Good morning, channel partners. Here are five technology news updates, insights, chatter, and plenty more to start your day for Friday, April 21, 2017.
Actually, there are 11 updates for VARs, managed services providers (MSPs), cloud services providers (CSPs), independent software vendors (ISVs), telco master agents and telco agents to sip on.
11. WiPro Layoffs: WiPro, the IT consulting, outsourcing and software development company, is cutting about 600 employees as part of an annual performance appraisal and layoff process, FirstPost reported. That figure could climb, according to reports.
10. Wireless - 5G: HP Enterprise is collaborating with 5G Lab Germany, a consortium of researchers focused on delivering key technologies to enable 5G wireless networks. HPE and 5G Lab will research the impacts of 5G wireless networks combined with HPE Edgeline Converged Edge Systems on the telecommunications and mobile industries.
9. Five-Nines Business Continuity SLA: Windstream has launched Diverse Connect, a business continuity platform that keeps customer network endpoints connected, and ensures the performance of mission-critical business functions even in the event of a serious network issue, the company claims. The big twist: Diverse Connect has a 99.999 percent uptime SLA. We don't know pricing or potential loopholes in the SLA.
8. AWS Partner: QTS Realty Trust (QTS), a provider of data center, cloud and managed hosting services, has achieved AWS Advanced Consulting Partner status.
7. Cisco Cliqr: Ahem. Time to call it Cisco CloudCenter.
6. Anti-Ransomware: Sophos anti-ransomware technology, called CryptoGuard, is now available with its Sophos Server Protection products. With this optimization, Sophos Server Protection now has signature-less detection capabilities to combat ransomware -- similar to Sophos Intercept X for endpoints, the company says.
5. Microsoft IoT Central: Keep an eye on Microsoft IoT Central, a new SaaS platform that "helps you easily build, use, and maintain smart products," Microsoft claims. It's under development now...
4. MSP Contract: CSPi, a provider of IT managed services, security services and packet capture solutions, has won a $2.5 million, 3-year service contract with Broward College. Under term of the deal, CSPi will migrate Boward's IT infrastructure to the cloud, and then monitor the overall infrastructure.
3. M&A - Cloud Managed Services: Syntax Systems has acquired Core Services Corporation. The combined entities focus on cloud managed services for ERP applications -- particularly for midmarket and enterprise customers.
2. M&A - IT Services Acquisition: Arden Group has acquired Computerworld Business Solutions. Arden is a business telecommunications firm that has acquired three companies in the past 18 months. We'll share more details soon.
1. Weekend: Make it a great one.
