Author: Nick Farrell

Riverbed releases ACE new partner programme

Posted on May 15, 2023 by - News

Riverbed has announced a new partner programme.

The outfit’s managed SaaS Digital Experience Management (DEM) service is focused on scaling the company’s Alluvio Aternity DEM business.

Dubbed ACE, the new Riverbed partner programme targets MSP partners that deliver services to small and medium enterprises, and are new customers to Alluvio Aternity DEM, with less than five thousand global users.

Riverbed wants ACE to help small to medium enterprises struggling to measure the impact of the digital employee experience (DEX) and customer experience.

Riverbed SVP for Global Partners and Alliances Alex Thurber said that his company is taking its Alluvio Aternity DEM and turning it into a managed service as an expansion of the Riverbed go-to-market strategy as partners look for technology that can keep pace with evolving business and client needs.

“ACE enables partners to provide DEM-as-a-service to small and medium enterprises, as the need for innovation is greater than ever in today’s digital workplace. Riverbed is enabling positive change in the IT channel by providing partners with opportunities to expand their business with more flexible and modern licensing models that deliver exceptional digital experiences to customers through our industry leading Alluvio Unified Observability and Riverbed Acceleration portfolios,” Thurber said.

 

SAP and Google Cloud expand their cloud partnership

Posted on May 15, 2023 by - News

SAP and Google Cloud are expanding their cloudy partnership by introducing an open data offering.

They claim it will enable customers to build an end-to-end data cloud that brings data from across the enterprise landscape using the SAP Datasphere solution and Google’s data cloud.

This means that customer can view their data in real-time and maximise value from their Google Cloud and SAP software investments. SAP Datasphere mixes this data with data from across the enterprise.

The pair claim partners and customers can combine SAP software and non-SAP data on Google Cloud, from virtually any other data source.

SAP CEO Christian Klein said bringing together SAP systems and data with Google’s data cloud introduces entirely new opportunities for enterprises to derive more value from their full data footprints.

Accenture takes a stake in Stardog

Posted on May 15, 2023 by - News

Accenture has invested in AI firm Stardog which has developed technology that combines data from several sources and makes it machine-understandable without changing the underlying data.

The big idea is to allow such data to be better searched, and improve searches using generative AI.

Accenture makes it clear that it is not acquiring Stardog, but is instead making a strategic minority investment in the company via its Accenture Ventures.

Accenture Cloud First. chief technologist Teresa Tung said: “We believe this is such a strategic technology that we want to get in with the startups so that we can shape their product to be best for helping us with our clients.”

Accenture, which currently partners with Stardog, did not disclose the size of its investment which apparently does not give it first rights to Stardog’s technology.

Instead the move means that Accenture can influence Stardog’s roadmap

 

Accenture gets Objectivity

Posted on May 12, 2023 by - News

Accenture has agreed to acquire cloud and platform development MSP, Objectivity.

The company said that the sale will enable Accenture to meet the new wave of platform engineering projects.

Accenture Cloud First boss Karthik Narain said Objectivity’s strong engineering culture and delivery experience will help clients pivot and launch new products quickly and efficiently.

Objectivity founder Rob Helle said Objectivity has provided innovative thinking to create the most fit-for-purpose digital solutions.

Integrity360 snaps up Swedish Netsecure

Posted on May 12, 2023 by - News

Integrity360 has written a cheque for Swedish cyber security service provider Netsecure as part of a cunning plan to expand its Nordic operation.

Netsecure employs around 40 employees and is headquartered in Stockholm.  It reported growth of around 35 per cent per annum for the last four years, and it expects sales of circa €10 million during FY2023.

All of Netsecure’s employees will remain with the group, bringing the headcount of Integrity360 group to around 360.

Integrity360 executive chairman Ian Brown said that the merged group will significantly expand its activities and services throughout the Nordic region in addition to continuing growth as an independent cyber security services specialist throughout the UK and Ireland.

He has plans for expansion into other geographic markets this year.

Netsecure founder Jan Lindblom said Netsecure had become a well-respected cyber services provider within Sweden.

“Our skills combined with those of Integrity360 will provide an extension of our portfolio of professional, support and managed services. This is great news for employees, customers, and partners. Our 2 companies are highly complementary, with common strengths in cyber infrastructure, and SIEM technologies,” Lindblom said.

 

Barracuda merges MSP and channel partner programmes

Posted on May 12, 2023 by - News

Barracuda is merging its MSP and channel partner programmes.

The outfit’s VP of partner ecosystems Jason Beal said many vendors in the industry had legacy programmes that were tailored to a resale business.

Using diversified partner models enabled the creation of a global programme that recognised partners who are reselling technology and providing professional services, those that are serve up managed services or co-managed models.

Barracuda wanted to update the programme to recognise this diversification of its business models, he said.

UK businesses too dependent on ancient phone systems

Posted on May 11, 2023 by - News

Most UK businesses still rely on the out-of-date public switched telephone network (PSTN) for essential services, such as analogue phone lines, broadband, alarm systems and CCTV cameras.

A new survey commissioned by cloud and connectivity provider M247, which explores the current state of PSTN usage among UK businesses, found that more than 88 per cent of them were ignoring the fact the PSTN stop-sell followed by a full deactivation of the network by 31 December 2025.

For those not in the know, PSTN is a network of copper wires that has kept the UK connected since the 1800s.

