Good morning, channel partners. Here are five technology news updates, insights, chatter, and plenty more to start your day for Friday, March 17, 2017.
Actually, there are 13 timely updates for VARs, managed services providers (MSPs), cloud services providers (CSPs), independent software vendors (ISVs), telco master agents and telco agents to sip on. Drink up...
13. Google-Synnex Partnership: Synnex has received the Google Cloud 2016 Global Partner Award for Devices Ecosystem Customer Success. While many distributors work closely with Microsoft Office 365, Synnex CloudSolv supports both Microsoft and Google G Suite.
12. Remain Calm. All Is Well: Oracle CEO Mark Hurd says cloud services will not trigger mass layoffs. Um... We beg to differ. Most of the major IT hardware and software companies have had layoffs amid the sometimes painful shift from CapEx to OpEx R&D, sales and revenues. Even Oracle has had layoffs in 2017. Perhaps Hurd meant net employment in the IT market won't suffer since the cloud is creating so many jobs. But that doesn't negate the fact that companies certainly are swapping out client-server talent for cloud talent at a rapid pace...
11. Partner Relationship Management: Impartner has launched a 'channel-first' interface that gives channel managers a synthesized, personalized view of their individual region, eliminating the need to search through an ocean of data to find action items for their geography, the company says. The new interface surfaced in Spring '17, the latest release of Impartner's Partner Relationship Management (PRM) software.
10. Office 365 Management: Binary Tree, a Microsoft Gold partner, has launched managed services for Office 365. The Surround365 service offers training and a 24-hour service desk for Office 365 clientele.
9. Talent - Managed Services: Logicworks has named James Lewandowski to the company's Board of Directors. Lewandowski's experience involves key roles assisting Rackspace, AlertLogic, McAfee, Yahoo, BMC Software, and IBM. Logicworks' cloud automation software business has enjoyed a 90 percent compound annual growth rate over the past three years. Logicworks offers a range of managed services -- including AWS monitoring and management capabilities.
8. Accenture & Docker: Accenture (ACN) and Docker have expanded a global alliance. Among the key moves: Accenture Cloud Factory has introduced container services support. The new services leverage Docker Datacenter (Enterprise Edition - Standard). Certified Accenture DevOps and cloud migration consultants back the service.
7. Data Center Expansion: Digital Realty has started a $22 million data center expansion project in Atlanta, Georgia. The move involves leasing 50,000 square feet of space. Roughly 18,000 of those square feet will be raised floor space, the company says.
6. Virtustream Expands: Macquarie Telecom will host Virtustream's cloud services platform in Australia, according to the two companies. Virtustream, owned by Dell EMC, offers specialized cloud services like SAP hosting. Channel Chief Scott Millard described Virtustream's partner program goals in this ChannelE2E interview from 2016.
5. Managed Services for IBM Customers: Ensono, a hybrid IT services provider, has launched managed services that enable clients to upgrade to the latest IBM i v7.3 system. The services include remote infrastructure management (RIM) along with cloud and dedicated options. Related Partner Conference: Ensono will showcase its solutions at IBM InterConnect in Las Vegas next week.
4. Data Protection Partnership: iPortalis has partnered with Acronis to deliver backup and disaster recovery solutions to enterprises and hosted service providers (HSPs). Acronis protects data for more than 5 million consumers and 500,000 businesses in over 145 countries, the company claims.
3. Business Continuity & Ransomware Mitigation: Unitrends, which develops enterprise backup and continuity solutions, has enhanced its Recovery Series physical appliances and Unitrends Backup virtual appliances. The offerings now feature Ransomware Detection, Self-Service for application owners and Distributed Enterprise Manager.
2. European Ransomware Attacks: Fully 87 percent of European MSPs say their customers suffered ransomware attacks in 2016, according to Datto survey results. Not by coincidence, Datto has launched anti-ransomware capabilities in its business continuity services. Also, the company recently expanded into the networking, WiFi and unified threat management (UTM) markets. VP of Business Development Rob Rae describes the company strategy in this ChannelE2E podcast.
1. Submit Now: Complete our Top 100 Vertical Market MSPs survey and you could be ranked among the world's top MSPs in a specific vertical. The survey takes 10 minutes or less to complete. Deadline for submissions is March 31. Honorees and research results will surface during our April 27 webcast.
