Al Nasturzio, CompTIA’s new Canadian business development manager, comes to the role with a slightly atypical skillset. The initiatives he has underway include replicating in Canada a highly successful U.S. CompTIA program to train veterans and help them find jobs.
ESET has been in the MSP space for a while, but is now making a push to increase their presence there. They also indicated that they will shortly be releasing their first offering specifically built for the cloud.
Hornetsecurity is targeting the SMB space in North America, emphasizing their ability to build and maintain strong relationships with these smaller customers. They have signed Contronex to handle their distribution in both the U.S. and Canada.
Atlona, which has been moving into the IT side of the AV space because of the convergence trends in the industry, is attending their first CompTIA ChannelCon event to talk with IT channel partners, get their take on convergence, and learn what the IT channel wants in an AV solution.
The new CompTIA CSA+ certification is designed to fill the gap between CompTIA’s introductory and advanced security certifications, while emphasizing analytics.
Cloud-focused distributor Pax8 sees IT trade association events as ideal grounds to talk with partners and add productive new ones, and Bodell’s hire both strengthens their presence at them and provides the channel with more evidence of their commitment.
CompTIA sees 2017 as continuing trends like the greying of the channel and the increase in non-traditional partners which have been developing for several years.
Tech Data Canada adds new vendors and functionality to its StreamOne cloud store, looks to increase training and support for partners.
GMS Live Expert offers MSPs boutique services around their help desk support offering. The Toronto-based company has ramped up its recruitment efforts, which included exhibiting at last week’s CompTIA ChannelCon.
Waterloo ON-based Auvik Networks added an MSP variant to their network management solution a year ago, and are working on a multi-pronged strategy for building it up.
NY-based MSP Secure Now developed a HIPAA-focused security offering for the health care industry in 2009, and has now added a new offering aimed at the more general market, targeting SMBs, and sold only through partners. Canadian partners are being eagerly sought.
Data protection vendor Datto has begun more significant integrations with RMM vendors, announcing a full integration with LabTech by ConnectWise. The company also stepped up its Canadian presence with the announcement of a second Canadian data centre, in Calgary.
Ingram Micro’s Canada’s Canadian cloud sales resources increase by three more to a total of eight, up from two at the beginning of the year.
A highlight of the second day at the CompTIA ChannelCon event was a panel discussion of vendors on changes in the industry, and how to best adapt to them.
The Channel Standards, which are now four in number, differ from the older Trustmarks in being completely free for anyone, as CompTIA’s priority with them is to expose them to the widest possible audience.
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.
At its ChannelCon event, CompTIA reported results of research it commissioned on why the tech industry is increasingly failing to recruit suitable numbers of young players. Those findings indicated the industry has been using completely ineffective strategies, and needs to work on coming up with a different approach.
The IT Solution Provider Standard is the first of five scheduled to roll out this year. The Channel Standards differ from the Trustmarks in their emphasis on imparting best practices to make the business better, rather than earning a badge to use in your marketing.
It’s a great deal for Ingram’s stockholders — which include many of their channel partners. But for their businesses, will it be business as usual.
A new study from CompTIA based on December 2015 data includes an assessment of trends in the IT industry specific to the channel.
