5 Channel Partner Updates: 20 March 2017

Good morning, channel partners. Here are five technology news updates, insights, chatter, and plenty more to start your day for Monday, March 20, 2017. Actually, there are 21 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… 21. Cybersecurity Risk Detection: Nozomi Networks Inc., which specializes in real-time cybersecurity and operational visibility for industrial control systems (ICS), has launched a new SCADAguardian release. It now features Asset Management and Vulnerability Assessment capabilities. Moreover, Dynamic Learning offers configuration-free deployments, the company claims. The platform targets energy utilities, oil and gas operators and manufacturers that want to monitor control networks for cybersecurity and operational anomalies. 20. IBM Blockchain: IBM Blockchain launched today, setting the stage for developers to potentially build enterprise-class Blockchain applications leveraging Hyperledger Project code. To set the stage for today's launch, IBM unveiled a Blockchain partner ecosystem back in December 2016. 18. SD-WANs: FatPipe Networks today announced its Next Gen SD-WAN platform, version 9. It offers load balancing for Layer 2 and Layer 3 networks, eliminating the need for complex routers, FatPipe claims. The SD-WAN market is expected to enjoy a 65 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2016 through 2021, according to Markets and Markets.  17. Phishing Victim: Defense Point Security, a cybersecurity consultant to the U.S. government, recently suffered a phishing attack. The embarrassing result: All Defense Point employees' W-2 tax data was erroneously handed to the fraudsters, according to Krebs on Security. I believe this Defense Point is owned by Accenture... 16. M&A - Remote IT Management: Marlink has acquired Palantir AS, a Norway-based maritime IT company specializing in remote IT management solutions. Financial terms were not disclosed. The two companies have been working together on various integrations and projects since 2014. 15. Cisco IoT  Momentum: Jasper, the IoT platform that Cisco acquired in February 2016, now supports 9,000 customers -- up from 3,500 customers last year. Moreover, 95 percent of Jasper's revenues are recurring. That means the platform aligns well with CEO Chuck Robbins' effort to diversify beyond traditional hardware sales... 14. Legal Ruling Eases M&A: The recent decision by the Massachusetts Supreme Court in Int'l Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Loc. No. 129 Benefit Fund v. Tucci has the potential to significantly reduce merger litigation for publicly traded companies incorporated in Massachusetts, according to JD Supra. Translations: Mega-buyouts like Dell's recent purchase of EMC could have faced fewer legal hurdles. 13. Women in Cybersecurity: Women’s representation in the cybersecurity workforce has remained at 11 percent since 2013, despite the growing shortage of cybersecurity workers worldwide, according to a recent (ISC)² survey, as reported by MeriTalk. Several associations are working to bridge the IT gender gap. Among the efforts to note: CompTIA's Advancing Women in Technology group. 12. Cisco and Microsoft Azure: Cisco is promoting an integrated system for Microsoft Azure Stack. The networking giant calls it a "game changer" for cloud service providers that want to scale their data centers. Still, there's some irony here. Microsoft itself is exploring open source hardware alternatives for its own Azure public cloud data centers...  11. Virtual CFO Expertise: BST and Co, an accounting firm in Albany, N.Y., has acquired CFO for Hire -- an outsourcing firm that specializes in virtual CFO services. CFO for Hire's 19 employees have joined BST as part of the deal.  have made the transition to BST. But wait. More content awaits you on page 2. Proceed to page two now and chow down the remaining items... Welcome to page two. Enjoy a second serving of channel content -- items 10 to 1 -- here. 10. Managed Security Services on AWS, Azure: Earthling Security has launched EarthlingCloud, a managed services platform designed to host web applications within a secured cloud environment. The platform, which runs on Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure, comes bundled with security operations and compliance services. Earthling also specializes in compliance as a service. 9. Business Continuity, Cloud and Virtualization: Barracuda has launched Backup LiveBoot 2.0, which allows MSPs to rapidly spin up Microsoft Hyper-V environments in the Barracuda Cloud. It also reduces boot times to minimize downtime in VMware vSphere and Hyper-V environments, the company says. We'll share more details soon. 8. Small Business Loan Mistakes: What are the top 5 mistakes small businesses make when applying for a loan? Glad you asked. Here's the answer, according to Salesforce.com... 7. Top Paying Certifications: The top 15 paying IT certifications for 2017 are... 6. Small Business Administration (SBA) Cuts?: The Trump administration’s budget proposal for the next fiscal year would cut Small Business Administration funding by 5 percent, eliminating some Obama administration programs aimed at creating jobs, according to the Associated Press. The proposed SBA budget would total $826.5 million, the smallest of any Cabinet-level agency and $43.2 million less than it was allocated for the current fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30, the report said. 5. Vertical Market Managed Print Services: FlexPrint Managed Print Solutions is now a document technology partner to Argentum, the largest national association focused on senior living communities. On a somewhat related note, CareWorx -- led by former N-able CEO Mark Scott -- also offers IT services specifically to the senior care vertical. 4. Google Channel Partner Honored: Onix has received the Google Cloud 2016 North American Partner Award for G Suite Customer Success. The award recognizes Onix for its demonstrated sales, marketing, technical and support excellence across the Google Cloud product suite. 3. Dell Boomi M&A: Dell Boomi has acquired ManyWho, a unified cloud and low-code development platform. ManyWho simplifies workflow automation and allows businesses and developers to turn business processes into rich software applications to connect employees, customers and core systems, Dell claims. Boomi is a fast-growing platform that allows MSPs and businesses to integrate on-premises and cloud applications more rapidly.

2. Mr. MSP Accelerator: Tommy Wald has joined Xcellerate at CEO, driving the MSP accelerator's North American expansion, ChannelE2E reported this morning. Wald is an MSP veteran who previously launched, built and sold multiple  Texas-based IT services providers. Xcellerate, meanwhile, positions itself as an accelerator -- though the organization's business model somewhat differs from that of traditional technology accelerators and incubators.

1. This Week: ChannelE2E is attending CompTIA Annual Member Meeting (AMM) this week in Chicago. Special thanks to readers and industry influencers who have confirmed meetings with us at the conference.