Tag: Broadcom

Broadcom wants to speed up VMware approval

Posted on October 19, 2022 by - News

Broadcom wants to speed up antitrust approval from the European Union on its $61 billion VMware acquisition.

Apparently, it is using market rivals Amazon, Microsoft and Google dominance to claim that the move is necessary to create more competition in the cloud market.

The European Commission’s four-month-long second phase investigation and for it to go to phase two, there has to be a real competition problem – horizontal, vertical, foreclosure risk.  Broadcom argues that with the big names in the market, its buy out is nothing to worry about.

After the news broke it was met with uncertainty among some VMware partners who were left with mixed feelings and were concerned it might harm the UK channel.

Security bosses focus on cloud

Posted on September 6, 2022 by - News

Enterprise security leaders in the UK are focused on cloud security, building up resilience against threats and aligning cybersecurity strategies with overall business goals.

A new research report The 2022 ISG Provider Lens Cybersecurity report from Information Services Group (ISG) claims cloud security is an enterprise manager’s top priority.

The growing use of cloud models such as infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) and platform-as-a-service (PaaS) is forcing companies to adapt their cybersecurity approaches, with a focus on holistic resilience that requires more communication and training for employees and outside stakeholders, the report says.

Broadcom over-excited about its partners

Posted on September 1, 2022 by - News

VMware has announced that its takeover by Broadcom is going to plan and the tech giant is apparently “excited” by the virtual PC company’s partners.

VMware CEO Raghu Raghuram said the acquisition of his company by chipmaker Broadcom is “on track” and Broadcom understands its product portfolio and is looking at how to benefit from VMware’s channel partners.

Raghuram told the gathered throngs at VMware’s Explore conference in San Francisco that his company’s channel was a huge part of what it did. He insists that Broadcom are “super excited about using that channel in the ways that we are doing today and growing from there”.

Analysts warn about Broadcom VMware merger

Posted on May 31, 2022 by - News

Gartner and Canalys are a little concerned about Broadcom’s $61 billion acquisition of VMware .

Canalys chief analyst Alastair Elms warned that Broadcom had no experience in merging  VMware with existing software and security assets from CA and Symantec and success will depend on how Broadcom executes against this plan.

“Integrating the different parts of the business will be complex, with some parts overlapping and others lacking clear synergies.”

Elms said the benefit of the deal is it will give VMware “true independence” from Dell, with Michael Dell selling his 40 percent stake, allowing it to pursue its goal of being the ‘Switzerland’ of the IT industry, and strengthen its alliance partnerships.

Broadcom says VMWare channel has nothing to fear from takeover

Posted on May 30, 2022 by - News

Broadcom Software Group’s president has said that VMWare’s channel has nothing to worry about following his outfit’s $61 billion takeover.

Tom Krause [No really] has said the company is ready to “embrace” the channel having learnt its “value” from previous acquisitions, with the company wanting to “continue to support” it.

Broadcom’s deal with Symantec sparked some concern from the channel after rumours spread that Broadcom wanted to take Symantec’s top 1,500 customers direct, disties also feared Broadcom’s channel strategy after buying Symantec.

Krause said:”We see a very valuable channel, I think there are some things we have learned relative to the CA and Symantec acquisitions in terms of the value of the channel. We want to continue to support that channel. That’s going to allow us to support a lot more revenues in a cost-effective way. So we see a real opportunity to leverage that.”

VMware and Broadcom deal goes through

Posted on May 27, 2022 by - News

In a move that will put a chill in some of VMWare’s partners, the Broadcom takeover bid has been given the nod.

Broadcom will pay $61 billion and acquire all of the outstanding shares of VMware in a cash-and-stock transaction.

Raghu Raghuram, chief executive officer of VMware, said: “VMware has been reshaping the IT landscape for the past 24 years, helping our customers become digital businesses. We stand for innovation and unwavering support of our customers and their most important business operations and now we are extending our commitment to exceptional service and innovation by becoming the new software platform for Broadcom.

Gelsinger shocked by Broadcom’s VMware plans

Posted on May 24, 2022 by - News

Former VMware CEO [Kicking] Pat Gelsinger said he has mixed feelings about the outfit’s potential merger with Broadcom.

Gelsinger left VMware to take control of the Intel executive drinks cabinet after making VMware what it is today.  He said that he hopes the deal will make VMware a more “compelling, innovative growth story”.

However he said:  “I’m sort of mixed on the current thinking. If it helps VMware be a more compelling, innovative growth story, then it’s good – if it does not, then it’s not good.”

Broadcom is in talks to buy VMware, the latest in a string of software acquisitions for a company that made its early money in semiconductor chips and hardware. Gelsinger who now helms Intel Corp. was speaking in Davos, Switzerland to Bloomberg TV when he was asked about the deal.

Tech Data expands self service operation

Posted on September 14, 2021 by - Moving People, News

Tech Data is increasing investment in its Software Store self-service renewals platform introducing a monthly data pack option for partners that have a large number of upcoming renewals and providing dedicated business development support.

The company said it is seeing steady growth in usage of the nine portals via which software and service renewals can be tracked, quoted for, and ordered, and is on track to achieve half of all software licensing renewals through them by the end of the year.

Michael Holden, Tech Data, UK and Ireland, business development manager eCommerce, said that the new data pack option will provide larger reseller partners with all pertinent information on their up-and-coming renewals for automatic input into their own internal systems.

“Larger partners may have thousands of renewals they want to track and might need to give access to many different users while ensuring they conform to security and data policies. We’ve developed the data pack option to provide partners with an uncomplicated way to get all the information they need to automate their renewals business, whilst ensuring they are compliant.”

