  We discuss the field theory interpretation (via holographic duality) of some
recently-discovered string theory solutions with varying flux, focusing on four
dimensional theories with N=2 supersymmetry and with N=1 supersymmetry which
arise as the near-horizon limits of "fractional D3-branes". We argue that in
the N=2 case the best interpretation of the varying flux in field theory is via
a Higgs mechanism reducing the rank of the gauge group, and that there is no
need to invoke a duality to explain the varying flux in this case. We discuss
why a similar interpretation does not seem to apply to the N=1 case of Klebanov
and Strassler, which was interpreted as a "duality cascade". However, we
suggest that it might apply to different vacua of the same theory, such as the
one constructed by Pando Zayas and Tseytlin.
