Category: News

ThoughtSpot joins SAP PartnerEdge programme

Posted on September 10, 2020 by - News

AI outfit ThoughtSpot has joined the SAP PartnerEdge programme as a partner to help enterprises milk more from their data.

As part of this partnership, ThoughtSpot’s Embrace software has been extended to SAP HANA, which, it’s claimed, empowers people to run search-driven analytics directly in SAP HANA, without having to transfer data. The idea is that organisations can find insights that enhance decision making, improve processes, and deliver more value to the business.

Thoughtspot thinks that enterprises are embracing new infrastructures and warehouses to handle the explosion of data, and looking for new ways to use this data to operate their business more efficiently and effectively. Its Embrace for SAP HANA allows business users to access all of their organisation’s data in SAP HANA in the cloud or on premise.

Computacenter doubles in size with Pivot deal

Posted on September 9, 2020 by - News

Computacenter has swallowed the Canadian firm Pivot Technology Solutions and effectively doubled its size.

CEO Mike Norris said: “The acquisition of Pivot represents an opportunity to increase our scale, geographic footprint and capabilities in the US. Canada expands our total market opportunity and helps us meet the needs of international customers.

Computacenter will pay CAD $105.8 million for Pivot in a deal which has been recommended by the Canadian firm’s board, but still requires shareholder approval.

The US arm of Computacenter will be integrated into Pivot, the firm added, doubling US revenue and headcount. Pivot’s US sales were $1.2 billion in 2019.

 

Companies and partners are getting intimate

Posted on September 9, 2020 by - News

Relationships between technology companies and the partners they rely on to sell, refer and consult on their products and services are evolving from alliances dominated by vendors to true partnerships, according to a research brief published by CompTIA.

The research brief with the catchy title Partner Experience Trends, said that the widespread adoption of cloud computing and the emergence of an “as-a-service world” – the same dynamics that changed the relationship between technology providers and their customers –– are having an equally significant impact in vendor-partner relations.

Carolyn April, senior director for industry analysis at CompTIA said: “Today’s customer cares more about the services that will solve a problem or advance their growth and less about the product’s brand name. That’s spurred technology solution providers to focus more intently on building their reputation as a trusted business advisor. As a result, they have more leverage with the vendors they work with; not in an adversarial way, but in a manner that’s much more balanced than it’s ever been.”

Nutanix offers new partner programme

Posted on September 9, 2020 by - News

Cloudy Nutanix has announced a new global partner programme.

Dubbed Elevate, it is designed to bring together Nutanix’s global partner ecosystem – Value Added Resellers (VARs) and Value Added Distributors (VADs); Service Providers (SPs) and Telcos; Hyperscalers; Independent Software, Hardware, and Platform Vendors; Global System Integrators; and Services Delivery Partners – under one umbrella.

The company says Elevate simplifies “engagement” for Nutanix’s partner “ecosystem” using a consistent set of tools, resources, and marketing platforms provided in the new Nutanix Partner Portal – making it easier for partners to outline their path to success. There is  a new Performance+ Deal Registration designed to increase “incentive potential and opportunity protection”. 

Telarus teams up with Avaya on its UK cloud

Posted on September 8, 2020 by - News

Cloudy distie Telarus has teamed up with Avaya and will begin offering the new Avaya Cloud Office UCaaS solution to its extensive partner network in the UK.

This will broaden the reach of the new app and help agents drive COVID-19 business recovery by giving them access to an efficient, all-in-one UC-as-a-Service (UCaaS) offering that solves the challenges of distributed working. The news comes as Gartner predicts 90 percent of all new UC purchases will be cloud-based UCaaS by 2021, up from 50 percent in 2018.

Tech changes that COVID-19 enabled

Posted on September 8, 2020 by - News

Vincentas Grinius, CEO at Heficed, said some of the changes to the industry bought in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic are here to stay.

Grinius said that unable to resume business as usual, workers continued to carry out their daily tasks from the comfort of their homes. Companies pivoted their IT budgets to VoIP services, secure VPNs, remote desktop protocols, and other solutions aimed at streamlining collaboration among employees.

Symantec grows despite ditching smaller customers

Posted on September 7, 2020 by - News

After Broadcom acquired Symantec at the end of last year, the security outfit turned its back on a few clients to focus on a handful of large customers.

Several competitors seized the opportunity entice partners to switch allegiance, including NetSkope, Trend Micro, Mimecast and CrowdStrike.

However, Broadcom boss Hock Tan said that Symantec business is growing despite ditching a number of its smaller customers.

Mendix jacks up channel investments

Posted on September 7, 2020 by - News

Low-code specialist Mendix has allocated cash to expand its channel after meeting its latest revenue milestones.

The outfit made $100 million and thinks that sprucing up its channel will keep that growth coming.

Its main thrust will be a marketplace vendor programme for resellers.

It has to cope with the fact that it needs to get the low-code message out to more customers, believing that more could benefit from being able to put together business applications without needing highly skilled IT staff.

