SMEs clueless about the cloud

UK SMEs are not interested in cloud technology, mostly down to them lacking knowledge about what it can do.

Numbers crunched by Close Brothers have revealed that 58 percent of UK SMEs do not used cloud-based computing for software, storage or other remote services.

Not only are that many not using the cloud for those purposes but a third of SMEs claimed that they did not use hosted technology at all.

Big Blue offers 23 month apprenticeships

IBM is launching a new 23-month apprenticeship to plug the skills gap in the UK.

The Business Partner Apprenticeship programme provides participants with the opportunity to work in the sales teams of its UK partners, from VARs to born-in-the-cloud companies. The programme will see the apprentices work with partners to sell IBM offerings to their customers.

The full-time apprentices will finish the programme with a Level 2 IT Technical Services diploma, giving participants the qualifications and practical experience needed to succeed in technology sales.

Nine23 in sync with SyncDog

UK mobile security outfit Nine23 is partnering with US  SyncDog to let mobile workforces to access cloud-based collaboration tools from their own devices with a higher level of security.

The pair are peddling FLEXContainer which combines Office 365 email client, calendar, contacts, Dropbox, SharePoint with an architecture that securely protects the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) end users through FIPS 140-2, AES 256-bit encryption.

Channel strategies must evolve over time

There have been several huge shifts within the IT channel over the last couple of years as companies have had to adapt their go-to-market models to meet customer demands and companies must evolve their channel strategies, according to Becyrpt’s channel specialist.

Jo-anne Holliday said that IT distribution plays a vital role alongside channel partners in helping their end customers achieve their digital transformation goals. In many ways, distribution provides the value-added services needed to compete in today’s complex IT marketplace – something that’s reflected in the sector’s continued growth.

Adarma emerges out of ECS

Security specialist Adarma,  previously known as ECS Security, has spun out of the ECS Group.

The business will be spearheaded by David Calder and Nathan Dornbrook, with backing from Livingbridge. The company was was around for nearly 20 years, and Adarma has 250 staff and a strong enterprise customer base. The firm provides a range of security services, including SOC design, build and operation.

David Calder, MD and co-founder of Adarma, said that it had wanted to strike out on its own to have an increased focus on the security space.

Tollring releases hybrid iCall suite

Tollring has released its hybrid iCall Suite analytics and call recording solution into its channel.

MiVoice Business and Panasonic NS700 phone systems, with Avaya IP Office coming soon. The cloud solution connects to on-premises PBX equipment, providing channel partners another opportunity to talk to their customers and provide a product with all of the benefits of iCall Suite’s online services when they are not yet able or willing to upgrade their cloud telephony.

Rubrik scores University of Reading contract

Reading Pics
Reading University sign

Cloudy data outfit Rubrik has been selected by the University of Reading to protect more than 90 percent of its environment including Microsoft SQL and Microsoft Exchange, as well as Nutanix and Microsoft Hyper-V virtual machines.

Rubrik’s solution has already allowed the university to completely migrate off tape, archive to public cloud, and significantly speed up SQL data recovery.

Fiscal gets Advanced

AI-powered P2P risk management outfit Fiscal has a new partnership with business software outfit Advanced.

The partnership will enable Advanced’s Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Financial Management solution customers to strengthen their Purchase-to-Pay (P2P) fraud and risk protection with Fiscal’s stuff.

Canon UK relocates from Reigate to Uxbridge

Canon UK and Ireland will be relocating its head office in Reigate to Uxbridge potentially threatening 450 jobs.

The headquarters, found off Cockshot Hill, Woodhatch , will move after a decision by multinational company to “address efficiency improvements” and outsource finance, business operations and customer service.

Canon has stated this decision means the Reigate office “will have significant over capacity for future requirements”.

5G uptake faster than expected

A report prepared by Ericsson seems to show that 5G uptake will be faster than expected.

Rapid early momentum and enthusiasm for 5G have led Ericsson to forecast an extra 400 million enhanced mobile broadband subscriptions globally by the end of 2024. The June 2019 edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report forecasts 1.9 billion 5G subscriptions – up from 1.5 billion forecasted in the November 2018 edition – an increase of almost 27 percent.

Ingram Micro warns the channel

Ingram Micro UK Director Cloud and Advanced Solutions Scott Murphy has warned that while digital transformation is driving the market only 22 percent of channel partners are ready.

Murphy said that digital transformation is the top priority for most UK businesses – including the channel partners who serve them. And in many ways, cloud technology lies at the heart of the transformation journey.

Ingram asked 250 UK-based cloud end users from a variety of mid-market and enterprise organisations, alongside 50 cloud resellers themselves, compiling their answers into a white paper: ‘The intelligent future of cloud’ and discovered that while there is a huge opportunity out there for channel partners – it’s being lost.

Mphasis partners with Camunda

Cloud-based solutions provider Mphasis has teamed up with business process outfit Camunda, to gain a stronger digital foothold for existing clients and partners and further grow presence in global markets across financial services.

The pair believe that the partnership will increase value-added services with Camunda’s cloud and BPM technology, capturing larger market share, enhance onboarding services for new clients, increase top-line revenues and upgrade bottom-line operations with partner tools and frameworks.

HFX partners with Selenity for cloudy HR

Cloud Workforce firm HFX has announced a partnership with Serenity a supplier of expense management software, HR case management and workflow solutions, and staff contract management solutions.

The idea is to supply a range of solutions that save time and boost compliance across the HR and Finance departments, managing time and expenses.

Misco returns to UK channel

UK Computer Group acquired the naming rights to Misco and has started recruiting a team to reboot the reseller.

Misco was founded in New Jersey, United States, and ran a business of mail-order sale of computer supplies and accessories. Misco launched its first European subsidiaries concurrently in the United Kingdom and West Germany in October 1985 and Italy in 1986.

The original Misco went out of business in 2017 after a turnaround programme proved unsuccessful. It finally died after HMRC issued it with a winding-up petition over unpaid VAT and credit insurers moved to reduce their exposure to the firm.

Boston distributes Nvidia Rapids

Boston announced the first European offering for Nvidia Rapid test drives.

The move brings Nvidia Rapids, a suite of open-source software libraries giving data scientists the freedom to execute end-to-end data science and analytics pipelines entirely on GPU. The result is a cluster of Nvidia T4 GPU-optimised servers running a variety of Rapids frameworks available to customer and data scientists looking to accelerate and scale out their frameworks working in Python.