News

News

• April 20, 2016 20 Apr'16

  CompTIA increases channel training resources

  As part of its ongoing efforts to improve the quality of service delivered by the channel, the organization CompTIA has made more training resources available.

• April 20, 2016 20 Apr'16

  Dell introduces ISV-targeted IoT partner program

  Dell continues to make moves to bolster its position as an IoT player and has introduced a partner program to help identify those specializing in this area.

• April 19, 2016 19 Apr'16

  Carrier NFV work pushing vCPEs to enterprises

  Carrier adoption of software-based network functions will lead to better virtual CPE for enterprise branch networks.

• April 19, 2016 19 Apr'16

  Asigra offers free tool to manage EBS snapshots in AWS

  Backup vendor Asigra has launched a free software tool to smooth the management of Elastic Block Store snapshots in the Amazon Web Services platform.

• April 19, 2016 19 Apr'16

  Everspin Technologies' spin-torque MRAM chips ship to OEMs

  Memory channel storage vendor Everspin sells ST-MRAM devices with byte-addressable memory channel storage designed as a write cache with predictable latency.

• April 19, 2016 19 Apr'16

  IBM financials squeezed but sales up in cloud and mobile

  Cloud, security, mobility and analytics are the future for IBM as revenue drops for 16th quarter.

• April 18, 2016 18 Apr'16

  Analytics, reporting tools make Office 365 more useful

  Microsoft has introduced Office 365 tools that monitor employee time and email activity to improve productivity at work.

• April 18, 2016 18 Apr'16

  Mitel, Polycom merger boosts portfolios, market reach

  Mitel and Polycom agree to a merger that strengthens each company's product portfolio and global market reach. The combined company will have $2.5 billion in annual revenue.

• April 18, 2016 18 Apr'16

  Typing queries into search box yields instant analytics

  With businesses running at cloud speed, employees need to generate instant analytics reports via search bar queries. ThoughtSpot and Informatica come to the rescue.

• April 18, 2016 18 Apr'16

  X-IO exploits NVMe to develop super-fast Axellio flash storage

  X-IO comes out of stealth with Intel-backed Axellio that will see up to 0.25PB and 12 million IOPS from a 2U box using NVMe as an internal interconnect to speak natively with CPUs.

• April 15, 2016 15 Apr'16

  NetScout acquisition channels unite for enterprise share

  NetScout Systems targets the enterprise market with Connect360, a channel program uniting partners of Fluke Networks, Tektronix Communications and VSS Monitoring; more IT channel news.

• April 15, 2016 15 Apr'16

  Microsoft fights back against FBI surveillance

  Microsoft has sued the Department of Justice in an effort to be allowed to notify users of FBI surveillance requests; expert worried about continuous surveillance.

• April 15, 2016 15 Apr'16

  Google, Kinvey offer HIPAA-compliant MBaaS

  Mobile backend as a service provider Kinvey's new HIPAA-compliant offering, which runs on the Google Cloud Platform, tackles the problems of free-flowing mobile data.

• April 15, 2016 15 Apr'16

  Nyansa debuts tool blending monitoring with analytics

  Cloud-based analytics, real-time DPI and an easy-to-digest console anchor Nyansa's network performance monitor for wired and wireless networks.

• April 15, 2016 15 Apr'16

  SanDisk adds faster InfiniFlash all-flash array

  SanDisk's InfiniFlash System IF150 replaces the IF100 base hardware building block. The company also released its IF550 upgrade for OpenStack and Ceph storage.

• April 15, 2016 15 Apr'16

  Mitel to acquire Polycom for $1.8B

  Spurred on by activist investor Elliott Management, Mitel Networks has agreed to acquire Polycom in a $1.8B cash-and-stock deal.

• April 15, 2016 15 Apr'16

  Google cloud outage about more than just downtime

  A massive Google cloud outage this week went largely unnoticed compared to the type of outcry that accompanies downtime for its competitors – and that's not a good thing.

• April 14, 2016 14 Apr'16

  Responsible disclosure takes a beating on Badlock flaw

  The much-hyped Badlock bug is still important to patch, but raised issues with celebrity vulnerability promotion and responsible disclosure of security vulnerabilities.

• April 14, 2016 14 Apr'16

  Zadara adds objects to private cloud storage

  Zadara Storage's Virtual Private Storage Arrays that run in the cloud now support object storage and large flash cache for performance with the launch of Intelligent Object Store.

• April 14, 2016 14 Apr'16

  Aerohive's Wave 2 APs run on existing power systems

  Aerohive's latest Wave 2 access points are aimed at companies looking for higher speeds on existing Power over Ethernet infrastructure.

