Barracuda and Avast announce a new partnership which adds the ability to resell Avast’s anti-virus solution to Barracuda’s own portfolio. Barracuda will actually acquire the Managed Workplace RMM business, which should be a better fit with their MSP business than it was at Avast. Barracuda also stated its commitment to retain the Managed Workplace presence in Ottawa, where it originally began as Level Platforms.
The new Avast Business Antivirus integrates elements from both the legacy Avast and AVG anti-virus solutions, and is integrated into their Managed Workplace and CloudCare offerings.
The three year deal makes KYOCERA Document Solutions Canada an Avast Elite Channel Partner, and the managed IT services portfolio from AVG Business by Avast will be offered both to KYOCERA Document Solutions Canada’s customers and to their own channel.
Long-time Symantec exec Kevin Chapman moves into the SMB chair at Avast, freeing up interim SMB leader Glenn Taylor to return to his strategy role.
Avast also stresses its commitment to AVG’s RMM business, and indicates that while the goal is to expand the number of resellers, they will also be rationalizing the product line.
Part manufacturers’ rep, and part angel investor, Temprano will work with a limited number of European software companies to bring them to North America and successfully build up their businesses here.
While its acquisition by fellow Czech-based security vendor Avast approaches, AVG continues business as usual, completing the final phase of its North American distribution strategy that was first announced months before the acquisition. The deal will also apply in Canada, but has not yet been implemented here.
For the channel, the key issue is what the acquisition will mean to the SMB businesses of both companies, particularly the MSP-focused RMM business AVG originally acquired from Level Platforms. Avast CEO Vince Steckler addresses the issue.
AVG continues its strategy of adding more focused, value-added distributors with EarthBend, which brings an MSP background and experience with AVG’s Managed Workplace solution, as well as a strong regional presence in both the American mid-west and Canadian prairies.
The new version of AVG’s RMM platform reworks the platform around the MSPs business processes, greatly reducing installation time and building customizable customer service plans right into the RMM solution.
New AVG SMB chief Fred Gerritse recently talked with ChannelBuzz about the impact of recent management changes on the company’s strategy and Canadian presence, and about how AVG is now looking to enhance the markets for its SMB solutions and the skills of the partners who sell them.
The suite, which contains new versions of its AVG AntiVirus Business Edition and AVG Internet Security Business Edition products, also contains a free remote management console.
The big change is the addition of an integrated remote control solution, which will be free to MSP partners, but the new version also improves the integrated backup and disaster recovery, adds a device manager to Mac support, and upgrades its integrated antivirus technology.
AVG emphasizes that having a foot in two separate sectors helps partners drive their business, and notes that AVG’s requirement their channel account people be certified in Channel Management through CompTIA is one aspect of their commitment to being easy to work with.
AVG, which through Level Platforms has a long and strong relationship with Tigerpaw, has completed the first RMM integration to Tigerpaw’s new Web-based API. More Tigerpaw integrations, many of them net-new, are on the way.
Epson’s Judy Burns discusses the company’s interactive projectors, and Marco LaVecchia of AVG Business talks managed services on this podcast.
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.
AVG’s commercial market strategy is now based around MSPs, who the company thinks are well positioned to handle the additional management tasks that the Internet of Things is bringing.
Autotask acquired by private equity firm Vista Equity Partners for an undisclosed price, making it the latest shakeup in the managed services segment.
McAfee, better known for its enterprise products, is going after the broad SMB market with security services, rewarding partners for referral.
