Good morning, channel partners. Here are five technology news updates, insights, chatter, and plenty more to start your day for Friday, February 17, 2017.
Actually, there are 12 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. Take a look…
12. Hyperconverged Infrastructure (HCI) Rivalries: The Dell EMC Enterprise Hybrid Cloud is now expanded to include Dell EMC VxRail hyper-converged infrastructure. It's a "turnkey hybrid cloud optimized for smaller enterprise deployments," the company asserts. The VxRail Appliances have sold 8,000 nodes in more than 70 countries during the first year of availability. The Dell EMC momentum comes as both Cisco Systems and Lenovo try to accelerate their own hyperconverged infrastructure businesses.
11. Veritas Embraces AWS: Veritas Technologies will link its Veritas 360 Data Management capabilities to Amazon Web Services. Welcome to the party, Veritas. Just about every major on-premises storage provider is making connections to AWS or Azure...
10. CSC, HP Enterprise IT Services: When CSC and HP Enterprise's IT services business merge, the new company will be called DXC Technology. The launch is expected April 3, 2017. CSC and HPE announced the deal in May 2016...
9. Rackspace Goes Microsoft: Rackspace has achieved seven gold and three silver Microsoft Partner Competencies for capabilities spanning application development, cloud platform support, data management, business applications, mobility and productivity, the company says. Rackspace pivoted from its own cloud services to third-party managed cloud services for AWS and Azure more than a year ago. Those efforts are accelerating but Rackspace is still cutting jobs elsewhere in its business.
8. Point of Sale Partnership: First Data and ShopKeep are expanding their partnership. ShopKeep’s POS software will be available through First Data’s distribution network of bank partners, retail partners, and independent sales organizations. Also, ShopKeep will incorporate First Data’s payment processing and security tools, as well as the Clover Go SDK and the Clover hardware portfolio as its strategic infrastructure. Also of note: SAP veteran EJ Jackson is driving First Data's new integrated solutions group.
7. Big HIPAA Fine: Memorial Healthcare Systems has agreed to a whopping $5.5 million HIPAA settlement, according to Healthcare Informatics. Meanwhile, a key HIPAA deadline is fast approaching. Organizations have until March 1, 2017 to disclose any small breaches (involving fewer than 500 employees) that occurred in 2016.
6. Healthcare IT Services: Evolve IP is partnering with Nimble Storage to provide healthcare organizations with on-premises Nimble Storage flash arrays, supported by HIPAA-compliant and HITRUST-audited hybrid cloud, cloud backup, and disaster recovery solutions from Evolve IP. As you may recall, Evolve IP has acquired multiple MSPs and IT services providers in recent years.
5. IBM IoT Partner Program: IBM has launched a "major ecosystem initiative to drive collaborative innovation with dozens of clients and partners" in the IoT market. Core to the effort: A $200 million global headquarters for IBM's Watson IoT business in Munich, Germany. Avnet, BNP Paribas, Capgemini and Tech Mahindra will co-locate development teams at the IBM center. The IBM partner ecosystem will also work closely with EEBus, a European IoT standards organization.
4. M&A - IoT Services & Drones: Verizon has acquired Skyward, a private company based in Portland, Oregon. Skyward brings drone operations management to the Verizon IoT portfolio, simplifying drone operations and management for organizations of any size, the company asserts. Financial terms were not disclosed.
3. M&A - IT Consulting: Capgemini has acquired TCube Solutions, a 300-person IT services firm in the insurance vertical. TCube was the largest independent service provider specializing in Duck Creek Technologies, which develops Property & Casualty (P&C) insurance software and services. This bolt-on deal acquisition seeks to further accelerate Capgemini's North America momentum. Financial terms were not disclosed.
2. Next Event: Keep an eye on HIMSS 2017, set for next week in Orlando, Florida. The massive conference typically attracts 40,000 health IT professionals, executives and vendors. Key IT channel players like Konica Minolta, owner of All Covered, have already announced key plans for the conference.
1. Channel Partner Programs Database: Duo Security, DrivenBI and ThreatSTOP Inc. are the three latest additions to our ChannelE2E Partner Programs Database. More than 150 company partner programs are now listed. Is yours? If not, submit your partner program here for potential inclusion.
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