IN PRINT & ONLINE v60 · 2023 www.technologyreseller.co.uk THE MAGAZINE & ONLINE CHANNEL RESOURCE FOR MSPS, IT RESELLERS & IT SUPPORT PROVIDERS PAGE 32 PAGE 36 DISTRIBUTION 60 Seconds with... EVENTS PAGE 24 Angus Shaw, Sales Director of distributor Brigantia Technology Reseller Awards 2023 shortlist announced Cybersecurity VAD Infinigate unveils new corporate identity
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technologyreseller.co.uk 03 If you no longer wish to receive Technology Reseller magazine please email your details to [email protected] COMMENT This issue is full of reports from events at which Technology Reseller has rubbed shoulders with MSPs and resellers from across Europe or even further afield. For major announcements like cybersecurity VAD Infinigate’s new corporate identity (see page 24) or key partner gatherings like the IGEL DISRUPT23 End User Computing event in Munich (see page 22), bringing people together can give your messaging extra staying power and prevent it from being lost in the endless news cycle. Capturing a large audience in a location like the Shard, in the case of Infinigate, gives you an opportunity to go into much greater detail than you possibly could on a Zoom call, say, and provides a valuable opportunity to answer people’s questions face to face. Of course, large-scale events are not the only way to engage with customers, partners and prospects. Smaller, boutique gatherings are a popular way of building relationships for very little financial outlay. Technology Live, Kingswood Tech Events’ one-day event for ICT vendors and resellers, returns to the Business Design Centre, London on September 12, giving ambitious MSPs/resellers and technology vendors the opportunity to meet up to and discuss ways they can work together, with a particular focus on generating business in new technology areas. Exhibitors and visitors can find out more about the event at www.technlogylive.co.uk. For a gathering of a completely different type, we are looking forward to welcoming hundreds of resellers, vendors and customers to the Royal Lancaster Hotel, London on May 25 for the 2023 Technology Reseller Awards. We would like to congratulate all the shortlisted companies (see page 36) for their success so far and wish them good luck on the night when the winners will be announced by the actress and impressionist Debra Stephenson renowned for her work with Dead Ringers, Bad Girls, Strictly Come Dancing and many other programmes. For more details on the evening and how you can take part, please visit www.trawards.co.uk or call us on 01732 759725. James Goulding – Editor, [email protected] Technology Reseller is published by Kingswood Media Ltd., 10 Amherst House, 22 London Road, Sevenoaks TN13 2BT • Tel: 01732 759725 Email: [email protected] www.technologyreseller.co.uk No part of Technology Reseller can be reproduced without prior written permission of the publisher. © 2023 Kingswood Media Ltd. Design: Sandtiger Media www.sandtiger.co.uk v60 · 2023 technologyreseller.co.uk Comment Register online To receive your regular FREE printed copy of Technology Reseller Magazine simply fill in our online registration form at www.technologyreseller.uk/register Read Technology Reseller online, on tablets and smart phones www.technologyreseller.uk Join us : Follow us @techreselleruk www.facebook.com/TechnologyResellerMag technology-reseller-magazine Editor: James Goulding 07803 087228 · [email protected] Publishing Director, Social Media and Web Editor: Neil Trim 01732 759725 · [email protected] Advertising Director: Ethan White 01732 759725 · [email protected] Account Manager: Jeff Root 01732 759725 · [email protected] Art Director: Nick Pledge 07767 615983 · [email protected] ISSN 2632-9301 (Print) ISSN 2632-931X (Online) 04 News Moore Barlow Silicon Cup Regatta dates announced 06 Partner programmes A round-up of this month’s vendor partner programmes 07 Distributor news Westcon-Comstor launches multi-vendor marketplace 09 Working together This month’s new distribution agreements 10 Reseller news True MSP signs up 100th client 22 Digital workspaces IGEL prepares for its iTunes moment 24 Distribution New brand identity unveiled by Infinigate 28 Displays How Samsung and Westcoast are helping resellers tap into growing displays market. Plus first CMS for Tableaux ePaper displays 32 60 seconds with… Angus Shaw, Sales Director, Brigantia 34 Cloud UK launch for ALSO Cloud Marketplace 36 Technology Reseller Awards 2023 shortlist announced 39 IT infrastructure ManageEngine makes $1 million investment in UK datacentres 40 IT Support New look, new features, new name for TeamViewer Remote 42 People New faces, new places www.trawards.co.uk
IT industry sailing event returns to the Solent in September The IT industry’s biggest charity sailing event, the Moore Barlow Silicon Cup Regatta, returns to the Solent this September to raise money for The Genie’s Wish, The Andrew Simpson Foundation and Greig City Academy. Over the last 22 years more than 7,000 competitors have taken part in the two-day regatta, raising in excess of £1.1 million for supported charities. Shaun Frohlich, Chairman of the Moore Barlow Silicon Cup Regatta, said: “We are utterly delighted with the outcome of last year’s event which yielded an impactful £60,000 contribution to our three charities and we cannot wait to return to the water this September.” The 2023 regatta will take place on Tuesday 12 and Wednesday 13 September, with a gala dinner and auction taking place at Cowes on the Isle of Wight on the 12th. Every eight-guest or ten-guest yacht comes with a professional crew alongside safety gear and a safety briefing on the first day of the event. More details, including a booking form, are available on the Moore Barlow Silicon Cup Regatta website. https://thesiliconcup.com/ ······ Help needed to tackle cyber threats More than half (52%) of 3,000 IT professionals in 14 countries surveyed by Sophos say that cyberthreats are now too advanced for their organisations to deal with on their own, with 55% complaining that time spent on cyberthreats has impacted their IT team’s work on other projects. More than nine out of ten (93%) find the execution of essential security tasks challenging and 75% struggle to identify the root cause of an incident, making remediation difficult. Other challenges identified in The State of Cybersecurity 2023: The Business Impact of Adversaries on Defenders include understanding which signals/alerts to investigate and knowing which investigations to prioritise (both cited by 71%). www.sophos.com ······ Pay up and lose out, warns Rubrik Giving in to ransomware demands is an expensive choice with uncertain outcomes, warns Rubrik, the Zero Trust data security company. Almost three quarters (72%) of organisations surveyed for its study, The State of Data Security by Rubrik Zero Labs: The Hard Truths of Data