Tech Data supports Broadcom resellers

Posted on March 11, 2021 by - News

Tech Data has invested to provide extensive technical and business development support to Broadcom reseller partners and their customers in the United Kingdom and Ireland, it said.

The move is part of a cunning plan to allow channel partners to take full advantage of the vast expertise and added-value capabilities of the Tech Data security practice and drive recurring revenues and profitability.

The announcement follows Tech Data’s appointment by Broadcom as a Global Commercial Aggregator for the full range of Symantec security solutions.

To support this, Tech Data has already put in place dedicated pre-sales, post-sales technical, business development and account management staff in the UK and Ireland. In addition, a well-resourced and specialist central team is ready to provide a 24/7 help-desk support on the full Symantec range – all of which is available both to resellers and to their end-user customers.

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.

Symantec partners looking for replacements

Posted on March 23, 2020 by - News

Symantec Partners is looking for alternatives because  its new owner Broadcom is only interested in a handful of enterprise customers, according to CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz.

On an earnings call, Kurtz said that partners are flooding away from Symantec due to Broadcom’s strategy, claiming that one partner submitted a list of “several thousand” customers that it wants to migrate to a new vendor.

“As Broadcom began integrating Symantec, we saw an increase in enquiries among customers and partners. We believe these dynamics have contributed to an expansion in our pipeline, an acceleration in our overall customer adoption and increased engagement with our partner”, he said.

Broadcom set to snap up Symantec

Posted on July 4, 2019 by - News

Broadcom is in “advanced talks” to acquire struggling security firm Symantec for $15 billion.

Apparently a deal will be announced in a matter of weeks and Symantec’s share price rose by over 25 percent after reports of Broadcom’s rumoured bid emerged.

The cybersecurity outfit has endured a troubling time of late, with its CEO recently stepping down after reporting disappointing results, being replaced by an interim boss.

Intel considers buying Broadcom

Posted on March 13, 2018 by - News

wintel_blimp_featureChipzilla has been looking at the numbers and is mulling over taking over Broadcom, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The paper also speculated that Intel’s acquisition plans around Broadcom could be motivated by its fears of the major market player a Broadcom-Qualcomm merger would create.

The combined player would create a powerhouse in smartphones and datacentres – areas Intel has ear-marked for future growth.

Qualcomm’s purchase of Dutch automotive chip specialist NXP Semiconductors NV would strengthen its presence in the automotive market, which is an area where Intel wants to be.

Former Apple head and blogger Jean-Louis Gassée thinks that Intel has realised that it needs a seat at the smartphone table.

“Despite troubles with its more advanced manufacturing processes, the company managed to supply some wireless modems for the iPhone 7, 8 and X. Ironically, the alliance was aided by a long-standing and bitter intellectual property dispute between Apple and Qualcomm. If Broadcom’s acquisition of Qualcomm proceeds, the dispute with Apple could disappear”, said Gassée.

“If the dispute is settled, Intel loses its wireless modems deal with Apple. No mobile CPUs plus no modems equal nothing of substance. Broadcom would be in charge – it would hold all the cards. Is it any wonder that Intel wants to find ways to scupper the deal?” Gassée added.

Qualcomm insists on more cash from Broadcom

Posted on November 24, 2017 by - News

the-highwaymanQualcomm is insisting on an extra $10 a share from chipmaker giant Broadcom, before it even looks at the takeover bid.

Qualcomm rejected Broadcom’s $70 a share offer as grossly underestimating the company value, however the mega-merger will go ahead, if Broadcom coughs up more cash.  Word on the street is that if Broadcom offered $80 then Qualcomm might take it more seriously.

Daniel O’Keefe, a fund manager of the $3.1 billion Artisan Global Value Fund, which owns Qualcomm stock, told Bloomberg: “We would be very interested in evaluating an offer that begins with an 8. The board should urge Broadcom to come back with a higher bid.”

Broadcom’s offer came with valuation of $70 per share for Qualcomm. That’s down from its five year high of $81.6 in mid-2014.

However, in more recent years Qualcomm has gone through some turbulence, which has decreased the value of its shares to below $70.

Looming large over the firm is an ongoing legal battle with Apple and regulatory actions around the world, threatening its licensing business, which accounted for $5.1 billion of Qualcomm’s pre-tax profits in its fiscal 2017.

Qualcomm spurns Broadcom takeover

Posted on November 15, 2017 by - News

rejection-2Mobile chipmaker Qualcomm rejected rival Broadcom $103-billion takeover bid, claiming that the offer undervalued the company and would face regulatory hurdles.

Broadcom said it would seek to engage with Qualcomm’s board and management, adding that it had received positive feedback from key customers and stockholders.

“We continue to believe our proposal represents the most attractive, value-enhancing alternative available to Qualcomm stockholders and we are encouraged by their reaction”,  the company said.

Broadcom made an unsolicited bid to buy Qualcomm in an effort to become the dominant supplier of chips used in the 1.5 billion or so smartphones expected to be sold around the world this year.

Analysts said Broadcom can now raise its bid, go for a proxy fight or launch a hostile exchange offer.

If Broadcom makes a hostile bid, Qualcomm’s governance rules would allow the rival to submit its own slate for the entire 11-member board by the December 8 nomination deadline.

However it would be easier to talk Qualcomm’s board and agree on a higher price.

But price is not the only issue. Any deal would face scrutiny from the antitrust regulators as the combined company would own the high-end WiFi business globally, analysts said.

Regulators are already scrutinizing Qualcomm’s $38-billion acquisition of automotive chipmaker NXP Semiconductors NV.

Broadcom has indicated it is willing to buy Qualcomm irrespective of whether it closes the NXP deal.