SMB

Cloud

BetterCloud stepping up channel push around multi-vendor SaaS management platform

April 20, 2018 Mark Cox Comments Off on BetterCloud stepping up channel push around multi-vendor SaaS management platform
BetterCloud just closed a new funding round, with part of the money being used to allow them to ‘step on the gas’ and speed up their channel momentum.

Channel Programs

Netsurion integrates EventTracker channel program with their own in partner expansion push

April 18, 2018 Mark Cox Comments Off on Netsurion integrates EventTracker channel program with their own in partner expansion push
Netsurion is looking to an integrated solution set of SD-WAN with SIEM and firewall security to significantly expand their TAM into new verticals, and is seeking to significantly expand their partner base to strengthen them in these new markets.

Software

New Macola 10.7 ERP release stops software from breaking during upgrades

April 6, 2018 Mark Cox Comments Off on New Macola 10.7 ERP release stops software from breaking during upgrades
The latest version of the Macola ERP software continues to open up the product, and features changes that they say will end ‘version lock’ including the addition of screen plug-ins and back-end plug ins. There has also been a major extension of open APIs and new capabilities to make it easy to turn off unwanted fields.

Security

AppRiver expands Canadian customer, partner base by acquiring Ottawa’s Roaring Penguin

March 28, 2018 Mark Cox Comments Off on AppRiver expands Canadian customer, partner base by acquiring Ottawa’s Roaring Penguin
The Canadian acquisition is the first step in an AppRiver strategy to expand its presence further beyond the U.S, but it’s not purely about acquiring customers, as some of Roaring Penguin’s anti-spam technology will be integrated into AppRiver’s own offering.

Cloud

Netskope moves beyond CASB with new Netskope for Web

March 27, 2018 Mark Cox Comments Off on Netskope moves beyond CASB with new Netskope for Web
Netskope expands its original loud Security platform to also handle Web security from the Cloud, to provide customers with a comprehensive security offering available through Netskope’s partner ecosystem.

Cloud

Salesforce unveils Service Cloud Essentials for small business, enhances Sales Cloud Essentials

March 14, 2018 Mark Cox Comments Off on Salesforce unveils Service Cloud Essentials for small business, enhances Sales Cloud Essentials
Salesforce adds a second Essentials cloud, and improves the original introduced last fall, although at this point in time, Essentials is still a marginal channel play, since the focus has been on improving the offering rather than broadening the go-to-market.

Backup

Strong SMB momentum makes Cohesity first winner of SHI’s Emerging Partner of the Year award

March 13, 2018 Mark Cox Comments Off on Strong SMB momentum makes Cohesity first winner of SHI’s Emerging Partner of the Year award
Cohesity also met another key criteria for the award, that a vendor provide clear and consistent support to the channel.

Backup

Dell EMC upgrades low end of Data Domain portfolio with cloud-friendly DD 3300

February 5, 2018 Mark Cox Comments Off on Dell EMC upgrades low end of Data Domain portfolio with cloud-friendly DD 3300
The Dell EMC DD3300 replaces the DD2200 in the Data Domain lineup, providing the ROBO-SME part of the market with an offering that features full cloud capability as well as upgraded capacity.

Jason Stein, vice president of channels for Kaspersky North America
Security

Kaspersky Lab targets SMBs with Kaspersky Security for Microsoft Office 365

February 1, 2018 Mark Cox Comments Off on Kaspersky Lab targets SMBs with Kaspersky Security for Microsoft Office 365
Kaspersky Lab is highlighting the next-gen capabilities in this offering, such as machine learning, a neural network-based anti-phishing engine, and sandboxing.

Backup

Enhancing upstream, downstream alliances top priority for new eFolder Channel Chief Bystrak

January 23, 2018 Mark Cox Comments Off on Enhancing upstream, downstream alliances top priority for new eFolder Channel Chief Bystrak
Jason Bystrak, who officially joins eFolder from Ingram Micro in another week, wants to leverage his experience to build out both a stronger system of vendor strategic alliances, and a focused distribution strategy, to extend eFolder’s reach and position them as a logical challenger to Datto.