Content, 5 things

5 Channel Partner Updates: Wednesday 24 April 2019

Here are five technology news updates, insights, chatter, and plenty more to start your day for Wednesday, April 24, 2019.

Actually, there are 14 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.

14. SAP - Activist Investor: SAP's cloud strategy earns support from activist investor Elliott Management and quarterly results appear strong. But CEO Bill McDermott faces these challenges.

13. Huawei Technologies - 5G Networks: Britain will allow Huawei Technologies a restricted role in building parts of its 5G network, seeking a middle way in a bitter dispute between the United States and China over the next generation of communications technology, Reuters says.

12. Talent: UserIQ has hired SecureWorks veteran Tyler Winkler as CEO. UserIQ is an analytics tool that helps businesses to gain customer insights, drive down churn and grow sales. The company recently raised $3.6 million in a funding round led by BIP Capital.

11. Distribution - SDS: Tech Data has agreed to distribute StorONE's software-defined storage (SDS) offerings. The deal expands the availability of StorONE’s All Flash Array, Virtual Machine, High Capacity and Secondary Storage solutions.

10. Partner Program: Green Cloud Technologies recently hosted 75 channel partners at the company’s annual Partner Summit. Key alliances include a growing relationship with Infogressive, a Top 100 MSSP that works closely with VARs and MSPs to safeguard end-customer systems. Also, Dyonyx was Green Cloud Partner of the Year, and OnePath was the “All In” Partner for selling all of Green Cloud’s products and solutions.  The Most Innovative Partner Award went to ScanSource, and Abacus Solutions won the Rising Star Award for the fastest growing partner. CompuTech City was Green Cloud's Technical MVP winner.

9. Partner Program: Gigamon, which develops network traffic tools, has launched a Catalyst Channel Program for ISVs and channel partners. Michelle Hodges, VP of worldwide channels and alliances, is leading the effort.

8. Microsoft Office 365 Backup: Digilink has launched Easier Backup software for Microsoft Office 365.

7. Microsoft Azure Cloud Cost Management Tools: They're available now.

6. ServiceNow Consulting: Crossfuze, a ServiceNow Gold Partner, has launched Crossfuze Federal Services for federal government clientele moving to the IT service management (ITSM) platform.

5. Funding - Service Management Integrations: Perspectium, which offers service management integration as a service, has raised $8 million in Series B funding.

4. M&A Update - Email Encryption: ZixEncrypt, an email encryption platform, will be available for AppRiver partners beginning on April 25, 2019. Zix acquired AppRiver in January 2019, and vowed to work closely with AppRiver's ecosystem of MSPs and resellers.

3. M&A - Enterprise IT Services: Agio, a provider of cybersecurity and managed IT services for the financial services, healthcare and payments industries, has acquired Intersection's Enterprise Services unit, which specializes in IT strategy, implementation, and 24x7 top tier support, the companies say.

2. M&A - MSPs: NuMSP has acquired AZBS, a Chicago-area MSP.

1. This Thursday – Top 100 Vertical Market MSPs 2019: We’ll unveil the complete list — yes, all honorees — and associated research during our April webcast. Register now to join us.

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.