Security, admitted paying ransoms to cybercriminals in 2022, but of these only 16% were able to recover all their data using attacker decryption tools. https://rubrik.com/zero-labs ······ Poor data management costing UK firms billions Data management company NetApp is highlighting the environmental and financial cost of poor data storage practices in its inaugural Data Waste Index report. This shows that 41% of data in the UK is unused or unwanted and being stored for no reason at a cost to the private sector of up to £3.7 billion each year. IT leaders are aware of the problem (75% cite excess data storage as a constant source of stress) and recognise that they need to reduce their data estates by 44% over the next 12 months to make them operationally efficient. However, 61% expect their data estates to grow during this period. www.netapp.com ······ Dormant accounts add to Generation Z digital footprint Almost half (49%) of people aged 18-24 believe their online accounts have no negative impact on the environment, seemingly turning a blind eye to the energy consumption of data centres where their account data is stored, according to research by Veritas Technologies. Its study, In the Cloud, Out of Mind, identifies Generation Z as the worst culprits when it comes to data hoarding, with 63% of respondents in that age group having dormant online accounts for entertainment, shopping, telephony, banking and utilities, compared to a UK average of 45%. Ian Wood, Head of Technology UK&I at Veritas, said: “Rather than sitting in a magic cloud, online account data sits in data centres that are mostly fossil fuel-powered and operate 24 hours a day. These data centres account for 2% of all carbon emissions. Based on current growth levels, carbon emissions from data are expected to be at least 10% by 2050. We all need to make time for good data housekeeping to stop this negative trend. Easy steps include deleting online accounts, images and documents that we no longer use and deleting emails when we don’t need to store them.” Veritas.com ······ Global workforce struggling Almost half of the global workforce (49%) is struggling to cope with increasing workloads, with 42% feeling overwhelmed by manual processes, despite advances in technology and automation designed to reduce manual workloads (source: Enate’s 2023 Future of Work Playbook). www.enate.io NEWS 01732 759725 04 NEWS Spot the logo IT resellers with a love of Formula One might have spotted the logo of enterprise software solutions company HCLSoftware on the new Scuderia Ferrari Formula One car, along with those of AWS, Palantir and Genesys. As part of a multi-year partnership with Ferrari S.p.A., announced last November, the HCLSoftware logo will appear on the team’s car halo and side flaps, helmet, uniforms and pit wall throughout the 23-race Formula One season.
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01732 759725 06 Partner Programmes Veeam to create ecosystem of certified partners Data protection company Veeam Software has launched a new certification programme to promote partners’ capabilities in ransomware and disaster recovery, public cloud protection, Microsoft 365 protection and container protection. The Veeam Competency Program for Veeam Value-Added Resellers (VVARs) and Veeam Cloud & Service Provider (VCSP) partners will create an ecosystem of certified partners that are able provide customerready and/or reseller-ready data protection services using the Veeam Data Platform. With competency badges to highlight partners’ areas of specialisation and expertise, the programme will enable customers and fellow partners to connect with resellers/service providers that have the skills or best-in-class Veeam-powered services that meet their specific requirements. Certified partners will benefit from enhanced training, go-to-market support and a premium placement on the Veeam ProPartner Directory on Veeam.com. www.veeam.com TelXL launches first partner programme CCaaS platform provider TelXL has launched a partner enablement programme for its recently launched Cxp suite of voice, digital and omnichannel products for contact centres. This CcaaS suite has been designed to enable contact centres, especially those with 10-250 agents, to create a more seamless customer experience. It gives businesses the flexibility to choose the communication channels they require, with the ability to scale at any point depending on their needs, whilst giving reseller partners greater freedom to add tailored solutions. TelXL CEO Aaron Fox said: “PartnerXL will empower the channel to provide the ultimate solutions to small and medium-sized contact centres. We’ll work with our partners to drive revenue and create exceptional customer experiences together by providing expert guidance and a dedicated support team.” https://pages.telxl.com/join-partnerxl New pricing discounts for Akamai partners Akamai, the cloud and cybersecurity company, is updating its partner programme, with additional upfront pricing discounts for new deals; smoother deal management and onboarding; greater transparency of key metrics to enhance partners’ understanding of their performance and make quarterly business reviews more effective; updated partner assets and information; and direct access to Akamai experts and intelligence on new products. Paul Joseph, EVP of Global Sales and Services at Akamai, said: “These Partner Program enhancements recognise the strong joint value that customers are realising from our integrated offerings. We are committed to being the partner of choice in our market and will continue to evolve our Partner Program to ensure we are fully aligned with the needs of our partners and their customers.” akamai.com Schneider Electric introduces programme for e-commerce partners Schneider Electric, a leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, has launched a new partner programme for e-commerce partners. The Ecommerce Partner Program provides partners with access to an eCommerce Transformation & Activation Manager who can help them develop the right strategies to maximise their success; comprehensive training; and a choice of partner compensation options such as marketing funds, rebates and sell-out initiatives to help partners capitalise on their e-commerce investments. David Terry, Vice President IT Channels Europe at Schneider Electric, said: “For the first time, we are offering our Ecommerce partners a program that provides a comprehensive suite of tools and resources to help them succeed in the e-commerce space. From marketing support to technical assistance, the program offers a wide range of services to ensure partners have the best experience possible. The program also offers exclusive discounts and promotions to help partners maximise their profits.” apc.com/partners LexisNexis and Fourthline join Protecht partner programme Protecht, a provider of risk and