5 Channel Partner Updates: Thursday 24 January 2019

Here are five technology news updates, insights, chatter, and plenty more to start your day for Thursday, January 24, 2019. Actually, there are 18 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. 18. Alleged Discrimination - Oracle's Response: In response to a U.S. charges against Oracle, the software giant firmly denies that it discriminates against women and minorities. 17. Amazon Alexa - Workforce: Amazon has roughly 10,000 employees focused on Alexa. Apparently, artificial intelligence requires a lot of human brain power. (Yes, that's ironic folks.) 16. Amazon's VPN Alternative: Amazon Web Services has launched WorkLink, a managed service that enables companies to provide their workforce with secure one-click access to internal websites and web applications from their mobile devices without connecting to VPNs or using custom browsers. It costs $5 per active user per month. To get started with Amazon WorkLink, visit: aws.amazon.com/worklink. 15. Cisco AppDynamics for MSPs?: Cisco has unveiled a vision to build a Central Nervous System for IT. The strategy involves AppDynamics for managing applications, infrastructure and networks. The big question: Is the Central Nervous System strategy fully multi-tenant for MSPs and other types of partners that want to manage multiple customers from a single dashboard? We're checking. 14. Remote Control - TeamViewer & ServiceNow: TeamViewer now has deeper integration with ServiceNow, and the remote control software is available in the ServiceNow Store. Initial integration introduced in 2016 focused on connecting IT staff and employees from within ServiceNow incident reports, TeamViewer says. Now, emote support sessions can be initiated from within any ServiceNow task-derived form and offer a new analytics options, the company says. 13. ServiceNow for MSPs: MSPWorx, a division of CareWorx Fully Managed, has released GrandCentral (GC) 2.0. It features deeper Managed ITSM capabilities and new ServiceNow modules for ITBM, ITOM, and CSM—all now available in a “fully managed” pay-as-you-grow service model, the company says. GrandCentral is positioned for MSPs and midmarket IT departments. 12. Talent - ServiceNow Partner:  Stave, which builds ServiceNow platform apps, has recruited Microsoft small business veteran Stijn Hendrikse and well-known consulting veteran Neil Anderson to drive the company's marketing activities. 11. Talent - Storage: Pure Storage, the all-flash storage provider, has named Robson Grieve as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). He previously held key posts at Citrix and Concur, which SAP acquired in 2014. Continue to page two of two for today's items 10 to 1. Welcome to page two of two. Here are items 10 to 1. 10. Talent - Private Equity: Insight Venture Partners, the private equity firm that owns Kaseya and has a big stake in Veeam, has confirmed multiple executive promotions. 9. Talent - IT Monitoring: GSX Solutions, a provider of monitoring solutions for messaging, collaboration, and mobility applications, has hired Ingram Micro veteran David Jeffery as director of global alliances. With a mission to expand the channel, GSX provides analytics for Office 365 with insights on the end-user experience, the company says. 8. Funding - Google Cloud Platform Partner: Google Cloud Platform reseller Tempus Nova Inc., which supports more than 200 customers across the U.S. has been recapitalized by Renovus Capital Partners, the companies have confirmed. FOCUS Investment Banking represented Tempus Nova in the transaction. 7. Funding - MSP Scores $25 Million: An MSP focused on chat and artificial intelligence-driven IT support services has raised $25 million in Series B funding. We'll share more details soon. Special thanks to Invarosoft for the heads up, and their perspectives on the funding. 6. M&A - Artificial Intelligence: Adjust, a provider of mobile measurement and fraud prevention technology, is acquiring cybersecurity and AI startup Unbotify. The acquired business develops technology that analyzes human behavior patterns within websites' and mobile apps' user-flows. The technology helps customers to differentiate between bots and actual humans to prevent digital fraud activities. 5. M&A - Data Centers: Berkshire Partners of Boston has acquired Teraco Data Environments, a provider of colocation and data center infrastructure in Africa. The Permira funds, an existing shareholder, will remain a significant investor. 4. M&A - MSPs Part One: Ntiva of Maryland has acquired Network Alliance, essentially uniting two MSPs. 3. M&A - MSPs Part Two: Atlanta-based Medicus IT and Phoenix-based Information Strategy Design (ISD) have merged. 2. Friday Deadline - Top 100 Vertical Market MSPs Survey: Participate in our survey here and your company could be honored among the world’s Top 100 Vertical Market MSPs. 1. Join us Today (Thursday) - How Much Is Your Business Worth?: Find out during our next ChannelE2E live webcast today. Or register now and view it on-demand anytime in the days ahead.