Channel Brief: ManageEngine, FireMon Help With Asset Management and More

It's the economy, stupid! (If you don't get that reference, here's a refresher.) As organizations wrestle with doing more with less and reining in their cloud spending, ManageEngine released launched its SaaS Manager Plus to help address redundant SaaS spending and resource underutilization, the company said. FireMon also launched version 5.0 of its asset management solution, but their tool is targeted for network security and endpoint management.

In other news, Backblaze has joined the Internet2 community to help research and educational organizations share data more quickly, HPE has released a new version of HPE GreenLake for Block Storage that the company said will make it a leader in hybrid cloud AI-based storage.

Finally, we're keeping an eye on Switzerland-based SoftwareOne's solid Q1 performance. Hope you have a great Thursday!

Are you an MSP that partners with public cloud service providers? It's time for you to step up and get recognized. ChannelE2E opened its annual Top 250 Public Cloud MSPs survey. This is the survey that we use to create our annual Top 250 Public Cloud MSPs ranked list. Here's the link to participate.

And don't forget to submit your idea for a session at the upcoming MSSP Alert Live event! MSSP Alert Live is the premiere cybersecurity event for MSPs and MSSPs. (You can submit your proposal here.) We’re looking for speakers like you who want to share insights and experience and wisdom with peers.

Please check out our industry Mergers and Acquisitions list, updated daily, with an archive that goes all the way back to 2020. Check out the whole thing here. Scroll down for a quick view of upcoming in-person channel and MSP events at the bottom of this post (while we spiff up our industry calendar behind the scenes. It will return!)

And please send your news tips, information, and industry chatter to senior managing editor [email protected].

Today’s Tech, Channel and MSP News

1. ManageEngine's SaaS Manager Plus: At its annual user conference this week, ManageEngine, the IT division of Zoho Corp, launched its SaaS Manager Plus to help address redundant spending and resource underutilization, the company said. SaaS management is becoming critical for organizations who want to increase data security, reduce attack surfaces, and minimize security vulnerabilities attacker might exploit. SaaS Manager Plus offers a unified platform for SaaS management, allowing for better control of SaaS-based ecosystems. Usage insights and renewal date reminders help avoid unnecessary expenses. 

2. FireMon Releases Asset Manager 5.0: Network security policy management (NSPM) company FireMon this week released FireMon Asset Manager 5.0. The company said in a statement that FireMon Asset Manager 5.0 enhances situational awareness by finding every L2 and L3 device across the network, including on-premises and cloud environments. With an accurate inventory of all networks, connections, routes, and devices and automatic profiling that identifies devices, including endpoints, routers, switches, and OT/IoT, Asset Manager 5.0 can help make sure all assets are accounted for and protected, the company said. The update includes comprehensive real-time cyber situational awareness, improved manageability, and extended integration with key platforms such as Axonius, VMWare’s Carbon Black Cloud, and Cisco’s Meraki.

3. Backblaze Internet2 Partnership: Cloud storage and solutions company Backblaze has joined Internet2, a non-profit advanced technology community that delivers tailored solutions and a high-speed national network dedicated to research and education, according to a statement from the company. Internet2 enables research and educational institutions to move large quantities of data quickly. Its members include 330 U.S. colleges and universities, as well as regional research and education networks, nonprofit and government organizations, and industry members that support the community’s education, research, and service missions. This new collaboration will connect the Backblaze Storage Cloud to Internet2's network as part of the Internet2 Peer Exchange (I2PX) program. In addition, Backblaze will participate in the Internet2 Cloud Scorecard initiative to offer research and educational institutions information about Backblaze’s security, compliance, and technology specifications aligned with community standards.

4. Fourth Release of HPE GreenLake Block Storage: HPE released a new version of HPE GreenLake for Block Storage that CRN said aims to establish HPE as a leader in hybrid cloud AI-based storage, according to Sanjay Jagad, HPE VP of product management cloud data infrastructure. The fourth release of GreenLake for Block Storage is built on HPE's Alletra MP storage line, and is what Jagad called "the industry’s first disaggregated, scale-out block storage offered as software-defined storage with AWS support." The new offerings include HPE GreenLake Block Storage For AWS, which allows HPE partners to “seamlessly manage” block storage across on-premises GreenLake and AWS public cloud environments, HPE said. The HPE GreenLake for Block Storage also now supports NVMe capacity scaling to 5.6 petabytes, up from 2.8 petabytes.

5. SoftwareOne Worldwide Performance Growth: Swiss cloud software solutions provider SoftwareOne has reported a 3.1% year-over-year increase in Q1 2024 revenues (7.4% constant currency), according to CRN, reaching 246.9m Swiss francs (CHF) or £216 million. Its total revenues were split between earnings from its software and cloud marketplace and software and cloud services, with the former coming in flat, staying at CHF 125.6m in Q1. Software and cloud services grew 6.6% to CHF 121.3m. Cloud services and software sourcing and portfolio management (previously known as IT asset management, or ITAM) were the primary drivers of that growth. When looking at regions, EMEA drove the highest growth, while southern Europe, Benelux and CEE also were strong, particularly within services. A number of large client wins in North America fueled the largest Q1 spike of 19.9% to bring in CHF 39.1 million, the company said.

MSSP Alert Live Call for Papers and Top 250 Public Cloud MSPs

MSSP Alert Live CFP: Are you a thought leader in managed services or managed security services, or do you have a unique approach to an important topic that could help other MSPs or MSSPs? We’re looking for speakers like you to be part of our MSSP Alert Live program for 2024. MSSP Alert Live, the premiere cybersecurity event for MSPs and MSSPs, has opened its call for papers. (You can submit yours here.) We’re looking for speakers like you who want to share insights and experience and wisdom with peers.

Time for Cloud MSPs to get recognized: Are you an MSP that works with public cloud providers? It’s time to get recognized for your work. ChannelE2E opened its annual survey for the Top 250 Public Cloud MSPs. If your MSP practice includes working with a public cloud provider, this survey is for you. Participation is free. The survey closes in June. Submit your MSP today here for recognition! Our list will be released this summer.

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