5 Channel Partner Program and MSP News Updates: 14 February 2022 -

Here are five (actually, more) technology news updates, insights, chatter, and plenty more to start your day for Monday, February 14, 2022. Sip up.

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A. Today’s Technology, Channel Chief and MSP Partner Program News

1. MSP Software Integrations, Billing Management: Gradient MSP has unveiled Synthesize, an "open vendor integration program and platform built to optimize the MSP business model," the startup software provider said. The program is designed to make partnerships between channel vendors, professional services automation (PSA) software providers, and MSPs "more prosperous and profitable," said Gradient MSP founder and CEO Colin Knox. Moreover, MSPs will gain the ability to reconcile "everything-as-a-service as part of the automated Billable monthly recurring revenue cycle, he indicated.

2. Microsoft 365 vs. Google Workspace: Microsoft is offering a 60% discount on its Microsoft 365 platform to former G Suite customers unhappy that they will soon have to pay for Google's services, Tech Radar notes. Ironically, the Microsoft pitch comes just as Microsoft faces heat for trying to shift partners and end customers to annual Microsoft 365 licensing terms...

3. Distribution - Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS): Jenne has agreed to distribute Broadvoice to its partner portfolio. Broadvoice, an award-winning provider of hosted voice, unified communications (UC) and SIP trunking services, enables small and medium businesses (SMBs) to simplify communications with its b-hive Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) platform.

4. GoDaddy Pursues Entrepreneurs as Customers: Hosting service provider GoDaddy continues to focus on "everyday entrepreneurs" while focusing the business on two revenue pillars. They are:

Applications & Commerce - includes GoDaddy's create and grow proprietary software, such as websites, list marketing, Managed WordPress and connected commerce solution launched late last year. This pillar also includes productivity applications, such as email. This pillar represented 30% of GoDaddy's total 2021 revenue, the company said.

Core Platform - comprises primary domain registration - both on the registry and registrar side – aftermarket, hosting and security solutions. This pillar represented 70% of GoDaddy's total 2021 revenue. the company indicated.

5. San Francisco 49ers Ransomware Attack: The details & timeline are here...

6. Alleged IBM Age Discrimination: It appears that top IBM executives were directly involved in discussions about the need to reduce a portion of older employees at the company, sometimes disparaging them with terms of art like “dinobabies,” The New York Times reports. Still, an UBM spokesman, defended the company’s employment practices -- telling The Times that “IBM never engaged in systemic age discrimination."