SupportBots launched a free trial period in February so MSPs can test them and provide feedback. For now, their main functionality is booking customers with available technicians, but the plan is to eventually do much more than that.
SonicWall Email Security 9.0 also features improved Office 365 Support.
Acronis’ on-prem product in their hybrid cloud architecture now has the same feature set as their cloud offering.
Memory, performance and capacity have been increased, with capacity on the physical models going up from 100 per cent in the entry level appliances, to between 15-30 per cent in the high end ones.
AppRiver had a pre-templated campaign tool before, but it was limited to Office 365. The new one covers a broad range of their solutions, with 12 templates at launch, and more scheduled to be added.
Sage sees the new offering, which is likely to be sold primarily, though not exclusively for the X3 platform, as a strong opportunity for channel partners.
While Plantronics Manager Pro originally had only an Asset Analysis analytics capability, the new version adds Usage Analysis, Conversation Analysis and Acoustic Analysis.
Intermedia enhances its SecuriSync collaboration and file backup solution with a direct integration between their solution and Microsoft’s Office Online.
In addition to new versions of AuthAnvil and Traverse, Kaseya will soon be rolling out the second generation of its PSA product – and a brand new migration solution to encourage MSPs to move to it.
NetApp announces a series of new and enhanced data services, as well as a refresh of several solutions aimed at the hybrid cloud.
Tech Data Canada adds new vendors and functionality to its StreamOne cloud store, looks to increase training and support for partners.
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.
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.
Sage continued on the more channel-friendly course laid down last year after Stephen Kelly took over as CEO, and while the strategy itself is not new, the company believes it made some major steps this year towards meeting its goals.
At Sage Summit, Sage has outlined to partners a much more detailed roadmap than it has ever done before, in order to get the partners to understand fully where things are going, to buy into the changes, and engage closely with Sage on them.
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.
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.
Microsoft Canada channel chief Jason Brommet laid out what the company sees as the new opportunities in Canada and how recent moves, including the Canadian data centres going live, will help partners succeed. He also indicated that channel resources in Canada are being significantly enhanced.
Office 365 business continues to show impressive growth, although Microsoft is impressing upon partners that the real money here doesn’t come from selling subscriptions, but in integrating it into other solutions and building their own custom offerings on top.
