5 Channel Partner and MSP News Updates: Thursday 24 December 2020 -

Here are five (actually, more) technology news updates, insights, chatter, and plenty more to start your day for Thursday, December 24, 2020. Sip up.

Our Daily Brew

Who We Serve: Content for managed services providers (MSPs), IT service providers (ITSPs), 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].

A. What’s Happening Today

1. COVID-19 Vaccinations - Required?: Juniper Networks is considering the possibility of requiring employees to be vaccinated for Covid-19 once the vaccine is widely available. Juniper VP Brad Minnis told the Silicon Valley Business Journal:

“We’re having that discussion. It’s still not clear from a legal perspective whether we can require it or not. There is some speculation that we could require it, but if employees didn’t want to opt for that, then they could continue to have the option to work remotely. Those are discussions that we’re having. We haven’t made the final decision on that, but certainly it’s on the table.”

2. M&A - MSP & Broadband Bidding War: A bidding war continues for Alaska Communications Systems, a major MSP, telecom service provider and Microsoft Gold partner with Azure cloud expertise.

3. M&A - Cybersecurity Startup: Goldman Sachs has acquired White Ops Inc.

4. M&A - Data Protection: HelpSystems has acquired Vera, a cloud-based data protection solution provider.

5. Cybersecurity Assessment Tool: Distribution giant Ingram Micro in Dubai launched a cybersecurity assessment tool called CyberGramSM. ChannelE2E is checking to see if the tool or something like it is available in North America.

6. IBM eRate Fine: IBM has agreed to return $24.25 million to resolve a pair of FCC investigations involving eRate subsidies awarded to connect schools and libraries to broadband, Reuters reports.

7. 5G Wireless Auctions: The FCC's ongoing sale of wireless licenses has fetched more than $69.8 billion after three weeks of bidding, a record sum that could alter cellphone carriers’ prospects for the next decade, The Wall Street Journal reports.

8. Alibaba Anti-Trust Investigation: China's government is investigating Alibaba -- the massive cloud and e-commerce provider -- for potential anti-trust violations...