supply chain collaboration centres onbuyers, suppliers and trading partnersdeveloping value-added processes thatdeliver innovative, high-quality, low-costproducts on time with greaterresponsiveness than ever before. Supplychain collaboration therefore requires anincreased reliance on closerbuyer/supplier relationships that co-operatively work together to deliver valueabove and beyond what is achievablethrough simple long-term contracts. The

key elements of these relationshipsinvolve:

• Sharing key operational information.

• Building cooperative business processes that complement the processes of each organisation.

• Building common goals, to ensure that both partners are trying to optimise the results.

This is the only way companies will beable to achieve true competitiveadvantage through supply chainexecution. Yet, many major retailers andmanufactures are reluctant to expandtheir supply chain collaboration programsdue to this increasing complexity. Thisdegrades the trading partners’ ability totruly extend their supply chain networkand take full advantage of a collaborative,demand driven supply chain. Supplychain collaboration is reduced to anautomated data feed with all partiesexpected to access, derive value fromthe information, and act in the bestinterest of the trading partner. What isbeing ignored is the relationship betweenthe trading partner, the act of building acollaboration program together, to drivethe process to cut costs, improve servicelevels and deliver overall value.

Often collaboration has not worked,simply due to a primary attention on datato the detriment of process, and notenough focus on the end customer. Orfailure to recognise mutual interests,resulting in unreasonable demandsplaced on suppliers and retailers.Staying ahead of the game

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Overcoming thecomplexities of Supply

Chain CollaborationAre you communicating effectively with your trading

partners?, asks Bob Rossman, vice president ofsupply chain solutions at Agentrics.

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Bob Rossman: Retailers and suppliers knowthat collaboration is a good thing. But stillrelatively few do it.

Motorola is able to monitor and analyse theperformance of its products. This providesMotorola with the visibility to see trends,understand how products are moving throughthe retail channel, and address operationalissues such as stock-outs and excess inventory.

26 IT RESELLER – MAY 2011

Increased competition, more frequent newproduct introductions and shorter product lifecycles are driving complexity in planning andforecasting for demand. Organisations havealso become more complex in the last decadewith a greater number of locations, businessunits and markets they operate in. Not tomention the unprecedented levels of economicuncertainty that has affected buying patternsand historical data.

Today, busy sophisticated consumers demandhigher levels of service, quality and shoppingconvenience. Improving the consumershopping experience, keeping up with demandand adapting to customer needs is thereforeessential. These challenges, together withimproving service levels and sustainability,have never been more critical to maintainingmarket share and building supply chainflexibility.

One rule of thumb is that if retailers andsuppliers work together to plan in times ofvolatile demand, there is a greater chance ofgetting forecasts right for just-in-time production(in other words, goods arriving at the right time– not too early, not too late) and matchingsupply with demand. The reality, however, is a cynicism about theconcept of supply chain collaboration, and a

vast number of technology solutions,interpretations and jargon that goes with it.Many organisations have memories of difficultyimplementing collaboration programs such asVMI (Vendor Managed Inventory) or CPFR(Collaborative Planning Forecasting andReplenishment), and are overlooking theopportunity to use supply chain collaborationto improve planning efficiencies, increaseforecast accuracy, cut costs, improve servicelevels, and drive value to their bottom line.

Share and collaborate, theneveryone benefits

Retailers and suppliers know that collaborationis a good thing. But still relatively few do it. Thismight be principally down to limited resources,but also a lack of trust. Or, quite often, otherbarriers like technical challenges and know-how. It’s not uncommon to be faced with asituation where retailers don’t want to gothrough all the motions themselves and justneed some third party help and direction.Today’s economic climate for greaterefficiencies and lower costs, not to mentionconsumer pressure for better service, will forcethe industry to connect more collaboratively.Technology, people and process will enablethese connections to happen. �


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CASE STUDY: MOTOROLAMotorola, the telecomsmanufacturer, uses AgentricsSCS Intelligence to gain accessto point-of-sale (POS) andinventory data directly fromvarious retail chains. So,regardless of the service bundledwith its handsets, Motorola isable to monitor and analyse theperformance of its products. Thisprovides Motorola with thevisibility to see trends,understand how products aremoving through the retailchannel, and address operationalissues such as stock-outs andexcess inventory. This givesMotorola the ability to proactivelymanage its product portfolios tooptimise the ability to exploitopportunities in the market,increasing sales whilesimultaneously carrying lessinventory.

This is an extract taken from awhite paper downloadable atwww.agentrics.com. Agentrics isa global provider of retail andsupply chain solutions for clientsincluding ASDA, Carrefour,Auchan, Marks & Spencer,PepsiCo, Casino, Walgreens,Coles and Best Buy.

The HT660e offers just that what is needed in a modern day data collection environment. Based on the successful platform of its predecessor, HT660e is now ready to take your applications one step further. It is the ideal mobile data collection terminal for users that currently deploy a DOS-based terminal and are looking to future proof their business by changing their applications to a Microsoft Windows CE-based

Develop your own applications and manage your own integration with the HT660e. This feature-rich hand-

and control over your mobile data collection appli-cations. JobGenPlusEmbedded (JGPe) provides you a free of charge solution to develop applications with little programming knowledge. This latest addition to the Unitech handheld product range offers all the fea-tures you need for applications in warehousing, retail and logistics.

HT660eMobility and ProductivityReady for the future

www.ute.com

For more information: Unitech Europe (The Netherlands) Tel: +31 (0)13 460 92 92 Email: [email protected]

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Ingram Micro EMEA (Europe, MiddleEast and Africa), a division ofIngram Micro Inc., has addedBlackBerry Mobile Voice System(BlackBerry MVS) to its growing line

of mobile products. BlackBerry MobileVoice System (BlackBerry MVS) isdesigned to unify fixed and mobilevoice communications to provide onebusiness phone number, one caller ID,one voice mailbox, and office phonefeatures through BlackBerrysmartphones.

BlackBerry MVS integrates into a varietyof telecommunications environments.Companies can leverage the value oftheir existing PBX system or upgrade tothe latest technology as it becomesavailable. BlackBerry MVS is designedto mobilise telephony features such ascall transfers, switching between callsand call filtering. BlackBerry MVS addsdesk phone features to BlackBerrysmartphones. It integrates directly withthe native phone application to allow theuser to receive or place calls from themobile line or the enterprise line.

Seamless integration

BlackBerry MVS interfaces between theBlackBerry Enterprise Server and thecorporate PBX system, to mobilise deskphone features on BlackBerry

smartphones. This seamless integrationprovides secure authentication andallows for easy administration ofBlackBerry MVS functionality. Callsmade through BlackBerry MVS areanchored through the enterprise PBX toensure that company policies are met.Calls can be logged and audited tostrengthen risk management policies.Calls can be made over Wi-Fi at work, athome, or in Wi-Fi hotspots to addresscost, coverage, and communicationneeds.

Pierre-Yvon Mechali, executive directorand general manager, Telco Division,Ingram Micro EMEA, said: “We are veryglad to promote such an innovativesolution to our customers. We havealready put resources in place andconducted training in several countries.This generated a lot of interest so farand the Ingram Micro’s Partnersdemonstrated their will to invest in thisarea. BlackBerry Mobile Voice System(BlackBerry MVS) represents atremendous opportunity for our resellersto tap into new business opportunitiesand provide technical services.”

Tailored strategies

In 2010, Ingram Micro EMEA launched anew telecommunications division, andunder Mechali’s leadership thecompany has established a team oftelecommunications experts acrossEurope who are implementing tailoredstrategies in each country and receivingearly positive recognition from the

market. In November, Ingram MicroNetherlands was named the BestTelecom & Networking Distributor for2010 at the CRN Channel Awards inAmsterdam. Early December IngramMicro announced it has become anofficial distributor of a full suite ofBlackBerry smartphones, accessories,software and technical supportservices.

Through its telecommunicationsstrategy, Ingram Micro EMEA will extendits logistics offerings with a tailoredservice offering designed to meet theexpectations of resellers, retailers,Mobile Network Operators and MobileVirtual Network Operators. In addition,Ingram Micro will augment its productline by significantly increasing its brandcoverage in netbooks, smartphones andaccessories across EMEA. �


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BlackBerry Mobile Voice System (BlackBerry MVS) isdesigned to unify fixed and mobile voice communications toprovide one business phone number, one caller ID, one voicemailbox, and office phone features through BlackBerrysmartphones.”