resilience software, is looking to recruit additional partners with its new Protecht EMEA Partner Programme. Launching with LexisNexis and Fourthline as inaugural partners, the programme is designed to build partnerships with risk advisory firms and regulatory intelligence providers, helping them to unlock new revenue streams across the full lifecycle of risk and operational resilience. The programme is built on three pillars: a simple contracting and onboarding process; a competitive deal registration model; and sales, technical and marketing training and support. Ann Rodley, Head of Partnerships & Alliances EMEA at Protecht, said: “Protecht is committed to delivering extra value to all our customers and this programme offers a new way of doing so. Our dedicated partner portal and specialist ERM (Enterprise Risk Management) training will enable our partners to bring value to organisations who want to streamline and automate risk, compliance and operational resilience processes.” www.protechtgroup.com Forcepoint targets MSSPs with new programme Forcepoint is introducing a Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) programme to help service providers, distribution partners and resellers incorporate SASE into their services. With managed services based on the Forcepoint ONE Security Service Edge (SSE) platform, Forcepoint partners can simplify Zero Trust security and gain predictable, repeatable revenue streams through cloudfirst, hybrid-ready security. Forcepoint ONE also allows partners to differentiate their security offerings with Data-first SASE, integrating SSE with connectivity through FlexEdge Secure SD-WAN solutions. Myles Bray, Chief Revenue Officer at Forcepoint, said: “Every customer we speak to is on a path to SASE, with many looking to MSSPs for pay-as-you-go solutions that stop threats and data loss while letting users access information and apps securely on any device. Forcepoint ONE allows MSSP partners to fast forward their journey to Data-first SASE through the delivery of security convergence, a subscription model and business tools that enable partners to reduce complexity for mutual customers, drive recurring revenue and quickly scale their service offerings.” Forcepoint partners benefit from Zero Trust data security delivered with a cloudnative SASE architecture; the Forcepoint ONE all-in-one console offering unified management and a single set of policies for securing remote, hybrid and office workers; no significant up-front expenses and the ability to offer Forcepoint ONE and Secure SD-WAN solutions over the internet; and enablement and training support. www.forcepoint.com Partner Programmes This month’s new vendor partner programmes David Terry Schneider Electric Aaron Fox TelXL Paul Joseph Akamai Myles Bray Forcepoint
technologyreseller.co.uk 07 NEWS : DISTRIBUTORS Westcon-Comstor embarks on second wave of partner engagement with new multi-vendor marketplace Sonepar to roll out €1 billion digital transformation initiative Sonepar, the global B2B distributor of electrical products, solutions and services, has selected Microsoft, Publicis Sapient and Hitachi Solutions to deliver its €1 billion five-year digital transformation initiative. The main focus of the programme will be Spark, a synchronised omnichannel platform powered by Microsoft Azure and Dynamics 365 (implemented by Hitachi Solutions) that Sonepar is introducing for its customers and 44,000 associates in 40 countries. Sonepar Chief Transformation Officer Jérémie Profeta said: “Sonepar is transforming the relationship between customers and its associates, between the digital and the physical by orchestrating through its omni-channel platform a constant dialogue to deliver the perfect order.” Embracing all touchpoints – web, phone, mobile app, branches, systems-tosystems and delivery – Spark is designed to make it easier for customers and associates to interact, to do business, to buy, to return and to arrange financing. As customers and team members begin using Spark, data from every transaction will be collected into a single location, the Sonepar Data Lake, which will provide valuable insight into trends and also help automate processes such as inventory-taking and logistics. Sonepar’s digital transformation is being supported by Publicis Sapient, the digital business transformation hub of Publicis Group. An independent family-owned company, Sonepar had sales of €32.4 billion in 2022. www.Sonepar.Com TD SYNNEX signals ESG focus with Microsoft Partner Pledge TD SYNNEX UK and Ireland has joined the Microsoft Partner Pledge to grow talent, enhance diversity and inclusion and shape a desirable world. Simon Bennett, who heads the TD SYNNEX Cloud Solutions specialist business unit in the UK, said: “We have a close alignment with the aims and the spirit of the Partner Pledge. Like Microsoft, we are committed to moving as quickly as we can towards net zero, to look after our people and our partners and to do whatever we can to make the world a better place. Those may sound like lofty ambitions, but if we all do enough to make positive changes, our industry can make a real difference.” In addition to its sustainability efforts (see overleaf), TD SYNNEX UK and Ireland was a founder member of the Technology Community for Racial Equality (TC4RE) and has set up four business resource groups (BRGs) to encourage DEI, including a new Limitless BRG, which provides a safe environment where co-workers with disabilities and neurodiversity of all kinds can openly discuss their experiences and concerns. https://partner.microsoft.com/en-gb/ connect/local/uk-partner/partner-pledge. Edinburgh experience centre opened by Midwich Midwich has opened a 1,200 square foot experience and demonstration facility in Edinburgh, Scotland. The AV Hub on Lochside Way provides a showcase for AV, unified communications and collaboration (UC&C), security and broadcast solutions from 15 manufacturers and includes on-site training, testing and demonstration facilities. Midwich Account Director Russell Taylor said: “I am thrilled to launch Midwich’s AV Hub in Edinburgh. Following the success of Innovation House, we wanted to bring the concept to Scotland and provide a destination for vendors, resellers, consultants and end-users to come together to experience exciting technology that is a little closer to home.” https://www.midwich.com/campaign/ av-hub/ Rakesh Parbhoo Jérémie Profeta Simon Bennett Westcon-Comstor, the technology provider and specialist distributor, is transforming its interactions with partners and accelerating their move to cloud and ‘as-a-service’ models with the launch of a multivendor marketplace through which partners can configure, quote and order complex hybrid solutions involving software, hardware and services or a combination of all three. As well as streamlining the procurement of products and services, PartnerCentral gives