5 Channel Partner Updates: Tuesday 05 May 2020 -

Here are five (actually more) technology news updates, insights, chatter, and plenty more to start your day for Tuesday, May 5, 2020. Sip up.

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A. What’s Hot Today

1. M&A - Software-Defined Data Centers: NVIDIA is acquired Cumulus Networks to help customers build software-defined data centers. Cumulus partners closely with Mellanox, another recent NVIDIA acquisition.

2. MSP Launch: Immedion, a technology services provider, has launched IMS Solutions Group, a division of Immedion specializing in managed IT services.

3. Managed DevOps Services: 2nd Watch, a Top 200 Public Cloud MSP, has launched a DevSecOps Assessment and Strategy service for companies seeking greater alignment between their security and software development teams, tools and processes, the cloud-focused MSP says.

4. Talent - MSP: Vology has named Tom York as CEO, and Steve Torres has been promoted to president and board member.

5. ConnectWise IT Nation Explore 2020: The June conference is now online-only and free to all interested IT solutions providers (ITSPs) and MSPs. The face-to-face event is cancelled amid coronavirus pandemic concerns.

6. Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS): CoreDial, a provider of cloud communications solutions for businesses, has added SMS and MMS messaging capabilities to its CoreNexa Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) platform.

7. Unified Channel Management: ZINFI Technologies has launched a version of its Unified Channel Management platform on Microsoft Azure.

8. Ingram Micro Financial Results: Ingram Micro Q1 sales were $10.95 billion, down 5 percent from Q1 2019, the distributor said. Net income was $91.3 million in Q1 2020, up from $76.5 million in Q1 2019. In a prepared statement about the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on sales, Ingram said it:

"began to see a slowdown in demand in March of 2020 related to the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in certain services and Advanced Solutions categories. In April, Technology Solutions and ecommerce solutions demand continued to be solid across many categories and geographies. However, the shutdown of many businesses around the world may negatively impact the company’s financial performance through the remainder of the second and third quarters of 2020."

B. Channel Partner Programs and Strategic Alliances

1. Partnership - Cisco and IBM: Together, the IT giants are addressing edge computing services.

2. Partner Program - Transportation Monitoring: The BlackBerry Radar partner program continues to expand.

3. Partner Program - Latin America: GlobalSign, a global Certificate Authority (CA) and provider of identity and security solutions for the IoT, has added five Latin America-based partners that have recently advanced to Certified Regional Partner status. They are:

Chile/Peru-based Seguridad America;
Ecuador-based Alpha Technologies;
Colombia-based GSE;
Costa Rica-based Interhand; and
Mexico-based Wingu Network.

4. MSP Partner Program - Infrastructure Monitoring: LogicMonitor has expanded the LogicMonitor Partner Network. New channel partners include Sirius in the U.S., Atos in the U.K., Blue Turtle in South Africa, AIS in Mexico, and Acquion in Australia.

5. Partner Program - Warehouse Drones: FlytBase has launched the FlytWare Solution Partner program. FlyBase develops drones that automate inventory management within.warehouses and distribution centers.

6. Distribution - Smart Cities: Tech Data has joined Smart Cities Council as a North American Lead Member. The company is the first and only IT distributor and solutions aggregator to partner with the Smart Cities Council, a global coalition of companies advised by universities, laboratories and standards bodies, Tech Data says. The council is dedicated to making communities more livable, workable and sustainable with the power of smart technologies, the announcement explains.

7. Cloud-based WiFi Management: Linksys and Tanaza are expanding their partnership to further enhance Linksys Cloud Manager. The effort includes a major focus on MSPs to manage WiFi systems for end-customers.