Solution Provider News

Making smart VPN recommendations for customers

Tony Anscombe, global security evangelist at ESET

ESET’s Tony Anscombe joins us on the podcast to discuss the role of VPNs in your clients’ remote access and cybersecurity approaches, including what solution providers need to know about different classes of virtual private networks, and how to find new VPN opportunities.

Canadian SAP-focused solution providers Syntax and Beyond Technologies close acquisition deal

The acquisition of Beyond brings together complementary skillsets that expands Syntax’s geographic reach, and strengthens them in key areas, including scaling out their French language facilities.

Benchmark amalgamates with Arctiq in all-Canadian solution provider transaction

The transaction almost doubles Benchmark’s size, giving them the strength to tackle larger customer accounts, and it continues the company’s transition over the last several years to become more of a software and services provider.

Palo Alto Networks, CDW Canada, extend partnership to deliver Prisma SASE

CDW is Palo Alto Networks’ largest channel partner in Canada, and the two companies already have a broad relationship, but the new extension of that with Prisma SASE has the companies confident it will take the relationship to a new level.

Accenture adds innovative ‘diamond’ to digital manufacturing practice by acquiring Ontario-based Callisto

Callisto’s presence extends well beyond Canada, because of the global scale of their large manufacturing customers, and they have what Accenture believes is a unique ability to optimize processes from the shop floor to main office.

Citrix vet Todd Hsu joins Ferroque Systems to drive fully hosted desktop services

The plan at Ferroque is to create a fully managed service that will cover digital workspaces and all the apps on top, and sell it to customers on a flat-priced Salesforce model. That’s something Hsu said is widely promised, but not being delivered today.

Toronto cybersecurity firm Security Compass adds venture funding and restructures leadership for aggressive growth

The company’s SD Elements software, which helps develop secure compliant code and so accelerates DevOps, is the focus of the expansion. A channel sales director has been added, and while international markets are central to the channel, they are also interested in the right partners in North America.

Dell Canada partners seeing results from new partner alignment strategy

Dell is trumpeting their 78 Net Promoter Score from Canadian partners as proof of their successful transition to a more regional coverage model. ChannelBuzz talked with two key Canadian channel partners about how today’s partnering model impacts their business.

Cherwell expands into Québec IT Service Management market with Uni-TI Consulting Group partnership

Cherwell has had a limited partner presence in Canada, but their partnership with Uni-TI, who will lead with them and promote them aggressively, is expected to have a significant impact.

Edmonton partner Reliant Technologies happy with all-in bet on Nutanix

Reliant Technologies Solutions Group talked with ChannelBuzz about the development of their Nutanix business and their experience at last week’s .NEXT event.

Onica makes senior management hire to broaden AWS business in Canada

David MacKay, Onica’s new VP of Customer Strategy for Canada, is looking to develop regionally-focused strategies in Canada to build up Onica’s brand and business, and serve as a model for similar initiatives in the U.S.

Microsoft Canada integrator partners evolving to meet needs of changing AI market

Systems integrators Adastra, Lixar and Shalom, all of whom had a major presence at Microsoft’s recent forum around AI, talked with ChannelBuzz at the event about what they are doing to be successful in the space.

Citrix North American partner of the year XenTegra setting up shop in Canada

Citrix-focused solution provider XenTegra, who just won Citrix’s North American partner of the year, is coming into the Canadian market — at Citrix’s request.

Armughan Ahmad to drive digital transformation as Canadian Managing Partner of digital and technology solutions at KPMG in Canada

Dell EMC and HP alumnus Armughan Ahmad talks about his move to KPMG in Canada, and how he intends to accelerate their digital transformation business, which will include increasing the work KPMG does with the IT channel.

CloudJumper looks to expand their Cloud Workspace presence in Canada with master reseller agreement with TNG

Burlington ON-based TNG is playing a key role in expanding CloudJumper’s presence in Canada, and thinks that the DaaS and WaaS markets in Canada are ready for strong growth this year.

AWS-focused Onica unveils pre-integrated IoTanium solution for Internet of Things solution builders

Onica, which acquired Vancouver-based TriNimbus this year as part of a strategy to create a very large AWS consultancy, has launched a solution which combines a reference hardware platform, a software package for building IoT applications and analytics, and professional services that greatly shortens the time needed for IoT deployments.

Toronto-headquartered Converge Technology Solutions launches on TSXV Exchange with ambitious strategy

Converge has acquired five solution providers over the last year, including Ottawa’s Northern Micro, and three in the U.S. They have secured a listing on the Toronto Venture Exchange through amalgamation with a shell company, and have an ambitious plan to expand, which includes many more acquisitions.

Vancouver AWS Premier Consulting Partner TriNimbus sold to Onica in move to create AWS goliath

While TriNimbus disappears as a separate entity, it retains legal ownership of the relationship with Canadian clients for privacy law compliance, and Canadian customers will also have access to new offerings, such as around IoT, where TriNimbus was more limited before.

Optiv introduces new Enemy Perspectives service with a new approach to improving defenses

Optiv’s new Enemy Perspectives services offering is designed to help organizations understand the specific kinds of attacks likely to impact them, so that they can better prepare for them, and improve the speed and efficiency of responses to an incident.