Westcon-Comstor partners access to the business/customer insights they need to capitalise on new opportunities, plus educational resources and digital tools. Rakesh Parbhoo, CTO of WestconComstor, said: “With PartnerCentral, we’re building on the business transformation journey we have been on for the last five years, shifting to the second wave of a more automated, digital engagement. In doing this we are giving our partners the support they need to evolve their offerings at the right time and at the right pace. We need to give them the tools to succeed and ensure they have access to the data and educational resources they need to serve their customers in a changing market.” Key benefits include: n Simpler procurement and management of recurring subscription and as-a-service offers at scale; n A single platform for hybrid procurement, including hardware, software and services, with a mix of subscriptions and one-off purchases; n Self-service for procurement, user management, cloud usage and more via one intuitive interface; n Automated pricing, quoting and ordering processes, for improved accuracy, shorter sales cycles and easy order-tracking; n Access to Partner Insights, including descriptive analytics to help spot new opportunities, understand customer/ industry trends and proactively manage product renewals and subscriptions; and n Educational tools and materials to give partners the best understanding of the solutions they provide and how to market them. Early adopter Geof Robinson, Chief Technology Officer at Telesmart Ltd in New Zealand, said: “Using PartnerCentral has been transformative. We’ve significantly streamlined our engagement with key suppliers and simplified our sale-to-order process. Rather than the typical three-tofour days to complete, our deals are now closed in a single day. It’s truly a great customer experience.” WestconComstor.com
01732 759725 08 NEWS : DISTRIBUTOR Arrow Electronics named Check Point EMEA Distributor of the Year Arrow Electronics has been named Check Point Distributor of the Year at the cybersecurity company’s EMEA expo, CPX360, held in Munich on March 14–16. Alexis Brabant, Vice President Sales of Arrow’s enterprise computing solutions business in EMEA, said: “Security continues to be high on the boardroom agenda as more frequent and intense attacks, with different motivations, using unpredictable, irregular methods continue to plague businesses and organisations of all shapes and sizes. We have continued to deepen and broaden our security offer to help develop key strategies and solutions in response to this evolving threat landscape. Our agreement with Check Point is vital to this and has been built on a long-standing relationship.” Rebecca Dixon, Head of EMEA distribution, Check Point, said: “Arrow is key to driving Check Point business. In 2022 they helped successfully lead our distribution-managed business into double-digit growth with an emphasis on new customers. This growth is driven by strong performance across the board, from small resellers to the capability to support large, complex Infinity deals. On behalf of Check Point, I offer my congratulations to all the teams involved.” fiveyearsout.com TD SYNNEX helps partners go green with launch of Sustainability Ecosystem Neil Cornish TD SYNNEX is supporting the carbon reduction plans of its UK and Ireland partners and helping them deliver solutions and services that advance their customers’ net zero carbon (NZC) goals with the launch of a new Sustainability Ecosystem. The programme will include regular face-to-face workshops where partners can learn about sustainability from IT industry innovators and network with partners that have complementary solutions or services or access to new markets. Neil Cornish, Ecosystems Business Manager UK, TD SYNNEX, said: “Sustainability has become a crucial factor for all businesses. Our partner network already includes companies that have specific skills and capabilities in this area, such as MSPs running green data centres, partners offering sustainability analytics and reporting software, and expert consultancies. By bringing these organisations together and adding our own knowledge and services into the mix, we will accelerate understanding and enable new partnerships and solutions.” TD SYNNEX’s own move towards NZC in the UK and Ireland is already underway, following an assessment of its emissions by specialist consultancy Arete Zero Carbon. Partners that want to find out about their own Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions and how to reduce them can do so through the NZC consultancy service offered by TD SYNNEX in partnership with Arete Zero Carbon. https://uk.tdsynnex.com/ Exertis extends cybersecurity expertise across Europe Exertis is building on the success of its cybersecurity division in the UK by extending its offering across the Nordics, Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, France and Germany. Dominic Ryles, Director of Sales and Commercial at Exertis Cybersecurity, said: “We’re delighted to be rolling out our cybersecurity solution stack across our European offices and look forward to strengthening relationships with our European colleagues, partners and customers.” Steve Cowley, Director of Sales – Europe at Exertis Enterprise, points out that by taking the company’s full enterprise technology stack, Exertis Enterprise Europe is the only enterprise-focused distributor that is also able to provide a true enterprise cybersecurity solution. He said: “The enterprise solution market today has evolved to dictate that a full solution stack no longer consists of simply server, storage, networking, load balancing, power protection and professional services. Our cybersecurity solutions will now complement our fully bespoke technology stack by protecting anything from endpoint devices to firewalls, to the world’s only truly compliant zero trust architecture to XDR that monitors more in a SOC than any other vendor.” The Exertis security offering received a big boost with the acquisition of Hammer (now Exertis Enterprise) in 2016, since when Exertis has continued to add new vendors, most recently eSentire, Progress, Scylla, Seceon and Veeam. Earlier this year, SonicWall named Exertis its 2023 Distributor of the Year and Authorised Training Partner of the Year (EMEA), singling out Exertis Enterprise Account Manager Angela Stephens as its Sales Hero of the Year. www.exertis.com Awards hat-trick for Pragma Pragma was a multi-award winner at Ericsson-LG’s recent Global Partner Conference in Seoul, South Korea, winning awards for Cloud Partner of the Year, European Partner of the Year and Technical Team of the Year. Will Morey, Pragma Group CEO, said: “We are immensely proud to have been recognised as the top Cloud Partner by Ericsson-LG. It’s a fantastic achievement and a testament to the continued success of both the team here at