Channel Brief: Illumio Expands Partner Program

Think your standing desk is healthier than sitting? Think again.

A new study from researchers in Australia and the Netherlands, and published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, found that standing for long periods of time might not be much better than sitting after all. In fact, it has its own life-threatening risks.

In the study, just under seven years of data from 83,013 adults were collected as part of the UK Biobank, with participants using wrist-worn devices to track their activity, sleep, and sedentary time, Science Alert reported. The amount of time individuals spent standing and sitting was then matched with incidences of cardiovascular diseases – coronary heart disease, heart failure and stroke – as well as circulatory diseases – low blood pressure on standing, varicose veins, chronic venous insufficiency, and venous ulcers.

The researchers found no association between time spent standing and the risk of cardiovascular disease, suggesting standing desks and similar work postures might not be enough to stave off the health problems associated with sitting around, according to Science Alert.

University of Sydney population health scientist Matthew Ahmadi was quoted as saying this might be because many studies in support of standing were based on 'soft endpoints' like improved blood pressure, insulin sensitivity, and triglyceride levels.

His team's investigation, on the other hand, focused on 'hard clinical endpoints' – hospitalizations or death from these diseases – and found that whether people were seated or standing for the long periods of time they spent stationary didn't really make a difference to cardiovascular outcomes, Science Alert reported.

"More time spent sitting didn't necessarily lower a person's risk of cardiovascular disease, nor did it increase the risk," Ahmadi said. "It was a null finding. But what it did do was actually increase their risk of circulatory diseases."

Standing for more than two hours a day increased that risk by 11% for every extra half hour, which is bad news for retail workers -- and the standing desk industry, according to Science Alert.

As always, drop me a line at [email protected] if you have news to share or want to say hi!

Grab your coffee. Here's what you need to know today.

Today’s Tech, Channel and MSP News

1. Illumio expands partner program benefits: Zero-trust segmentation company Illumio Inc., has expanded its Enlighten partner program with new enablement tools for its global partner community, the company said in a statement. Among these new offerings are a comprehensive curriculum and complimentary hands-on training that will make it easier to sell, implement, and operate Illumio solutions. A new pricing program, price protection and a no-cost services enablement program are also now available.

2. Fortinet adds new generative AI integrations: Fortinet last week announced expanded generative AI capabilities across its product portfolio with the launch of two new FortiAI integrations, including FortiAI for FortiNDR Cloud, and FortiAI for Lacework FortiCNAPP. FortiAI is Fortinet’s AI-powered security assistant that uses GenAI to guide, simplify, and automate security analyst activities. This expansion builds on Fortinet’s commitment to AI innovation in cybersecurity, following other GenAI integrations, including FortiAI for: FortiAnalyzer; FortiManager; FortiSIEM; FortiSOAR; FortiDLP.

3. Alkira launches ZTNA: Cloud network security solutions firm Alkira Inc. launched Alkira Zero Trust Network Access. Alkira's network security solutions are built entirely in the cloud and is managed using the same controls, policies and security systems network administrators already know, the company said in a statement. Alkira ZTNA is available as a service and can instantly scale as needed. The decentralized architecture, with a centralized policy enforcement engine and decentralized data plane, optimizes performance and ease of use. A single pane of glass dashboard provides unified management, monitoring, and visibility.

4. NetApp intros updated storage arrays: NetApp is updating its enterprise storage portfolio with new midrange all-flash arrays that boost overall performance. It also announced some updates to NetApp StorageGRID, its hybrid cloud-based software-defined object storage service, delivering improved density and performance for customers, the company said in a statement. The new systems include additions to the company’s AFF A-Series portfolio, such as the NetApp AFF A20, AFF A30 and AFF A50 all-flash arrays, which include submillisecond latency and 2.5 times better performance over the previous generation arrays. Other benefits include guaranteed storage efficiency, integrated real-time ransomware protection and improved storage density, the company said. The new arrays are powered by the company’s flagship storage management software, NetApp ONTAP.

5. Malwarebytes acquires AzireVPN: Cybersecurity firm Malwarebytes last week acquired AzireVPN, a privacy-focused VPN provider. The acquisition further supports the company's mission to reimagine consumer cybersecurity to protect devices and data, the company said in a statement. By integrating AzireVPN's advanced VPN technologies and intellectual property into its platform, Malwarebytes will deliver increased flexibility and enhanced security for customers. AzireVPN developed Blind Operator, a unique privacy feature implemented to completely disable both remote and local access to its servers. This creates a barrier against unauthorized modifications and traffic interception, making it virtually impossible for anyone to modify or tap the traffic on its servers and share any information about a user.