5 Channel Partner Updates: Thursday 14 February 2019

Here are five technology news updates, insights, chatter, and plenty more to start your day for Thursday, February 14, 2019.

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

8. Cisco Financial Results: The networking giant reported stronger-than-expected results for its second quarter of fiscal 2019.

7. CenturyLink Cuts Dividend: Ouch, that hurt my wallet. The company in 2018 was striving to manage a big debt load amid layoffs, executive transitions and the big Level 3 Communications acquisition. Shareholders (including me) are now paying the price.

6. Distribution - Cloud Services: Tech Data has launched Cloud Solutions Factory, a new global portfolio of end-to-end cloud solutions. Initial partners include Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, Red Hat, NetApp, Veeam, Autodesk and many others, the distributor says. Cloud Solutions Factory offers partners "click-to-run" solutions. We're checking to see how Cloud Solutions Factory fits into the larger TDCloud strategy.

5. Veeam Financial Results: Veeam Software's bookings reached $963 million in 2018, up 16 percent from 2017, and the company won 48,000 new customers during the year. The rapid growth suggests that Veeam's partner program performed well even as the data protection company made unexpected executive changes during the year.

4. Veeam Competition, Funding & Conference: Still, Veeam potentially faces growing competition from Datto in the MSP-centric SMB sector, and cloud-centric upstarts like Cohesity, Druva, and Rubrik in the midmarket and enterprise. Plus, companies like Barracuda and Carbonite (which just acquired Webroot) each are blurring the lines between data protection and security -- a potential differentiation from Veeam. All that said, investors continue to believe in Veeam's business. The company in January 2019 raised $500 million from Insight Venture Partners and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB). It’s a safe bet more partner program updates will surface at the VeeamOn 2019 conference, which is set for May in Miami, Florida.

3. Private Equity Market Concerns: Bracing for a downturn?

2. SMB Startup Costs: Nearly 60 percent of entrepreneurs started their businesses with less than $25,000, and a third started with less than $5,000, according to Kabbage's research.

1. Your Most Profitable MSP Service: That’s the topic of ChannelE2E’s February webcast. Register now to join us.