INGRAM MICRO INC. AT A GLANCE

Ingram Micro creates sales andprofitability opportunities forvendors and resellers throughmarketing programmes,outsourced logistics, technicaland financial support, managedand Cloud-based services, andproduct aggregation anddistribution. The company servesmore than 150 countries on sixcontinents with a comprehensiveportfolio of IT products andservices.

Ingram Micro EMEATelecom Division

adds BlackBerry Mobile VoiceSystem to its BlackBerry offering

“

Honeywell has announced itwill now offer the MicrosoftWindows EmbeddedHandheld 6.5 operatingsystem for the Dolphin

6100 and 6500 mobile computers,providing resellers, customers and otherpartners with one common platform formobile device application development.Windows Embedded Handheld 6.5 wasdesigned specifically to power mobiledevices that run critical enterprisebusiness applications, such as those inretail, supply chain and other light-industrial environments.

Boosting productivity For Honeywell’s Dolphin 6100 and 6500,Windows Embedded Handheld 6.5 willbring efficient and secure data inputcapabilities as well as improvedconnectivity options, boostingproductivity by enabling users tocapture, access, and act on business-critical information in real-time. With theaddition of Handheld 6.5, Honeywelloffers its customers more options, as itwill also continue to support WindowsCE 5.0, an architectural platform that

includes robust developer tools and areal-time operating system.

Most advancedtechnologies

“Honeywell has maintainedits leadership positionwithin the mobile computingspace by listening to ourcustomers and partners andcontinually working withindustry leaders likeMicrosoft WindowsEmbedded to deliver themost advanced technologiesavailable,” said Greg Payne,director of mobility systems,Honeywell Scanning & Mobility.“Our customers asked forportability in our next operatingsystem platform and we knewWindows Embedded woulddeliver. Windows EmbeddedHandheld 6.5 matches thereliability you expect fromMicrosoft with an architecturaldesign that is flexible enoughto be used across marketsegments and regions.” �



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HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL Honeywell International is a Fortune 100 diversified company servingcustomers worldwide with aerospace products and services; controltechnologies for buildings, homes and industry; automotive products;turbochargers; and specialty materials. Based in Morris Township , N.J.,Honeywell’s shares are traded on the New York , London and ChicagoStock Exchanges.

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HONEYWELL SCANNING & MOBILITY AT A GLANCE Honeywell Scanning & Mobility is a manufacturer of high-performanceimage-and laser- based data collection hardware, including ruggedmobile computers and barcode scanners. The company providessolutions for vertical markets such as retail; healthcare; andtransportation & logistics, and complements its products with advancedsoftware, service and professional solutions that enable customers toeffectively manage data and assets. Honeywell products are soldworldwide through a network of distributor and reseller partners.

Honeywell broadens mobilecomputing portfolio with Microsoft

Windows Embedded Handheld 6.5 operating system

Our customers asked forportability in our nextoperating system platform andwe knew Windows Embeddedwould deliver. WindowsEmbedded Handheld 6.5matches the reliability youexpect from Microsoft with anarchitectural design that isflexible enough to be usedacross market segments andregions.”

– Greg Payne, HoneywellScanning & Mobility.

“

For Honeywell’s Dolphin6100 and 6500, WindowsEmbedded Handheld 6.5 willbring efficient and securedata input capabilities aswell as improvedconnectivity options.

The survey findings show thatover the next two or threeyears, the majority of UKcompanies will be planningor at least considering an

implementation of mobile businesstechnology. Accurate real-timeinformation is now expected anywhere,

at any time, for greater customerservice, improved business flexibility,and increased productivity. With theneed for innovation never greater, manyare recognising the capabilities ofmobile technology in meeting theserequirements.

Significant increase

In the next two to three years, an 80 percent majority said they will either beplanning or considering theimplementation of mobile BusinessIntelligence (BI) and mobile BusinessAnalytics. 76 per cent said they will belooking at Customer RelationshipManagement (CRM), and a further 64per cent said they would be planning orconsidering an Enterprise ResourcePlanning (ERP) implementation. Thismeans that there will be a significantincrease in the number of companiesrunning or implementing mobileapplications; In some cases this isalmost double the current number(presently, 43 per cent run BI andBusiness Analytics, 49 per cent runCRM, and 43 per cent run ERP).

Less than one fifth said they were notseeing a significant increase in the needfor mobile information and use of mobiledevices across the business, indicatingthat across the UK, companies arelooking at their options for innovatingthrough mobility.

Choice and flexibility

Tim Noble, managing director at SAPUK & Ireland commented: “The movetoward mobile technology andworkforce is indicative of businesses’need to innovate in order to increasecompetitive edge, increase productivityand ultimately profitability. It is also ledby demand from the end user who


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Nine out of tenbusinesses look to mobility todrive productivity and cost savings

Organisations are increasingly turning to mobile solutions to innovate, reducecosts and increase productivity, with 94 per cent stating that the need to increaseproductivity and reduce costs is driving the increased use of mobile devices andtechnology. These are the findings of a new survey of IT decision makers in 320

UK businesses of all sizes and across a number of key industries (manufacturing,retail, public sector and financial services) conducted by SAP…

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The move toward mobile technology and workforce is indicative ofbusinesses’ need to innovate in order to increase competitive edge,increase productivity and ultimately profitability. It is also led by demandfrom the end user who increasingly wants access to business-criticalapplications on the go.” – Tim Noble, SAP UK & Ireland.

“

increasingly wants access to business-critical applications on the go. From thisresearch it’s clear that over the two orthree years we are going to see Britishcompanies favouring an increasinglymobile approach to business. At SAPwe are well set up to provide ourcustomers with the choice and flexibilitythey need to innovate and succeed.”

When asked about the drivers forincreasing their use of mobile solutions,increased productivity was the numberone driver (53 per cent), while over athird (41 per cent) stated reduced costsand a further 38 per cent citedimproved customer service. With onethird of companies expecting between20 per cent and 30 per cent of theiremployees to be mobile compared withonly 4 per cent now, it is perhaps nosurprise they are starting to invest in on-device solutions.

Mobile workforce productivity

Some 66 per cent of companies felt thatmoving to a more mobile workforce hashad a positive impact on employeeproductivity, with around a 16 per centproductivity rise amongst workers.Respondents also stated that a 12 percent OPEX saving could be made if anadditional 25 per cent of the workforcewas made mobile. Nearly two thirds (65per cent) of those surveyed said theyfeel their mobile workforce is better ableto do their job, at least to some extent,with a further 63 per cent saying thatthere is greater level of job satisfactionacross on-device workers.

“On-device models allow people toaccess information and data whereverthey are and whenever they want. AtSAP we are investing heavily to ensurewe provide our customers withdeployment choice and flexibility. Inparticular with on-device we are greatlyextending the reach of SAP software tomany more users and deliverapplications for the business andtechnical user on many mobile devices.We believe that with SAP’s OnPremise,OnDemand, and OnDevice productstrategy we are creating newopportunities for our customers to buildvalue and capitalise on changingmarket conditions,” added Noble.

Mobile trends for verticals:

• Over two thirds (77 per cent) of manufacturing organisations are either currently using or planning to implement mobile devices in order to increase efficiency and productivity in the area of customer service and communication.

• Nearly half (41 per cent) of retail organisations do not have a mobile application allowing customers to view their product catalogues, but only one tenth said they do not plan to develop or release a mobile application within the next two or three years, demonstrating a shift in the retail industry toward innovation through mobile devices. A 97 per cent majority said that a mobile application would increase brand loyalty to some extent.

• A 59 per cent majority of respondents in financial services organisations agreed that over the next two to three years we will begin to bring our business right to the customer doors step by utilising the latest tablet PC or laptop

technology, equipped with high-speed wireless connectivity.

• Two thirds of respondents in public sector organisations stated that the budget cuts would not hold back their drive to a more mobile workforce, however only 41 per cent said they saw the mobile workforce as a key platform for cost reduction to tax payers. �


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With the need for innovation never greater,many are recognising the capabilities of mobiletechnology in meeting these requirements.

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Avnet Technology Solutions,the solutions distributor andan operating group ofAvnet, Inc., has announcedthe launch of Marketplace,

a new website designed to help Avnet’swireless & mobility resellers, VARs, ISVsand associated suppliers in EMEAgenerate additional Motorola hardwarerevenue.

