Content, 5 things

5 Channel Partner Updates: Monday 28 January 2019

Here are five technology news updates, insights, chatter, and plenty more to start your day for Monday, January 28, 2019.

Actually, there are 16 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.

16. This Week's Earnings: Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Microsoft are expected to announce quarterly earnings results this week.

15. AWS Cloud Contract Debate: The U.S. Department of Defense is looking into whether a former DOD employee’s connection to Amazon Web Services has created an insurmountable conflict of interest as Amazon pursues the massive JEDI cloud services deal with the Pentagon, Law360 notes.

14. Offshore IT Concerns: Indian IT solutions provider Infosys is expanding in Connecticut, but some technology workers are concerned about the move. Infosys is hiring talent and expanding its workforce in Hartford, Connecticut, but some observers worry the company will ultimately shift more jobs to India.

13. Healthcare and Managed IT Services:  Microwize Technology of Paramus, New Jersey has expansed its managed IT service to cover all types of devices and applications within medical practices across New YorkNew JerseyPennsylvania, and Connecticut and surrounding areas.

12. MSP Automation - PSA Software: Australian software developer ServiceTree has launched its professional services automation (PSA) tool into the U.S. channel. ServiceTree's PSA platform helps businesses manage ticket creation, allocation of resources, secure cross-platform monitoring, device access control, asset management, logistics, quoting and invoicing, the company asserts. It also supports remote control, device monitoring, scripting and application installation into its PSA, effectively integrating fundamental remote management tasks into the services automation workflow, the company says.

11. Datto's Canadian Expansion: Datto, the MSP-centric technology provider, has unveiled a new office in Ontario, Canada. The move comes only a few weeks after Datto confirmed Tim Weller as CEO. The company also is expanding across Europe and Asia, in particular.

10. Talent - Baby Boomer Retirement Concerns: As Baby Boomers get set to retire, few employers are asking those employees to pass on their job knowledge to younger workers, according to Express Employment Professionals.

9. How to Exit Your Business: The first step often involves reducing the business's dependence on the owner -- ahead of the sale.

8. Expansion - IT Services Franchise: It sounds like CMIT Solutions, the IT services franchise, has gained a new Central Pennsylvania location. Private equity firm Craftsman Capital acquired CMIT Solutions in December 2018.

7. M&A - College Help Desks: M&A activity in the IT services market has stretched all the way onto college campuses. One example: Washington State University's two long-standing help desks are merging, effective today, the university says.

6. M&A - Breach Concerns Grow: Here's the evidence.

5. M&A - Staffing Services: Private equity firm LaSalle Capital and its portfolio company, Eclipse Advantage, acquired On Time Staffing, an onsite workforce management and temporary staffing services company. On Time Staffing’s consulting division, People Logistics, is part of the deal, Staffing Industry reports.

4. M&A - Data Centers: Vantage Data Centers has finalized its acquisition of Canada's C4Degrees Colocation for US$200 million.

3. M&A - Microsoft Buys Cloud Database: Microsoft has acquired Citus Data. The result: Microsoft Azure gains more cloud database technology to compete more fiercely against Amazon Aurora, in particular.

2. M&A - Google Cloud Rumors: They're all here.

1. Your Most Profitable MSP Service: That's the topic of ChannelE2E's February webcast. Register now to join us.

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.