• April 13, 2016 13 Apr'16

  HPE unveils hybrid server, targets SMBs via channel partners

  HPE has launched a server-as-a-service offering that it will sell through channel partners, which will be able to add cloud services for small and medium-sized businesses.

• April 13, 2016 13 Apr'16

  FalconStor primes FreeStor to analyze storage health

  The FreeStor Analytics upgrade integrates code licensed from Cumulus Logic to aid in capacity planning, service-level management and storage health monitoring.

• April 13, 2016 13 Apr'16

  Evaluating the risks of HCI buys from newbie vendors

  Deciding between the new guy and the old standby has driven purchasing decisions for decades, but what do users think when it comes to hyper-converged infrastructure?

• April 13, 2016 13 Apr'16

  Windows PowerShell tied to more than a third of cyber attacks

  Security firm Carbon Black confirms widespread abuse of Windows PowerShell by attackers flying under the radar in line with the trend of exploiting operating systems.

• April 12, 2016 12 Apr'16

  Cloud delivery: Ingram Micro launches platforms for channel

  Taking advantage of its purchase of Odin Service Automation, distributor Ingram Micro has launched cloud delivery platforms geared toward channel partners.

• April 12, 2016 12 Apr'16

  Microsoft: Channel companies to see revised competencies

  Microsoft said partners have 18 months to move toward its revised competencies, which aim to help customers select the appropriate cloud technology partner.

• April 12, 2016 12 Apr'16

  Cloudian HyperStore can find lost objects

  Cloudian adds stronger data durability and resiliency capabilities to its HyperStore object software. The management software now includes an object GPS.

• April 12, 2016 12 Apr'16

  April 2016 Patch Tuesday has complex patches

  Microsoft's April 2016 Patch Tuesday includes a patch for Badlock, a vulnerability which experts call "overhyped", but the most important patches may need extra care to apply.

• April 12, 2016 12 Apr'16

  Micron all-flash includes NVMe drive, VSAN, Ceph bundles

  Micron Accelerated Solutions includes recommended all-flash hardware configurations for VMware VSAN and Ceph storage in its most recent server-side storage launch.

• April 12, 2016 12 Apr'16

  Windows 10 upgrade offer drives enterprise adoption

  More businesses plan to take advantage of Microsoft's free Windows 10 upgrade offer before it expires in July, but IT pros still have concerns about cost and privacy.

• April 11, 2016 11 Apr'16

  Microsoft taps app developers to bolster Office 365 Groups

  The Microsoft Connectors feature in Office 365's Groups has been expanded, with more than 50 third-party partnerships, months after the feature's release last November.

• April 11, 2016 11 Apr'16

  Cisco HyperFlexes hyper-converged muscles

  Cisco's HyperFlex hyper-converged strategy depends largely on startup Springpath's file system performing better than those from Nutanix, VMware and other competitors.

• April 08, 2016 08 Apr'16

  Professional services business development focus of new Gigamon program

  Gigamon introduced a program to help VARs and SIs build professional services practices around its platform; other IT channel news from the week.

• April 08, 2016 08 Apr'16

  Zendesk integration deepens Microsoft collaboration

  In UC news, Zendesk integrates with Office 365 Groups for customer service collaboration. Also, a report on mobility trends reveals that security concerns are effecting adoption.

• April 07, 2016 07 Apr'16

  Riverbed Partner Summit: New program aims to boost marketing

  Riverbed took the wraps off a multicomponent channel marketing program that includes marketing value proposition development, localization and marketing automation.

• April 07, 2016 07 Apr'16

  Rackspace debuts OpenStack-based private cloud packages

  Rackspace claims pre-configured hardware, software and services stack will smooth enterprise path to OpenStack-based clouds.

• April 07, 2016 07 Apr'16

  App performance optimization is a multicloud affair

  As cloud-based services and providers proliferate, application performance optimization grows increasingly complicated. What to do?

• April 06, 2016 06 Apr'16

  Citrix partner program updated for midmarket push

  Citrix has revised its channel partner initiative with program updates and incentives that aim to help the company grab more midmarket share in keeping with its strategic focus.

• April 06, 2016 06 Apr'16

  Ceryx acquisition shows Microsoft's strength in UCC

  Dimension Data has acquired Ceryx to provide customers with the option of subscribing to hosted Microsoft products, such as Exchange, SharePoint and Office 365.

• April 06, 2016 06 Apr'16

  CIO: Reliability, flexibility keys for service providers

  Exits Inc., an international trade software company, found greater reliability, cost savings and flexibility after tapping a services provider to manage its IT infrastructure.