Pragma and our community of channel resellers.” The award follows last year’s 38% rise in UK subscribers to Ericsson-LG’s iPECS Cloud service, more than double the average achieved by other UK cloud providers. In October, UK subscriber numbers surpassed 100,000 for the first time. Roan Pratt, Group Sales and Marketing Director, said: “I couldn’t be happier with the recognition we’ve received from Ericsson-LG this year. Whether it’s the phenomenal growth of our platform or the performance and dedication of our team themselves, it’s a real testament to the work we’ve put in over the past year.” There were also awards for UK resellers, including BDR Group, Focus Group, Lily, Hii Communications and Yellowcom. BDR Group CEO Bahman Rahimi, who attended the event in Seoul, said: “The Ericsson-LG Partner Conference is important to us as resellers as it shows the dedication that Ericsson-LG have to supporting the channel here in the UK. Pragma definitely deserve the accolades they received; their commitment to supporting the channel is truly special.” Wearepragma.co.uk Alexis Brabant
technologyreseller.co.uk 09 WORKING TOGETHER e92plus offering enhanced with WSO2 ITDR solutions Independent cybersecurity distributor e92plus is adding Identity Threat Detection and Response (ITDR) to its portfolio through a new partnership with QOMPLX. With a focus on protecting identity, QOMPLX reduces cyber risk and attack surfaces by mapping exposures and performing real-time detection of attacks via its QOMPLX ITDR product suite, managed services and Attack Surface Monitoring (ASM) solution. Mukesh Gupta, CEO and Co-Founder of e92plus, believes ITDR gives VARs and MSSPs a big opportunity to expand their cybersecurity offering. He said: “We increasingly view identity as a critical part of cybersecurity strategy, but so often it’s a lower priority than more topical solutions like XDR. We see huge potential for our partners to address the ITDR market with a dedicated solution that PAM or MFA vendors do not address, especially one that focuses on protecting systems such as Active Directory (AD) that are a fundamental part of how an organisation manages identities and privileges for their users.” E92plus’ partnership with QOMPLX follows the recent portfolio additions of Proofpoint and Picus Security and an extension of the distributor’s existing agreement with Check Point Software Technologies. www.e92plus.com Target appointed official be quiet! distributor Target Components has been appointed an Official Distributor of German PC components manufacturer be quiet!. This gives the Yorkshire-based, employee-owned firm access to be quiet!’s entire portfolio of power supplies, PC cases, water/air coolers and fans for desktop PCs. The be quiet! range is also available through Target’s unique custom PC configurator, The Custom PC Builder, as well as its end-user-facing reseller version, The In-Store PC Builder. Target Procurement Director Martyn Kirby said: “Whether they are system builders, gaming specialists or selling into the public sector where sustainability is so important, be quiet! addresses our customers’ requirements for top-notch quality, reliable components. Buying a power supply you know is good for the next 10 years is incredibly appealing to consumers.” www.targetcomponents.co.uk Focal partners with CUK Group for CI push French loudspeaker manufacturer Focal is supporting its push into the custom installation (CI) and commercial sectors by appointing specialist AV distributor CUK Group to supply and support its full range of integration products in the UK. As well as supplying UK integrators from its East Kilbride distribution centre, CUK plans to develop a south of England CI demonstration facility showcasing Focal solutions. Focal has expanded its integration offering significantly in recent years, with the launch of the Littora outdoor and marine range and an extension of its in-wall loudspeaker line. Mike Smith, Head of Sales at Focal & Naim UK, said: “The CI and commercial channels have been identified as a key growth area for Focal. The engineering team in SaintÉtienne have delivered a fantastic range of products for this market and the partnership with CUK Group adds the channel-specific expertise we need to support our integration customers in delivering some very special audio and cinema systems in the UK.” www.cuk-group.com Cato Networks extends relationship with Infinigate Group Following a successful partnership with Nuvias in the UK, Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) platform provider Cato Networks is extending its relationship with the Infinigate Group to the DACH, Benelux and Nordic regions, with Infinigate enjoying sole distribution rights in the UK, DACH and Nordic regions. Cato Networks complements the Infinigate Group portfolio by offering a cloudnative security and networking platform that optimises and secures application access for all users and locations. Cato protects all traffic with Cato SSE 360, the security portion of the Cato SASE Cloud, and offers flexible management options, including self-service, co-managed or a fully managed service. The SASE market is expected to triple in size over the next few years, reaching more than $13 billion by 2026, according to Dell’Oro Group, or $14.7 billion as early as 2025, according to Gartner. The Infinigate Group is helping partners exploit this opportunity through a tailored Cato Networks partner programme and specialist services, including partner training, solutions engineering and configuration. Mark Draper, AVP Cato Networks, EMEA Channel, said: “We see significant growth potential as businesses endeavour to secure their extended networks, following the ongoing remote working trends. We’re excited to empower European channel partners to profit from cloud migration and the rest of the digital transformation initiatives driving WAN transformation.” www.infinigate.com TD SYNNEX and WSO2 go global WSO2, a specialist in digital transformation technologies, is expanding the global distribution of its cloud-based API management, integration and customer identity and access management (CIAM) solutions through a partnership with TD SYNNEX. The partnership gives customers an opportunity to monetise API management and reduce time-to-market without having to build out their own infrastructure or hire technically diverse teams. Moses Mathuram, Vice President of GSI alliances and strategic partnerships at WSO2, said: “As we continue to strengthen our partner ecosystem, we look forward to expanding the number of companies of all sizes that can take advantage of our industry-leading, open-source solutions for API management, integration and CIAM to speed time to market cost-effectively.” wso2.com/partners/ EMEA extension for Juniper and Westcon-Comstor Building on existing agreements in DACH, Iberia and sub-Saharan Africa, WestconComstor has extended its partnership agreement with Juniper Networks further into EMEA. Customers in Benelux, Cyprus, Greece, Italy and Malta will now be able to purchase Juniper’s complete portfolio of secure, AI-driven network solutions and services through the distributor. WestconComstor.com Working together This month’s round-up of new distribution agreements Moses Mathuram, WS02
