5 Channel Partner Updates: Thursday 18 July 2019 -

Here are five (actually, far more…) technology news updates, insights, chatter, and plenty more to start your day for Thursday, July 18, 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. MSP Cybersecurity Certification: Continuum is ramping up to launch Continuum Certify, a cybersecurity certification program for MSPs. Details will surface at Continuum Navigate, two conferences that are scheduled for Pittsburgh and Las Vegas in October 2019.

2. Funding - SMB Digital Services: Vendasta, a cloud commerce platform for companies that provide digital solutions to small and medium businesses (SMBs), has raised $40 million in growth funding.

3. Funding - MSP Automation: BitTitan has completed a growth capital financing round led by Vistara Capital Partners. Specific financial figures were not disclosed. The funding will help "spur additional investment into BitTitan’s IT automation initiatives and accelerate growth through a network of global offices and partnerships," the company says.

4. Cloud Monitoring Services: Datadog has unveiled various cloud monitoring services for MSPs and IT professionals.

5. Talent: HP Enterprise has promoted Heiko Meyer to chief sales officer, reporting to Phil Davis, president of hybrid IT. Meyer's new position becomes official on November 1, 2019. Several other sales organization changes also were revealed in a blog from Davis.

6. Linux Certification:The CompTIA Linux+ certification has been accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Eight CompTIA certifications have achieved ANSI accreditation: CompTIA A+, Advanced Security Practitioner, Cloud+, Cybersecurity Analyst, Linux+, Network+, PenTest+ and Security+.

7. IBM Financial Results: For its second quarter of 2019, IBM's financial results included:

Revenue of $19.2 billion, down 4.2 percent from the corresponding quarter last year;

cloud and cognitive software revenues of $5.645 billion, up from $5.470 billion;

net income of $2.498 billion, up from $2.404 billion.

The result results were slightly short of Wall Street's expectations but profits exceeded Wall Street's targets. Shares were down about 1.11 percent ahead of Thursday morning's market open. Looking ahead, IBM says the recent $34 billion buyout of Red Hat will boost the company's overall hybrid cloud position.

8. Field Service Management: CSG has launched CSG Field Service Management, a "cloud-based advancement of its trusted Workforce Express product suite, enhanced to help companies integrate field service management into their overall customer experience," the company says.

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

1. Partner Relationship Management: Salesforce has upgraded its partner relationship management (PRM) platform. The Salesforce PRM enhancements span Einstein Analytics for Partners; Self-Service Reports and Quip for Salesforce.

2. Microsoft Azure - IoT Developer Tools: Avnet is giving away 20,000 free Azure Sphere starter kits. Avnet also is planning webinars, lectures, road tests and design contests to help developers leverage the Microsoft’s Azure Sphere Ecosystem.

3. 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.