• April 05, 2016 05 Apr'16

  MSPWorld: Regulations, emerging competitors shape the market

  Speakers at MSPWorld pointed to an increasingly regulated environment as both an opportunity and risk for MSPs dealing with customers' data security and privacy issues.

• April 05, 2016 05 Apr'16

  Riverbed Partner Summit unveils major channel program updates

  Riverbed Technologies rings in 'Disruption 2.0' at its annual Partner Summit, introducing new channel partner programs, initiatives and other updates.

• April 05, 2016 05 Apr'16

  Ruckus to help, not solve, Brocade's campus weakness

  Brocade's acquisition of Ruckus Wireless would counter the stronger portfolios of Cisco and HPE for the campus WLAN.

• April 05, 2016 05 Apr'16

  EMC virtualizes Data Domain for remote offices, MSPs

  EMC unveils the virtual edition of its Data Domain disk library, DD VE, allowing the Data Domain operating system to run inside a VMware hypervisor and back up to any hardware.

• April 05, 2016 05 Apr'16

  Rupture framework makes Gmail BREACH easier

  Security researchers updated BREACH attack that would allow a Facebook Messenger or Gmail breach to be performed much faster, but the overall risk is limited.

• April 05, 2016 05 Apr'16

  SimpliVity gives OmniStack Hyper-V support

  SimpliVity's hyper-converged OmniStack platform now supports Hyper-V, intelligent workload optimization and multinode stretch clustering.

• April 05, 2016 05 Apr'16

  Intel's NVMe SSD line unveiled for cloud use cases

  Intel's PCIe-attached NVMe drive families include one for server-side enterprise apps and another to replace SATA SSDs in cloud environments.

• April 04, 2016 04 Apr'16

  Brocade/Ruckus buyout: No impact on partners for now

  Today’s news that Brocade Communications Systems Inc. has made a $1.2 billion bid for Ruckus Wireless will impact channel partners of both companies, but don’t expect details until the deal closes ...

• April 04, 2016 04 Apr'16

  MSPWorld 2016 highlights IT security opportunities, pitfalls

  Although IT security has emerged as a top growth area for managed service providers, MSPWorld speakers warned against plunging headlong into the market.

• April 04, 2016 04 Apr'16

  Will future data centers include disaggregation?

  Disaggregated servers are unlikely to go 'boom' in the market the way hyper-convergence has but figure to grow at a more leisurely pace.

• April 04, 2016 04 Apr'16

  ShoreTel plug-in targeted at customers with Office 365

  ShoreTel has announced a plug-in for Skype for Business that is targeted at customers who use the video conferencing software without the premium telephony services.

• April 04, 2016 04 Apr'16

  Brocade buys Ruckus Wireless to target 5G and IoT business

  Supplier plans to enhance its play in emerging networking segments such as 5G and the internet of things.

• April 04, 2016 04 Apr'16

  Digital transformation driving UC and security opportunities

  Microsoft's CEO might have spent the afternoon talking about digital transformation but he is not alone as the channel looks to make revenue out of the buzz phrase.

• April 01, 2016 01 Apr'16

  IT automation software: Atera offers all-in-one MSP platform

  Atera targets MSPs with a platform that incorporates remote control, remote monitoring and management, and professional services automation; more IT channel news from the week.

• April 01, 2016 01 Apr'16

  Streaming analytics put data in motion at Strata + Hadoop 2016

  Moving data is a must for many modern apps. As a result, streaming analytics with Spark, Kafka and other components are coming to the forefront.

• April 01, 2016 01 Apr'16

  Arista spine hardware aimed at largest data centers

  Arista has introduced the 7500R series -- a suite of third-generation spine hardware that has a maximum capacity of 115 Tbps.

• April 01, 2016 01 Apr'16

  Microsoft opens up to open source with SQL Server on Linux

  Microsoft put aside its rocky relationship with open source and will release SQL Server on Linux in mid-2017. This won't be a simple process, but it could net Microsoft new customers.

• March 31, 2016 31 Mar'16

  IBM cloud acquisition expands Salesforce consulting

  The latest IBM acquisition aims to unite cloud consultancy Bluewolf and the IBM iX practice to create a larger pool of resources in the Salesforce professional services arena.

• March 31, 2016 31 Mar'16

  NetEnrich teams with Microsoft on Azure channel packages

  Microsoft is working with NetEnrich, an IT infrastructure and operations management services provider, to capture small and midsize customers via a channel-ready Azure offering.

• March 31, 2016 31 Mar'16

  Viptela users can monitor SD-WAN architecture with SevOne

  Viptela has partnered with infrastructure performance monitoring software vendor SevOne, integrating the SD-WAN company's platform with SevOne's management dashboard.

