Square has built a big business around providing support to microsellers who were too small to interest credit card companies, or who found their services too expensive. While this market is still their core, they have moved upmarket as well, with larger sellers, assisted by strategic partnerships with companies like SAP. The new channel program is designed to support partners in this upmarket transition.
Linksys believes that the Linksys Cloud Manager, aimed at the sub-100 market, will be highly disruptive in the small business space. The cloud launch is also being accompanied by a channel push in Canada, which will see product authorized for the first time.
This is Version 6 of the low end of the Kaspersky business portfolio, which extends the use of functionality like System Watcher, makes improvements to the management console and the alerting system, and adds a search capability to find third party software that is in need of updates.
The “Driven” program for Cisco Meraki is the first program D&H has offered specifically for Cisco Meraki, and includes measures to make it easier for small VARs to become certified on Meraki, and make more money once they are.
D&H Canada head Greg Tobin reviews what worked well for the distributor in 2017, and offers some previews for the year ahead.
Salesforce adds a second Essentials cloud, and improves the original introduced last fall, although at this point in time, Essentials is still a marginal channel play, since the focus has been on improving the offering rather than broadening the go-to-market.
Ooma’s CEO Eric Stang discusses the implications of the deal with ChannelBuzz, including the likely impact on both the Ooma and Voxter solution provider channels.
SonicWall Capture Client, SonicWall Network Security virtual next-generation firewalls and the SonicWall virtual web application firewall are all scheduled for release in Q2.
IT Cloud Solutions is also now offering StorageCraft Cloud Backup for Microsoft Office 365 to their MSPs.
SAP has reorganized its internal organization this year to allow more aggressive recruitment of new cloud-focused SMB partners, including non-traditional partners. It’s a strategy they plan to accelerate in 2018.
Square, which built its business on simple point-of-sale solutions for microbusinesses, is moving upmarket, and partnerships like their new integration with SAP are putting them in touch with an integrator channel for the first time.
Priced at $25 per user per month, Salesforce Essentials contains core CRM components like Einstein Artificial AI to help customers work smarter, and includes the Salesforce Trailhead online learning environment to make their experience easier.
VIPRE Endpoint Security – Cloud Edition, is a built for the cloud solution, not its server product ported into the cloud.
In addition to new SMB-focused server, storage, networking and hyper-converged product, HPE has brought their Consume IT OPEX pricing model from the enterprise to SMBs as well.
D&H co-President Dan Schwab was in attendance at the Toronto show and gave his views on the event and their Canadian business in general.
Netgear’s new smart cloud offering provides a free app and a free subscription for a basic version. New switches and APs are required though, and a paid version with unlimited device support and additional features will be available early next year.
UTM cloud provider MyDigitalShield just introduced a complementary SD-WAN-as-a-service offering, and are finding most MSPs know little about SD-WAN despite its potential for their businesses.
SolarWinds MSP’s price to partners of $4 per endpoint in Canada is designed to allow both the MSP to make money while also being less expensive for the customer than consumer-grade alternatives.
Cambium sells its wireless access infrastructure products exclusively through its large channel, but its newest offering, which is inexpensive and easy to set up, has natural markets which are outside their normal realm, and they want help from partners with access to them.
Sage also announced new data from a survey they commissioned about small business in Canada, and pledged to work to bring together groups to lobby on their customers’ behalf.
