Smart solution providers are always on the lookout for ways to grow their business and better serve their customers, and if that means bringing in new products from new vendors, that's just fine.

CRN has recently completed a detailed survey of solution providers to see which vendors are challenging the market leaders in fourteen different technology categories, including servers, security, storage and networking. In Meet The Channel Contenders, our Scott Campbell reports:

"With the economy lagging, many solution providers say it makes sense to look at more vendors in a given technology product category as a means to reduce costs, make more margin and provide more choices to customers."

You'll find the contenders that solution providers chose in each category described in our slide shows:

The complete report wraps up with our picks for The Top 30 Channel Contenders of 2009.