ChannelE2E continues to closely track Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference 2016 (WPC16). Check this blog throughout the day for updates. Here’s what we’ve seen and heard from the WPC16 conference so far on Wednesday, July 13, 2016.
1. ConnectWise CloudConsole for Azure: As ChannelE2E anticipated a few months ago, ConnectWise has extended CloudConsole platform from Office 365 to manage Azure. The Azure support allows MSPs to offer proactive monitoring, improved billing and faster support, ConnectWise asserts.
2. Azure Managed Services: TierPoint now offers nationwide managed services across Azure and Office 365. The effort builds upon TierPoint's acquisition of Cosentry earlier this year, the company said.
3. Azure Managed Services, Part 2: Hostway Services and WSM International have partnered to deliver "trouble free migration services" for any organization that wishes to bring their IT infrastructure to Hostway’s Azure managed cloud services. Sounds wonderful. But we don't know if or how they "guarantee" that "trouble free" claim...
4. Cloud Migrations: Cloud FastPath, Tervela's cloud orchestrated data transfer solution, now supports Office 365 and Azure. The platform can "rapidly accelerate" an organization's adoption of SharePoint Online and OneDrive for Business, as well as enable IT and developers to create flexible, high performance data transfer pipelines into Azure Blob Storage, the company asserts.
5. Azure Cloud Spending Management: Cloud Cruiser has launched a so-called ‘Super Human’ virtual lab experience to help users gain visibility into cloud usage and spending by department, subscription, resource and more.
6. Beyond Desktop as a Service: IndependenceIT launched its Cloud Management Platform (CMP+) at WPC. The platform "allows IT administrators to create and automate Software Defined Data Centers (SDDCs), as well as public, private, or hybrid cloud-based servers, applications, and workloads. IndependenceIT had previously positioned itself mainly as a workspace-on-demand platform provider.
7. Skype Surprise: Microsoft is extending Skype to run natively on Linux, Chromebooks and the Chrome web browser. Finally.
8. Skype for Business Partner: Enghouse Interactive's contact center and attendant console solutions, Attendant Console 2016 and Communications Center 2016, are certified for Skype for Business. The company says it has deployed more than 400 contact center solutions in Skype for Business environments to industries including banking, utility, public sector, retail and healthcare customers worldwide.
9. Bad Windows 10 Small Business Branding: Microsoft's new Windows 10 Enterprise E3 program is a small business subscription service that costs $7 per user per month. The obvious question:Why the heck is it called an "Enterprise" offering when the target customer is small business?
10. More Updates: Remember to check this blog entry throughout the day for updates.
Plus, visit here for all of our daily Microsoft WPC16 coverage.
