Here are five technology news updates, insights, chatter, and plenty more to start your day for Friday, March 8, 2019.
Actually, there are 11 timely updates designed for managed services providers (MSPs), cloud services providers (CSPs), IT consulting firms, systems integrators, VARs, independent software vendors (ISVs), and telco agents to sip on.
11. CompTIA Evolution: How is the global IT association evolving? Consider this: CompTIA's five industry advisory councils are Blockchain, Business Applications, Channel, Drone and Smart Cities. No doubt, each of those five areas has partner-involved conversations. But only one of the five expert areas is pure channel.
10. Talent: Jitterbit, an API company that makes it easier for businesses to leverage data from any source, has hired Apptio and MuleSoft veteran Ron Wastal senior vice president of business development, alliances and channels. Watch for him to work closely with SaaS technology vendors and consulting partners.
9. Tech Data Financial Results: The distributor's latest quarterly profits, announced Thursday, beat Wall Street's expectations but revenues were a bit short of expectations. Also, guidance for the current quarter as a bit lighter than Wall Street previously expected. Amid those variables, the company's stock fell almost 7 percent on Thursday.
8. M&A - Rumor: Fiber-optic network owner Zayo canceled an investor meeting earlier this week, and the company's stock jumped 13 percent during the silence. The apparent reason: Speculation about a potential Zayo buyout.
7. M&A - Private Equity: JMC Platform Fund II has acquired Mansfield Sales Partners, a provider of revenue and B2B sales consulting services to technology sector and private equity portfolio companies.
6. Private Equity - Concerns: The surplus of capital available for both private equity deals and private credit loans poses serious risks to investors, according to JPMorgan Asset Management, Institutional Investor is telling readers...
5. MSP - Microsoft Azure: The Azure Cloud Experts, a tactfully named San Diego-based MSP, has expanded its Microsoft Azure-focused managed services...
4. MSP - AWS Managed Services: Mission, an AWS-focus MSP, has opened an $8 million line of credit with Silicon Valley Bank. Hmmm...
3. PSA Software - Integration: CloudRadial, an account management solution for MSPs and Microsoft CSPs, now integrates with Datto Autotask PSA. Additional integrations include IT Glue, Wise-Pay, ConnectBooster and Warranty Master.
2. PSA Software - Microsoft: Is Microsoft building a professional services automation (PSA) software platform? Here's the speculation...
1. Thank You: To the more than two-dozen cybersecurity companies and MSSP executives that met with ChannelE2E and MSSP Alert during this week's RSA Conference 2019 event in San Francisco. Complete coverage is here.