• March 31, 2016 31 Mar'16

  Ransomware vaccine promises protection but experts are wary

  A new ransomware vaccine promises to protect against infections by popular ransomware variants like Locky and TeslaCrypt, but experts are wary about implementation and security.

• March 31, 2016 31 Mar'16

  Rancher launches Docker management with storage services

  Nearly 2,500 customers participated in Rancher Labs' beta for its container management software that is now generally available. The application includes storage services.

• March 31, 2016 31 Mar'16

  HPE launches NVDIMM, NVMe Persistent Memory products

  Gen9 ProLiant storage servers are the focus of HPE's Persistent Memory product launch, including an 8 GB NVDIMM module and a family of PCIe NVMe flash drives.

• March 31, 2016 31 Mar'16

  Hadoop core components may not be central to big data future

  At Strata + Hadoop World 2016, Hadoop co-creator Doug Cutting said the core of the distributed processing framework is likely to see its position at the center of big data systems diminish.

• March 30, 2016 30 Mar'16

  MIT forum debates data protection regulations

  In big data analytics, some want stronger data privacy regulations, while others want the government out of the picture.

• March 30, 2016 30 Mar'16

  NEC increases SDN scalability with latest upgrade

  In recent SDN-related news, NEC and PLUMgrid have both upgraded their SDN suites, and the CIO of the United States will address the Open Networking User Group's Spring conference.

• March 30, 2016 30 Mar'16

  Hyper-converged backup takes center stage at SimpliVity show

  Customers praise the data protection capabilities of SimpliVity's OmniCube and OmniStack hyper-converged systems that allow them to ditch third-party backup tools.

• March 30, 2016 30 Mar'16

  Users find harmony in Cisco, VMware SDN software

  Baystate Health and Sugar Creek Packing give Cisco and VMware SDN software separate chores in data center networks.

• March 30, 2016 30 Mar'16

  SD-WAN market swells because of cloud-based business apps

  IDC released its first study on the SD-WAN market, which is expected to hit $6 billion by 2020. The boom is driven by the growing popularity of cloud-based business applications.

• March 30, 2016 30 Mar'16

  SAP Ariba growth may come through SAP Business Network

  In an interview at Ariba Live, analyst Joshua Greenbaum discussed SAP Ariba's biggest challenges and opportunities in integrating with SAP technology and the SAP Business Network.

• March 29, 2016 29 Mar'16

  Cloud Workspace Suite: IndependenceIT updates platform

  IndependenceIT is targeting ISVs, MSPs and VARs with its retooled cloud workspace platform, which aims to ease the task of running workspace as a service and other workloads.

• March 29, 2016 29 Mar'16

  NTT Data to buy Dell's IT services business for $3bn

  As Dell looks to shift its non-core assets ahead of the EMC deal, Japanese giant NTT Data agrees to buy Dell Services for $3.05bn

• March 29, 2016 29 Mar'16

  Microsoft in talks with private equity firms to buy Yahoo

  Beleaguered internet giant gives potential buyers two weeks to submit preliminary bids for core business assets

• March 29, 2016 29 Mar'16

  OSNexus unlocks Ceph object storage in QuantaStor v4

  Software-defined storage maker OSNexus adds Ceph-based object storage to its QuantaStor product, adding it to block and file storage from ZFS, Gluster and Ceph

• March 29, 2016 29 Mar'16

  How SD-WAN could threaten the NFV business case

  In this roundup of notable blog posts from around the Web, one analyst says SD-WAN could render certain NFV services irrelevant; another has advice for green networking pros.

• March 29, 2016 29 Mar'16

  Report: 1.5 million Verizon Enterprise customer records stolen

  Krebs on Security reports 1.5 million customer contact records were swiped from Verizon Enterprise Solutions and offered for sale on Dark Web; customers are at risk for phishing attacks.

• March 29, 2016 29 Mar'16

  'Snow' day: CloudBerry Backup works with AWS appliance

  CloudBerry Lab's cloud backup service and AWS Snowball now work together to assist in large data transfers, including the initial backup to the cloud.

• March 28, 2016 28 Mar'16

  Analysts dissect public cloud adoption, Avaya's Zang

  Analysts dissect Avaya's relationship with its new CPaaS spin-off, the two trends pushing public cloud adoption and how to prepare for an SD-WAN implementation.

• March 25, 2016 25 Mar'16

  Vectra Networks launches program for network security partners

  Security vendor Vectra Networks unveiled a tiered partner program for resellers and systems integrators in the network security market; more IT channel news from the week.

• March 25, 2016 25 Mar'16

  Could Docker's ambitious business strategy backfire?

