Latest Channel M&A: Broadcom, Lumen, RingCentral, Palo Alto Networks, More
How much do prominent shareholders stand to make with the VMware-Broadcom deal?
December 14, 2022
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Open Systems is boosting its automation capabilities with the acquisition of UK-based MSSP Tiberium.
The 2022 Microsoft Security MSSP Partner of the Year award winner said it will leverage Tiberium’s advanced automation and collaboration capabilities.
“Tiberium’s experience in automating security will allow us to detect and respond to threats faster and more impactfully,” said Open Systems CEO Geoff Haydon.
Discover how Tiberium’s collaboration model will also allow Open Systems security analysts to interact with customers in real time on any device at any time.
RingCentral has approached 8×8 about a possible takeover. This is according to an unnamed Investing.com source who says that RingCentral is working with an investment bank to evaluate a potential transaction.
Blair Pleasant is president and principal analyst of COMMfusion.
“If the deal goes through – and that’s a big if – there would of course be the usual integration and migration issues facing both companies. It would be challenging for channel partners initially, as these things always are,” Pleasant said. “I would expect to see a pretty clear road map emerge fairly quickly, combining RingCentral message, video and phone with 8×8’s CCaaS and CPaaS offerings.”
How would a possible deal be beneficial to partners? Find out here.
iSymplify
Columbia Capital-backed Bluewave Technology Group is expanding with the acquisition of iSymplify, the technology advisory firm and contact center expert.
The deal brings in an established agency that has helped deploy more than 50,000 cloud seats, according to Bluewave. It also cements a foothold in the greater St. Louis area.
Learn more about the consolidation occurring in the technology advisor (agent) channel.
Virtual Telecomm
Bluewave also expanded its team, skills and customer base with the acquisition of Louisville-vased Virtual Telecomm.
Virtual Telecomm is an 18-year-old agency known for its SD-WAN and UCaaS transformation chops. The deal marks Bluewave’s fifth in the last year, each fueled by Columbia Capital’s $75 million growth investment.
Learn more about Virtual Telecomm’s customer base here.
Palo Alto Networks is acquiring Cider Security, an Israel-based provider of application security and software supply chain security, for $195 million.
The Cider Security acquisition supports Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud’s platform approach to securing the entire application security life cycle. Prisma Cloud will now provide a supply chain security solution as part of its code-to-cloud security platform.
See why innovation was a primary reason for the acquisition.
In November, European Union regulators were debating whether to give a thumbs-up to Broadcom’s VMware acquisition. If they have serious concerns, they could open a four-month investigation, according to Reuters, which might happen by Dec. 20.
Reports surfaced last month that the Silicon Valley chipmaker wanted to fast-track antitrust proceedings in Europe. Broadcom claims that because its likely rivals – Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud – hold so much market share, blessing the pending, $61 billion VMware purchase will not create a competitive imbalance. Apparently that argument wasn’t good enough.
Learn what partners have to say about how the acquisition affects them.
In good news for Broadcom, VMware stockholders approved the $61 billion deal in November.
VMware, per to its most recent annual report, has 3,809 shareholders. The most well-known is Michael Dell, founder of Dell Technologies and chairman of the VMware board. He stands to rake in more than $26 billion once Broadcom closes the VMware transaction, according to a VMware filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
After Dell, institutional investors comprise most of VMware’s shareholders. Those include Silver Lake Management (which helped Dell buy EMC Corp. in 2016), Dodge & Cox, The Vanguard Group and Swedbank Robur Fonder AB, according to MarketScreener.
Read more here about what VMware will do for Broadcom.
ThreatLocker has acquired Third Wall, allowing MSPs to better secure Windows operating systems.
Third Wall is an automated lockdown security plug-in for ConnectWise Automate users. With the addition of Third Wall’s lockdown policies to existing ThreatLocker solutions, MSPs can harden Windows operating systems. That will ensure end-users comply with government regulations. Furthermore, it will strengthen their overall security.
This is ThreatLocker’s first acquisition. ThreatLocker didn’t say how much it’s paying for Third Wall.
Discover here how Third Wall will be integrated into ThreatLocker’s organization.
Lumen Technologies has sold its Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) business to Colt Technology Services.
London-headquartered Colt will pay $1.8 billion for the business. The transaction includes Lumen’s terrestrial and subsea networks, data centers and network equipment in EMEA.
Colt has more than 60 offices around the world. The purchase enables it to expand fiber network connectivity throughout Europe.
Read more about how this deal benefits Lumen.
Bridgepointe Technologies has acquired tech consulting agency RealCom Solutions. The deal gives Bridgepointe new talent and service lines, as well as new vertical skill sets.
Approximately 40 employees are joining Bridgepointe as a result of the deal. They’ll serve in account and project management as well as technology expense management. RealCom Solutions founder and CEO Charlie Bogart will take on the role of managing director at Bridgepointe.
Learn more about other Bridgepointe acquisitions here.
Ciena, the networking systems, services and software company, has acquired Tibit Communications, a privately held company headquartered in Petaluma, California. It has also purchased Benu Networks, based in Burlington, Massachusetts. Tibit and Benu are focused on simplifying broadband access networks through next-generation PON technologies and advanced subscriber management, respectively.
Tibit and Benu will complement Ciena’s existing portfolio of solutions for broadband access use cases, including residential broadband, enterprise business services and fixed-wireless access, which represent a significant addressable market for Ciena. In addition, the acquisitions will strengthen Ciena’s expertise in these areas, with the addition of a combined 60-plus talented engineers with significant experience in access technologies.
Ciena, the networking systems, services and software company, has acquired Tibit Communications, a privately held company headquartered in Petaluma, California. It has also purchased Benu Networks, based in Burlington, Massachusetts. Tibit and Benu are focused on simplifying broadband access networks through next-generation PON technologies and advanced subscriber management, respectively.
Tibit and Benu will complement Ciena’s existing portfolio of solutions for broadband access use cases, including residential broadband, enterprise business services and fixed-wireless access, which represent a significant addressable market for Ciena. In addition, the acquisitions will strengthen Ciena’s expertise in these areas, with the addition of a combined 60-plus talented engineers with significant experience in access technologies.
The holiday season brings about a bit of a slowdown in M&A activity, but not much. Those we highlight for November (see slideshow above) demonstrate strong activity in the channel.
For example, take Bluewave Technology Group. The Columbia Capital-backed firm acquired two companies in one month (and yet another on Wednesday). Although Bluewave didn’t say how much it’s paying for either deal, the company did receive a $75 million growth investment from Columbia to fuel these and other acquisitions this year.
When it comes to Broadcom buying VMware, the companies have dominated the tech news cycle these last few months. Channel Futures editor Kelly Teal keeps our readers up to date on the latest activity regarding that deal. This includes whether European regulators will approve the acquisition. Read more about that in our list.
Furthermore, Lumen shelled out $1.8 billion for a technology services firm, allowing the company to expand critical fiber network connectivity. How does this impact Lumen in the long term? We have some reporting on that as well.
In addition, if you didn’t catch our previous M&A gallery, you can find it here.
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