Interesting articles in the news today:

Channel Insider — What IT Leaders are Whispering in Budget Meetings: IT organizations slimmed down their spending in 2009, but are looking to make some strategic IT investments in 2010. What characterizes these investments is that they will provide some cost-cutting or other value to the overall business, according to a new survey conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit and commissioned by Accenture. Here’s an inside look at what’s going on inside IT organization budget meetings as IT leaders look ahead to next year’s strategic initiatives…

Redmond Channel Partner — Partner Hosting Still Has a Future: Long the subject of benign neglect, the Services Provider License Agreement has been rejuvenated in the last year with significant program changes.