01732 759725 10 NEWS : RESELLERS (l to r) Smita Zalke, Accounts Receivable Specialist; Adam Kantor, CEO; Maddie Webster, Sales Development Representative; and Mo Hassan, Client Success Manager BSL relocates to EC4 Business Systems Limited (BSL), a provider of call recording and customer experience solutions to some of the world’s largest contact centres and financial organisations, has moved from Isleworth, where it has been based since the early ‘90s, to a modern office in the City of London. The move follows a string of new client wins and a near doubling of its headcount to more than 100. Customers include 80% of the City’s tier 1 banks, Motorway, Royal London, Hastings Direct & Leeds Building Society and electric car subscription service Onto. BSL’s new office in Cannon Green, EC4 includes 24 workstations, three private meeting rooms, four single phone booths and a Huddly Canvas for whiteboard collaboration and hybrid brainstorming sessions, plus access to an onsite cafe, roof terrace and restaurant. BSL CEO Adam Kantor said: “What we have is an environment that fundamentally reshapes how we project ourselves as a business. We’ve created an exciting and flexible office which will enable the team to connect and collaborate as effectively as possible with each other. There are a number of fantastic onsite facilities and we’re looking forward to welcoming and hosting our clients here.” https://www.altnets.co.uk/ Working together to tackle e-waste Bristol-based managed services provider BOM IT Solutions and electronic waste company Byteback are working together to tackle the UK’s growing e-waste problem by recycling/refurbishing unwanted IT from BOM’s client base of more than 150 SME and enterprise customers. The two organisations will collect unwanted computers, laptops, printers, mobile phones, tablets and other devices from customer sites for recycling or refurbishment – 70% of systems, hardware and devices processed by Byteback are reused by disadvantaged groups in the UK or exported for re-use in developing countries. According to recent analysis by Uswitch, the UK is the world’s second highest producer of electronic waste per capita, just behind Norway, and is on course to become the largest contributor as early as 2024. Neustar Security Services now called Vercara Neustar Security Services has changed its name to Vercara as part of its evolution into a standalone entity providing the world’s largest enterprises with a purpose-built global cloud security platform offering layers of protection to safeguard their online presence and 24/7 support. CEO Colin Doherty said: “Rebranding to Vercara is a significant milestone in our transformation, fuelled by investments in what matters most to our customers: new and enhanced products and services, increased network capacity and performance, and expanded geographic coverage. This latest step in our journey bolsters our commitment to delivering best-in-class cloud security products and unrivaled 24/7 customer support.” Vercara, a fusion of ‘verit’ and ‘cara’ (Latin for truth and beloved), is keeping the Ultra brand name for its scalable, vendoragnostic cloud security solutions. https://vercara.com/ CCS success for Konica Minolta Konica Minolta Business Solutions has been awarded a place on the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) Vertical Application Solutions (VAS) procurement framework. Running until September 2025, VAS is a replacement for the Data and Application Solutions framework. Konica Minolta’s successful application to participate in Lot 1 (Business Applications) enables it to provide information management, content management, digital process management, data capture and process automation solutions to Government, public sector and third sector organisations through the framework. Konica Minolta is also part of the CCS Multifunctional Devices Framework and in September 2022 was awarded a place on the UK government’s G-Cloud framework to provide cloud software, hosting and support. www.konicaminolta.co.uk True MSP signs up 100th client East Midlands IT firm True MSP has capped a record year by signing its 100th client, a family run supplier of products to supermarkets and convenience stores. The Castle Donington-based MSP was co-founded by Tim Rookes and Neil Shaw in 2017, with a commitment to put customer service excellence ahead of sales and profit. This has proved to be a winning strategy, producing consistent year-on-year growth of around 50% and ensuring that 95% of new clients are won through direct referrals. Rookes said: “Signing our hundredth client was a huge milestone for us. It really is a dream come true. And to have smashed our turnover record yet again – reaching a level that is way ahead of anything we envisaged six years ago – shows our focus on clients rather than money was definitely the right thing to do.” Shaw adds that True MSP’s recent successes have taken it half-way to a target that the founders have no intention of exceeding. “We need to ensure we retain our personal touch and carry on being a genuine extension to our clients’ businesses. We never want to be a really huge MSP. Our plan is to double in size to 200 clients so that we can maintain our agile businesses while still being approachable,” he said. www.truemsp.co.uk Neil Shaw (left) and Tim Rookes of True MSP
RESELLER NEWS technologyreseller.co.uk 11 HV.Select just got... Reduced licence cost New inclusive features Two licence types to suit your customers New payment terms on hardware www.digitalwholesalesolutions.com Comms | Cloud | Hardware | Billing Boost your IP Voice portfolio with DWS
