5 things, Channel chiefs, Channel partner programs, CSPs, MSP, VAR

5 Channel Partner Updates: 3 Nov 2015

Good morning, channel partners. Here are five technology updates, gossip, chatter and plenty more to start your day for Tuesday, November 3, 2015. Actually, today's update involves 14 items for VARs, managed services providers (MSPs) and cloud services providers (CSPs) to sip on. 14. Microsoft Changes Cloud Storage Pricing: Microsoft has ended unlimited OneDrive storage, and has introduced a range of paid options for the cloud storage service. Free storage will be capped at 1TB, though existing customers have 12 months to reduce their storage to that figure or switch to a paid plan. The move comes after some OneDrive customers consumed far more storage than Microsoft expected. 13. Analytics for Channel Account Managers (CAMs): ChannelEyes has built a business analytics system for channel account managers. It's called Optyx by ChannelEyes. This video offers a preview... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yh40ExVywxQ 12. Dell and EMC: Dell may sell off $10 billion worth of assets ahead of the EMC merger. Here's the bigger story. 11. Compliance Fine: A timely warning to channel partners that leverage subcontractors. Make sure those subcontractors comply with federal laws and regulations. Otherwise, you could wind up in a predicament like this: Computer Sciences Corp. ($1.35 million) and a subcontractor named NetCracker Technology ($11.4 million) are paying fines to settle claims that foreign employees who lacked security clearance worked on the U.S. Department of Defense's telecom network. NetCracker is an NEC subsidiary.
Rich Spring
Rich Spring
10. Sage Overhauls Partner Program: Sage North America, which offers accounting and payroll software, has launched a "revitalized" partner program as part of the company's overhauled global partner program. The effort features a four-tier engagement model for such partners as VARs, ISVs and developers. Key names to know include Rich Spring, executive vice president and chief revenue officer, Sage North America; and Alan Laing, EVP, Global Partnerships and Alliances at Sage. 9. New Office 365 Enterprise Plan: Watch for Microsoft to launch a high-end Office 365 E5 SKU for enterprise users on Dec. 1, 2015, according to Mary Jo Foley. Pricing won't be announced until that time, but sources tell Foley E5 will cost $20 to $40 more per user than Office 365 E4. 8. Office 365 Cloud PBX: Oh, and one more thing. Microsoft sounds like it's getting close to launching Cloud PBX before the end of this year...

More: See Items 8 through 1 — including Cloud Security Broker moves; a road trip with Gary Pica; IT Nation and more.

Page 2 of 2: Today's top channel partner updates, continued:
Jim Stock Jim Stock
7. Database Channel Chief?: Orient Technologies, the company behind the OrientDB graph-document database, has hired NoSQL veteran Jim Stock as VP of worldwide sales. We're checking to see what plans, if any, Stock has to engage channel partners. Graph databases are increasingly popular for big data applications and analytics. 6. Cloud Security Brokers: Centrify, which focuses on enterprise identity management, has partnered with five cloud access security brokers -- including Cloudlock, Elastica, Imperva, Netskope and Skyhigh Networks. The relationships aim to give businesses secure access to third-party cloud applications like Salesforce.com, Office 365, Dropbox, Box, Google Apps and more.
Mike Elgan Mike Elgan
5. Join Me Today: At 1:00 p.m. ET/10:00 a.m. PT for Tech News Today, hosted by Mike Elgan. One of the web's most popular netcasts, Tech News Today tracks the biggest IT stories of the day -- and features surprise guests from across the media landscape. I parachute into the conversation each Tuesday. 4. Understanding Hadoop, Spark for Big Data: Quite a few folks ask my why Hadoop and Spark are so darn important for big data applications, and whether they'll become mainstream channel offerings. To understand Hadoop's emerging role in the IT channel, check out this ChannelE2E piece. To understand why businesses want to embrace Spark, check out this piece from Computing UK. 3. Small Businesses Signal Strength: U.S. small businesses increased their borrowing in September, according to a key PayNet index. The trend typically signals U.S. economic trends two to five months before they go mainstream. So in this case, the increase in borrowing may signal a strong Q4 for small businesses, PayNet indicated.
Gary Pica Gary Pica
2. Road Trip: I'm heading to New Jersey this week to visit Gary Pica, owner of TruMethods and a partner in Apex IT Group -- an IT service provider focused on Delaware Valley customers. Pica is one of the industry's best-known coaches. But Pica's real-world skill set could have rusted out after selling his MSP business in 2005 and exiting in 2008. So how did Pica stay on top of his game outside of TruMethods? I'll get the answer when I meet him at Apex IT Group... 1. Next Week: Want to potentially meet ChannelE2E at WestconGroup Connect or IT Nation 2015? Feel free to email me: [email protected]. And don't forget to attend our Big Data for MSPs panel at IT Nation on Thursday, Nov. 12 at 1:45 p.m. ET in room Bayhill 17. More: All of our 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.