SMB

Distribution

D&H Canada continues strong growth with 26 per cent overall sales growth in 2016

January 6, 2017 Mark Cox Comments Off on D&H Canada continues strong growth with 26 per cent overall sales growth in 2016
Growth was good pretty much across all D&H segments, although notebooks, collaboration and video conference solutions, systems components, and even printers, all did exceptionally well.

Incoming Tech Data CEO Rich Hume
Distribution

Leader of Tech Data integration effort with Avnet provides update

December 15, 2016 Mark Cox Comments Off on Leader of Tech Data integration effort with Avnet provides update
The structure of the new company is in the process of being set, and the acquisition remains on track to close in the first half of 2017.

Unified Communications

Improved ease of deployment highlights Avaya IP Office Contact Center 10

December 1, 2016 Mark Cox Comments Off on Improved ease of deployment highlights Avaya IP Office Contact Center 10
The changes will save partners hours in deployment time, and by reducing time to value, should also please customers.

Channel Programs

ShoreTel enables partner cloud installs with new PartnerStart Program

November 29, 2016 Mark Cox Comments Off on ShoreTel enables partner cloud installs with new PartnerStart Program
ShoreTel has done all the cloud installs itself since it acquired its cloud business in 2012, but now their Enabled partners who get certified through the new program will be able to do so.

Managed Services

Avast names new SVP & GM of SMB

November 22, 2016 Mark Cox Comments Off on Avast names new SVP & GM of SMB
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.

Managed Services

Tripling supported number of Easy Connect users highlights HPE SMB portfolio enhancements

November 17, 2016 Mark Cox Comments Off on Tripling supported number of Easy Connect users highlights HPE SMB portfolio enhancements
HPE has also enhanced its SMB focused StoreEasy NAS family, and its HPE Flex Solutions for SQL Server.

Distribution

Temprano Techvestors launches distribution channel with solution provider acquisition

October 31, 2016 Mark Cox Comments Off on Temprano Techvestors launches distribution channel with solution provider acquisition
Temprano, which channel security veteran Luke Walling set up earlier this year to bring European companies into the North American market, has acquired Network Security Group as the first stage in its own distribution arm.

Storage

Scale Computing addresses ‘smallest of the small’ with one node hyper-converged appliance

October 25, 2016 Mark Cox Comments Off on Scale Computing addresses ‘smallest of the small’ with one node hyper-converged appliance
The most common use case for the new single node Scale Computing configuration will be providing ROBO capabilities and disaster recovery in conjunction with traditional three node appliances.

John Sorensen, senior vice president of global sales at Symantec.
Security

Symantec looks to channel to build commercial business

October 24, 2016 Robert Dutt Comments Off on Symantec looks to channel to build commercial business
Symantec execs call midmarket, historically a strong point, a challenge, and discuss their strategy to reclaim the huge opportunity below the enterprise.

Data Centre

Lenovo creates new appliance-centric ThinkAgile portfolio

October 17, 2016 Mark Cox Comments Off on Lenovo creates new appliance-centric ThinkAgile portfolio
ThinkAgile will initially consist of three components: their existing HX offerings with Nutanix software, beefed up with Lenovo networking; the newly announced CX line from a new partnership with Nimble Storage; and new OpenStack-based offerings that will first be limited to China, and eventually roll into other geos.