“Avnet recognises that it has becomeincreasingly challenging for our channelpartners to find new end useropportunities,” commented KeithRobinson, product business group

director, EMEA, atAvnet Technology Solutions. “At thesame time, we realise that it is hard forend users looking to deploy a mobiletechnology in their business to find atrusted partner to deliver a solution thatexactly meets their requirements.Marketplace was designed specificallywith both of these challenges in mind.”

Confidence and peace of mind

Marketplace is available in the UK,France, Germany, Italy, Benelux andTurkey. In order to appear onMarketplace and benefit from the lead

generation opportunities associated withbeing listed on the site, partners mustfirst register and qualify to become anAvnet Certified Partner. Among theconditions of becoming a certifiedpartner, the reseller must be able to offerlocal language technical support andhold up-to-date Motorola certifications.Once a partner has been approved byAvnet, they will be supplied with anAvnet Certified Partner logo that can beused on their own website andmarketing collateral. This logo willprovide end users with the confidenceand peace of mind to approach partnersthat appear on Marketplace about theimplementation of their IT solutions.

Every partner that registers to joinMarketplace will be able to create atailored company profile page, in locallanguage, including information about

the vertical markets theyspecialise in and the productsthey sell. In addition, partnerswill be able to uploadbrochures and case studies totheir profile and include a linkto their website. A dedicatedenquiry form will be providedfor end users to contact thepartner directly. Partners will beprovided with regular statistics

on site traffic and visits to their profilepage, including ‘click throughs’ to theirwebsite and enquiry forms submitted.

Networking platform

End user companies will be able to useMarketplace to find a trusted partner toimplement their mobile technologyproject by searching for a partner byregion, solution type and or application.In addition, Marketplace provides aplatform for channel partners to networkwith one another and build new workingrelationships. For example, hardwareresellers can locate ISVs with specificvertical market expertise to assist with aproject and close a deal. “We areconfident that Marketplace will help ourchannel partners to discover newrevenue streams and opportunities in2011,” concluded Robinson. �


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Leveraging thepower of the web

Avnet Technology Solutions launches ‘Marketplace’: a new website to generateadditional Motorola business for Avnet Channel Partners across EMEA.

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AVNET Avnet, Inc., a Fortune 500 company, is one of the largest distributors ofelectronic components, computer products and embedded technologyserving customers in more than 70 countries worldwide. Avnetaccelerates its partners' success by connecting the world's leadingtechnology suppliers with a broad base of more than 100,000customers by providing cost-effective, value-added services andsolutions. For the fiscal year ended 3 July 2010, Avnet generatedrevenue of US$19.16 billion.

AVNET TECHNOLOGYSOLUTIONS AT A GLANCE

As a global IT solutions distributor,Avnet Technology Solutionscollaborates with its customersand suppliers to create anddeliver effective solutions thataddress the business challengesof their end-user customerslocally and around the world. Forfiscal year 2010, the group servedcustomers in more than 70countries and generated US$8.19billion in annual revenue. AvnetTechnology Solutions(www.ats.avnet.com) is anoperating group of Avnet, Inc.

Avnet Technology Solutions’Marketplace website has beendesigned to help Avnet’s partnersin EMEA generate additionalMotorola hardware revenue.

© 2011 Avnet Inc. All rights reserved. The Avnet Technology Solutions logo is a registered trademark of Avnet, Inc.

Accelerating Your Success™

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The Toughbooks will provideHampshire Police with instantaccess to intelligenceservices such as PNC andpolice databases while on

the road, and also give them mobileaccess to their station IT systems tocomplete paperwork when in the field.Using the Toughbooks, the officers willbe able to:

• Reduce unnecessary journeys back to the police station for paperwork or information, enabling the patrols to stay out in the community longer.

• Reduce bureaucracy by completing work processes in the field, helping to make the most of the force’s resources.

• Instantly access information whilst in their communities, helping to work smarter and more effectively to reduce crime.

• Capture witness statements and victim reports at the scene, without the need to bring members of the public back to the station, improving the service and capture of quality data.

“We are continuously looking at ways touse mobile technology to improve theefficiencies and service we can provide

as a police service,” said chiefinspector Cleave Faulkner, of

Hampshire Police. “It wasclear we required a mobilecomputing device that

could be used by officersboth in and outside the

vehicle and that was hardwearing andreliable. After carrying out extensivetrials, the Panasonic Toughbook was the

obvious device choice and our decisionwas made even easier by the excellenttechnical support we received from thePanasonic team.”

Highly durable

The Toughbook CF-19 is part ofPanasonic’s Fully Rugged range and isequipped with Intel Core i5 vProprocessor. A magnesium-thickenedcasing offers maximum protection forthe most sensitive components such asthe display, while hard drives aresecured against impact and shock. Afall from a height of 90cm is said not toaffect functionality in any way, and aspecial protective coating provides dustand water resistance.

The CF-19 is also a convertible ruggednotebook, which means that the devicecan be used as a conventional laptop orconverted to a tablet PC for easy use

when taking statements or filling informs in the field. The lightweight devicecan easily be held with one hand andthe bright touchscreen LCD display iseasy to use both inside and outside inbright light conditions. And for reliablecommunications when in the field, theHampshire Police units contain 3Gbroadband capability, to ensure officersare always in touch with the command

centre.

Perfect technology companion

William McGregor, Toughbook UKCorporate Sales Manager, said: “Thepolice service has a very difficult job todo in challenging economic times.Panasonic Toughbooks are the perfecttechnology companion for Hampshirepolice patrols to assist officers to cutbureaucracy, improve efficiencies andtheir service to the public.”

The fully ruggedised Toughbook CF-19sare being installed between now andJune and will be available in patrol cars,as well as specialist vehicles for criticalevent management and firearmresponse teams. �



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We are continuously looking at ways to use mobiletechnology to improve the efficiencies and service we canprovide as a police service. It was clear we required a mobilecomputing device that could be used by officers both in andoutside the vehicle and that was hardwearing and reliable.”

– Cleave Faulkner, Hampshire Police.

“

Hampshire Police is upgrading 170 of its vehicles with ruggedPanasonic Toughbook notebooks to improve efficiency and

service when out patrolling and on special operations…

Hampshire Police deploys170 Panasonic Toughbooks in patrol

and specialist vehicles

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Blackroc Distribution andrecently appointed RFIDpartner Impinj held aWorkshop at StaffordUniversity last month,

informing many of its RFID developerchannel partners about recentdevelopments within this technologyspace and pointing out ways todevelop bespoke applications for endcustomers. The day included acorporate overview of Impinj and itsbackground in RFID development,together with an explanation of howRFID, antennas and readers work. Thebenefits offered by UHF Gen 2 RFIDtechnology were also explained. Thispresentation was provided by PaulGarner-Evans, Impinj’s senior salesdirector, and Casey Hagen, thecompany’s director of applicationsengineering, who also gave a livedemonstration of how RFID can now bean effective and easily installed plug-and-play application.

Formal distribution agreement

Impinj entered into a formal distributionagreement with Blackroc Distributionrecently to provide its RFID reader andantenna products in the UK andIreland. Impinj identified Blackroc as anatural selection for distribution of itstechnology in UK. Garner-Evanscommented: "With Blackroc's deepunderstanding of RFID and the AIDCindustry, we feel that this newrelationship will be the first of manypositive steps towards growing theImpinj brand within the UK and Irishmarkets.”

Blackroc and Impinj are looking toencourage more and more resellers tobecome active in the field of RFID andwill be providing a host of services tohelp support and educate resellerswho want to expand their solutions

using RFID. In addition to this readilyavailable training Blackroc has a well-equipped demonstration facility inStafford, which is freely offered to itsresellers for meetings and workingdemonstrations for their potentialcustomers. "The ability to add realvalue-added support to our channelpartners within these markets is criticalto our success as a channel drivenbusiness," said Peter Horton, Impinj'sglobal channel marketing manager."Blackroc brings an enormous amountof value to our channel network withrespect to technical training andsupport, making them the perfectdistributor to support these markets."

The Blackroc Impinj relationship willdeliver a wide range of products andsolutions comprising high-performancereaders, software, antennas, andsystems integration. Impinj productsprovide high-level performance,integration, and cost effectiveness to aglobal customer base, in applicationscovering numerous vertical markets,including apparel, inventorymanagement, asset tracking,authentication, and serialisation.

