Apple in the Enterprise Part 2
Byte of the Apple is asking some important questions
Byte of the Apple
No exec to head up the enterprise sales group...so where does that leave Apple now. Great products, but not enough traction.
This is where IBM could come in quite handy. One of the main criticisms of Apple push into corporations is support. Where is the special unit dedicated to large account tech support. Big accounts demand knowledeable and always availible support. Apple's limited Applecare is not enough. IBM's servicec division could step in and fill in the blanks until Apple gets the program established, in a super partnership. IBM already has the respect Apple needs to succeed.
The g5 Xserves are waiting for some customers. Who is going to get them there?
Looking at the recent/potential announcements on tap for the rest of the year the time is right:
1. ichat/isight = cheap video conferencing
2. powerbook g5's
3. 64-bit consumer desktops? (maybe imacs)
4. faster powermacs (already Apple is one of the largest 64-bit machine sellers)
5. More open source projects
Byte of the Apple
No exec to head up the enterprise sales group...so where does that leave Apple now. Great products, but not enough traction.
This is where IBM could come in quite handy. One of the main criticisms of Apple push into corporations is support. Where is the special unit dedicated to large account tech support. Big accounts demand knowledeable and always availible support. Apple's limited Applecare is not enough. IBM's servicec division could step in and fill in the blanks until Apple gets the program established, in a super partnership. IBM already has the respect Apple needs to succeed.
The g5 Xserves are waiting for some customers. Who is going to get them there?
Looking at the recent/potential announcements on tap for the rest of the year the time is right:
1. ichat/isight = cheap video conferencing
2. powerbook g5's
3. 64-bit consumer desktops? (maybe imacs)
4. faster powermacs (already Apple is one of the largest 64-bit machine sellers)
5. More open source projects
Comments
Quoting from Jade's Link:
Apple needs a visible sales boss to energize the troops and close bigger deals. It needs to offer better guarantees to potential customers. And it needs to give corporate IT departments a reason to believe that the Mac folks know big business just like the people at Dell, HP, or IBM.
That's a sizable cultural shift, but a necessary one if Apple hopes to play in the competitive corporate-computing market. Now is the time to move.
Indeed, now is the time to make some moves for Apple. Jade's "Super Partnership" with IBM seems to be the best of all possible moves.
Originally posted by JLL
Hopefully the launch of Oracle 10g will mean a co-marketing effort by Apple and Oracle in the same way that Oracle partnered with Red Hat and Sun.
well macnn reported this:
Novell will offer Mac support with the version 6.5 of its GroupWise Cross-Platform client, which will ship with the upcoming GroupWise 6.5 for Linux, according to Novell representatives. Due "in a month or two," it will require Mac OS X.3 and JVM 1.4.2. Other features of the release include multi-user and multi-session support, integrated zip/pdf tools, integration with antivirus software, user-definied startup attributes, integrated SMS messaging, logging, address book import/export, and SSL security for sending and receiving messages. The GroupWise Cross-platform Client is now in Extended Authorized Beta.
now THAT is a big thing for enterprise clients
Originally posted by JLL
Hopefully the launch of Oracle 10g will mean a co-marketing effort by Apple and Oracle in the same way that Oracle partnered with Red Hat and Sun.
Except that Oracle did not launch an OS X version of 10g and Apple isn't interested in pormoting products for Linux or Windows.
Originally posted by Messiahtosh
Bring in Elisson...wouldnt it be nice? Hey, he did step down as CEO or Oracle...Nah, it'll never happen.
Ellison?! His ego would never allow him to be anything other than a CEO.
It shouldn't be that hard for Apple to attract a good veep. That columnist is hardly the only person to notice that Cupertino has a good thing going, and the chance to grow it - rather than just taking over the reins - should attract talent.
Originally posted by Tomb of the Unknown
Except that Oracle did not launch an OS X version of 10g and Apple isn't interested in pormoting products for Linux or Windows.
Uhm, it's a well known fact that Oracle 10g will be released for Mac OS X. 10g for different platforms are starting to appear now (only three available for now).
But in all seriousness, I think corporate America will start taking notice of Apple when Apple starts getting closer to Intel in Mhz. Intel's at 3.2 now? Apple/IBM will be at 3.0 later this summer. Apple also needs an Exchange server on MacOS X server or a replacement to Exchange.