Print vendor Ricoh Europe snaps up two VARs

Posted on September 7, 2020 by - News

Ricoh Europe has written a cheque for two European VARs as part of its cunning plan to bolster its IT services and transform itself into a “digital services company”.

The outfit has snapped up DataVision and SimplicITy.

The firm works with device vendors including Canon, Epson, Cisco, Microsoft Samsung and Sharp. DataVision was Microsoft’s 2020 Partner of the Year for Surface Hub.

Ricoh claims the acquisition makes it one of Europe’s largest AV and workplace integrators and gives it new skills in modern meeting and workplace solutions and unified communications.

Tech Data snaps up Innovix Distribution

Posted on September 4, 2020 by - News

Tech Data has entered into a definitive agreement to buy Innovix Distribution

The IT distribution giant hopes the addition will accelerate its growth in next-generation tech across the Asia and Pacific region – including within cloud and security, as well as endpoint services. The move will also expand its presence in key markets such as Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore.

Subject to customary closing conditions, the acquisition is expected to close during the third quarter of Tech Data’s 2021 fiscal year.

Tech Data says the acquisition demonstrates its commitment to the Asia Pacific region, making up an “important, early milestone” in its “transformational” journey since being acquired by Apollo Global Management.

Coronavirus causes insolvency jump

Posted on September 4, 2020 by - News

Insolvencies in the UK are set to jump 27 percent this year as the fallout from the coronavirus continues with a knock on effect on the IT channel.

Figures compiled by credit insurer Atradius show that that the growth in companies going bust will outpace the global figure (26 percent), with the UK also seeing the largest GDP contraction in Northern Europe.

Turkey is expected to see the largest growth in insolvencies globally at 41 percent, followed by the US and Hong Kong at 39 percent.

Simon Rockett, senior underwriting manager for Atradius UK, said: “The coronavirus pandemic has been indiscriminate in its spread across the globe, resulting in lockdowns and containment measures which have had a tangible impact on economic markets. This has included delays in production, a drop in business and consumer demand and widespread business closures.”

Scots spend money on tech start-ups

Posted on September 4, 2020 by - News

The Scottish government is splashing out  £4 million to help support technology startups.

Announcing an initial tranche of funding amounting to £4 million, Finance Secretary Kate Forbes said: “These hubs will transform the quality and intensity of support available to Scottish start-ups, delivering world-class education to tech entrepreneurs, helping this vital sector to grow and create jobs. They will also offer the chance to network and share ideas, helping the sector to grow and laying the groundwork for Scotland’s digital future.”

The hubs, called tech scalars, will support at least 300 startups with infrastructure, mentoring and training by 2025.

The age of Wireless WAN has arrived

Posted on September 3, 2020 by - News

Beancounters at IDG have added up some numbers and decided that the era of Wireless WAN has firmly arrived and is the critical infrastructure in driving innovation, including playing a role in business recovery from the pandemic.

The annual report which was commissioned by Cradlepoint, shows confidence and excitement for 5G, pointing to increasing adoption in the coming year.

Donna Johnson, Vice President of Product and Solution Marketing at Cradlepoint said: “As organisations look to adapt to a new normal and get back to business, Wireless WAN solutions uniquely enable network agility while enhancing security and scale.”

Traditional wired WANs are complex, slow to adapt, and applicable to only fixed locations. As businesses reinvent the way they serve their customers, they are increasingly turning to Wireless WAN technology to connect people, places, and things anywhere. 

Redcentric looking for a buyer

Posted on September 3, 2020 by - News

Troubled MSP Redcentric has confirmed that it is considering a sale saying that 2020 left it in an “excellent position to explore further opportunities to increase value for its shareholders”.

It did say that it was also considering its own M&A and organic growth as other means in which to increase this value.

“The board of Redcentric notes the recent media speculation and confirms that it has initiated limited discussions with third parties with a view to seeking a potential purchaser or purchasers for the company. Whilst a potential offer for the company may be the outcome of a formal sale process, the company is alternatively evaluating potential options in relation to organic growth and/or potential acquisitions that might be made by the company”, the company said.

Armour joins the NHSX Clinical Communications Procurement Framework

Posted on September 3, 2020 by - News

Communication outfit Armour Comms has successfully tendered and been accepted on to the first ever edition of the NHSX Clinical Communications Procurement Framework.

Its Medicomms solution is designed  for use by health care professionals and patients.  It is an all-in-one mobile app that converges secure internal communications to help with the collection and sharing of sensitive patient data.  Medicomms is an alternative to paging and has the ability to provide a medium for secure video consultations and time limited patient aftercare communications.

David Holman, Director at Armour Comms said: “We are delighted to have been included in this first iteration of the NHSX Clinical Communications Procurement Framework. Healthcare is a key market for Armour and our partner Nine23, the product is evolving fast to provide additional services and added value to healthcare users, such as integration with patient records and task management apps.”