Here are five technology news updates, insights, chatter, and plenty more to start your day for Wednesday, December 12, 2018.
Actually, there are 12 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:
12. Huawei CFO Free on Bail: Huawei Technologies CFO Meng Wanzhou is free on US$7.5 million bail in Canada. At the request of the United States, she was arrested in Canada on December 1. Prosecutors allege she violated U.S. trade sanctions against Iran. If a Canadian judge rules the case against Wanzhou is strong enough, Canada’s justice minister must next decide whether to extradite her to the United States, Reuters reports. If so, Wanzhou would face U.S. charges of conspiracy to defraud multiple financial institutions, with a maximum sentence of 30 years for each charge, the report says. The case is a potential cloud over ongoing U.S.-China trade negotiations.
11. Pivotal Financial Results: Pivotal revenues were $168.1 million in Q3 of fiscal 2019, up 30 percent from the corresponding quarter last year, the cloud software provider disclosed yesterday. The company's net GAAP loss was $34.9 million, compared to a $39.3 million net loss in the corresponding quarter last year. The results beat Wall Street's expectations.
10. Digital Transformation Guide: How can partners formulate their digital transformation strategies? Cisco Digital Navigator wants to help. The guide allows Cisco partners to assess their digital business readiness, while gaining clear "next step" recommendations.
9. Integrations: Claroty has expanded its technology integration ecosystem to include partnerships with several additional industrial automation and cybersecurity technology providers. The updated list is here.
8. Managed Print Services: HP Inc. is finally making more managed print services (MPS) opportunities available to channel partners. Effective immediately, thousands of MPS Speciality accounts that were previously directly engaged by HP will begin to be made available as premier channel opportunities, the company says. It's a welcome but long overdue move. Amid intense competition in the printer market, many hardware companies have pushed hard into MPS services -- often competing with MSPs and VARs along the way.
7. Talent - Distribution: Global Technology Distribution Council (GTDC) CEO Tim Curran, is retiring from the organization after 16 years at the helm. GTDC is well-known for creating better awareness and understanding of distribution’s growing impact and value worldwide. Kavita May, the GTDC’s senior VP of planning and operations, will assume interim leadership responsibilities.
6. Talent - MSP Automation: BitTitan has hired ProQuest, IBM and Lexmark and Kofax veteran Tony Rummans as vice president of global sales. To date, MSPs and IT professionals have leveraged BitTitan’s MigrationWiz software to migrate more than 11 million mailboxes (to Office 365, we assume...).
5. Migration Services - VMware Cloud on AWS: Computer Design & Integration LLC (CDI LLC), one of eight national partners pre-selected to enroll in the VMware Cloud on AWS Early Adopter Program, has launched a Kickstart Program. This program analyzes an enterprise’s current VMware environment and provides expert consulting on how to deploy, move and maintain a cloud migration. The program includes:
- Discovery, planning and cost estimation for VMware Cloud on AWS usage
- Deployment and configuration of VMware Cloud on AWS SDDC Cluster
- Integration and connectivity of SDDC Cluster to corporate and native AWS environments
- Demonstrate proof of value through delivery of established use cases and scenarios
- CDI Managed Services integration for monitoring and management of SDDC Cluster
4. M&A - IT Consulting: Emerson has acquired iSolutions Inc., a Canadian-based consulting group with expertise designing and implementing data management solutions. We'll share more details soon.
3. M&A - Rumor: Cisco Systems apparently is negotiating to acquire Luxtera, an optical chip maker, according to reports.
2. M&A - IT Staffing: TSR Inc., an IT staffing provider, is in acquisition mode. The company recently rejected an unsolicited buyout offer, and is now turning its attention to pursuing strategic acquisitions, TSR says.
1. M&A: Prosegur has acquired Cipher, an MSSP and cybersecurity company with presence in North America, Latin America and Europe. We'll share more details soon on MSSP Alert.