Deep-level involvement

At the Workshop, Tony Jephcott,Blackroc Distribution’s managingdirector, commented: “For some timewe’ve been involved at a very deeplevel with RFID, having developedPsion’s first ever reader. And our on-going RFID activity means we are fullyable to support our channel partners inthis technology space. To grow ourinterest in RFID further we’veestablished partnerships in the area ofRFID-related software in order to makeit easier for our application developerpartners to create their ownapplications. One example of this is asoftware development kit (SDK) from

Impinj, which provides a high-levelinterface between the finishedapplication and the low-level logicprotocol. Also, our own technicalpersonnel have recently developed twoexample applications using the ImpinjSDK. So, through developingapplications ourselves we have learnthow to use this technology at a deeplevel. And this knowledge can beleveraged to support our channelpartners when they use tools such asthe Impinj SDK to assist them increating their own applications.”

Jephcott added that BlackrocDistribution has also formed apartnership with RF-IT Solutions, basedin Graz in Austria. “RF-IT is a well-established business that has createdan application platform that makes iteasier for our channel partners tocreate their own applications,” he said.Terry Kemp, RF-IT’s sales director,spoke about RFID modular softwareduring the afternoon session at lastmonth’s Workshop. �


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Blackroc Distribution andImpinj Workshop focuses onRFID opportunities for the channel

Tony Jephcott: “[Blackroc’s RFID knowledge]can be leveraged to support our channelpartners when they use the Impinj SDK toassist them in creating their own applications.”

Psion, a global provider ofmobile computing solutions,and its UK partner TSCBarcode Solutions, hasannounced a new deal with

Thomas Thomson (Blairgowie) for itsWorkabout Pro 3 product to replace anexisting fleet of Psion devices. Thecompany is using Psion’s rugged,modular handheld computers to help thefarm with managing staff performanceand productivity, maximising fruit yieldsand to meet its obligations to itssupermarket customers for producetraceability.

Thomas Thomson (Blairgowie) is aScottish-based fruit farm that suppliesgrade A product to major UKsupermarkets. In the low-margin, high-volume and quick-turnaround businessof fruit farming, the company’s firstpriority is to drive costs as low aspossible. This entails maximising theproductivity of each field of fruit,identifying underperforming fields andturning around as much produce in asfast a time as possible.

Critical role

The company employs 400 staff duringits busy harvest season to meet thesupermarkets demands for quality freshBritish fruit. Groups of up to 30 workers

use the Psion mobile computers toclock in and out, record piecework, andhours spent on different jobs such asplanting or tunnel construction. Therecords play a critical role in producingthe company’s payroll.

The Psion devices are part of theThomas Thomson Fruit Picking System,which was specified, designed anddeployed by TSC Barcode Solutions,provider of mobile computing, barcodeand RFID data capture and label printingsystems, in full co-operation with thefarm. The system running on Psion’sdevices is helping to dramaticallyimprove efficiency and productivity in thefield by providing instant recording andaccess to benchmarking data.

The company had been using Psion’sprevious Workabout Pro devices but afternearly a decade of loyal service, ThomasThomson’s existing device had finallyworn out as Administrator at the farm,Laura Woods, commented: “As you canimagine, a farm is a pretty demandingenvironment for any computer and ourPsion devices had stood the test of time.However, we’d reached the point wherewe were cannibalising three units tomake one working device and needed toupgrade our Workabout Pros.”

The company chose Psion Workabout

Pro 3 for three reasons. “We’d had a longand positive experience with theWorkabout Pro devices on our farms andtrusted Psion to give us the sameexperience with the new units,”explained Woods. “Workabout Pro 3 alsogave us larger and improved screensthat enabled the use of sophisticatedproductivity and reporting software in thefield saving time downloading data at theend of an already long day. The thirdreason was that Workabout Pro 3 is amodular device and we liked the idea ofbeing able to swap modules in the fieldrather than having to send devices backfor repair or upgrade.”

Meeting traceabilityrequirements

Thomas Thomson now relies on Psioncomputers for all its performancebenchmarking. Company supervisorscan check key performance reports,such as field yield and staff performancein real time as often as they wish directlyon the Psion Workabout Pro 3 devices.Finally, the company can also meettraceability requirements coming fromthe supermarkets. With the use of theWorkabout Pros high quality barcodescanners, they can record each bar-coded tray rapidly and the data for thattray is stored in the farm’s systems incase any problems with produce areidentified in the packhouse.

In the future, the company is consideringmoving to wireless downloading of data,so the Workabout Pro 3’s mobilecapabilities will prove valuable here too. �


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point ofsale

Psion remains pick ofthe crop for UK fruit farm

www.itrportal.com

We’d had a long and positive experience with the Workabout Prodevices on our farms and trusted Psion to give us the same experiencewith the new units.”

– Laura Woods, Thomas Thomson (Blairgowie).

“

The advent of WEEE in 2007 had

a mixed reception, with some

responsible producers and large

outlets (like Currys for example)

offering free recycling services to

customers and even non-customers. The

issue of who pays for the proper recycling of

e-waste is also a moot one. Reputable

brands such as Citizen abide by strict

codes and invest heavily in good practices.

Other organisations may be much less

sympathetic and uncooperative and this

varies from country to country too.

Indeed, four years after the implementation

of the WEEE directive, the situation is still

confusing, with a combination of missed

targets and confusing objectives. Most EU

countries have somewhat managed to

increase the recycling of electric and

electronic goods. Some of these initiatives

stem from organisations such as Remploy,

the UK’s largest employer of people with

disabilities, offering refurbished entry level

computers for as little as £92 to encourage

people on low income to gain IT skills and

access the internet. Most of this equipment

comes from government offices and would

have just been scrapped (one can only

hope that sensitive data has been

accurately removed). Of course, eventually

even these items would need to be

recycled, so even in this admirable example

the concerns at the back of the WEEE

directive remain.

Despite initial successes two areas remain

of great concern. The first relates to the

export of obsolete or recyclable items to so-

called recycling sites in developing nations.

The second concern relates to the USA and

also to the developing countries themselves,

the so called BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India,

China) economies in particular, where use of

electronic goods has increased

exponentially since the drafting of the WEEE

directive in 2003.

Failings

For example, a study by the American

Chemical Society estimates that e-waste

from developing nations will reach 700

million units by 2030, 500 million more than

which the developed nations would have

produced by the same date. This situation is

made worse by the position of the USA as

this country has consistently failed to sign

up to international agreements on the

recycling of e-waste, with the result that

much has now become landfill in the US

itself, or simply exported without appropriate

checks and as second hand equipment.

Much of this second hand equipment is

converted and re-used in developing

nations; however, given the often limited life

span of these reconditioned items, they are

quickly discarded and simply amassed in

often unregulated landfill areas. Some of this

e-garbage is also sent to developing nations

marked as ‘donations’. The US isn’t alone in

this grey trade and indeed this flow exists

even within the EU, as according to

Greenpeace, up to 47 per cent of the e-

waste traded from our seaports should

actually be deemed as illegal under WEEE

regulations.

The WEEE regulations were well meaning

and in theory made perfect sense. Many

electronic items contain precious metals

such as copper, iron, silicon, nickel and gold.

These metals can be extracted during an

appropriate recycling process and obviously

reused. A standard mobile phone, for


Counting the environmentalcosts of e-waste

www.itrportal.com

By Mark Beauchamp,European marketing managerfor Citizen Systems Europe.

OPINION

For developing nations there is a real opportunity to createefficient and safe operations where goods are properly recycled,refurbished and even re-exported, creating much neededemployment and skills.”

“

IT RESELLER – MAY 2011 39www.itrportal.com

OPINION

example, is 19 per cent copper and 8 per

cent iron. Manufacturing mobile phones and

personal computers consumes 3 per cent of

all the gold and silver mined worldwide each

year, 13 per cent of the palladium and 15 per

cent of all cobalt. Simply discarding these

items makes no sense whatsoever.

Incineration is equally wasteful and also

extremely dangerous, as in the process,

highly carcinogenic substances can be

released in the environment.

Mobile phones are of particular concern as

their lifespan is well below that of a standard

computer or other peripherals. Fashion and

in-built obsolescence dictates that a mobile

phone is now changed every 18 months or

so, with the result that the International

Telecommunications Union estimates that 5

billion phones are registered every year

globally. With such short lifespan and

extreme portability it’s easy to dispose of

unwanted phones, though many remain at

the back of cupboards probably for several

years, before their owners finally decided to

dispose of them.

