Channel Programs
Red Hat channel chief: Time to build an open source practice
“Don’t miss this wave,” Mark Enzweiler tells partners as Red Hat prepares to invest in helping partners sell open source as innovation, not commoditization.
Month: April 2015
Networking
Riverbed unveils reframed SteelFusion with new hyperconverged platform
The new software-defined platform has 2.5 times more compute and ten times more storage than its predecessor, as well as software enhancements that improve security and speed up provisioning and recovery times.
Distribution
Arrow to take Violin to North American channel
Violin has never been a serious North American channel player before, but having remade the company with a channel-friendly product and channel-centric go-to-market platform, it has selected Arrow as its first North American distributor
Big Data
Ingram Micro adds service to provide custom app development
The distributor will connect partners in the U.S. and Canada with vetted app developers with competencies in three key areas: Big Data, mobility, and integration and migration.
Distribution
Web-scale flash storage vendor Coho Data signs first disti deal with SYNNEX
While Coho Data’s founders have a heavy XenSource connection, their engineering team has a heavily Canadian one: much of it is based in Vancouver.
Cloud
Acronis rolls out backup service for VARs with no MSP practice
The Acronis Backup Service complements last year’s Acronis Backup as a Service. While the latter is aimed at core cloud partners – service providers and MSPs – this new one is targeted at traditional software resellers, and lets them dip their toe in the cloud by having Acronis do most of the work.
Networking
Dell unveils new X-Series smart switches for smaller businesses
The X-Series replaces the PowerConnect 2800, but is much more feature-rich and has a broader range of SKUs. Dell also added a smaller family, the N1500, to its fully managed N-series offerings.
Big Data
Liaison Technologies unveils first Data Platform-as-a-Service
Liaison has offered enterprise data integration and data management solutions for 15 years, but their new Alloy Platform features exceptionally agile micro-services architecture to handle modern data workloads and deliver the plumbing infrastructure which powers enterprise analytics.
Channel Programs
Software-defined WAN vendor Talari looks to complete channel-centric evolution with new partner program
Talari is particularly looking to add and support partners who will wrap services around their solution, something they think can serve as a focus area of a solution provider’s practice for the next decade.
Cloud
BitTitan launches Partner Advisory Service for complex Office 365 installs
Because BitTitan does not have a professional services arm, it has opted to provide high level professional services help to its partners on complex installs by certifying the BitTitan Cloud Rangers, Microsoft MVPs who are also fully certified on BitTitan products.
Channel Programs
Polycom enhances flexibility with first phase of new partner program
Polycom introduces new and more flexible criteria to reach higher partner levels, while at the same time requiring minimum sales thresholds at all levels and getting more rigorous about joint business plans for upper tier partners.
Distribution
Arcserve signs exclusive North American agreement with Ingram Micro
Arcserve believes consolidating with a single broadliner will strengthen their market presence as they continue to bring a range of new offerings to market.
Distribution
Global Technology Systems enlists Ingram Micro to deepen Canadian market penetration
GTS has done well in Canada with ScanSource and BlueStar, but on the advice of a partner they looked into Ingram Micro, and now hope to expand their partner base through them.
Distribution
ScanSource, Mitel launch new North American distribution agreement
In the U.S., ScanSource will carry Mitel’s entire product line, but in Canada, where the core Mitel products do not go through distribution at all, ScanSource will be limited to the Aastra product line.
Distribution
Avnet launches uRenew portal for maintenance, support
Avnet’s new Web-based maintenance and renewal tool aims to help partners close business in an important but overlooked part of their recurring revenue stream.