Originally posted by Leonard
Forget Oracle, bring on the industry standard DB2...
But in all seriousness, I think corporate America will start taking notice of Apple when Apple starts getting closer to Intel in Mhz. Intel's at 3.2 now? Apple/IBM will be at 3.0 later this summer. Apple also needs an Exchange server on MacOS X server or a replacement to Exchange.
Full exchange support on OS X is more important than an exchange killer. Exchange is far too entrenched at this point.
But Apple will need the corporate support to grow marketshare. Most people but the computer they use at work: Dell, HP, whatever. If they don;t see it at work...people don't think it will communicate with work or that people use it.
Originally posted by Messiahtosh
Bring in Elisson...wouldnt it be nice? Hey, he did step down as CEO or Oracle...Nah, it'll never happen.
ellison is an an utter egomanic asshole.
Originally posted by eat@me
ellison is an an utter egomanic asshole.
Steve Jobs has been called worser things.
Originally posted by talksense101
Steve Jobs has been called worser things.
And that was by his friends...
Originally posted by jade
Big accounts demand knowledeable and always availible support. Apple's limited Applecare is not enough. IBM's servicec division could step in and fill in the blanks until Apple gets the program established, in a super partnership. IBM already has the respect Apple needs to succeed.
Well my friend works for a very big company here in NYC who is owned by one of the biggest and they have IBM as their tech support. They still are not allowed to have OSX on there computers cuz IBM does not support it. They are still buying g4 machines made just for them that are running 9.
Originally posted by JLL
Uhm, it's a well known fact that Oracle 10g will be released for Mac OS X.
Really? When is the release date? Seriously, I'd like to know. Oracle hasn't released a peep yet. Some folks are wondering if we'll see 9i for Mac OS X before we ever see 10g.
Originally posted by Tomb of the Unknown
Except that Oracle did not launch an OS X version of 10g and Apple isn't interested in pormoting products for Linux or Windows.
You stompin on OS X Server, which IS a product for Linux/Windows.
-walloo.
Originally posted by Tomb of the Unknown
Really? When is the release date? Seriously, I'd like to know. Oracle hasn't released a peep yet. Some folks are wondering if we'll see 9i for Mac OS X before we ever see 10g.
I have no firm release date, but they are releasing them now. They already released 10g for Linux x86, Solaris, HP-UX, AIX5L and the Tru64 version is about to be released (notice no Windows version yet either).
You won't see new 9i releases for Mac OS X.
1) Xserve RAID + Candera SANs
They partnered with Apple for SAN/nearline storage and provisioning tools. Clients include Apple (ALL of Apple's corporate and Internet XServes use it) and the CIA to name a few.
www.Candera.com
2) Exabyte LTO auto-loader:
rackmount
1 u thick
11 LTO tapes per loader (100 GB per tape)
1394 (Firewire) I/O
(not shown on their site yet, but it will be out SOON)
Apple went to THEM and asked to build this! And they complied.
www.exabyte.com
http://www.apple.com/xserve/raid/certifications.html
It MUST do these things:
Work without crashing. (No. Really)
Connect and display corporate GALs properly. Entourage does NOT.
Support calendars and schedualing. I mean really do it right.
Work seemless with PCs.
Render html mail (remember Outlook 2001?)
Security: Work with Acitve Directory and Exchange servers properly with things like forced user password changes, policies etc. Entourage does NOT work right.
Support .PST files damnit. Entourage does NOT. Deal killer.
Originally posted by willywalloo
You stompin on OS X Server, which IS a product for Linux/Windows.
-walloo.
What are you talking about?
Originally posted by dstranathan
RE: Exchange client:
It MUST do these things:
Work without crashing. (No. Really)
Connect and display corporate GALs properly. Entourage does NOT.
Support calendars and schedualing. I mean really do it right.
Work seemless with PCs.
Render html mail (remember Outlook 2001?)
Security: Work with Acitve Directory and Exchange servers properly with things like forced user password changes, policies etc. Entourage does NOT work right.
Support .PST files damnit. Entourage does NOT. Deal killer.
I've given up on Microsoft to give us this solution. Office 2004 won't have them. Apple's Mail works good, except GALs and scheduling, but I use Snerdware's products for those features.