  IT pros are concerned Docker's meteoric rise will lead to a fall from grace as it stretches beyond its core competencies to pursue enterprise business.

• March 25, 2016 25 Mar'16

  Push for common MAM features could help IT

  Developing apps based on native, OS-level mobile application management features is a step in the right direction toward standardizing the technology.

• March 25, 2016 25 Mar'16

  Can automated backup inoculate a ransomware attack?

  A series of ransomware attacks have been reported at hospitals in the U.S. and Canada, leading to experts recommending automated backup for enterprises.

• March 24, 2016 24 Mar'16

  IT security skills, federal work drive Sirius' Force 3 deal

  Sirius Computer Solutions has agreed to acquire Force 3, a move that will give Sirius a federal government operation and a combined company with more than $2 billion in revenue.

• March 23, 2016 23 Mar'16

  CompTIA Channel Standards program takes on business best practices

  CompTIA will roll out a free program that helps IT industry companies adopt business best practices.

• March 23, 2016 23 Mar'16

  Legal help desk to field questions from channel partners

  CompTIA has unveiled an online legal services help desk in conjunction with InfoTech Law Advocates, a move that builds upon the organizations' earlier legal services program.

• March 22, 2016 22 Mar'16

  CompTIA members dig into vendor-partner relationships

  At CompTIA AMM 2016 in Chicago, managed service providers and vendors discussed key issues affecting the success of their relationships.

• March 18, 2016 18 Mar'16

  CrowdStrike sets cutoff point for channel recruitment

  CrowdStrike said it will keep a tight rein on its channel recruitment for the recently launched Elevate Partner Program; other IT channel news from the week.

• March 18, 2016 18 Mar'16

  How can HCI hook users beyond VDI?

  Hyper-convergence can simplify IT operations by bringing together compute, storage and networking hardware with virtualization and management platforms, but it must break out of limited uses.

• March 18, 2016 18 Mar'16

  Prototype promises automated penetration testing

  A team created a prototype machine learning vulnerability scanner that can think like a human in order to perform automated penetration testing.

• March 17, 2016 17 Mar'16

  Are you ready for a 15 TB SSD?

  The Samsung 15.36 TB SSD packs 32 NAND flash packages in 2.5-inch form factor. The vendor claims enterprises can double the number of PM1633A drives in 2U data center rack.

• March 16, 2016 16 Mar'16

  HPE hyper-converged strategy fleshed out with new appliance

  The HPE Hyper Converged 380 platform is intended for midsize enterprises and remote branch offices, and takes aim at market leader Nutanix.

• March 16, 2016 16 Mar'16

  Microsoft opens up to open source with SQL Server on Linux

  Microsoft put aside its rocky relationship with open source and will release SQL Server on Linux in mid-2017. This won't be a simple process, but it could net Microsoft new customers.

• March 16, 2016 16 Mar'16

  Java vulnerability report strains responsible disclosure

  A security researcher reports Oracle's 30-month-old failed patch for a Java vulnerability, and experts suggest it was an irresponsible disclosure, despite frustration with Oracle's patching process.

• March 16, 2016 16 Mar'16

  New version of Epicor ERP supports mobility and cloud

  The latest release of the Epicor ERP platform includes enhanced features for international business, new mobile access and cloud deployment options.

• March 15, 2016 15 Mar'16

  Cloud infrastructure security: A mixed message

  Cloud infrastructure security was once seen as a contradiction in terms. Customers now view cloud security more favorably, but with some reservations.

• March 15, 2016 15 Mar'16

  Does the channel love Microsoft loving Linux?

  Will Microsoft's sordid romance with its arch nemesis result in innovative solutions for the channel, or is Redmond simply attempting to siphon off some of that sweet FOSS nectar?

• March 15, 2016 15 Mar'16

  Enterprise UC managers rein in the cloud craze

  Debunking the cloud craze, a panel of IT architects at Enterprise Connect said many of their UC applications are still on premises, or at least hosted in a hybrid structure.

• March 15, 2016 15 Mar'16

  SanDisk storage VP: High-capacity flash drives down prices

  As it finalizes a merger with Western Digital, SanDisk Corp. focuses on innovations for high-capacity flash storage in enterprises.

• March 15, 2016 15 Mar'16

  Microsoft open tech promises switch hardware independence

  The latest Microsoft open tech takes the brains of data center networking out of proprietary switches and places it in hardware-agnostic software.

• March 14, 2016 14 Mar'16

  Big-name vendors lace gloves, box back at white box servers

  Top-tier vendors are speaking up, hoping to compete with bare-bones white box servers that are increasingly popular with cloud service providers.