Is Microsoft losing the cloud wars?

Posted on February 1, 2019 by - News

While the software king of the known universe, Microsoft still reigns. Its results show a double digit rise in revenue but there was some concern on Wall Street about the state of Azure.

The vendor’s share price fell more than four percent in after-hours trading, with sales slightly below expectations. Revenue for the three months ending 31 December increased 12 percent to $10.3 billion.

Microsoft did not mention its Azure revenue numbers, but offers a year-on-year growth figure. In this quarter sales rose 76 per ent, continuing a long-running trend of high double-digit growth.

But if you look at the numbers for last year this number is well behind the 98 percent growth it scored in the second quarter.

Datto automates updates and patches

Posted on February 1, 2019 by - News, Products

Datto – which provides IT through Managed Service Providers (MSPs), announced the global availability of Datto RMM 6.5, which helps MSPs provide reliable security services through improved remote endpoint software patch management.

The big idea is to tackle endpoint attacks which are up up 20 percent on last year, costing businesses millions, Proper endpoint patching is seen as the first line of defence for businesses worldwide. Datto RMM 6.5 will help MSPs better address the security needs of their customers’ IT environments, the company claims.

A part of Datto Business Management, Datto RMM is a cloud remote monitoring and management solution for MSPs. It allows MSPs to manage the IT infrastructure of small and medium businesses remotely with automation tools such as network monitoring, patch management, and remote control.

Dell calls for more digital transformation

Posted on January 31, 2019 by - News

Grey box shifter Dell has revealed the findings of global research into the adoption of digital transformation and found that the UK has yet to work the concept out.

According to Dell’s bi-annual Digital Transformation Index, the UK is better prepared in many other countries, but even so 71 percent of digital leaders think that digital transformation should be more widespread across their organisations.

Cisco boosts IoT channel

Posted on January 31, 2019 by - News

Cisco is on the hunt for a network of certified partners that can help customers snuggle up to IoT.

Cisco is building a global force of partners that have gone through its IoT training and specialisation programmes.

The vendor wants resellers, ISVs, machine builders and service providers signed up to its IoT programme so that partners with certifications have the highest visibility across its own sales teams as well as with customers.

Mimecast snaps up Simply Migrate

Posted on January 31, 2019 by - News

Mimecast has written a cheque for the London-based Simply Migrate, which specialises in archived data migration technology.

Mimecast stated that the cost and complexity of legacy data migration is a major issue for large organisations in moving to its cloud-based archiving solutions.

It claimed that this acquisition will offer customers a faster and more cost-effective route to its cloud.

Gartner says IT spend will grow despite uncertainty

Posted on January 30, 2019 by - News

Worldwide IT spending will hit a high of $3.76 trillion as it shifts from devices to new areas including cloud services.

Beancounters at Gartner think that despite Brexit uncertainty, trade wars, tariffs and Donald Trump IT spending is predicted to see three percent growth in 2019.

However, John-David Lovelock, research VP at Gartner, said the focus of this spending will shift dramatically.

NCC sees revenue boost despite UK woes

Posted on January 30, 2019 by - News

Cybersecurity outfit NCC Group’s turnover for the first half of its fiscal 2019 rose eight percent, but the outfit is a little miffed at its flat UK sales figures.

NCC’s turnover rose to £126 million. Total operating profit jumped to £9.5 million from £6.3 million during its first quarter which ended on 30 November 2018.

Its revenue growth to its US Assurance business, grew 20 percent, but its UK business only increased by 1.1 percent and contributed £43.8 million of the final figure.

Tech Data gets Intouch

Posted on January 30, 2019 by - News

Tech Data has introduced sponsored product search and targeted banner advertising to its online sales platform InTouch using digital advertising system provider Citrus .

The enhancements to InTouch will allow Tech Data to provide a more personalised user experience for customers across its European footprint and improved visibility of return on investment for vendors’ digital marketing activities, enabled by Citrus’s advanced data analytics and machine learning capability.

