Collaboration

Managed Services

Atera adds to ecosystem with Splashtop, Webroot integrations

November 1, 2016 Mark Cox Comments Off on Atera adds to ecosystem with Splashtop, Webroot integrations
Joint RMM/PSA vendor Atera, which has seen a strong first year in North America, looks to boost momentum with two new partnerships.

Unified Communications

Avaya sees new Equinox integrated UC as game-changer for the channel

October 18, 2016 Mark Cox Comments Off on Avaya sees new Equinox integrated UC as game-changer for the channel
While Avaya plans to extend Equinox to the mid-market in the future, today it’s based on Aura and as such is just an enterprise play.

Cloud

AI and collaboration innovations beef up next-gen Salesforce Customer Success Platform

October 4, 2016 Mark Cox Comments Off on AI and collaboration innovations beef up next-gen Salesforce Customer Success Platform
The new enhancements come from the internal work of Salesforce Einstein, on the AI side, and the recent acquisition of collaboration vendor Quip.

Cloud

Metalogix unveils SaaS solution to manage content across multiple collaboration platforms

September 26, 2016 Mark Cox Comments Off on Metalogix unveils SaaS solution to manage content across multiple collaboration platforms
Metalogix believes demand for this will be strong in environments with many collaboration solutions, and think it will be especially strong as a partner play.

Channel Communities

Technical Support Alliance Network (TSANet) looking to recruit solution providers

August 8, 2016 Mark Cox Comments Off on Technical Support Alliance Network (TSANet) looking to recruit solution providers
The TSANet has facilitated inter-vendor collaboration for post-sales technical support for over 20 years. A year ago, its ranks were opened to the channel, and TSANet was at ChannelCon last week, to make its case why the channel should join.

Cloud

Actiance sees big benefits in Skype for Business certification

July 18, 2016 Mark Cox Comments Off on Actiance sees big benefits in Skype for Business certification
Apart from the typical benefits from certified status of Microsoft’s validation with customers, Microsoft’s policies of encouraging partnerships is generating new business for Actiance from other Microsoft vendor partners, and developing a higher value-add channel for them.

Cloud

Nectar unveils QoS automation solution for collaboration environments on Cisco networks

July 18, 2016 Mark Cox Comments Off on Nectar unveils QoS automation solution for collaboration environments on Cisco networks
Nectar also announced a second new offering, around Microsoft Skype, with a suite of cloud enablement solutions that parallels ones they had previously offered for on-prem deployments.

Managed Services

BitTitan, Dropbox see enormous opportunities in new go-to-market alliance

July 13, 2016 Mark Cox Comments Off on BitTitan, Dropbox see enormous opportunities in new go-to-market alliance
BitTitan and DropBox will collaborate on an integrated go-to-market strategy where the services of each will be bundled together and available to both channels.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella at WPC 2016.
Channel Programs

Digital transformation focus creates larger opportunity: Nadella

July 11, 2016 Robert Dutt Comments Off on Digital transformation focus creates larger opportunity: Nadella
Kicking off the company’s 2016 Worldwide Partner Conference in Toronto, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella outlines what a focus on the digital transformation of business will mean to both Microsoft and its partners.

Channel Programs

Migration vendor Metalogix looks to enhance channel appeal with formalized partner program

July 11, 2016 Mark Cox Comments Off on Migration vendor Metalogix looks to enhance channel appeal with formalized partner program
Metalogix built up a strong business on a model where the channel business was limited and basically transactional. The company has now implemented a more complex go-to-market model in which an expanded channel with practices around migration is a key part.