Top 20 Stories in May: Broadcom-VMware, Avant-PlanetOne, AWS, Layoffs, More
Also, debunking POTS replacement "scare tactics," and the channel mourns a popular figure.
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The articles we wrote from our invite-only roundtables at this spring’s Channel Partners Conference & Expo proved to be a big hit.
Take, for instance, this one from our security roundtable. We asked channel leaders from Sophos, Fortinet, Proofpoint and more about the threats — aside from an obvious one, ransomware — that are worrying their customers.
We got some interesting responses.
This isn’t your grandfather’s BlackBerry, which used to be known as a mobile device supplier. The company has transformed into a full-fledged cybersecurity operation with a bevy of managed security service provider partners.
In this edition of the Gately Report, we described how the company is accelerating its work with MSSPs as the managed security services market is expected to skyrocket by 2030.
We sat down with channel chief Colleen McMillan to get the latest.
If you can’t tell, cybersecurity is hot among Channel Futures readers. Here’s one that crosses the IT-telecom threshold.
AT&T unveiled its secure access service edge (SASE) with Cisco Meraki. It’s a managed service for SMBs that want to provide wired and wireless access to their customers and employees, or to stand up remote sites.
Learn why these two behemoth companies say it helps organizations improve network performance, enable access and defend sensitive data.
Dell, at its annual Dell Technologies World event in Las Vegas, laid out five ways it plans to transform the way it works with its partners.
They came during the vendor’s Global Partner Summit portion of the event.
It was Dell’s first live, in-person DTW since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
What’s in store for Vonage partners once its acquisition by Ericsson gets final approval?
Before it closes, Vonage channel chief Jim Regan is limited in how he can answer that question, but he did offer some insight in this video interview with Channel Futures’ Craig Galbraith at the recent Channel Partners Conference & Expo.
More stringent requirements are coming to the Microsoft partner program — and that’s not sitting well with many in the community. Partners say the revamped program, first announced in March, has unrealistic conditions to achieve the same recognition they now hold.
The software giant is retiring the Microsoft Partner Network in favor of the Microsoft Cloud Partner Program.
We asked a bunch of Microsoft partners about their frustrations.
We’re not done with Microsoft.
Rodney Clark, who only assumed the role of channel chief last year, left for a new gig at Johnson Controls.
The move surprised many in the industry who didn’t see it coming.
We took an in-depth look at the agent business model as tech advisory firms large and small seek to move beyond procurement and into more strategic roles with their customers.
As private equity money flows into the traditional broker channel, agents told Channel Futures that now isn’t the time to rest on their laurels. After all, the commissions agents used to build their books of business are shrinking.
So what’s the answer? There are many. Our James Anderson dug into it.
2022 MSP 501 Week is almost here. We’ll reveal this year’s top global managed service providers in a weeklong extravaganza beginning with No. 501 on June 13 and ending with No. 1 on June 17.
In fact, you can register for our webinar on June 16 where we’ll offer a sneak peak of the top 100 before the list rolls out to the rest of our audience on June 17. Register here.
Meantime, the building buzz had you checking out last year’s list of MSP 501 honorees here.
Speaking of lists, three months after we unveiled our Channel Influencers of the Year in February, you were still checking out our honorees in May.
The 50 leaders we selected — up from just 10 last year — represent the entire channel. The diverse group includes key decision-makers from top vendors as well as technology solutions brokerages and traditional tech distributors.
Scare tactics are OK at Halloween, but rarely anytime else.
We delved into concerns around the upcoming Aug. 2 deadline for plain old telephone service (POTS) replacement that has made agents nervous.
It turns out many of the discussions around this date are grounded in misinformation and scare tactics. The FCC even confirmed to Channel Futures that it hasn’t mandated POTS replacement by then.
So what gives? We checked it out.
Most of us would enjoy having a lake house, but some of you want to build one.
We reported how Amazon Web Services (AWS) partners offering Databricks lakehouses can take advantage of new benefits. The two companies expanded their collaboration so AWS MSPs, GSIs and resellers get a pay-as-you-go option. Users pay only for the resources they consume and bill against their AWS Enterprise Discount Program commitment.
Perhaps you’ve heard of Cisco.
The IT behemoth lost a key security sales leader who departed amid division-wide changes.
Out the door is Shelly Blackburn, VP of Cisco’s global security sales specialist organization, leaving for “personal reasons.” She is yet to reveal where she might be headed.