CDW winner on UK government’s G-cloud

Posted on January 29, 2019 by - News

CDW transacted the most sales of any reseller on the G-Cloud framework last year according to government released figures

The figures, published by Crown Commercial Service (CCS), reveal that CDW raked in sales of £29.3 million via G-Cloud, although the vast majority of this came from one huge £25.7 million deal.

RealVNC appoints Sigma as preferred UK distributor.

Posted on January 29, 2019 by - News

RealVNC has appointed Sigma Software Distribution as its preferred UK distributor.

RealVNC  provides remote access software. RealVNC’s product, VNC Connect, covers a wide variety of use cases including IT support and remote working to supporting usability testing and running virtual desktops.

Richard Booth, Channel Sales Executive at RealVNC said: “We’ve partnered with Sigma for some time and

Crowdstrike adds a new reseller tier

Posted on January 29, 2019 by - News

CrowdStrike announced a new tiered programme for reseller partners to sell more and offer partners additional revenue streams through partner-provided services, solutions, and other opportunities.

The Elevate Partner Programme is a unified partner programme that incorporates all security solutions, partners and their “go-to-market models”. It encompasses a “whole-ecosystem” approach based on six paths to partner engagement and profitability — Channel, Technology Alliances, MSSPs, OEMs, CrowdStrike Platform, and Cloud Procurements.

Zadara builds VMware cloud using AWS

Posted on January 28, 2019 by - News

Zadara has announced its enterprise-class storage solutions are available to VMware Cloud on AWS customers.

VMware Cloud on AWS brings together VMware’s enterprise-class Software-Defined Data Center (SDDC) software and bare-metal infrastructure from Amazon Web Services (AWS). Zadara said this means that its Virtual Private Storage Arrays deliver the data storage and management features that customers of VMware Cloud on AWS need.

NCC Group update shows channel skills shortage

Posted on January 28, 2019 by - News

Cybersecurity outfit NCC Group has shared an interim first half update that exposes its problems finding those with security skills.

While everyone knows that there are problems with finding staff with the right stuff it has mostly been pitched as an “opportunity for the channel to fill the skills gap.”

The NCC report implies that even the channel is suffering too.

HP investing £4 million into education

Posted on January 28, 2019 by - News

The maker of expensive printer ink, HP, is putting £4 million into its HP for Education scheme in what is a record investment for the initiative.

HP education business director  Neil Sawyer said that the programme is centred around HP’s education resellers who took a training and certification programme with the outfit last year.

When they sell HP technology to schools, the schools receive credits to allow them to invest in more tech.

Nintex sign powered by Adobe

Posted on January 25, 2019 by - News

Nintex announced a strategic partnership with Adobe to bring new native electronic signature capabilities, called Nintex Signup, powered by Adobe Sign, to Nintex partners and customers.

Nintex Sign believes it provides fully integrated e-signatures within its Process Platform to securely complete transactions. Thousands of partners, public, private, and government organisations use the Nintex platform every day to build process apps, automate complicated workflows, and generate all kinds of documents.

Nintex CEO Eric Johnson said: “The new offering produced by this partnership powerfully extends the native capabilities of Nintex Platform to now include industry-leading Adobe-backed eSignatures. Nintex Sign, powered by our strategic partnership with Adobe, will bring tremendous value to our thriving Nintex process management and automation community.”

Ashley Still, vice president and general manager, Adobe Document Cloud, added, “We believe great experiences for customers and employees start where the document does. With Nintex Sign powered by Adobe Sign, we’re excited to bring these two best-in-class solutions together, making it easier for Nintex’s global partner network and customers to transform digital document workflows.”

Aragon Research CEO Jim Lundy, the leading analyst covering the fast-growing, multi-billion dollar Digital Transaction Management and Workflow and Content Automation markets commented, “This strategic partnership brings together two of the leading providers in Documents, eSignatures, Process Management, Workflow and Content Automation.”

Nintex is offering current customers who sign up for Nintex Sign powered by Adobe Sign with a special “introductory” offer. Nintex customers should contact their Nintex account manager for details.