There is now a brisk trade of e-waste from

developed countries to India, China and

Africa. China is making serious attempts at

preventing becoming a global dumping

ground. This isn’t entirely selfless, however,

as China already produces about 2.3 million

tonnes (2010 estimate) of domestic waste,

second only to the United States with

approximately 3 million tonnes. Moreover,

most of China’s own e-waste is improperly

handled, much of it incinerated by backyard

recyclers to recover valuable metals like gold

– a practice that releases steady plumes of

far-reaching toxic pollution and yields very

low metal recovery rates compared to state-

of-the-art industrial facilities.

Dumping ground

In India the situation is more

complex and with fewer controls it’s

much more difficult to estimate the

scale of the problems. However, a

leading environmental group

estimates that in Delhi alone over

30,000 people are employed in the

task of recovering e-waste. The real

problem relates to Africa and to

Ghana in particular, a country with a

GDP of just over 600 US$. Ghana has

recently been named the dumping

ground of used gadgets and the problem is

exacerbated by the fact that Ghanaians

living abroad literally scavenge for these

discarded items in Europe and America,

package them and then ship them home,

according to officials from the Ghana

Standards Board. This can be a lucrative

trade but ultimately the costs are passed on

to the already impoverished state, in terms

of safe disposal and health risks. In the

heart of Accra – in an area called

Abgogbloshie – lies one of the most toxic

and polluted sites in Ghana, which is where

all discarded electrical gadgets are

dumped. Thick black smoke billows from

different parts of the site as parts are burnt

in an attempt to retrieve the copper. In the

process, people inhale toxic smoke

containing lead and cadmium, a carcinogen

that damages lungs and kidneys.

In the light of the above it seems that

directives alone, no matter how well

meaning, will not be enough to prevent

large scale environmental problems, unless

proper recycling processes are in place

globally. For developing nations there is a

real opportunity to create efficient and safe

operations where goods are properly

recycled, refurbished and even re-

exported, creating much needed

employment and skills. Yet such an

enlightened approach can only come with

a combination of scaled up control

measures combined with well-targeted aid

from developed countries. �

A study by the American Chemical Societyestimates that e-waste from developing nationswill reach 700 million units by 2030, 500 millionmore than which the developed nations would

have produced by the same date.

CITIZEN SYSTEMS EUROPECitizen Systems Europe operates from locations throughout Europecovering the EMEA region. It offers a wide range of printers for industrial,retail, healthcare and mobile applications specialising in label, barcode,portable and point-of-sale printers. In each case, the company’s productsare sold and supported by a network of specialised partners. CitizenSystems Europe is a wholly owned subsidiary of Citizen Systems Japan andpart of the Citizen group of companies, a global organisation thatmanufactures products ranging from its world-famous Eco-Drive watches,calculators, mini-printers and industrial printing systems to machine tools,quartz oscillators, LEDs and other electronic components.


DATAMAX O’NEIL

WHITE PAPER EXTRACT

www.itrportal.com

With the growing emphasis

on cost cutting,

companies need to find

new and better ways to

enhance efficiencies and

ensure accuracy across their supply chains

and distribution networks. One strategy that

is still effective in helping achieve this goal

is the implementation of greater mobility into

warehousing and distribution functions

through devices such as mobile printers.

According to a recent study, mobile devices

and software commonly improve workforce

production by 20 per cent or more. This

translates into lower labour costs, lower

operating costs, and faster payback on

investment1. Such gains are not hard to

envision. By minimising the time needed to

print labels and apply them to materials,

work in process, finished goods, pallets,

boxes etc., mobile printers help drive down

labour costs while improving performance

on the warehouse and DC floors.

Similarly, companies bound by centralised

printing and labelling solutions risk

diminished productivity and increase the

likelihood of errors because workers have to

leave their positions to travel to and from

the centralised printing station to retrieve

barcode labels. While the integration of

these centralised stations with enterprise

applications has proven effective in driving

up efficiencies and driving down costs, they

have in many cases reached their potential.

To further streamline the operation of

processes and extend the value of software

and computer assets within the warehouse,

mobile printing solutions can empower the

worker, right where he or she is at that

moment, whenever he or she demands this

functionality.

The case for mobile printers in thewarehouse

Greater efficiency and reducing the cost of

errors are the two principal drivers of mobile

printing in warehouse operations. When

pallets are unloaded from a truck that is

delivering goods to be stored in a receiving

warehouse, a forklift is used to get the goods

from the truck. Sometimes an entire pallet

goes in, but in many cases the pallet has to

be broken down. In either case, the

destination for goods has to be identified

and catalogued, and a label has to be put

on each piece, so that it can be identified in

the system (ie. these are wheel bearings,

those are something else). The items have to

be assigned to a location in the warehouse.

All this information has to be clear so that the

manufacturing process can move forward. If

every time a worker goes to a pallet, they

have to go to a printer that is at the end of

their loading dock, operator time is going to

be wasted. The operator has to go back and

forth, pick up the label, put the label on, and

then take the item back to the warehouse.

On the other hand, in this environment, if the

operator is wearing the printer or the printer

is attached to a forklift, then the operator can

print labels as soon as items have been

identified on the pallet – as soon as the pallet

is touched. The operator spends less time

going back and forth to the stationary printer,

and efficiency is increased.

Also if operators are distracted, items may

go to the wrong place in the warehouse or –

worse – outbound items may get shipped to

the wrong destination. Mobile printing greatly

reduces the likelihood of such errors and

their associated costs, which can drive costs

upwards by 15 per cent2. By empowering

printing at the point-of-use, mobile printers

speed time to completion and improve

compliance, as print and label execution

becomes a more natural part of the

employee’s workflow.

Redefine receiving

Instead of workers moving to printers at the

end of the dock or from the dock to the IT

office to pick up labels of advance ship

notices that are printed and stored upon

receipt, they can print at the point of

receiving from belt- or forklift-mounted label

printers. In this way, barcodes or RFID labels

can be affixed immediately upon unloading,

ensuring that incoming items are prepared

accurately for the warehouse’s automated

processing systems. This eliminates the time

required for round trips between the dock

and office, and minimises the chance that a

worker could apply a wrong label. Labelling

items in this manner also ensures that 100

per cent of incoming items are bar-coded, so

that warehouse applications can be fully

leveraged.

Capitalise on cross-docking

By minimising steps for personnel, mobile

printing optimises cross-docking procedures

used at a trans-shipment point to save time

and labor in moving goods from an inbound

vehicle to an outbound vehicle. Staff

equipped with mobile devices can receive

inbound shipments, log them into the

warehouse management or inventory control

systems with a mobile computer or

handheld device, and then use a mobile

printer to create labels with the appropriate

cross-docking information. Doing this at the

point of use speeds the process while

improving accuracy.

Greater efficiency and reducing the costof errors are the two principal drivers of

mobile printing in warehouse operations.

The power ofmobile printing in thewarehouse and beyond

41www.itrportal.com IT RESELLER – MAY 2011

Make putaway painless

Inherent delays in the fixed-printer model –

routing to and from the printer, time spent at

the printer per se – have had a negative

effect on putaway. Using mobile printers

within integrated environments that include

mobile printers, wireless networks, and

shared databases can attain significant

efficiency gains over an architecture that

utilises stationary devices located near, but

not at the point where the work actually

happens. Specifically, an integrated system

empowers personnel to initiate label

requests by entering data into a handheld

computer that transmits the data to the

company’s ERP system over a wireless LAN.

After the ERP system receives the

transmission and updates inventory,

information required to create the

appropriate label or labels is sent back to

the handheld for mobile printing.

Picking possibilities

Since picking is essentially the opposite of

putaway, mobile printers can provide this

function with similar time and cost savings.

By enabling operators to pick multiple orders

simultaneously and within a very small

footprint, mobile printers drive down empty

transit time and drive up productivity. The

printers are used to create barcode or RFID

labels for each individual item; these are

subsequently scanned to speed the sorting

of items for shipment.

Excellence in packing and shipping

When a manufacturing process is finished,

personnel can use the mobile printer to

create a label for the finished goods; or,

warehouses and distribution centers can use

mobile printers to manage ship-to-order

requirements. Workers can use labels and

scanning to verify the pick/pack of all items

necessary to complete an order, eliminating

the need to identify and label final

assemblies. The processing of ship-to-order

requests can be improved by labeling items

with an order code to associate them with a

specific customer during picking or packing.

