Is the cloud killing distributors?

Grazed from CRN.  Author: Sholto Macpherson.

Is cloud computing forcing distributors out of the market? In my column last month, Danny Smith from Express Online hinted as much as he discussed the challenge of finding a role for disties in the new world order.  But some refuse to believe that the cloud only represents a threat. Scott Frew, CEO of Distribution Central, jumped onto LinkedIn to tell me, “Just wanted to say I completely disagree with the article on cloud killing ED. I normally let these things go but I thought it needed some balance on this one.”

I put in a call to Frew and he pointed out the upside in cloud computing – strong growth in networks and hybrid systems. It’s not all talk either: for the year to 30 June, DC broke through the $250 million mark, while Q1 2013 was its most profitable quarter ever…

“Every user needs to get to the cloud through something,” says Frew. “Tablets are going nuts because you don’t need to do the processing locally. Wireless is going nuts. And then you have backhaul – as soon as that Wi-Fi hits a cable you still have all the network infrastructure and WAN optimisation,” Frew says…

Read more from the source @ http://www.crn.com.au/Feature/382366,is-the-cloud-killing-disties.aspx