Raj Chopra, formerly Proofpoint’s VP of product management, is joining Cisco in a security role.
Cybersecurity company Malwarebytes has an ambitious goal: $25 million in global monthly recurring revenue from its partner base.
So says Brian Thomas, the company’s new VP of worldwide MSP and channel programs. He sat down for a one-on-one interview for our weekly Gately Report.
He also touched on the expansion of the company’s Nebula cloud-native endpoint protection program.
This article has legs; it made its debut on Channel Futures back on March 31.
Published right at the end of April, our recognition of the 10th anniversary of the AWS Partner Network and Ruba Borno’s (pictured) first 120 days as VP of worldwide channels and alliances caught fire in May.
We got a chance to catch up with Borno and Stephan Orban, head of the AWS Marketplace, to discuss the latest at Amazon Web Services and what partners can look forward to the rest of the year.
May was not a particularly good month for potentially 20% of Lacework‘s employees who learned they are getting a pink slip.
The cloud security company did say that a claim on Twitter they are letting go of 300 workers was a “significant overestimate.”
But the company did acknowledge a “restructuring” that includes “important changes” leading to a “very difficult decision to say goodbye to some of our colleagues.”
Read more about the shake-up.
Once again our monthly recap of the biggest new hires and promotions in the channel lands in our top five. This edition features moves at AWS, Nextiva, Lumen and many more companies doing business in the IT and telecom channels.
Pictured above is Christine Gassman of Blackpoint Cyber.
The channel lost a popular figure in Ken Mercer, who died on April 29 at the age of 54.
Mercer, who really cut his teeth in the channel at TBI, was well-liked and a fixture at channel events.
Most recently, he was manager of customer success at Telesystem. His experience also included stints at MetTel, Sprint and CenturyLink Business.
In perhaps the biggest blockbuster acquisition of the year so far in the traditional telecom channel, technology services distributor Avant Communications announced the purchase of rival PlanetOne.
“The acquisition of PlanetOne is an instant multiplier for the people, partners and providers working with and for Avant and PlanetOne,” said Avant CEO Ian Keininger.
PlanetOne founder and CEO Ted Schuman joins Avant as chief experience officer.
We covered this story in depth, including a sit-down with top execs, partner reaction and a look at what consolidation among tech services brokerages means for vendors they work with.
The other ginormous M&A deal of the month was also our top story of the month.
We told you on May 23 how Broadcom was reportedly pursuing a giant acquisition of VMware, a $61 billion deal that would come to fruition two days later.
“Building upon our proven track record of successful M&A, this transaction combines our leading semiconductor and infrastructure software businesses with an iconic pioneer and innovator in enterprise software as we reimagine what we can deliver to customers as a leading infrastructure technology company, said Broadcom CEO Hock Tan.
We were all over this story, from a poll of analysts on the deal to the impressions of partners interacting with the companies.
The other ginormous M&A deal of the month was also our top story of the month.
We told you on May 23 how Broadcom was reportedly pursuing a giant acquisition of VMware, a $61 billion deal that would come to fruition two days later.
“Building upon our proven track record of successful M&A, this transaction combines our leading semiconductor and infrastructure software businesses with an iconic pioneer and innovator in enterprise software as we reimagine what we can deliver to customers as a leading infrastructure technology company, said Broadcom CEO Hock Tan.
We were all over this story, from a poll of analysts on the deal to the impressions of partners interacting with the companies.
As we begin a new month, we once again look back at the channel’s top stories from May.
Not surprisingly, merger and acquisition activity was huge. Broadcom’s pending $61 billion acquisition of VMware is poised to impact partners of all types, while Avant made a huge splash buying PlanetOne.
Amazon Web Services celebrated its 10th anniversary. You were interested in taking a glance back and looking into the future with channel boss Ruba Borno.
Layoffs reared their ugly head, with one company reportedly dumping 20% of its workforce.
And our awards programs – the MSP 501 and our Channel Influencers – continue to get your attention.
The slideshow above features Channel Futures’ top 20 stories in May, as determined by you, our loyal reader. We aggregated visits to our website and click-throughs in our weekly newsletters. Speaking of the newsletter, you’ll probably want to sign up for that here if you don’t already subscribe.
So, what was No. 1? You’ll have to check out our slideshow for that, but in the meantime, investigate April’s top 20 here.
Want to contact the author directly about this story? Have ideas for a follow-up article? Email Craig Galbraith or connect with him on LinkedIn. |
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