Good morning, channel partners. Here are five technology news updates, insights, chatter, and plenty more to start your day for Tuesday, October 17, 2017.
Actually, there are nineteen timely updates designed for VARs, managed services providers (MSPs), cloud services providers (CSPs), independent software vendors (ISVs), telco master agents and telco agents to sip on. Take a look
19. Managed Big Data Services: MapR has launched managed services for the company's Converged Data Platform. Available immediately, customers can focus on building a wide range of applications from analytics to machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI), while MapR manages the daily operations of the customer’s big data infrastructure from on-premises, across clouds and to the edge, the company says. MapR also is working with a range of third-party MSPs that support the company's software.18. Container Monitoring:Datadog has launched Live Container Monitoring, allowing partners and customers to track container health, resource consumption and deployments in real time. The monitoring capability was inspired by tools like htop and ctop, Datadog says. The company also offers integrations with Docker, Kubernetes, ECS, and other container technologies. Datadog is an emerging IT monitoring platform provider. The company typically competes vs. Cisco AppDynamics and New Relic.
17. IBM Earnings: The technology giant, which has been shrinking in recent years, is expected to announce quarterly financial results later today. Is this the quarter that IBM's top-line revenues finally stabilize or grow for the first time in several years? Hmmm... We'll be watching that story line, while also tracking the company's strategic imperative revenues for cloud services, security, cognitive computing and more.
16. ServiceNow Earnings: The cloud-based IT service management platform provider is set to announce earnings later today. We'll be listening closely for more partner program milestones. In recent quarters, some midsize and large MSPs have embraced ServiceNow for help desk ticketing and PSA-type functions.
15. Amazon AWS vs. Microsoft Azure Cloud Comparison: Microsoft has launched a cloud service comparison map, detailing Azure vs. Amazon Web Services in 13 sections. We'll share more details soon. Although Azure is growing rapidly, AWS still dominates the public cloud IaaS market, according to Gartner.
14. Government Technology Paradox: First, the good news. The U.S. government is awarding more small business contracts. Now, the bad news for those trying to push into the government sector: Those growing small business wins are going to a fewer, more exclusive pool of small businesses, according to Deltek's research...
13. Radio Shack Layoff Lawsuit: A group of former employees suing defunct RadioShack over botched mass layoffs urged a Delaware bankruptcy court Monday to shoot down the electronic retailer’s proposed Chapter 11 plan, saying it provides no information on how RadioShack will pay for the proposed class action if the laid-off workers prevail, according to Law360.
12. Retail IT Platform: SageNet, an IT solutions provider, is partnering with HP Enterprise and Zynstra to develop a convenience store IT platform. It's built atop HPE's ProLiant Easy Connect offering, according to Tulsa World.
11. IT Service Management: More than 700 customers and partners are attending Cherwell Software’s fifth annual Global Conference (CGC) this week in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The key focus: IT’s evolving role in business, and how future IT service management tools of the future will support those new business realities.
But wait. There's more. Continue to page two for items 10 to 1.Welcome to page two of two, featuring items 10 to 1 for today...10. Distribution:Tech Data has agreed to distribute iDevices' Smart Home Technology products to retailers and solution providers. iDevices manufactures connected power, lighting and climate control solutions for homeowners, professional installers and builders.
9. Accounting Fine: The UK’s accounting watchdog has fined EY £1.8m for misconduct relating to its audit of Tech Data's British unit in 2013, The Financial Times reported. Tech Data in 2013 uncovered what it called “improper” accounting and an “inadequate control environment” in its UK subsidiary, prompting the distributor to restate significant elements of the group's accounting for years as far back as 2009, The Financial Times said.
8. Partner Program Part One: Quantum has launched a new Quantum NOW partner program for North America-based channel partners focused on storage. The company will provide details during a Quantum Elevate 2017 road show through at least November 2017.
Mike Houghton6. Talent:Logicalis US, the large MSP, has hired Mike Houghton as chief sales officer, the MSP and IT service provider confirmed this week. Houghton previously held key roles at Tech Data and Avnet Technology Solutions.
5. MSP Optimization:BitTitan has bolstered its MSPComplete platform to help MSPs further address four key business areas. The focus areas include:
Define and store standard business processes (SOPs), centralizing fragmented and inefficient script management.
Capture employees’ intellectual property (IP) and best practices in a central location, enabling for continuous and efficient organizational updates.
Provide reports on resource allocation and cost savings, identifying optimal opportunities for automation and operational improvements.
Automate manual processes, eliminating technical errors and guaranteeing different people or teams can consistently deliver repeatable services every time.
Details emerged at BitTitan's Elevate 17 conference this week in Denver, Colorado.
4. MSP Billing Software: Quatrro Business Support Services has launched a fully automated Billing Platform for Microsoft CSPs, AWS resellers, Google partners, VARs and MSPs. The system integrates with Microsoft Dynamics.
3. M&A Part One: Cleareon, a network service provider, has acquired "significant data center assets" in and around the New York City (NYC) metropolitan area, the company says. Cleareon plans to offer "hoteling space" and “front-haul” support for DAS, small cell and other wireless systems, as well as 5G-enabled applications such as the Internet of Things (IoT), big data transport and cloud access, the company says. Financial terms for the acquisitions were not disclosed.
2. M&A Part Two: KBR Inc. is acquiring Sigma Bravo Pty Ltd, a provider of high-end Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services for demanding customers like the Australian Defence Force (ADF). Financial terms were not disclosed. KBR employs over 34,000 people worldwide. The company focuses on government services, technology and consulting, engineering and construction.
1. M&A Part Three:Evolve IP, a combination MSP & CSP, has acquired Clearlogin, an identity authentication technology provider based in Mountainside, New Jersey. Founded in 2014, Clearlogin’s identity authentication suite provides enterprises with a highly-secure and compliant way to provision and monitor associate identities across more than 4,000 of the most common applications in the market, Evolve IP asserts.
Joe Panettieri is co-founder & editorial director of MSSP Alert and ChannelE2E, the two leading news & analysis sites for managed service providers in the cybersecurity market.
