Networking

Cheryl Neal, vice president of supplier business management for security and networking solutions with Avnet Technology Solutions in the Americas.
Networking

Increase your business opportunity in SDN by asking these 8 questions

May 25, 2015 Robert Dutt Comments Off on Increase your business opportunity in SDN by asking these 8 questions
Cheryl Neal of Avnet Technology Solutions offers solution providers eight questions that can maximize their software-defined networking (SDN) business.

Channel Programs

Riverbed continues value partner program emphasis with new enhancements

May 21, 2015 Mark Cox Comments Off on Riverbed continues value partner program emphasis with new enhancements
They include changes to Professional Services training designed to increase dollar spend, up-leveling Premier partner competency requirements, and a new Demo program which reduces the cost outlay to partners.

Mobility

Pulse Secure combines VPN, NAC and EMM in new central policy manager

May 7, 2015 Mark Cox Comments Off on Pulse Secure combines VPN, NAC and EMM in new central policy manager
The Juniper spinoff previously had separate box-by-box management for the broad range of capabilities it offered, and being able to do everything now through one pane of glass becomes a competitive advantage.

Incoming Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins
Networking

Thoughts on Chuck Robbins’ ascension and the channel

May 5, 2015 Robert Dutt Comments Off on Thoughts on Chuck Robbins’ ascension and the channel
How Cisco previewed Chuck Robbins’ introduction as CEO last week, and what the new boss means to the channel, and potentially to the channel chief role.

Networking

Podcast: Cisco Partner Summit 2015

May 1, 2015 Robert Dutt Comments Off on Podcast: Cisco Partner Summit 2015
Cisco Canada president Bernadette Wightman, channel chief David De Abreu, and Westcon North America EVP Lynn Smurthwaite-Murphy recap Cisco Partner Summit.

Networking

Citrix CloudBridge Virtual WAN to provide ‘always-on’ branch availability

April 27, 2015 Mark Cox Comments Off on Citrix CloudBridge Virtual WAN to provide ‘always-on’ branch availability
Available as a physical or virtual appliance, the new offering is designed to provide reliability at reasonable cost to server-less remote locations which are about as helpless as Chromebooks if network access is lost.

Cisco Bruce Klein (left) and David De Abreu (right)
Channel Programs

Podcast: Cisco Partner Summit 2015 Preview

April 17, 2015 Robert Dutt Comments Off on Podcast: Cisco Partner Summit 2015 Preview
Cisco global channel chief Bruce Klein and Canadian counterpart David De Abreu join the podcast to preview Cisco Partner Summit, April 27 to 30 in Montreal.

Distribution

NCP engineering moves to Tech Data for North American distribution

April 15, 2015 Mark Cox 1
A new distribution agreement will make NCP’s SMB VPN solutions available to Tech Data resellers in both the U.S. and Canada.

Networking

Riverbed unveils reframed SteelFusion with new hyperconverged platform

April 8, 2015 Mark Cox Comments Off on 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.

Networking

Dell unveils new X-Series smart switches for smaller businesses

April 6, 2015 Mark Cox Comments Off on 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.