Its owner, Openreach, will be switching the network off in December 2025 due to increasing difficulties associated with maintaining the now aged infrastructure, as well as evolving communication styles and habits.

Innovation Park CEO warns European tech at a crossroads

Posted on May 11, 2023 by - News

The EU’s tech sector is now at a crossroads, with some experts predicting an increased focus on homegrown innovations and a shift in investment priorities, according to Innovation Park CEO Julia Vorontsova.

“The challenges faced by global tech firms are opening up new opportunities for European companies to lead the way in technological advancements. It’s time for the EU to capitalize on this momentum and foster a thriving innovation and investment ecosystem,” she said.

Vorontsova warned that several factors contribute to the uncertain future of tech firms ranging from regulatory crackdowns, political tensions, local competition, shifting investment priorities and privacy concerns.

Software supply chain cyberattacks are up

Posted on May 11, 2023 by - News

Hacker typing on a laptop

A new study from Juniper Research has found that the total cost of software supply chain cyberattacks to businesses will exceed $80.6 billion globally by 2026, up from $45.8 billion in 2023.

This growth of 76 per cent reflects increasing risks from absent software supply chain security processes, and the rising complexity of software supply chains overall.

The new study, Vulnerable Software Supply Chains Are a Multi-billion Dollar Problem, highlights the need for greater emphasis on the software elements of the supply chain as a critical security vulnerability.

The study analysed how both shifts in wider cybersecurity processes, and the mindset around the management of the software supply chain are needed to address these risks.

Informatica releases new partner programme

Posted on May 10, 2023 by - News

Informatica announces early release of Independent Software Vendor (ISV) partner programme.

Cloud data management platform Informatica has announced early access for its next-generation Independent Software Vendor (ISV) partner programme at Informatica World 2023.

Dubbed ISV Innovate, Informatica claims the platform provides ISV channel partners with more opportunities to develop and showcase their products and solutions to global enterprises through the vendor’s platform – Informatica’s Intelligent Data Management Cloud (IDMC).

Troubled Wandisco taps Kelly to sort out its woes.

Posted on May 10, 2023 by - News

Big data specialist WANdisco has appointed Stephen Kelly as its interim CEO to sort out the mess caused by fraud allegations.

The Sheffield-based Microsoft partner’s shares were suspended due to allegations of potential fraud by a “senior sales employee”, and co-founder and chief executive David Richards and CFO Erik Miller have stepped down.

WANdisco says Kelly will serve as permanent CEO when the company’s share suspension is over.

Kelly has considerable experience working at start-ups to large organisations in private and public sectors in the USA and Europe.

He has worked at vendor Oracle and was CEO of Chordiant between 2001 and 2005 and MicroFocus between 2006 and 2010.

Westcon International sees good trade from its cloud marketplace

Posted on May 10, 2023 by - News

Westcon International CEO David Grant said that his outfit had seen a good take up from its PartnerCentral programme, which started six weeks ago.

He said PartnerCentral had an opportunity to deploy in more territories and engage with more partners.

Grant said: “We’ll have 17,000 users on the platform – about half of our global customer base, but we’re only deployed in English-speaking business language countries. We’ve seen, since launch, six weeks ago, a 20-25 per cent increase in activity.”

Adobe says hybrid working exposed SME weakness

Posted on May 9, 2023 by - News

The channel needs to do more to help SMEs improve their technology before they risk alienating staff who become frustrated with the IT on offer.

Research from Adobe has shown the pressure to deliver hybrid working has exposed the weak position of many SMEs on the technology front.

The vendor’s The future of digital work report found that being more productive was an ambition for small businesses, but many were hindered by legacy IT and antiquated processes.

Most of the SMEs quizzed by Adobe (85 per cent) viewed technology as playing a critical role in helping them work faster and smarter. But a similar number admitted poor IT was limiting their ability to deliver that outcome.

More than half of SMEs were still using paper for at least half of the company’s work processes. The result is wasting time, with slightly more than half of the respondents calculating that they lost between two and four hours a day in productivity.

Given the SME customer base is the target for most channel businesses, there is a clear opportunity for partners to remedy the situation.

Claire Darley, senior vice-president of worldwide field sales, customer support and digital media at Adobe, said there was a clear role for partners to play.

Fortinet sees strong growth in first quarter

Posted on May 8, 2023 by - News

Cybersecurity outfit Fortinet said it saw a 32 per cent growth in total revenues in the first quarter.

Revenues hit $1.26 billion, while product revenue reached $500.7 million, which is an increase of 35 per cent compared to $371 million for the same quarter of 2022.

Service revenue was $761.6 million for the first quarter of 2023, an increase of 30.5 per cent compared to $583.8 million for the same quarter of 2022.

Fortinet also reported a GAAP operating income of $273.5 million, up 81 per cent year over year.

Fortinet CEO Ken Xie said the company was gaining market share while being a leading product revenue company in the cybersecurity industry.

Cisco brings in deferred payment scheme

Posted on May 8, 2023 by - News

Cisco is allowing customers to defer payments for new products to defer all payments until 2024.

Dubbed the Cisco Capital Business Acceleration Programme it means that partners can provide customers with another flexible payment option.

Cisco thinks cash flow is a major concern for its customers and partners and all its solutions will be eligible for this programme, including hardware, software, and services, and select partner services and third-party hardware.