When the order finishes, a mobile printer

creates the shipping label, ensuring

accuracy in packing and shipping.

Beyond the ordinary

In addition to the classic

warehouse procedures

(receiving, QA, putaway,

picking, packing, and

shipping), mobile printers

are proving effective in

driving efficiencies in other

labelling applications,

including: Asset Tracking;

Compliance Labelling;

Inventory Control; Real-Time

Tracking Status and Spare Parts; Spare Parts

Inventory; Asset Utilisation; Customer

Compliance; and Overage, Shortage, or

Damage. Mobile printers are also showing

value in other environments. For example, on

the manufacturing shop floor, mobile printers

are being used more in actual production

areas – around production lines,

workstations, machines, and equipment –

where point-of-work printing access can

drive up efficiencies by eliminating wasteful

travel and social dwelling time.

Why Datamax O’Neil?

Why does Datamax O’Neil make sense as a

supplier? Two compelling reasons:

RuggednessIn mature markets, which generally are

markets with higher labour costs, many

installations have already been done. When

it comes to portable devices, whether it is a

printer, hand-held terminal, smartphone, or

laptop, those who have used these devices

know the cost of supporting a non-

ruggedised solution is significant. They know

that the total cost of ownership does not pay

off when you have to buy extended

warrantees or have a large hot swap pool to

replace units that keep going down so

operators can keep working, either on the

manufacturing floor or in the field. Datamax

O’Neil mobile printing solutions eliminate

these problems because they are ultra-

rugged by design, providing a truly durable

solution that doesn’t need frequent

maintenance or replacing.

Easy integration Datamax O’Neil printers are designed to

reduce your fixed cost of installation,

even when the printer comes with a full

complement of accessories (eg. fork-

truck mounts, power supplies for in-

vehicle applications, multiple battery

chargers). Accessories also include

language emulators; Datamax O’Neil has

control language emulation that covers

ZPL, CPTL, and IPL, as well as Datamax

O’Neil’s own DPL. Many Datamax O’Neil

printers can automatically interrogate the

data stream and apply one of many

control languages that is native to the

device. The rugged and portable RL4

‘speaks’ six different control languages.

Easy integration also means integrating

well with Warehouse Management

Systems (WMS). SAP has a WMS module

specifically designed to improve

warehousing environments, as do Oracle,

Manhattan Associates and many other

WMS solution providers. These

companies make software specifically

designed to allow manufacturers to better

organise the flow of products across their

shop floors and through their

warehouses. Datamax O’Neil’s proven

compatibility with these WMS is another

important differentiator.

Specific solutions for your warehousing,

distribution centre, retail, or route

accounting applications keep your

business efficient and error free.

NOTES

1. ‘Rationalising Maintenance without

Compromising Capability’, ARC

Insights, Arc Advisory Group, July 22, 2010.

2. ‘InfoTrends/CAP Ventures Studies Document

Costs for Major Organisations Worldwide’,

InfoTrends/CAP Ventures, September 28, 2005.

DATAMAX O’NEIL

WHITE PAPER EXTRACT

Datamax-O’Neil’s 4-inch label printer, the

RL4, designed forrugged environments

typically found inmanufacturing,

transportation andlogistics applications.It is ideal for wearingon a belt or mounting

to a forklift anddelivers labels where

you are, when youwant them.

This expansion follows the rapid

growth of Zebra’s partner base

since it launched the

PartnersFirst scheme five years

ago, and more recently to

support its global ISV programme which was

announced earlier this year. ISVs can now

take advantage of Zebra’s reseller channel

and global sales resources, as well as global

alliance partnerships that include Motorola,

IBM, Oracle and SAP.

“We have developed our partner network

significantly and we understand that

companies in the channel appreciate the

benefits of joining a programme that will offer

them the support required to stay ahead of

the competition,” said Rebecca Brookes,

channel marketing team manager, Zebra

Technologies. “We are now extremely well

positioned to support our evolving channel

and ISV base in the UK and across EMEA.

With these new roles in place, I look forward

to further success in the relationships with

our channel partners.”

New roles

To support the latest developments Zebra

has added to its marketing team a range of

new channel programme and channel

marketing roles which include an EMEA ISV

programme manager, a channel marketing

manager and two channel programmes

development specialists.

As ISV programme manager, Chris Ayres will

now adapt Zebra’s global programme to the

EMEA region and manage Zebra’s ISV

programme across Europe. As the new

channel marketing manager, Chris Gubbins

will focus on the development of various

programmes including incentives and

marketing support, while the channel

programme specialists’ roles will include

overseeing the ongoing development of

online resources for partners, and

programmes for partners that specialise in

specific product areas. �


Printing & labelling Company news

www.itrportal.com

Zebra Technologies establishesnew EMEA channel marketing teamto support global ISV initiative

“ ZEBRA TECHNOLOGIESZebra Technologies Corporationoffers a broad range of enablingsolutions to identify, track andmanage critical assets, people andtransactions for improved businessefficiencies. Serving more than 90per cent of Global Fortune 500companies in more than 100countries around the world, Zebra’sspecialty on-demand printing, RFIDand enterprise location solutionshelp customers create smarter andmore connected infrastructures,resulting in significant improvementsin visibility and businessperformance.

Zebra Technologies Corporation, the global provider of specialty printing, RFID andenterprise location solutions, has announced the expansion of its EMEA channel

marketing expertise with the addition of four new team roles…

We have developed our partner network significantly and we

understand that companies in the channel appreciate the benefits

of joining a programme that will offer them the support required to

stay ahead of the competition. We are now extremely well

positioned to support our evolving channel and ISV base in the

UK and across EMEA.”

– Rebecca Brookes Zebra Technologies.

ISVs can now take advantage of Zebra’s reseller channel and global sales resources, aswell as global alliance partnerships that include Motorola, IBM, Oracle and SAP.


Printing & labelling Interview

www.itrportal.com

Sato has been a well-established

name in the world of barcode

printing solutions for over two

decades, The company’s

product line includes everything

from direct thermal and thermal transfer

printers and RFID smart printers, to OEM

print engines, 10.5in-wide web printers,

printer accessories, label design software,

labels and thermal transfer ribbons. The

company’s prime focus is within the retail

sector, including restaurants and hospitality.

General manufacturing and food

manufacture also makes up a sizable slice of

the company’s customer base, as does

transportation & logistics, government and

healthcare. Sato’s Brian Lang pointed out

that the company’s main theatres of

operation are focused within US, North and

South America, North Africa and Europe –

including Turkey and Greece. Sato also has a

base in Singapore, which manages the

company’s Asia Pacific market activity,

including South Africa.

Three-tier partner model

To further boost its activity in Europe, April

2010 saw Sato launch a new European

Partner Programme. Lang explained that the

rationale behind the launch of this channel

initiative in Europe has been to bolster the

level of VAR partners within three core tiers

within the programme. “We’re looking for

market specialisation, application

specialisation, specific technical skills, value-

added qualities within a segment of our

target markets, and also proven geographic

penetration,” he said, adding: “At the top tier

we’re looking for qualities that are rather

unique, and that make us think we can

invest with these partners and grow a

specific part of the market. At level 2 we’re

looking for partners that have proven AIDC

industry experience, or offer solutions and

services that we can bold our technologies

and solutions to, and take them to our target

markets and geographic segments. The third

level comprises the general AIDC community

that buys and sells product.”

In terms of partner credentials, Lang

explained that Sato supplies a number of

solutions and products that offer access

based on particular qualifications. “We sell

print engines rather than sell print

application machines,” he said, “and we

have a number of partners throughout

Europe that we work closely with. They

take our print engines, built them into their

applications and then sell them into their

particular target marketplace. There are a

number of other products we offer where

there’s a certain certification aspect. Again,

we will provide the base technology. For

instance, if our partners are looking to seel

our recently launched TH2 printer [reported

on in the March 2011 edition of IT Reseller]

there’s a certain certification process they

need to go through involving learning about

the Application Enabled Printing (AEP)

programming language and basically being

able to build and resell these types of

solutions. So we are looking for more

partners with very specific expertise;

companies that can build solutions and

offer them as part of their overall package

to the end customer.”

Strong business proposition

Lang added that Sato’s market share in

Europe is convincing, and sales continue to

grow. “So attractive sales opportunities for

our partners are certainly in place,” he said.