01732 759725 12 NEWS : RESELLERS adesso UK to counter skills shortage with agile software development services Jigsaw 24 and Kandji partner up Jigsaw24, a B2B IT solutions provider with an Apple-first focus, is enhancing its device management offering for enterprises through a new partnership with Kandji, the Apple Device Management and Security Platform. Kandji Device Management transforms Apple devices into enterprise-ready endpoints, with all the right apps, settings and security controls in place, bringing harmony to the way IT, InfoSec and Apple device users work. The Kandji platform includes tools and automations that encompass zero-touch deployment, the Mac setup experience, device configuration and hardening, automated remediation for security controls, application deployment and patch management, OS updates and single sign-on integration for Mac. Andrew Denton, Solutions Director at Jigsaw24, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Kandji to provide our updated offering to our customers. With its ease of setup, deployment and management, it represents a fantastic option for customers looking for an Apple-centric MDM solution, and it fits perfectly alongside our existing device management proposition, enhancing our options and capabilities.” www.jigsaw24.com/kandji Digital Space named Fortinet MSSP Partner of the Year Digital Space, a provider of cloud managed services to mid-market enterprises, has been named Fortinet MSSP Partner of the Year for 2022 in recognition of its strategic alignment with Fortinet and growing adoption of services across the Fortinet Security Fabric. These extend from FortiGate Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFW) into solutions such as Secure SD-WAN, FortiSASE, Zero Trust Network Access, FortiEDR and Secure SD-Branch. Neil Muller, Chief Executive Officer at Digital Space, said: “We are thrilled to have been named Fortinet’s 2022 MSSP Partner of the Year. This award highlights our track record of providing exceptional managed security and connectivity services, as well as our commitment to Fortinet. We are proud to be recognised for our ongoing successes and, together with Fortinet, we will continue to bring industry leading technology solutions to our customers.” Employing 330 people, Digital Space operates from three sites: its headquarters in Newark-on-Trent, also home to a datacentre and the company’s Network Operations Centre; an operations centre in Telford, which includes an additional datacentre and business continuity centre; and an office in London. www.digitalspace.co.uk Neil Muller IT services provider adesso has expanded its European footprint to 14 countries with the establishment of a UK arm headquartered in London. Headed up by Director Libero Raspa, adesso UK Limited will focus on providing UK businesses with near-shore and offshore software development through adesso Group’s global supply network to counter the UK skills shortage and to facilitate customer adoption of digital technologies. The adesso SmartShore model supports sophisticated IT projects by bringing together international software development teams from adesso subsidiaries in Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Spain and India on an agile basis. Raspa said: “Thanks to the SmartShore model, we are able to implement extensive digitalisation projects using an agile methodology. Our recipe for success is the high professionalism of our IT experts, their experience working with remote delivery, our low staff turnover and the guaranteed sustainability of the project work at our SmartShore locations.” The adesso Group, founded in Dortmund in 1997, has over 8,000 employees in Europe and posted 900 million euros in sales in 2022. www.adesso-smartshore.com Copyright: adesso NEPA2 boon for XBM Managed print services provider XBM is looking forward to expanding its footprint in education and the wider public sector after being accepted onto the National Education Print Agreement (NEPA2) Framework as an Epson nominated reseller. One of only two Epson Platinum Partners in the UK, XBM will now be able to provide print devices and print management solutions and services to universities and higher educational institutions, publicly funded primary and secondary schools and the wider public sector. Dominic Kennedy, Public Sector Account Manager for Epson UK, said: “Epson’s inclusion in the NEPA 2 Framework demonstrates just how important sustainability is becoming in the procurement criteria for the Higher Education sector. We are privileged to be on this framework and to be delivering cutting-edge solutions with all the qualities of local service thanks to resellers such as XBM Limited.” Epson’s Heat-Free inkjet print technology can reduce energy consumption and costs by up to 83% and consumables waste by up to 96%. Further reductions can be achieved through fleet management options, including EPA, MyQ and PaperCut, and digital document management solutions such as DocuWare or Square 9. XMB can provide sustainability and optimisation reports, comparing current print and copier fleets to the optimal solution, and will also plant trees for every Epson solution installed. www.xbmltd.com/NEPA2 To the races with Espria Doncaster Racecourse is the location for Espria’s second Optimise IT event of the year on June 28. With a focus on cloud and communication technologies, the networking and learning event will feature technology showcases from strategic partners and a keynote from Thomas John, Vice President International at Five9, who will explain how AI is helping the company’s customers achieve a hard ROI. Espria’s third Optimise IT event of 2023, focusing on Document Solutions and Security, will take place on September 19 at the Manor by the Lake hotel in Cheltenham. Its fourth, focusing on Connectivity and the Hybrid Office, will take place on November 22 at Gray’s Inn in London. Espria.com Libero Raspa
technologyreseller.co.uk 13 COVER STORY Toshiba expand their cloud printing portfolio e-BRIDGE Global Print e-BRIDGE Global Print from Toshiba provides a simple and secure way of printing for the everyday, anywhere, workforce. It’s easy to set up and start printing in no time, so you can focus on what’s important and stay productive without dealing with unnecessary print frustrations. If you are looking to adopt a more flexible way of working, then cloud printing solutions are a valuable tool, and can help you make significant savings, and empower everyone across the business to better manage their print jobs. Connect with your Toshiba cloud print experts to learn how you can simplify printing from wherever you and your team work. Guide to Cloud Printing Looking for new ways to digitally transform your businesses is always both exciting and challenging. Identifying areas where efficiencies or gains can be made, researching the potential alternatives, and then choosing the right time to implement changes all require careful thought. This guide will be useful to anyone considering the role of cloud print management within their organisation. Feature-rich cloud print management Whether you have a relatively simple printer setup in one central office, or distributed teams spread out across multiple geographical locations, Toshiba’s cloud print management solutions will bring you smoother workflows, greater print freedom and significant IT cost reductions. Toshiba e-FOLLOW.cloud e-FOLLOW.cloud from Toshiba provides users the flexibility to print from any location and removes the need for complex print infrastructure. If you are looking to adopt a more flexible way of working, then cloud printing solutions are a valuable tool, and can help you make significant savings, and empower everyone across the business to better manage their print jobs. Connect with your Toshiba cloud print experts to learn how you can simplify printing from wherever you and your teamwork. The cloud has become an essential tool for businesses of all sizes, enabling greater flexibility for the ever-changing, distributed workplace. Now, Toshiba have leveraged decades of managed print expertise to bring the agility, scalability and security of the cloud to two new print solutions: e-BRIDGE Global Print and e-FOLLOW.cloud. These new cloud printing solutions are designed to give teams greater freedom and control over their printing, and represents a logical step in the future-proofing process for businesses. Feature-rich Cloud Print Management for Connected Teams. Click here Click here Click here For more information For more information For more information
