5 things, Channel partner programs, CSPs, MSP, VAR

5 Channel Partner Observations: 21 Sept 2015

Good morning, channel partners. Here are five technology observations, insights, rumors, gossip and news tips to start your day for Monday, Sept. 21, 2015.

Actually, today's update involves 14 items for VARs, managed services providers (MSPs), cloud services providers and total service providers (TSPs) to sip on.

14. Circle the Date: Google is expected to unveil major Android and Nexus Phone updates on Sept. 29 in San Francisco. Central to the event: Android Marshmallow, otherwise known as version 6.0.

13. Behind LogicNow's Big Data Platform: As you'll recall, LogicNow launched its LogicCards big data platform for MSPs about two weeks ago. But what is the system built on? Perhaps Hadoop? (Nope.) Maybe something involving Amazon Web Services (You're getting closer). Actually, ChannelE2E does have the details. We'll be sure to share them soon...

12. Machine Learning for the Rest of Us: Okay, we're all still wrapping our arms around potential big data strategies in the IT channel. Some of us wonder what Chief Data Officers do all day. Now, along comes renewed interest in machine learning. But what exactly does that potentially mean to our businesses and our lives? Daniel Levitin, author of "The Organized Mind," describes the machine learning wave for the rest of us.

11. Privacy Policies: AVG's privacy policy now allows the company to sell your browsing data, according to Engadget. The new policy goes live Oct. 15, though somewhere within the really long policy I think there's a way to opt out and protect your data. PS: Have you ever seen ChannelE2E's privacy policy?

10. Should You Follow Target's Lead?: Target, the big retailer, plans to reduce its reliance on IT outsourcing. In fact, the company is hiring 1,000 IT professionals, Kim Nash reported in The Wall Street Journal. Among the areas Target is hiring: The company is expanding its expertise in Hadoop big data storage and Cassandra database tools. We expect Hadoop to gain a strong channel partner following over the next six to 12 months. Also, keep an eye on this week's Cassandra Summit 2015 -- which claims to be the world's largest vendor-led NoSQL conference. We've heard from several channel partners that plan to attend and we'll be sure to offer updates...

Stuart Crawford

9. Growth Mode: It sounds like Ulistic, the consulting firm that assists MSPs with their marketing activities, is in major growth mode. CEO Stu Crawford and I spoke briefly last week but I had to run off to another meeting before we could get into the deeper details. Fingers crossed, we'll complete the conversation this week and I'll share an update with you here.

8. Business Continuity: A small fire at UC Berkeley's data center knocked the university's computers and WiFi network offline last week. An overheated server apparently sparked the fire, which triggered the data center's fire suppression system. The outage apparently lasted around 14 hours. Source: Berkeleyside.

Marcy Kawadler

7. New Partner Program: Redbooth, an all-in-one workstream collaboration and communications platform, has launched a Unified Communications (UC) channel partner program and hired a new channel chief: Marcy Kawadler (pictured), former channel manager with Polycom and Avaya.

6. Channel Partner Programs Database: Is your company listed in ChannelE2E's Channel Partner Programs Database -- which MSPs and VARs can easily search to find the products and services they need?

5. Small Business Lending: Intuit and  OnDeck have launched a new lending program -- QuickBooks Financing Line of Credit -- to provide faster access to lower-rate small business loans, the companies say. Intuit and OnDeck will launch a new $100 million small business lending fund to back the new offering, the duo added.

4. Midmarket Channel Move: Protocol Systems is now an Avaya Platinum Partner, promoting the networking company's complete stack of midmarket solutions. The relationship serves UAE customers with 200 to 500 users. Note: Channel E2E's Midmarket Coverage addresses customers with 250 to 1,000 seats.

3. Cisco Recurring Revenue: It could more than double by fiscal year 2020, according to Oppenheimer. Much of the recurring revenue will come from subscription-baed software focused on security, SDN, Web conferencing and WiFi management, the researcher says. If Cisco gets the recurring revenue model right, the move could provide a clearer path forward for VARs that haven't quite embraced the managed services model.

Cloud Sherpas

2. Cloud Sherpas Buyout Figure: How much did Accenture pay to acquire Cloud Sherpas, the cloud consulting firm focused on Google Apps and Salesforce.com deployments? A source pegs the figure at $350 million to $400 million, according to the Atlanta Business Chronicle. Now, if we only had some EBITDA and top-line revenue figures for Cloud Sherpas, we could compute the valuation. Anybody care to leak the figures to ChannelE2E?

1. Thank You: This is ChannelE2E's fourth business day of coverage. We appreciate those of you who are checking in with us daily. Got a news tip or channel insight to share? Email me: [email protected].

Read Them All: ChannelE2E publishes its 5 Channel Partner Observations blog daily. Find all of the archived entries here.

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Joe Panettieri

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.