Here are five technology news updates, insights, chatter, and plenty more to start your day for Wednesday, October 10, 2018.
Actually, there are 15 timely updates designed for managed services providers (MSPs), cloud services providers (CSPs), IT consulting firms, systems integrators, VARs, independent software vendors (ISVs), telco master agents, and telco agents to sip on. Take a look:
15. Cloud Momentum - AWS: Amazon Web Services (AWS) has won long-term deals with SAP and Symantec worth a combined $1 billion over five years, according to a Bloomberg report. AWS generated $17.5 billion in sales last year.
14. Cloud Momentum - Azure: Microsoft Azure has earned additional security designations. The milestone potentially positions Azure to compete more effectively for a major Pentagon cloud contract known as JEDI. Amazon Web Services is considered the leading candidate for the contract. Google Cloud Platform withdrew its own bid for the contract, citing project concerns raised by employees.
13. Cloud Training: Tech Data has expanded its Cloud Practice Builder methodology to include a new digital enablement experience, purpose-built for IT solution providers who want to expand their cloud business capabilities, the distributor says.
12. Business Continuity: At the Commvault Go 2018 conference in Nashville, the company unveiled the Commvault Complete Backup and Recovery as-a-Service (B&RaaS) portfolio. The portfolio includes three new cloud-based services:
- Commvault Complete B&RaaS;
- Commvault Complete B&RaaS for Virtual Machines (VMs); and
- Commvault Complete B&RaaS for Native Cloud Applications
The company also disclosed various relationships and partnerships with HP Enterprise and NetApp, along with new appliance offerings.
11. New Commvault CEO?: Investors are still waiting on Commvault to announce a new CEO amid pressure from activist shareholders.
10. Partnership - Storage: Veritas Technologies and Pure Storage are partnering to promote their data protection and flash storage solutions to join partners and customers.
9. Professional Services Automation (PSA) Part One: JLL Technology Solutions, a professional services firm that specializes in real estate and investment management, has embraced FinancialForce PSA and FinancialForce Accounting. FinancialForce is tightly integrated with Salesforce's CRM offering.
8. Professional Services Automation (PSA) Part Two: Krow Software's Fall 18 PSA release features improved Resource Management, Project Management, Expense Management and Billing capabilities, the company says.
7. Talent - MSP Software: Atera has hired Webpals Group veteran Yoav Machlin as VP of marketing, reporting to CEO Gil Pekelman. Atera develops a cloud-based platform that blends PSA and RMM (remote monitoring and management) software for MSPs.
6. Diversity Setback: Amazon has scrapped a secret AI-based recruiting tool -- because it essentially was biased against women, Reuters reports.
5. Diversity Progress: Cisco Systems now leverages Textio's platform to write job ads that resonate with a diverse pool of people, CNBC reports. The result: Cisco now gets 10 percent more female job candidates and it takes less time to fill positions, the report says.
4. M&A - IT Support: Park Place Technologies has acquired Solid Systems CAD Services (SSCS), a Houston-based global support provider of third-party IT maintenance services. Park Place Technologies has made nine acquisitions over the past 24 months, and three so far this year.
3. M&A - AWS MSPs: We told you about three AWS-focused MSPs that merged earlier this year. The companies that came together were Reliam, Stratalux, and G2 Tech Group. Today, they reemerged as a single company known as Mission Cloud Services Inc. Will share more details about the business strategy soon.
2. M&A - MSP Software: Auvik Networks confirmed an acquisition this morning.
1. Top 100 Public Cloud MSPs for AWS, Azure: See the list and get the research. Register now for our October webcast.