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5 Channel Partner Updates: Thursday 22 August 2019

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Here are five (actually, far more…) technology news updates, insights, chatter, and plenty more to start your day for Thursday, August 22, 2019.

A. Our Daily Brew

  • Who We Serve: Content for managed services providers (MSPs), cloud services providers (CSPs), IT consulting firms, systems integrators, VARs, independent software vendors (ISVs), and any other partner acronym that further caffeinates our already stellar SEO.
  • Frequency: Every business morning.
  • Reaching the Barista: Send news, tips and rumors to [email protected].

B. Freshly Brewed News and Chatter

1. Texas Ransomware and MSPs: Some folks are speculating that the massive Texas ransomware attacks across 22 local governments involved an MSP as the central point of attack. But here are the latest facts about the case.

2. M&A - Cloud Monitoring & APM: Splunk is acquiring SignalFX for $1.05 billion in cash and stock. SignalFX develops monitoring software for cloud infrastructure. The company competes against Cisco AppDynamics, Dynatrace, Datadog, New Relic and others in the application performance monitoring (APM) market.

3. Pure Storage Financial Results: For its second quarter ended July 31, 2019, Pure Storage disclosed:

  • Revenue of $396.3 million, up 28 percent from the corresponding quarter last year.
  • A net loss of $66 million, about 10 percent larger than a $60.1 million net loss for the corresponding quarter last year.

The figures generally beat Wall Street's expectations. But investors are watching closely amid Pure Storage CFO Tim Riitters' decision to leave the company later this year.

4. Research – Phishing Attacks: What are the 25 most impersonated brands in phishing attacks? The answer includes Microsoft, Facebook and 23 other companies — as tracked by the latest Phishers’ Favorites report from Vade Secure. An email security provider, Vade Secure recently partnered with Datto to promote MSP-centric services.

5. Microsoft Office 365 Security: Kaspersky’s Security for Microsoft Office 365 has expanded its protection capabilities from Exchange Online to now include the Microsoft OneDrive storage service.

6. Branch Office Networks: Infoblox Inc. launched BloxOne DDI, a cloud-managed DDI (DNS, DCHP and IPAM) offering for branch office networks.

7. Amazon Forecast: Amazon Forecast, a fully managed AWS service, is now available. The service "uses machine learning to deliver highly accurate forecasts based on the same technology that powers Amazon.com," the company asserts.

C. Channel Partner Programs and Strategic Alliances: MSPs, CSPs, ISVs, VARs

1. Distribution - Government IT: Tech Data has announced a new Contracts Exchange Program (CEP). The program will help its public sector customers reduce the cost, resources, time constraints and long procurement cycles typically associated with serving as a primary resource or sub-contractor on a government contract, Tech Data asserts. The effort includes relationships that span Strategic Communications LLC, All About the Data (AATD) and Tech Data’s Public Sector Solutions team.

2. Distribution - SOCaaS: Arrow Electronics and ON2IT have partnered to promote security operations center as-a-service (SOCaaS). The service leverages a Palo Alto Networks technology stack -- including Next Generation Firewalls, Cortex XDR, Traps and the combination of Managed Next-Generation Firewall, Managed Traps and the Cortex Data Lake.

3. Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS): Converged Technology Professionals, a unified communications and technology solutions provider, has joined the RingCentral partner program.

4. MSP Software Integration - RMM-PSA: HarmonyPSA now integrates with Continuum Command, the remote monitoring and management (RMM) platform for MSPs.

5. Disaster Recovery as a Service: US Signal has enhanced its Zerto-based DRaaS offering with self-management, enterprise license mobility, multi-cloud replication, and stretch layer 2 failover.

6. Amazon SMB Tools: Amazon has launched 150 tools and services in 2019 to help small and midsize businesses grow their online sales. While some critics claim Amazon hurts small businesses and retailers, the e-commerce giant continues to aggressively promote its SMB partner efforts.

7. All Partner Programs: Search the comprehensive ChannelE2E Partner Program Database here. Also, submit your company information here and your partner program can be listed in the database.

D. Next Five Technology Conferences

  1. VMware VMworld (August 25-29, San Francisco)
  2. Ingram Micro IoT Summit (September 4-5, Irvine, California)
  3. SolarWinds Empower MSP (September 4-5, Atlanta, Georgia)
  4. Taylor Business Group Big Big 2019 Conference (September 12-14, Chicago)
  5. Oracle OpenWorld 2019 (September 15-19, San Francisco)
  6. BonusChannelE2E’s complete event calendar

Got news to share for our morning update? Email me: [email protected].

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.