Canada

Artificial Intelligence

Microsoft Canada highlights Canadian AI initiatives at Future Now 2019 event

March 22, 2019 Mark Cox Comments Off on Microsoft Canada highlights Canadian AI initiatives at Future Now 2019 event
Microsoft holds this annual event both to demonstrate Microsoft’s position on the cutting edge of new technology, and to inspire customers and prospects in attendance with examples of how Canadians have had strong results putting these concepts into practice.

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Security

vArmour to hire Canadian-based resource as part of major sales and marketing expansion from new funding round

February 6, 2019 Mark Cox Comments Off on vArmour to hire Canadian-based resource as part of major sales and marketing expansion from new funding round
vArmour raises another $44 million in a Series E funding round to address what they see as a massive opportunity, and are investing most of it in sales and marketing resources as a result, including hiring a resident person in Canada for the first time.

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Channel Programs

Simplification top priority in Avaya channel program changes

January 9, 2019 Mark Cox Comments Off on Simplification top priority in Avaya channel program changes
Avaya has announced alterations to the Edge partner program it first rolled out two years ago, to remove some pain points, and which provides partners with more compensation than before, but which is distributed differently.

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Cloud

Mitel looks to expand Master Agent channel as part of global UCaaS drive

December 17, 2018 Mark Cox Comments Off on Mitel looks to expand Master Agent channel as part of global UCaaS drive
A new Master Agent agreement with TradeWinds Brokerage establishes Mitel’s first Master Agent in ANZ, where their UCaaS business is already strong. It leverages a U.S. relationship which is part of a growing Master Agent channel in that market.

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Security

Software security vendor Checkmarx continues building out channel with addition of Fishtech Group

November 19, 2018 Mark Cox Comments Off on Software security vendor Checkmarx continues building out channel with addition of Fishtech Group
Checkmarx makes application security testing software that covers the entire software development lifecycle, and over the last several years has evolved from a direct model from one that aims to get as close as possible to all of their new business coming through the channel.

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Artificial Intelligence

Changing AI market impacts SAS strategy and channel

November 15, 2018 Mark Cox Comments Off on Changing AI market impacts SAS strategy and channel
SAS has reacted to the huge changes in the market around artificial intelligence, by rethinking how they approach the market, and how they sell into it.

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Artificial Intelligence

Canada still not tapping into full potential of artificial intelligence

November 15, 2018 Mark Cox Comments Off on Canada still not tapping into full potential of artificial intelligence
SAS Canada’s AI Executive event on Wednesday focused on how Canadian companies can best use AI to drive business outcomes. However, SAS also emphasized data that indicate that to date, that hasn’t been happening in Canada, which lags globally when it comes to adoption in production environments.

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Virtualization

Resurgent VMware Canada discusses strategy at Dell Technologies Toronto Forum

October 31, 2018 Mark Cox Comments Off on Resurgent VMware Canada discusses strategy at Dell Technologies Toronto Forum
VMware Canada Country Manager Sean Forkan discusses changes made since he took the job to restore the company’s momentum in Canada, and talked about where they are going in the months ahead.

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Networking

Aryaka looks to new Canadian Point of Presence and first country manager to scale up SD-WAN-as-a-Service here

July 18, 2018 Mark Cox Comments Off on Aryaka looks to new Canadian Point of Presence and first country manager to scale up SD-WAN-as-a-Service here
The new Toronto POP will let Aryaka serve more Canadian customers more efficiently, while the presence of Craig Workman running their Canadian sales lets Aryaka expand their activity around business development, marketing, education and thought leadership.

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Data Centre

EXCLUSIVE: Maxta to offer pre-configured HCI appliances through Arrow

June 7, 2018 Mark Cox Comments Off on EXCLUSIVE: Maxta to offer pre-configured HCI appliances through Arrow
In a related announcement, Maxta announces a new relationship with large account reseller Connection, which will be able to leverage these new pre-configured appliances.

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Storage

E8 Storage building out channel around NVMe flash array play

March 19, 2018 Mark Cox Comments Off on E8 Storage building out channel around NVMe flash array play
E8 Storage is looking to recruit partners with a focus on markets where NVMe is a strong opportunity, and with Canada being a green-fields opportunity for partners.

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Distribution

Ingram Micro resellers get access to data Erasure-as-a-Service with Blancco agreement

March 15, 2018 Mark Cox Comments Off on Ingram Micro resellers get access to data Erasure-as-a-Service with Blancco agreement
The Blancco relationship is active now in the U.S., but the Canadian channel will have to wait a little while as final touches are being put on an agreement with Ingram Micro Canada.

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Distribution

Hitachi Vantara expands Internet of Things relationship with Tech Data in North America

March 5, 2018 Mark Cox Comments Off on Hitachi Vantara expands Internet of Things relationship with Tech Data in North America
Hitachi Vantara will leverage Tech Data’s Internet of Things’ capabilities to a greater extent than before, which is critically important in Canada, where new analytics-focused partners need to be recruited, and Tech Data is the sole Hitachi Vantara distributor.

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Backup

New Commvault Canada country manager Bassam Hemdan discusses his plans

March 2, 2018 Mark Cox Comments Off on New Commvault Canada country manager Bassam Hemdan discusses his plans
Commvault’s new Vice President, Canada, talks with ChannelBuzz about his new role, and affirms his confidence in the Commvault channel in Canada.

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Managed Services

RapidFire Tools increasing effort in Canadian market

February 23, 2018 Mark Cox Comments Off on RapidFire Tools increasing effort in Canadian market
Network assessment tool maker RapidFire already does a good business in Canada, but thinks the Canadian market can be developed much more fully, and is making a major Northern push in 2018.

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Cloud

ITaaS software maker Nerdio signs with SherWeb in their first global distribution deal

February 22, 2018 Mark Cox Comments Off on ITaaS software maker Nerdio signs with SherWeb in their first global distribution deal
Nerdio’s focus is on their Nerdio for Azure offering, which led them to work with cloud and Microsoft- focused SherWeb.

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Cloud

Equinix Canada leader Eppich bullish on prospects for 2018

January 15, 2018 Mark Cox Comments Off on Equinix Canada leader Eppich bullish on prospects for 2018
Andrew Eppich, Managing Director at Equinix Canada, thinks that the trends in the economy intersect well with Equinix’s Canadian channel strategy and recent global initiatives.

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Distribution

Ingram’s Brandel on 2017 highlights, 2018 plans [video]

January 9, 2018 Robert Dutt Comments Off on Ingram’s Brandel on 2017 highlights, 2018 plans [video]
Ingram Micro Canada chief Bill Brandel discusses the distributor’s performance in 2017, and looks ahead at what to expect in 2018 in this video interview.

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Data Centre

John Dathan takes HPE Canada reins in restructured Canadian operation

October 5, 2017 Mark Cox Comments Off on John Dathan takes HPE Canada reins in restructured Canadian operation
HPE Canada loses country management status, but it still has a general manager, and a seat at the table in decisions. Decision-making authority has not been moved to the U.S.

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Unified Communications

Avaya Canada names David Robertson new Canada country manager

September 13, 2017 Mark Cox Comments Off on Avaya Canada names David Robertson new Canada country manager
Following Rejean Bourgault’s departure for AWS Canada, Avaya names a replacement from within, hoping for some stability in the Canadian country manager role.

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