5 Channel Partner and MSP News Updates: Tuesday 12 January 2021

Here are five (actually, more) technology news updates, insights, chatter, and plenty more to start your day for Tuesday, January 12, 2021. Sip up.

What’s In Our Daily Brew?

A. What’s Brewing Today: Technology News

1. M&A - Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR): Huntress has confirmed this EDR cybersecurity acquisition...

2. Free MSP RMM Software: Action1 has introduced free cloud-based endpoint security and remote management software for 50 endpoints or less. The free remote management and endpoint security capabilities include patch management, remote desktop, software deployment, reporting, alerting and more .

3. M&A Feud - Cisco and Acacia: Acacia Communications has responded to a Cisco lawsuit. Cisco filed suit after Acacia announced plans to abandon an M&A deal with the networking giant.

4. Funding - Databases: Cockroach Labs has raised $160 million in new funding led by Altimeter Capital with participation from new investors Greenoaks and Lone Pine, and existing investors Benchmark, BOND, FirstMark, GV, Index Ventures, and Tiger Global. This round brings Cockroach Labs' total funding to $355 million at a valuation of $2 billion, the company says.

5. Funding and Talent - Cloud Directory Services: JumpCloud has added $25 million to its Series E financing, closing the oversubscribed growth round at $100 million. BlackRock led the round, with additional investment from an affiliate of H.I.G. Growth Partners, OurCrowd, and participation from existing investor, General Atlantic. Also, JumpCloud has hired Kevin Biggs as chief revenue officer.

5. Talent - Mid-Market ERP Software: Unit4 has hired Infor, OpenText and Adobe veteran John Gregitis as president, North America.

6. Toshiba Satellite Laptops Reborn: Dynabook Americas has launched Satellite Pro laptops. The familiar notebook PC brand was originally pioneered by Toshiba more than two decades ago. Dynabrook, owned by Sharp, is the former Toshiba Client Solutions Co. business.

7. Customer Experience (CX) and Master Data Management (MDM): Informatica has announced Customer 360, a SaaS solution "designed to help enterprises rethink and reimagine how they deliver a CX in a post-pandemic, digital-first, cloud world," the company says.

8. Augmented Reality: Lenovo is previewing augmented reality glasses called ThinkReality A3. The AR glasses are designed for such user scenarios as factory floors, laboratories, retail and hospitality spaces where users may need or provide remote assistance.

9. IoT and Smart Hospitals: Zyter has launched Zyter Smart Hospitals, which connects a hospital’s disparate data systems, departments, people, and Internet of Things (IoT) technology devices on Zyter’s digital communication and collaboration platform, the company says.

B. Channel Chiefs, Partner Programs and Strategic Alliances

1. Cloud Consulting: Big Bang has hired Suzanne Monaco as director of alliances and partnerships. The cloud consulting firm works closely with Salesforce, Rootstock, FinancialForce and other Forece.com ecosystem members.

2. Partnership - Database Reseller: CRG Solutions is now a value-added reseller for SingleStore in India and ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) markets.

3. Synnex Quarterly Earnings: Synnex revenue for Q4 of 2020 was $7.4 billion, up 12.7 percent from Q4 of 2019. Also, net income was $215.2 million, up 22.2percent from the corresponding quarter the previous year.

4. Distribution - Optical Networking: Synnex has agreed to distribute Ribbon Communications' real-time communications software and network solutions into the Caribbean and Latin America.

C. Channel Partner Summits, MSP Conferences and Virtual Events Calendar