VMware’s big euro expansion

VMware is beefing up its game across Europe, chucking nine new spots into its distribution deal with TD SYNNEX – Austria, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Sweden, and Turkey,

This means TD SYNNEX’s mates can get their paws on all the subscription goodies VMware’s dishing out. And get this: They’re throwing in some extra treats like boot camps, webinars, and all sorts of stuff to get the partners up to speed on the latest cloud and virtualisation tricks.

Microsoft’s cloudy crackdown

Software King of the World Microsoft has announced that it will suspend its cloud services for Russian companies by the end of March 2024.

This decision comes as a direct response to the economic sanctions imposed by the European Union on Russian-owned companies in December 2023, amid the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

The suspension, which was initially set to commence on March 20, has been delayed following discussions with Softline, a key IT platform and Microsoft customer. Vole has emphasised that this action is not politically motivated but is a commitment to adhering to international trade laws and regulations.

Cloudcover 365 solves Microsoft 365’s backup challenge.

Channel-first cloud and disaster recovery specialist VirtualDCS has launched the world’s most comprehensive Azure backup service, protecting over 250 configurable items within an established Microsoft 365 estate.

Known as CloudCover Guardian for Azure, the new service is part of VirtualDCS’s CloudCover 365 solution and offers complete Microsoft 365 backup and recovery.

Additionally, VirtualDCS has introduced a unique ‘Clean Room’ service for organisations and users requiring system restoration in a sterile and isolated environment following a Ransomware attack.

European AI market skyrocketing

According to IDC’s Worldwide AI and Generative AI Spending Guide, the European AI and genAI market is set to soar to a £36 billion in 2024, with a staggering compound annual growth rate of 33.7 per cent over the 2022-2027 forecast period.

The number crunchers at IDC said that Europe’s slice of the global AI pie is about one-fifth, and though GenAI only made up 9.6 per cent of Europe’s total AI market last year, it’s on a rapid rise.

IDC’s crystal ball predicts that genAI spending will outpace the rest of the AI market by more than threefold, meaning genAI will account for over a quarter of the total European AI market by 2027.

When it comes to tech segments, software is king in 2024, with a market value that’s more than the combined worth of hardware and services.

OVHcloud’s scouting for microservice maestros to boost its cloud crew

OVHcloud’s looking for some savvy partners to provide microservices to spice up it offers.

The company wants folks who can bring something extra to the table with their IaaS and Kubernetes management game.

The company is picking up on what customers are after, especially since many of them don’t have the know-how in-house. They’re eager to team up with partners who can fill that gap.

OVHcloud partner programmes boss David Devine said that as the cloud scene gets more mature, loads of mid-sized businesses are wondering how they can use cloud-native tech to push their business forward.

TD SYNNEX fuels circular it economy with Cisco Refresh

TD SYNNEX will offer Cisco Refresh-certified remanufactured equipment throughout Europe, supporting partners as they adopti cost-effective circular IT procurement strategies.

The company is now directly stocking Cisco Refresh items in its logistics centres, which are prepared for immediate dispatch to partners.

TD SYNNEX insists this initiative aims to shorten delivery times and enhance product availability transparency, aiding partners in integrating a broader array of eco-friendly solutions into their Cisco market offerings. This move coincides with a surge in demand for environmental sustainability in IT procurement.

Broadcom’s VMWare “bully tactics” leave cloud customers furious

Europe’s cloud infrastructure services providers (CISPE) are up in arms over Broadcom’s move to scrap license terms for key virtualisation software.

The body said it’s pandemonium as public sector bodies, big European firms, and the little guys – SMEs and startups – are tizzy over the nasty new contract terms and eye-watering price hikes.

CISPE is demanding, at the very least, a time-out on Broadcom’s contract endings and a get-out clause from Broadcom’s iron-clad multi-year deals as soon as a decent alternative pops up.

There is a concern that without VMware’s magic, some CISPE members will go belly-up.

Some are so hooked on VMware’s tech that it’s 75 per cent of their bread and butter. If this licensing kerfuffle isn’t sorted, we’re discussing a full-blown online service shutdown, including life-saving medical accounts.

Computacenter did well in 2023

Computacenter has announced promising results for the financial year 2023.

The company said its gross invoiced income (GII) exceeded £10 billion, marking an increase of 11.4 per cent compared to the previous year. Additionally, there was a 10.2 per cent rise in gross profit and adjusted earnings per share (EPS).

These gains were attributed to advancements in technology sourcing and services.

The gross profit saw a 10.2 per cent uplift, while the profit before tax rose by 5.4 per cent, indicative of heightened strategic investments.

Ingram Micro’s IPO buzz

IT distributor Ingram Micro is gearing up for a smashing new IPO.

Word on the street is that they’ve got the money maestros at Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley cooking up a juicy £6.5 billion deal that could pop as early as April.