Lang added that Sato provides solutions that

can add significant value to its partners’

business proposition. He also pointed out

that the company is able to provide a good

level of local support, with around 400

people spread throughout Europe offering

sales and technical back-up when required.

“Together with attractive margin

opportunities, we believe we offer a highly

attractive business proposition to our

partners,” concluded Lang. �

Channel push continuesfor Sato

IT Reseller spoke with Brian Lang, managing director International Europe at Sato,about the company’s channel strategy and what its European Partner Programme can

offer existing and prospective VARs.

Brian Lang: Attractive business proposition.


Product news Document Management

Konica Minolta’s Bizhub Press

C8000 digital production print

system has received

‘Exceptional 5-Star Rating’ from

The Business Equipment

Research and Test Laboratories Inc (BERTL)

in the US. The ‘Exceptional 5-Star Rating’ is

highly significant because BERTL is an

independent testing laboratory providing

objective, independent product evaluation

reports and comparative analyses on

imaging devices and software solutions.

BERTL ‘Exceptional 5-Star Rating’ is only

awarded to industry-leading products, and

positions the Bizhub Press C8000 as the

must-have colour digital press for the

production print

marketplace.

“Konica Minolta has

drawn the line in the

sand and set a

new quality of

standard with the

Bizhub PRESS C8000,” said Arthur V.

Wynne, III, President, BERTL, Inc. “This

feature-rich production system certainly

steps up to the challenge and exceeds

expectations by delivering an end-to-end

production solution. Customers concerned

with image quality and full production

capabilities will find that the Bizhub Press

C8000 will not only meet their needs but

exceed their expectations. BERTL analysts

were very impressed with the image quality

generated from the Bizhub C8000.”

During the extensive product

testing, the Bizhub Press C8000

reached 5-Star Ratings in high

profile categories

such as finishing,

media handling,

printing, image

quality and features.

BERTL also

mentioned the

system’s security

and workflow capabilities as well as its ease-

of-use and configuration options with three

different image controllers.

Independent endorsement

For Konica Minolta Business Solutions (UK),

Pauline Brooks, group product manager for

the Production Print Division commented:

“The Konica Minolta approach to customer

intimacy is key in providing outstanding

equipment. Only through customer intimacy

can we truly understand what our customers

want and need from production class

equipment. The BERTL 5-Star rating

provides an excellent independent

endorsement of the Bizhub Press C8000’s

performance, quality and reliability. It is an

endorsement that buyers can trust and use

as a benchmark. Konica Minolta is

committed to providing outstanding digital

print solutions to meet the needs of print

professionals and the BERTL 5-Star rating is

clear evidence of this.” �

Abbyy – provider of document

recognition, document capture,

and linguistic technologies and

services – has announced the

availability of Abbyy

FlexiCapture 10, the next generation of its

data and document capture system. With the

new release, Abbyy offers one of the most

comprehensive data capture solutions, serving

a broad range of user scenarios from desktop

to enterprise level and delivering template-

based form processing and intelligent

document recognition in a single product.

Abbyy comments that new FlexiCapture

technology with auto-learning helps

companies ‘start smart’, significantly

reducing an organisation's time to results,

yet delivering a high level of accuracy in

locating and recognising data fields in

documents of any level of complexity. The

system also extends its feature set for the

enterprise with enhanced processing power

and maximum fault tolerance. In addition, it

delivers new intelligent tools for remote

operations as well as customisation features

for easier integration with business

processes and applications.

Addressing document processing problems

common among large organisations, Abbyy

FlexiCapture 10 provides intelligent

technologies for streamlining the process of

extracting key data from a variety of

documents including machine-readable

forms, semi-structured and unstructured

documents. It offers a full range of

functionality for document scanning,

classification, indexing and data extraction,

enabling the solution to meet needs specific

to each individual organisation. An all-in-one

solution, FlexiCapture 10 scales from a

standalone application to a distributed

system. It is designed to locate key data

fields on complex document layouts so that

it can process multiple types of documents

in a single stream, eliminating the need for

multiple systems to process different kinds of

document types.

"FlexiCapture has evolved with the needs of the

market, becoming more and more self-sufficient

and capable of performing the majority of tasks

automatically and simplifying various stages of

the document management process in

organisations," said Aram Pakhchanian, director

of Data Capture Products department at Abbyy.

"FlexiCapture 10's product advancements were

developed to save organisations time,

streamline data processing and communication,

and reduce implementation costs, ultimately

improving the user experience for both

customers and integrators." �

Konica Minolta's Bizhub Press C8000receives highest product rating from BERTL

Abbyy releases FlexiCapture 10 softwaresystem for enterprise data and document capture

www.itrportal.com

Konica Minolta’s Bizhub Press C8000 digitalproduction print system has received ‘Exceptional5-Star Rating’ from BERTL.

Product news


Document ManagementOpinion

Have you been told ‘you don’t needto defragment’ when adding a SANenvironment into your network estate?

“Tips, best practices and SAN I/O optimisationmethodologies should always be obtainedfrom the respective SAN vendor.”

By Naveen Louis, IT consultant at Diskeeper Corporation Europe.

With massive electronic

data growth occurring

today, there is now a

much greater need for

storage. SAN is at the

forefront for most storage solutions and

providers such as HP, IBM and NetApp, to

name a few, are providing the necessary

platforms to cater to this. Virtualisation and

Cloud solutions are promising less hardware

in this respect but data storage, if held

locally, will inevitably mean acquiring more

hardware. This additional hardware is where

the problem will lie in terms of cost for many

companies today.

Misconception

It therefore stands to reason that making full

use of your SAN potential is vital. A common

misconception related to SAN storage

environments is that they don’t suffer from

fragmentation related issues. This is the

‘party line’ being handed out by many of the

storage providers. There are plausibly a

couple of reasons for

this. First, that each

SAN provider will have

their own propriety

logic when it comes to

arranging blocks

within the SAN

environment, and

secondly, which is

more likely, is that

they get to sell more

hardware to their

customers.

To understand this a little better, every file

system is a ‘virtual’ disk, stacking one virtual

component over another (ie. one file system

on top of another). What the vendor of a

SAN file system does at their SAN file system

level is irrelevant to what the Windows file

system does underneath ― all Windows file

systems fragment, regardless.

SANs typically employ a clustered/SAN file

system to pool disk arrays into a

virtualised storage volume. This is not

Windows NTFS, but rather the proprietary

software, provided by a SAN hardware or

software vendor. Claims that ‘you do not

need to defragment’ may be

misunderstood and incorrectly implied to

mean ‘Windows NTFS’ ― NTFS always

needs to be defragmented. It is very

possible that you do not need to

defragment the ‘SAN file system’. Tips,

best practices and SAN I/O optimisation

methodologies should always be obtained

from the respective SAN vendor.

SANs are only ever block-level storage, they

do not know what I/Os relate to what files.

Therefore they cannot intelligently spread the

fragments of a file across multiple disks. A

whole mass of separate I/Os writes/reads for

fragmented files (which will most certainly be

interspersed with other simultaneous data

writes/reads) will non-optimally be spread

across the disks in the SAN storage pool.

Measurement

As for NTFS, it still fragments and causes the

Windows OS to ‘split’ I/O requests for files

sent into the SAN, creating a performance

penalty. You can measure this using the

Window's built-in PerfMon tool and watch

the split I/O counter. You can also use the

Average Queued Disk I/O, given that you

account for the number of physical spindles.

The only solution offered by SAN vendors to

address the split I/O problem is adding more

spindles. This solution would mask the

problem by dispersing the I/Os across the

additional disks. This would mean you will

need to add more disks as the I/O

bottleneck increases, which would occur

over a period of time.

The actual problem lies at the NTFS level, for

every fragment of a file is a separate I/O that

has to be generated to access it. The less

fragmented a file is, the less I/Os are required

to access the file, compared to when it is

heavily fragmented. �

Virtualisation and Cloud

solutions are promising less

hardware in this respect but

data storage, if held locally, will

inevitably mean acquiring more

hardware. This additional

hardware is where the problem

will lie in terms of cost for many

companies today.”

“

Naveen Louis: Theless fragmented afile is, the less I/Osare required toaccess the file.

www.itrportal.com

This is the second successive year

that Version One has been

declared a Green IT Awards

winner after its tree planting

scheme won the ‘Best Carbon

Offsetting Scheme of the Year’ category in

2010. This year’s winners were announced at

an awards ceremony on 19 May 2011 held at

London Zoo.

