Content, 5 things

5 Channel Partner Updates: Wednesday 24 July 2019

Here five (actually, far more…) technology news updates, insights, chatter, and plenty more to start your day for Wednesday, July 24, 2019.

A. Our Daily Brew

  • Who We Serve: Content for managed services providers (MSPs), cloud services providers (CSPs), IT consulting firms, systems integrators, VARs, independent software vendors (ISVs), and any other partner acronym that further caffeinates our already stellar SEO.
  • Frequency: Every business morning.
  • Reaching the Barista: Send news, tips and rumors to [email protected].

B. Freshly Brewed News and Chatter

1. M&A - MSP Software: ConnectWise, owned by private equity firm Thoma Bravo, is in the market to explore potential acquisitions -- including small tuck-in deals and potentially larger moves. CEO Jason Magee hinted that deals may be coming during the recent IT Nation conference in June 2019. Magee didn't mention any companies or focus areas by name. But sources suggest ConnectWise could be looking at ITBoost, an MSP documentation and password management software company that competes with Kaseya's IT Glue and SolarWinds Passportal. Neither ConnectWise nor ITBoost have publicly commented about recent M&A chatter involving the companies.

2. M&A - MSPs: Ntiva, a provider of managed IT, cloud hosting, cyber security, unified communications, and strategic consulting services, has acquired HigherGround, a full-service IT and consulting firm based in Chicago and Rolling Meadows, Illinois.

3. M&A - FinTech Consulting: Grow Capital has acquired Bombshell Technologies. An independent auditor placed the valuation at $9 million, though we don't know if that was the actual purchase price. Bombshell Technologies is a software development service provider with a focus on the financial services sector.

4. M&A - Online Services: Web.com has acquired Dreamscape Networks Ltd., an online solutions provider in Australia and Southeast Asia. Dreamscape backed by roughly 600 employees, provides online solutions that help businesses and independents establish, build, maintain and grow their online presence, the company says. Web.com is owned by Siris Capital.

5. M&A - Oracle Partner: Deloitte has acquired NeoData Australia, an Oracle-focused analytics partner.

6. IPO - Enterprise Applications: IFS AB, a developer of enterprise business applications, is on track for an Initial Public Offering (IPO) as early as 2020, according to Bloomberg. EQT Partners currently owns IFS.

7. IT Service Management & Artificial Intelligence: ManageEngine, the IT management division of Zoho, has announced general availability of Zia, Zoho's AI assistant, in its IT analytics solution, Analytics Plus. Zia interprets questions posed in plain English via text or voice to generate visualizations, and offers suggestions based on keywords used in search, the company says. Users can also train Zia to understand organization-specific terms to get better results, Zoho adds. ManageEngine has a broad and deep portfolio of ITSM tools for MSPs.

8. MSPs - Automation & Business Management Software: Atera has launched a community features board to build closer communications with MSPs. Atera develops a cloud-based IT automation platform that spans RMM (remote monitoring and management), PSA (professional services automation and remote access capabilities.

9. Data Protection - CloudBerry Lab Rebrands: CloudBerry Lab -- a provider of cloud-based backup, disaster recovery (BDR) and business continuity software -- has rebranded as MSP360. The new identity better communicates "the company’s vision of becoming the premier platform for MSPs." The business supports more than 8,000 MSPs worldwide, the company asserts.

10. Data Protection - SMB: StorageCraft has launched OneXafe Solo 300, a plug-and-play appliance that streams data directly to StorageCraft Cloud Services for business continuity.

11. Research - Risk Assessments: Fully 69% of SMBs have not identified and documented cybersecurity threats, while two-thirds (66%) have not identified and documented cybersecurity vulnerabilities, according to ConnectWise research.

C. Channel Partner Programs and Strategic Alliances: MSPs, CSPs, ISVs, VARs

LinkedIn: Doug (Dong Hoon) Yeum, channel chief, AWS
LinkedIn: Doug (Dong Hoon) Yeum, channel chief, AWS

1. Channel Chief - Amazon Web Services (AWS): Doug (Dong Hoon) Yeum has succeeded Terry Wise as head of worldwide channels and alliances for Amazon Web Services. Wise is now said to be vice president of worldwide partners and U.S. Western region sales for AWS, according to CRN.

2. Storage as a Service: Zadara Storage, a provider of enterprise storage-as-a-service, has launched the Zadara Service Provider (ZSP) program.

3. IT Service Management: Martello Technologies Group Inc and Paessler AG have partnered to integrate their software platform. The move gives MSPs and customers a unified and service-oriented view of their IT infrastructure, the companies say.

4. All Partner Programs: Search the comprehensive ChannelE2E Partner Program Database here. Also, submit your company information here and your partner program can be listed in the database.

D. Next Five Technology Conferences

  1. CompTIA ChannelCon (August 5-9, Las Vegas)
  2. VMware VMworld (August 25-29, San Francisco)
  3. Taylor Business Group Big Big 2019 Conference (September 12-14, Chicago)
  4. IT Glue GlueX 2019 (September 15-17, Phoenix)
  5. Oracle OpenWorld 2019 (September 15-19, San Francisco)
  6. BonusChannelE2E’s complete event calendar

Got news to share for our morning update? Email me: [email protected].

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.