14 01732 759725 NEWS : RESELLERS Forge adds Azure app development services Strive AV’s Toni Chalk flying high Toni Chalk, Managing Director of Sussexbased Strive AV, was named Business Person of the Year at the Gatwick Diamond Business Awards evening at The Grand Hotel, Brighton on March 23. The awards, now in their 15th year, celebrate the achievements of businesses in the Gatwick Diamond area of Surrey and Sussex, where the East Grinsteadbased AV integrator recently established its new headquarters. Commenting on her award, Chalk said: “Since rebranding in 2021, relocating to bigger and more functional premises, not to mention the challenges that the pandemic provided, we’ve really had to work hard as a team to continue to deliver for our clients and to attract new business. The last few years have been an incredible yet challenging journey for me, so getting recognition at a local level for all the hard work feels amazing!” striveav.com Forge Technologies has launched an enhanced service portfolio to help businesses embrace digitisation and accelerate digital transformation through new Digital App & Innovation services based on solutions within Microsoft Azure’s cloud-based ecosystem such as Azure App Service and Power Apps. The new services bring together: n Development of cost-effective, scalable and customised applications; n Design of intelligent app integrations to create a coherent enterprise architecture; and n Enhanced data analytics models that connect multiple business systems and data together. The addition of these services enables Forge Technologies customers to optimise processes and workflows through automation and integration and empower employees with the right tools to collaborate, create and grow, including access to data-driven insights, mixed reality and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology that Microsoft Azure offers. Jason Osmond, CEO of Forge Technologies, said: “The next level of digital transformation goes beyond technology implementation. It spans the entire organisation, taking the business and its employees along on the journey. This holistic approach is a key differentiator for us at Forge Technologies and something that other service providers often overlook. “By leveraging Microsoft Azure and our new Digital App & Innovation capabilities, we can deliver cohesive, fit-for-purpose systems that replace clunky, manual processes with intelligent app integrations and smart use of AI and automation. Everything is accessible for employees and customers through a single, front-facing interface for detailed data analytics and enhanced visibility across the lifecycle.” He added: “It’s important to remember that digitisation is not always a matter of pouring more money into developing legacy technology. Thanks to the breadth of our portfolio and expertise, we have no incentive or constraints to push particular solutions. Instead, we use a blank-canvas methodology to look at the infrastructure as a whole. It enables a consultative businessled approach that focuses on end goals, regardless of what the existing technology stack looks like.” https://forge-technologies.com Logicata on track to double revenue in 2023 Logicata, a remote-only Managed Service Provider specialising in helping businesses migrate and run their workloads in the AWS cloud, is on track to increase its revenue by more than 100% this year, following growth of more than 40% last year. The AWS partner was established by IT specialist Karl Robinson in 2019 to help clients such as Virgin Experience Days and Charanga leverage AWS to cut costs while improving efficiency, security and compliance. Logicata currently employs 12 IT and tech specialists spread across the UK, Italy, Andorra, Slovakia, Columbia and the United States. All recently met up at the company’s annual offsite ‘LogOff’ event in Barcelona. This is the third business set up by Robinson, who in 2014 sold StratoGen, a dedicated VMware Hosting business. He said: “Having built and exited multiple tech businesses, I wanted to develop a clear specialism in Logicata and have therefore brought together an extremely talented group of IT and tech professionals from across the world with proven experience and expertise in AWS and the underlying technologies. “This has enabled us to develop an advanced Managed Service offering and also hone our niche within the software sector. With a 100% staff and client retention rate, I am incredibly proud of everything we have achieved to date in Logicata and now look forward to working closely with the rest of the team to see the brand grow and develop during 2023 and beyond.” https://www.logicata.com Four in a row for Ensono Ensono has been named a Microsoft Azure Expert Managed Services Provider (MSP) for the fourth year in a row, following assessment and accreditation by an independent third party evaluator. Ensono’s optimisation platform, Ensono Envision Advisor, was recognized as a key asset in delivering Azure capabilities to clients. Combining data and guidance from certified expert engineers, the platform provides actionable advice that enables optimisation of a client’s IT estate in terms of cost, security, performance, availability and reliability. Gordon McKenna, Vice President, Cloud Evangelist and Alliances at Ensono, said: “This recognition is a testament to Ensono’s deep expertise and continued investment in Microsoft Azure. As a trusted partner, we are dedicated to helping our clients achieve their digital transformation goals through robust cloud offerings and superior customer service. This achievement further solidifies Ensono’s position as a leading provider of managed cloud services, and we look forward to continuing to deliver innovative solutions on the Microsoft Azure cloud platform.” https://www.ensono.com/services/ hybrid-cloud/microsoft-azure/ Karl Robinson, Founder and CEO of Logicata Toni Chalk (centre) receiving her award from comedian and actress Kerry Godliman (right) and Matthew Tyson, Managing Director of award sponsor Richard Place Dobson (left).
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