Content, 5 things

5 Channel Partner Updates: Wednesday 18 October, 2017

Good morning, channel partners. Here are five technology news updates, insights, chatter, and plenty more to start your day for Wednesday, October 18, 2017.

Actually, there are 10 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:

10. IBM Rebounding?: IBM's cloud business grew 20 percent in 3Q, and the company's "as-a-service" annual exit run rate was $9.4 billion, (up from $8.8 billion in 2Q), which is up 25 percent YTY. Equally important, IBM's quarterly revenues were down only very slightly -- essentially flat for the corresponding quarter last year. That's good news after several years of major declines. Investors liked the news. IBM shares jumped more than 5 percent on Tuesday night during after hours trading...

9. Docker Hugs IBM: Docker has expanded its partnership with IBM help enterprise customers transform their legacy applications on a modern cloud architecture.

8. Docker Hugs Kubernetes: Docker is integrating Kubernetes into the Docker platform, offering users the choice to use Kubernetes and/or Docker Swarm for orchestration. Users gain an unmodified version of Kubernetes with the added value of the Docker platform including security, management, a familiar developer workflow and tooling, broad ecosystem compatibility and an adherence to industry standards, the company says.

7. Partner Program: Epson America has launched a new Epson Advantage Partner Program. It spans:

  • Envision Point-of-Service Solutions – receipt printers, check scanners, POS label printers, intelligent printers, mobile printers
  • ImageWay Visual Solutions – projectors, displays, augmented reality
  • BusinessFirst Print Solutions – enterprise printers, business printers, ink supplies
  • CapturePro Image Solutions – document scanners, photo scanners
  • ProFocus Industrial Print Solutions – professional graphics, large-format printers, color label printers
  • National Solution Providers – various product categories
  • https://news.epson.com/news/advantage-channel-partner-program

6. Mobile Connections: Panasonic System Communications Company of North America (a division of Panasonic Corporation of North America), has unveiled the Panasonic P.180 connectivity service. The LTE services is a globe-spanning network that offers local connectivity, pricing predictability and no roaming fees, the company claims.

5. Microsoft Surface: Microsoft's Surface Book 2 is a reality...

4. Verizon Fined Over eRate Practices: Verizon Communications will pay $17.7 million to resolve a probe by U.S. regulators and the Justice Department into potential payment violations related to eRate -- the federal school broadband program.

3. Vertical Market Cloud: Microsoft has unveiled Azure government cloud technology that helps US agencies handle classified data.

2. PSA Software War: FinancialForce is escalating a PSA (professional services automation) software war against OpenAir, a PSA rival from Oracle's NetSuite business unit. FinancialForce's PSA platform runs on Salesforce.com. Watch for key moves to surface throughout Q4 2017, ChannelE2E believes...

1. MSP Software: Atera has expanded its MSP software platform to support Webroot's DNS security solution. It's a potential win-win for both companies. Atera is an RMM (remote monitoring and management) and PSA (professional services automation) upstart looking to compete with entrenched market leaders like Autotask and ConnectWise. On the flip side, Webroot wants to extend from endpoint protection to DNS protection -- competing against Cisco Umbrella (previously OpenDNS) along the way.

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.