IDC's Software Sales Channels service offers intelligence and expertise to help channel executives and program managers develop, implement, support, and manage effective channel strategies and programs to drive successful relationships with the spectrum of partner businesses (e.g., VARs, ISVs, SIs, and volume resellers). In addition, it provides a comprehensive view of the value of the indirect software market and its leading vendor proponents. This service also identifies and analyzes key industry trends and their impact on channel relationship drivers and channel partner business models. Subscribers to this service are invited to participate in IDC's Software Channel Leadership Council, a biannual event focused on providing channel executives with a forum for problem solving through networking and information sharing.

This service covers the following segments of the software sales channel market:

• Software sales channel revenue flow
• Software sales channel market impact
• Partner-to-partner networking
• SMB and industry markets
• Software channel investment
• Software channel program best practices

Throughout the year, this service will address the following topics:

• Adoption of best practices for partner program design, implementation, support, and management
• The evolution of partner-to-partner networks
• SMB and industry market dynamics
• Software market trends in the use of channels
• Channel investment and staffing benchmarks
• Software partner margin analyses

Our research addresses the following issues that are critical to your success:

1. What are the most effective ways to allocate resources to supporting channel strategies and programs?
2. How are software vendors maximizing the influence and resale capabilities of their channel?
3. How are partner-to-partner networks impacting channel strategies, and what are software vendors doing to address it?
4. What are the key components of a channel program, and which software companies are developing winning strategies in this area?
5. What are vendors currently doing to drive partner profitability, satisfaction, and loyalty?
6. How large is the indirect software channel across regions, and how does revenue flow through it?

IDC's Software Sales Channels service analyzes the channel strategies, program best practices, positioning, and overall strategic directions of major software vendors and partner organizations. IDC's Software Sales Channels service analysts utilize both a quantitative comparison of activities and programs and a qualitative understanding of each organization's strategies to develop a complete view of channel activity and key trends. A representative list of vendors tracked includes:

Adobe, Arrow, Avaya, Avnet, BEA, BMC, Business Objects, CA, CDW, Check Point, Cisco, Citrix, EMC, HP, IBM, Ingram Micro, Intel, McAfee, Microsoft, Novell, Oracle, Progress, Red Hat, Sage, SAP, SAS, Software Spectrum, Sun, Sybase, Symantec, Tech Data, and Websense.

In addition to vendor analysis, IDC provides an analysis of the strategies of major channel organizations (including distributors and resellers) and complementary partners, such as SIs, system vendors, and ISVs.

Throughout the year, this service will offer insight into the latest trends impacting the market. Potential studies include:

Studies driven by a biannual survey of partners (VARs, SIs, ISVs, logistics resellers) that will provide insight into software buying and business model drivers and inhibitors.

This study provides a top-down sizing of the current and forecast software channel market. It analyzes the flow of software revenue through tier 1 and tier 2 channels in each software market tracked by IDC and also reviews key impacting trends.

These studies examine and analyze channel programs/strategies and identify winning practices. They encompass a review of one or more facets of a program or specific partner initiatives.

This research identifies critical issues and strategic trends in channel management. It represents a dialogue on key topics between IDC and channel executives participating in IDC's Software Sales Channels and Software Channel Leadership Council services.

This event is a semiannual gathering of clients and key channel executives for a one-day exchange of ideas, insights, and opportunities. These studies provide the analysis of each event to help members synthesize and articulate key findings.

This ongoing survey targeted at partner communities provides insight into how key trends in the industry are impacting partner businesses. Results are presented in a Web-based format that is also made available for download.

IDC offers a complete market intelligence solution customized to meet your business requirements. The array of products and services available to you includes:

• The opportunity to have your specific questions answered through personal interaction with industry experts who cover the topics and markets in your service
• Around-the-clock access to our market intelligence on idc.com, IDC's personalized Web experience
• A view of the market's future with 12 months of continuous intelligence about its direction and the reasons behind it, along with actionable advice for taking advantage of existing and emerging opportunities
• Special client discount pricing on purchases of research from other services
• Complimentary admission to IDC's annual Directions conference, where you'll hear our latest forecasts and network with IDC analysts and other industry professionals
• Complimentary invitations to monthly executive telebriefings, interactive forums designed to provide you with insights about research and strategies directly from IDC analysts

To find out how our flexible packaging options can meet your specific business needs, please contact your IDC sales executive.

As a privately held company, IDC believes that our customers are our primary constituency. A large percentage of every revenue dollar is reinvested back into our products, including more analysts, more geographic coverage, and extensive primary research.

Our steady growth over the past 10 years reflects our commitment to investing in our customers.