Month: February 2015

Security

Avast seeking MSPs to sell new freemium Avast for Business offering

February 23, 2015 Mark Cox Comments Off on Avast seeking MSPs to sell new freemium Avast for Business offering
While the product, aimed at the sub-100 seat market, is free, Avast thinks MSPs will sign on because the free product will attract new customers who they can then sell other services.

Cloud

Amazon, IBM, Microsoft top Canadian cloud provider market

February 23, 2015 Mark Cox Comments Off on Amazon, IBM, Microsoft top Canadian cloud provider market
IBM and Microsoft enter the Leaders category in cloud in Canada for the first time, while eight companies classified as Major Players are closely grouped.

Channel Programs

Wasp Barcode upgrades partner program to enhance margins, training

February 23, 2015 Mark Cox Comments Off on Wasp Barcode upgrades partner program to enhance margins, training
Wasp raises partner margins for its top two tiers to as high as 35 per cent, believing this is what it will take to be a market leader in the barcode space.

Storage

New IBM all-flash systems seen as strong channel play

February 20, 2015 Mark Cox Comments Off on New IBM all-flash systems seen as strong channel play
Two new systems were announced, the FlashSystem 900, a pure speed system aimed at traditional flash use cases, and the V9000, which IBM believes can replace high end spinning disk arrays.

Distribution

PROMISE Technology to deepen Canadian channel presence through NetStor Technology Group

February 20, 2015 Mark Cox Comments Off on PROMISE Technology to deepen Canadian channel presence through NetStor Technology Group
The Markham-based manufacturer’s rep will expand PROMISE’s Canadian markets by educating its VARs and distributors how the vendor has evolved from making components to a range of solutions.

Steve Kaplan, vice president of channel and strategic sales at Nutanix.
Data Centre

Nutanix adds Canadian channel sales director

February 19, 2015 Robert Dutt Comments Off on Nutanix adds Canadian channel sales director
Frank Czyz, new Canadian channel chief at Nutanix, looks to replicate the hyperconverged vendor’s U.S. success in getting closer to top partners.

Dan Allaby, Director of Managed and Cloud Services, Avnet Technology Solutions
Cloud

Seven questions to ask when choosing a cloud service provider

February 19, 2015 Guest Poster Comments Off on Seven questions to ask when choosing a cloud service provider
Avnet Technology Solutions’ Dan Allaby offers some guidance to solution providers looking to add to their lineup of cloud-based services.

Reseller Choice Award class of 2014
Channel Communities

Reflections on the Canadian Reseller Choice Awards 2014

February 18, 2015 Robert Dutt Comments Off on Reflections on the Canadian Reseller Choice Awards 2014
ChannelBuzz.ca editor Robert Dutt takes a look at the highlights and themes from this year’s Canadian Reseller Choice Awards ceremony.

Computers

New Year’s Podcast Series: Stefan Bockhop of Lenovo Canada

February 18, 2015 Robert Dutt Comments Off on New Year’s Podcast Series: Stefan Bockhop of Lenovo Canada
Lenovo Canada channel chief Stefan Bockhop recaps a busy 2014 and offers predictions for 2015 on this edition of the ChannelBuzz.ca Podcast.

Cloud

Axcient unveils up-front SaaS compensation for VARs

February 18, 2015 Mark Cox Comments Off on Axcient unveils up-front SaaS compensation for VARs
Axcient looks to recruit VAR partners with a model that will pay them more up front than they could make with a traditional hardware-software sale.