This is not Ingram’s first rodeo. The California giant, which took a step back from the Wall Street limelight in 2021 after a hefty £5.8 billion buyout by Platinum Equity, flirted with an IPO last September but didn’t go through with it.

Billion-dollar bonanza for CCaaS

Number crunchers at Juniper Research have added up some numbers, divided them by their shoe size, and realised that Contact Centre-as-a-Service is about to rake in a whopping $10 billion subscription revenue by 2025.

It will balloon to an eye-watering $18 billion by 2028. That’s a stonking 76 per cent growth!

Juniper said that while the moolah from CCaaS is predicted to shoot up by 21 per cent between 2024 and 2025, this rocketing rate will hit the brakes in the following three years.

This will be caused by an anticipated reduction in service innovation and over-saturation of service providers due to the consolidation of SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) platforms.

CCaaS is this nifty cloud-based gizmo provided by CSPs (Communication Service Providers) that’s a godsend for businesses dealing with customers. It’s like having a digital switchboard that handles all the natter from emails, calls, you name it, all in one place.

Juniper’s jolly good jump in AI networking

Juniper Networks is stirring up the AI scene with a fresh twist on its Juniper Partner Advantage (JPA) Programme.

The new scheme helps partners get smart with AI for IT Ops, promising a smooth ride to cash town with reliable, nifty, and far-reaching managed networking services.

It has included a shiny new Partner Assured badge to showcase their mates’ top-notch Juniper skills, which were checked out by the bigwigs at Information Security Systems International (ISSI). It’s all about ensuring customers get the crème de la crème of service while cutting costs.

Juniper’s partner club boss Gordon Mackintosh said the company was laying down the red carpet for partners to flex their value and speed like never before.

Its managed service provider (MSP) designation has ballooned by 44 per cent, thanks to some clever AI tricks that are set to boost partner profits and customer happiness.

Bytes Technology: scandal and success

Despite the juicy drama of its  CEO Neil Murphy’s hush-hush exit over some sneaky trades, Bytes Technology is raking in the cash.

The company has bagged a whopping £89 million in the kitty, with profits and sales through the roof – we’re talking a stellar 25 per cent jump in demand.

Gross invoiced income growth exceeded 25 per cent, indicating strong demand for software and IT services from corporate and public sector clients.

The company’s cash position stood at approximately £89 million at the year-end, reflecting a cash conversion in line with the group’s target of 100 per cent.

Current boss Sam Mudd is pleased with the results, saying that his team’s done a blinder and that they’re on track for even more money from their IT gear.

Meanwhile, the story of Murphy’s exit is getting more involved. Apparently, The FCA sniffed out some dodgy dealings and suspects that he had been trading on the sly – 119 times no less, and even his missus got in on the action.

Subsequent investigations revealed unauthorised trading of the company’s ordinary shares on 66 trading days between January 2021 and November 2023.

Additional transactions conducted by Murphy on behalf of his wife were disclosed later, further highlighting the lack of transparency in his dealings.

Yet, the market’s buzzing and BTG’s not sweating it. They’re all hands on deck, promising to play nice with the investigators and keep things squeaky clean.

Vole’s Cloud volte-face – makes it easier to move data

Software King of the World Microsoft has decided it won’t be pocketing your pennies when you fancy moving your data from Azure to another cloud or back home to your own data centre.

Vole cooed in a snappy blog post that it was all about choice including the freedom to take your data and do a runner from Azure.

This sudden burst of generosity is all thanks to the looming European Data Act, set to give the boot to sneaky lock-in antics by 2025. But Vole felt generous and spread love worldwide, not just in Europe.

Zscaler completes Avalor deal for £200-£280 million

Cloudy Security behemoth Zscaler has snapped up the hotshot start-up Avalor, and they’re not shy about their grand plans to revolutionise AI in cybersecurity.

The bigwigs are keeping schtum on the exact figures, but whispers on the grapevine peg the deal at a cool £200 to £280 million. The tech town’s been buzzing since January about this match made in cyber heaven, and it’s all done and dusted as of March 13.

Zscaler boss Jay Chaudhry said that AI is only top-notch if the data’s up to snuff and he had the world’s biggest security cloud, and with Avalor’s tech, it will spot the cyber nasties before they even think about causing trouble.

IP jitters will nip GenAI in the Bud warns Gartner

Gartner’s crystal ball gazers predict bumpy roads ahead for genAI and a slowdown by 2026.

Big G thinks that the big spend on keeping IP safe and dodging copyright infringement is set to put the brakes on genAI adoption and trim down those juicy returns.

Gartner’s top boffin, Rita Sallam, warns that as genAI gets smarter, the rule-makers are playing catch-up. And it’s not just the big cheeses sweating over IP risks; it’s a headache for the whole office.

She says it is time to be choosy with vendors and smarten up the crew with the right tools.