Dimension Data has acquired Ceryx Inc, a Microsoft-focused Cloud Service Provider that focuses heavily on Office 365, Exchange, Sharepoint and Skype for Business. So far, Ceryx mainly offers unified communications solutions Fortune 500 clients across the U.S., Canada and Europe -- but Dimension Data may help to extend the acquired company's footprint globally. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Dimension Data will combine Ceryx’s offerings with its Microsoft Services to "deliver a full services portfolio that spans on-premise, private cloud and public cloud, Office 365 (O365) – or a hybrid of any - for Microsoft Exchange, Sharepoint and Skype for Business (S4B). This includes the Group’s private cloud offering called Cloud Services for Microsoft (CSfM)," the two companies said.
Based on the acquisition, Dimension Data claims it's one of the few companies that can offer "the full suite of different delivery models" which will allow organizations to "provision, manage and optimize these workloads through single management portal, irrespective of platform or location."
Dimension Data operates in 58 countries. Ceryx, meanwhile, says it has managed advanced, customized solutions for mid-market and enterprise customers since 2001. The company is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner.
Microsoft Hybrid Cloud Management: Hot M&A Pursuit
Dozens of channel partners, IT consulting firms, MSPs and cloud services providers (CSPs) are pursuing M&A strategies to offer hybrid Microsoft cloud services. In addition to the Dimension Data-Ceryx deal, recent business combinations have included:
- Aldridge acquiring Arterian and PacketDrivers, at least in part to work more closely with Microsoft in Seattle.
- IBM and others buying up Microsoft Dynamics cloud partners in 2016.
- Multiple Microsoft Dynamics partners acquired in late 2015.
- Vital Networks acquiring Octari, a Microsoft Gold certified partner.
The strategies don't end with buyouts. When Aldridge acquired Arterian, Jamison West shifted from Arterian's CEO post to a new position focused exclusively on the company's CSP build-out -- which will connect the dots between Office 365, Azure and on-premises management.
Bottom line? The land grab for Microsoft-centric cloud services providers continues to accelerate.
