Mark Cox

Cloud enhancements highlight five new Datto product enhancements

These include a ‘born in the cloud’ router, a sync and share partnership with ownCloud, a new Backupify for Office 365 solution, a new Linux agent and an enhanced partner portal.

New Silver Peak virtual network overlay aims to displace MPLS networks – gradually

Unity EdgeConnect, which builds on the Unity fabric Silver Peak announced last year, is a virtual network overlay which leverages broadband to connect users to applications, while also letting them retain their existing routers and firewalls and move to a broadband WAN at their own speed.

Connected Data augments NAS with Transporter Network Storage Connector

The free Connector front-ends a NAS device, allowing the Transporter appliance to sync important files and folders seamlessly to users’ laptops and mobile devices, to overcome NAS’s limitations with mobility.

Microsoft Surface Hub large-screen collaboration device available July 1

Partners who have been selling A/V gear should like the Surface Hub, which Microsoft is touting as a product that will make traditional high end conferencing systems and displays obsolete, as well as replace projectors, wireless receivers and digital whiteboards.

ACCEO Solutions expands smaller retail footprint with Multipost acquisition

The Québec-based solution provider continues its strategic acquisitions by buying Markham ON-based Multipost, which makes POS software for smaller retailers. ACCEO also indicated that more acquisitions are coming in the next few weeks.

LogicNow introduces new per-device pricing for MAX Backup

The company formerly known as GFI MAX is introducing a new DRaaS pricing option that charges by the device instead of data usage, something they believe will especially appeal to partners serving larger customers.

Veeam to add cloud-based VM replication to Veeam Availability Suite v9

The new functionality will also let service providers provide their customers with cloud-based disaster recovery-as-a-service (DRaaS) through the new Veeam Cloud Connect Replication for Service Providers offering.

Dell expands Dell XC Series Nutanix offerings

Scheduled to roll out in Q3, the updates to the portfolio address specific use cases. They are: support for KVM, including Nutanix’s new KVM-based hypervisor; a storage-heavy Lite-Compute node; a new appliance that provides Nvidia GPU support; and a short-depth, 1U form factor appliance.

Nutanix makes ‘biggest announcement ever’ with platform for simpler, cheaper virtualization

Acropolis combines Nutanix’s flagship Distributed Storage Fabric with their own hypervisor and a new app mobility fabric which will decouple apps from their hypervisor, let users use the Nutanix hypervisor, and massively cut their virtualization costs. Prism complements it with simple management. Acropolis and Prism make up the new Xtreme Computing Platform.

Intel Security launches solution for east-west traffic in VMware datacentres

This solution, using the McAfee Network Security Platform, starts with market leader VMware, but will eventually cover the others in the space. And while this Intrusion Prevention solution is the first to be rolled out, the plan is to extend the platform to cover Intel Security’s other virtual infrastructure products.

Sennheiser expands Canadian distribution with Tech Data, Run Distribution deals

Sennheiser SD Office, a single-sided DECT wireless headset

Sennheiser, best known for its premium consumer products, already has a strong distribution network in Canada, but adds two more distributors to generate more opportunities and stimulate even greater awareness of its presence in the commercial space.

Dell reports solid channel growth in Q1

Dell indicated good progress on their green fields discount initiative, overall commercial business, and partner education efforts. While the number of partners using Dell financing jumped considerably in Q1, the company wants more participation there. Plus, still no firm date on when Dell will team up with SYNNEX in Canada.

Plantronics rounds out noise cancelling office portfolio with first wireless stereo UC headset

The Voyager Focus UC becomes the top of the line model in Plantronics’ noise cancelling office products line. It also features Dynamic Mute Alert feature, which senses and alerts users when they are trying to talk when muted.

AVG Business opens Ottawa Global Center of Excellence for Managed Workplace

AVG’s SMB-focused business unit has added so many new sales and support staff they outgrew their old offices, and they are still in aggressive growth mode, recruiting new partners to sell their managed services.

Waterloo’s Auvik Networks entering RMM market with MSP Edition

The Canadian cloud-based network management software provider has modified its software to produce a version for the MSP market that has some pluses it believes are missing from the market now. The plan is to sell it direct for a while to establish proof of concept while they work on building a proper channel program.

Pulse Secure partner program to test competency, abandon certifications

The Juniper spinoff launches its first partner program, to which old Juniper partners have to apply, and says that it has some unique differentiating factors.

Microsoft to launch first local Canadian data centres

Microsoft’s announcement that it will set up data centres in Toronto and Quebec City is big news for Microsoft, for the provinces and cities involved – and for Microsoft partners.

Dell launches Internet of Things initiative with new division, IoT gateway product

Dell is looking to define itself as being able to work with the operational technology (OT) necessary for the Internet of Things as well as IT, with the new gateway product customized for the purpose to do both.

Pure Storage moves into hardware with its next-gen FlashArray

In a trio of announcements, Pure announces its next-gen array, which features its first custom built hardware, as well as Pure1, an integrated cloud-based management and support offering, and Evergreen Storage, which is both a vision and a new upgrade model.

Lookout brings its enterprise mobile security to market

Lookout’s enterprise offering, which leverages the data set from its 70 million consumer customers, will be sold entirely through channel partners, and entirely through distribution, which in North America will be Ingram Micro.