5 things

5 Channel Partner Updates: 2 November 2016

Good morning, channel partners. Here are five technology news updates, insights, chatter, and plenty more to start your day for Wednesday, November 3, 2016. Actually, there are 24 (oh my) entries 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… 24. Cisco Data Center Reorg: Cisco Systems has re-hired Roland Acra as senior vice president and general manager of the company's data center group. The move, announced at Cisco Partner Summit 2016, includes a reorg that more closely aligns Cisco's various data center offerings. 23. Cisco Launches Endpoint Security: So why did Cisco announce a major endpoint security push this week? Because the company believes security analytics require visibility across endpoints, the network and the cloud. We'll share more details via video interviews later this week. 22. HP Enterprise Layoffs: HPE continues to make cuts across its OpenStack- and cloud-related software teams. Although HPE is spinning off and merging some software assets with Micro Focus, CEO Meg Whitman says the company will still invest in new software opportunities. 21. Quest Software Layoffs: Quest Software's first day as an independent company apparently included layoffs, according to The Register. Dell sold Quest to private equity firms, and Quest is now expected to focus heavily on IT management, security and automation tools for corporate IT and service providers... 20. Cognizant Corruption Investigation: When Cognizant Technologies announces quarterly results later today, we'll be watching to see if the IT services company discloses any new details about its internal corruption probe... 19. Networking M&A: Broadcom is acquiring Brocade Communications Systems for $5.5 billion in cash, the two companies confirmed today. The deal unites a chip maker with a networking specialist.  18. Networking Partner Program: Extreme Networks has bolstered its Extreme Partner Network (EPN). The enhancements include a cloud specialization program; cloud managed services program; the inclusion of Zebra Technologies' WLAN offerings; Ultimate Warrior incentives; sales acceleration; and deal registration programs.  17. Desktop as a Service and PCI Compliance: Dizzion says the company's cloud-delivered desktops have been validated by Coalfire, an Independent PCI Qualified Security Assessor (QSA) to meet the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standards (DSS). 16. Virtual Desktop Infrastructure Management: Login VSI has upgraded its Login PI product, which offers centralized performance monitoring for virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) and server based computing (SBC). 15. MSP Data Center: TekLinks has added more than 3,000 square feet of capacity to its data center in Birmingham, Ala., bringing the total capacity to 6,500 square feet. This expansion makes the data center one of the largest in Alabama, the company claims. The move allows the combination MSP-CSP to further bolster its cloud services offerings, according to Terry Miller, VP of data center architecture.  14. MSP M&A: AccountabilIT, has acquired MITS&C, the managed services division of Business & Decision, N.A. MITS&C provides managed services related to Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and other enterprise applications and cloud computing technologies. 13. MSP Security: Webroot has launched the Unity API. It's designed for MSP security administrators who want to securely connect services and data sets to WebRoot'sSecureAnywhere Business Endpoint Protection Global Site Manager (GSM) console. Unity allows MSPs to automate their endpoint offerings for better productivity, improved financial control, customized alerting and reporting, and increased profitability, Webroot asserts. The company is expected to promote Unity at ConnectWise's IT Nation 2016 conference next week in Orlando. 12. Tigerpaw 16.1: Tigerpaw Software later this month will release Tigerpaw 16.1. The professional services automation (PSA) software update features new project management capabilities; it can also merge quotes and consolidate billing from multiple meters. 11. Microsoft Azure and IoT Security: Microsoft has partnered with several auditors to help customers strengthen their IoT security. Early partners include Praetorian, Casaba Security, CyberX and Tech Mahindra. The company will also work with the Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC) to further IoT security. Want to see items 10 to 1? That's easy. Just jump to page two. Welcome to page two of today's top five (er, 24) partner updates... 10. Scary Statistic: One-third of corporate cyber attacks succeed, according to Accenture. The alarming statistic comes from a survey of more than 2,000 corporate executives. 9. HIPAA Compliance: Compliancy Group is taking some news steps to help MSPs address HIPAA verification and security certification. Some details emerged here. 8. VMWare Talent: VMware has named Brett Shirk as its senior vice president and general manager of VMware's Americas region, effective immediately. Shirk is responsible for strategic planning, business operations, go-to-market strategy and management of VMware's business in Latin America, the United States and Canada. He reports to Maurizio Carli, executive vice president, Worldwide Sales, VMware. 7. Earnings: It's been a few days since I checked, but I believe Equinix, FalconStor and GoDaddy are set to announce earnings today. Among the themes to track:
  • Will Equinix announce any data center acquisitions as part of the earnings release?
  • Will MSPs save FalconStor, which has been trying to jumpstart its storage and data protection business?
  • How is GoDaddy moving forward with Freedom Voice, the SMB voice-specialist acquired earlier this year?
6. Major Zendesk Momentum: Zendesk's Q3 revenue increased 45% year-over-year to $80.7 million, according to financial results released yesterday. (Though the company is still losing money...) Some MSPs are embracing the cloud-based IT service desk platform for their own operations, but Zendesk's executive team says reseller opportunities are limited since the platform is so easy to deploy... 5. Freshdesk Funding: Freshdesk has raised $55 million in Series F funding. We don't know if it was an up round or down round in terms of valuation. 4. Cloud Market Share: For the latest on AWS vs. Azure, IBM and Google -- check out these market share stats. 3. Office 365 Management: Microsoft has rolled out new Office 365 management features. The enhancements give partners and customers more control over third-party apps. 2. Apple Training: Tech Data and LearnQuest are partnering to promote Apple Training Services... 1. Remaining 2016 Channel Events: We're at Cisco Partner Summit today. Then, we're heading to Synnex Varnex and ConnectWise IT Nation. But that's not all. To see where else ChannelE2E may surface before the New Year, check our ChannelE2E Technology Event Calendar. More: Read all of our daily 5 Channel Partner UpdatesPlusSubscribe to our daily enewsletter. Thanks to those who already have.    
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.