Content, 5 things

5 Channel Partner Updates: Tuesday 28 November 2017

Good morning, channel partners. Here are five technology news updates, insights, chatter, and plenty more to start your day for Tuesday, November 28, 2017.

Actually, there are 13 timely updates designed for VARs, managed services providers (MSPs), cloud services providers (CSPs), independent software vendors (ISVs), telco master agents and telco agents to sip on. Take a look:

Bob Dutkowsky
Tech Data CEO Bob Dutkowsky

13. Distribution: Tech Data's Q3 revenues and net income, delivered yesterday easily beat Wall Street's expectations. Net sales were $9.1 billion, an increase of 41 percent compared to the prior-year quarter. Most of that boost involved Tech Data's buyout of Avnet Technology Solutions. On the profit front, net income was $37.3 million, compared to $36.5 million in the prior-year quarter. CEO Bob Dutkowsky says the results highlight the "enhanced earnings power and cash flow profile of the new Tech Data," said Robert M. Dutkowsky, chairman and chief executive officer.

13. Hardware as a Service: HP Enterprise has launched GreenLake, a suite of pay-per-use solutions spanning big data, backup, open database, SAP HANA, and edge computing. The offerings are HPE's on-premises OpEx alternatives to public clouds like AWS and Azure.

12. Microsoft-SAP Cloud Relationship: Microsoft and SAP have further strengthened their cloud relationship to focus more intensely on:

  • SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud — SAP's private managed cloud service — on Microsoft Azure will allow customers to run SAP S/4HANA in a secure, managed cloud. Additionally, Microsoft will deploy SAP S/4HANA on Azure to help run its own internal finance processes, and SAP will move its key internal business critical systems to Azure.
  • SAP Ariba is currently utilizing Azure and is exploring further use within its procurement applications.

SAP has similar partnerships, in some ways, with Amazon and IBM -- though there are nuances in each cloud relationship.

10. AWS and HIPAA Compliance: Cloudticity, a provider of HIPAA-compliant managed services for AWS, has released an automated tool for healthcare organizations to scan their Amazon Web Services accounts for HIPAA compliance.

9. AWS and Data Protection: Sungard Availability Services now offers an upgraded, fully managed Cloud Recovery solution on AWS. In addition, the company has achieved Advanced Consulting Partner status in the AWS Partner Network (APN).

8. VMware Cloud on AWS: VMware Cloud on AWS is expanding availability from the U.S. West (Oregon) region to also include the AWS U.S. East (N. Virginia) region, and includes additional VMware capabilities and support for more AWS services, the companies confirmed.

7. Multi-cloud Management: Connectria, a global cloud service provider, has launched TRIA Multi-Cloud, a multi-cloud management solution that supports AWS, Microsoft Azure, VMware, UNIX and IBM iSeries cloud environments from a single dashboard.

6. IT Services Momentum: Access Group is positioning itself as the UK's leading midmarket cloud solutions provider. The company backs up that claim by pointing to strong financial results. Indeed, deal turnover is up 18 percent, EBITDA before capitalized development has jumped 27 percent, and recurring revenue now represents 64 percent of total revenue turnover.  SaaS and subscription revenue has grown 50 percent. I believe the figures are year-over-year comparisons....

5. Spend Management: Coupa Software has launched its cloud-based spend management platform on AWS.

4. MSP Funding: Reliam LLC, an MSP focused on public cloud platforms including AWS, has secured up to $75 million from Great Hill Partners to fund acquisitions as well as organic growth. PS: Here's a list of the Top 50 MSPs supporting Amazon Web Services.

3. Datto Valuation: A report suggests Vista Equity Partners paid more than $1.5 billion to acquire Datto as part of a larger deal to merge Datto and Autotask. However, the report did not mention the source of the information...

Paul Bay

2. Ingram Micro ONE: More than 1,500 attendees -- including vendors, solutions providers and Ingram leaders -- are attending this week's Ingram Micro ONE conference in Texas. We've got a front-row seat for the keynotes -- including Paul Bay's address this morning. Stay tuned for a live blog here starting around 11 a.m. ET or sooner today (Tuesday, Nov. 28).

1. Amazon AWS re:Invent: All of our conference coverage is unfolding here. Stay tuned for live blogs featuring interviews with AWS leaders on Wednesday.

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.