The Green IT Awards recognise the

outstanding environmental products, suppliers

and projects of 2010 and highlight the

companies and teams that have made

significant contributions to improving the IT

industry’s environmental performance.

Blenheim Palace is the ancestral home of the

11th Duke and Duchess of Marlborough and

the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. As a

prestigious World Heritage Site, Blenheim

Palace wanted to reduce its impact on the

environment and selected Version One’s

solutions to electronically store and process

the 20,000 financial documents it handles

each year.

StreamliningVersion One’s systems have significantly

streamlined Blenheim Palace’s financial

processes, drastically reducing its

environmental impact. The 20,000 purchase

invoices Blenheim Palace receives each year

are now being scanned, tagged to the

appropriate record in the Palace’s Sage Line

500 accounting system and electronically

stored. The original paper copies can then be

destroyed. Purchase invoices are now

retrieved electronically by authorised users,

eliminating the need to photocopy, file and

post paper documents.

Julian Buck, Version One’s managing director,

commented: “We are delighted to have won

this prestigious award in partnership with

Blenheim Palace, building on our previous

success at last year’s Green IT Awards. Our

innovative solutions help organisations to

transform their efficiency levels and

significantly reduce their environmental

impact by eliminating the need to store,

process and distribute large volumes of

paper. We are therefore very proud to be

recognised as an environmental leader within

the IT industry once again.”

Version One’s portfolio of document

management and imaging solutions enable

the electronic creation, storage, retrieval,

management, delivery and authorisation of

business documents. By implementing

Version One’s systems, businesses

significantly reduce their paper consumption,

cutting costs and improving process

efficiencies whilst supporting their

environmental agendas. �


NETWORKING—SECURITY—UPS—STORAGE

Company news

Version One toasts Green IT Awardssuccess for second year running

www.itrportal.com

Document management and imaging software author, Version One, inpartnership with Blenheim Palace, has won the ‘Environmental Project of

the Year’ category of the Green IT Awards 2011…

Version One Version One is the author of electronic document management and imaging

solutions. These solutions enable the electronic storage, retrieval, management,

enhancement and delivery of business documents such as invoices, purchase

orders and statements. This 'paperless office' technology is seamlessly integrated

into all major ERP and accounting systems and with a typical ROI of less than six

months, Version One's solutions are enabling thousands of organisations to cut

paper consumption whilst saving dramatic amounts of time and money.To increase

the awareness of Version One’s Clean and Green Project and for project information

and updates as well as green hints and tips, Version One has launched its Eco

Gecko website www.ecogecko.org. Version One is an Advanced Computer Software

Group plc company.

Anew browser-based module

from DocuWare called Smart

Connect lets users incorporate a

document management solution

into other applications without

any special programming. Whether for

processing orders, authorising invoices or

clearing up inquiries, the necessary

documents for any workflow processes can be

accessed with a single click of a button.

Documents can also be archived in the same

manner, straight out of any application.

DocuWare reports that cumbersome key

combinations are no longer necessary; users

can simply position a button comfortably

anywhere within their familiar business

applications to access DocuWare. Whether

searching for a document or indexing before

storage, with a Smart Connect button

information can be used directly from the user

interface.

Web-based – no effort, no cost The new Web-based module is easy to use

and does not require a complicated client

installation. Also, a Wizard is on hand to help

any proficient user set up a configuration. The

user determines which content will be used

from the application and whether a search or

indexing process will be started. Next, a Smart

Connect button is created to launch the

configuration. How the button is labelled and

where it is positioned on the user interface can

be customised by the user.

Manifold benefits

With the new module users

can access information

needed for any process with a

single mouse click, straight

out of any application. It can

also be used to store

documents as part of any

workflow. For example, if

users need to access a stored

incoming customer order from

their accounting program, they

simply click on the Smart

Connect button. Multiple

buttons can also be set up in a

single screen mask.

“By incorporating the latest Web technology in

the development of our products, users get

many benefits,” said DocuWare co-president

Juergen Biffar. “As an example, Browser-

based applications are much easier for

administrators to use and can be distributed

throughout an organisation, without a lot of

effort spent on configuration or installation.” �


DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT

www.itrportal.com

Product news

DocuWare SmartConnect – findingand storingdocuments with oneclick of a button

“With the new module users can access information needed

for any process with a single mouse click, straight out of any

application. It can also be used to store documents as part of

any workflow.”

Juergen Biffar: “By incorporating thelatest Web technology in thedevelopment of our products, usersget many benefits.”

The new Web-based module is easy to use anddoes not require a complicated client installation.

IT RESELLER – MARCH 201148


www.itrportal.com

Company news

To Come

With immediate effect, all

UPS products, including

those previously sold under

the Aros name, will be

marketed worldwide under

the Riello UPS brand, with a new logo and

visual identity. All solar inverter products will be

sold under the AROS Solar Technology brand.

For UPS customers and business partners,

the consolidation under the Riello UPS brand

signals the successful conclusion of the 14-

year-old integration of Riello UPS and Aros

engineering, manufacturing and marketing

resources into a single UPS supplier.

Stronger focus Roberto Facci, Riello’s international sales

director, commented: “Our UPS customers and

partners will benefit from a stronger focus on

the UPS business by a dedicated UPS team.

That will translate into a stronger product

portfolio, enhanced service and support and

stronger brand visibility and communications.”

Fabio Passuello, CEO of Riello Elettronica,

added: “Both our UPS and solar inverter

businesses have achieved remarkable growth

in virtually every market where we are active.

By consolidating each business under a

dedicated brand, we are creating a strong

marketing platform to support future growth

worldwide.”

Ongoing growth opportunities Solar inverter customers and partners are

expected to benefit as Aros Solar Technology

teams focus their attention and resources

exclusively on this rapidly growing sector.

Facci said: “Consolidating all of our UPS

activities under a single, global brand reflects

both our strong UPS positions and our

ongoing growth opportunities, especially in

EMEA, India and China.”

As the brand consolidation rolls out, UPS and

solar inverter customers and partners will

continue to benefit from the full current

portfolios of products and services. The

branding initiative will reportedly have no

impact on employment. To continue building

the Riello UPS brand, the three-year-old Riello

UPS sponsorship/partnership with the Ducati

Corse motorcycle racing team was renewed

for 2011. �

49


Company news

Riello UPS brand will consolidateentire Riello Elettronica UPS portfolio

www.itrportal.com IT RESELLER – MAY 2011

Riello Elettronica has launched a branding initiative designed to reinforce theglobal marketing and sales efforts supporting its rapidly growing UPS portfolio…

Riello UPS at a glanceRiello UPS, a Riello Elettronica Group company, develops, manufactures, markets

and services static uninterruptible power supplies (UPS). The company provides UPS

solutions for offices, electro-medical environments, safety and emergency devices,

data centres, industrial complexes and communications systems. A worldwide sales

and services network, including fully owned subsidiaries and selected business

partners, enables Riello UPS to serve customers throughout EMEA, Asia/Pacific and

South America. In 2009, Riello Elettronica, a privately-held company, reported

revenues totalling more than 160 million euros, with an EBITDA in excess of 22

million and a cash flow of 21.2 million. Riello UPS (UK) is part of the Riello Elettronica

group and has subsidiary companies and support offices across the world.

Riello UPS – creating a strong marketingplatform to support future growth worldwide.

“Our UPS customers and partners will benefit from a stronger

focus on the UPS business by a dedicated UPS team. That will

translate into a stronger product portfolio, enhanced service and

support and stronger brand visibility and communications.”

– Roberto Facci, Riello UPS.

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Fax this page to: +44 (0)1707 664800

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On 14 June 2011, the ScanSource Europe Partner Tour stops off at Vinopolis in London.

The ScanSource Europe Partner Tour 2011 is your industry event of the year. We’re coming to you with

another fantastic programme – education, entertainment and quality networking time.

This day is specially designed for your business to get as much out of it as possible. Invite your colleagues

and make it a trip to remember.

What we offer you:

- Vendor demonstration area and ISV area. Join us and meet representatives from all the top brands in

the Auto-ID industry as they showcase their latest hardware. Our software partners will present you

their most innovative applications

- Opportunities to meet with ScanSource local teams and executives

- A day filled with quality networking, followed by a fantastic dinner and entertainment.

Go to www.partnertour.eu and register yourself and colleagues.

Act fast, as the number of participants is limited.

IT Reseller May'11

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