Content, 5 things

5 Channel Partner Updates: Monday 29 October 2018

Here are five technology news updates, insights, chatter, and plenty more to start your day for Monday, October 29, 2018.

Actually, there are 10 timely updates designed for managed services providers (MSPs), cloud services providers (CSPs), IT consulting firms, systems integrators, VARs, independent software vendors (ISVs), telco master agents, and telco agents to sip on. Take a look:

9. Robots as a Managed Service: Oman Data Park (ODP), a managed service provider in the Sultanate of Oman, has introduced artificial intelligence services bringing in “Robot as a Service” into the Omani market at Omantel ICT Summit 2018, the company says.

8. Managed Services & NOC Expansion: Synergy IT Solutions has doubled the size of its network operations center (NOC) to accelerate its managed services business, the company says. The NOC has undergone a 7,250 square-foot expansion to support 12 to 14 service desk analysts, the New York-based MSP says.

7. Cisco Systems Reorganization: Cisco is merging several more units into its new Customer Experience unit as CEO Chuck Robbins transitions the networking giant to a software- and subscription-focused business model, Silicon Valley Business Journal reports.

6. Cloud Services Market Share: Six of the top 10 cloud providers are U.S.-based companies, but China's Alibaba’s global share grew more than 80 percent over the third quarter of the year to account for 4 percent of the market, according to Canalys research. Meanwhile, Synergy Research Group says leading cloud providers continue to take market share vs. smaller regional players.

5. Partner Program - Network Management: Infoblox has enhanced its partner program and is hosting its first Americas Partner Summit. The company's network services span Domain Name System (DNS), Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), and IP address management (IPAM), collectively known as DDI. The company's latest push involves Secure Cloud-Managed Network Services.

4. Conferences: DattoCon18 Barcelona and Ingram Micro One are this week in Spain and Washington, D.C., respectively.  This will likely be Datto Founder Austin McChord's final DattoCon keynote. He resigned last week and will step down from the CEO role in November. Ingram Micro One, meanwhile, features a range of news updates... including the item below.

3. Distribution - Self-Service Capabilities: Ingram Micro Inc. has unveiled RenewVue, an online portal that works hand-in-hand with Ingram's existing licensing locator self-service tool. The net result: U.S. channel partners can manage renewals in a streamlined, self-serve online environment, the company says.

2. ConnectWise Cybersecurity Moves: Numerous moves are coming. Some will surface at next week's IT Nation Connect 2018 conference in Orlando. The overall goal: Allow ConnectWise partners to automate cyber security and safeguard SMB networks -- without needing to make massive IT or talent investments to do so. Recent moves include ConnectWise investing in Perch Security and also partnering with Foresite ahead of the event… It's safe to expect more moves -- perhaps even ahead of the conference. Stay tuned to MSSP Alert for updates.

1. How to Reach $5 Million Annual Recurring Revenues: We’ll share the tips during our next ChannelE2E webcast. Register now.

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.