IN PRINT & ONLINE v64 · 2023 www.technologyreseller.co.uk THE MAGAZINE & ONLINE CHANNEL RESOURCE FOR MSPS, IT RESELLERS & IT SUPPORT PROVIDERS PAGE 39 EV CHARGING AI DATA STORAGE PAGE 9 PAGE 30 How the channel is helping VAST Data to extend its reach Technology giant Siemens to offer EV charging as a managed service Key dates in the rollout of Microsoft 365 Copilot Find out more on Page 19
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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 As we go to press, news that Ofcom has referred the public cloud infrastructure services market to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) for further investigation is likely to be welcomed by rivals of Amazon (AWS) and Microsoft, the two biggest hyperscalers with a combined market share of 70-80% in 2022. Ofcom highlights features of the market that it believes could be limiting competition, such as high fees for transferring data out, committed spend discounts and technical restrictions that it says are making it difficult for business customers to switch or use multiple cloud providers. It is concerned that these weaknesses could make it harder for competitors to grow and compete effectively. Mark Boost, CEO of Civo, was quick to respond with the following: “I applaud this bold action from Ofcom. A referral to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is an unprecedented opportunity to make the cloud market a truly competitive space. This means empowering any company to develop and grow cutting-edge cloud services, and ensuring customers can readily move around to find the best solution to match their needs. “The CMA’s broad enforcement powers open the door to wide-ranging remedies. Action will need to be a balancing act. It will be particularly important to tackle egress fees, either through significant price controls or the most ambitious choice: abolishing them entirely. The price point charged on egress by hyperscalers is out of control and creates huge practical and financial obstacles for customers to move to another cloud provider. Urgent changes are also needed to how hyperscalers structure their services to enable customers to reap the benefits of simultaneously accessing multiple different providers, as well as a review of the fairness of incentives for loyal customers.” He adds: “This is only the beginning of an 18-month journey before we know the decision made by the CMA. In the meantime, this investigation can also be a spur for immediate action from industry. Emerging cloud providers are rapidly stepping up to offer an alternative way forward to the hyperscalers. This vision is founded on putting the needs of the user back at the heart of cloud computing: transparent, predictable pricing; a streamlined experience; and super-fast, reliable services across the board.” For many of the hyperscalers’ competitors and customers experiencing big increases in cloud costs, a decision can not come soon enough. 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 v64 · 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 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 Are MSPs the secret to better job satisfaction for IT admins? 09 Partner programmes Siemens partners with Monta to offer EV charging services to fleet and facilities managers 10 Working together A round-up of the month’s new distribution agreements 14 Reseller News Giacom announces MSP cyber security event 20 Storage Dene Lewis looks at how data storage has evolved and how it might develop in the future 23 Support SAP expert Don Valentine on why businesses need tailored support beyond SLAs 24 Collaboration Highlights from Zoomtopia 2023 25 AV Introducing Logitech Reach, the easy way to share non-digital material 26 Opinion How to keep humans onside when integrating AI into business processes 28 Automation Could this be the year when RFID really takes off? 30 AI Microsoft Copilot roll-out gathers pace 31 I couldn’t do my job without… Toshiba’s Deyon Antoine picks the work tools he relies on to get his work done 32 60 seconds with... Greg Jones, Vice President of Business Development EMEA for Kaseya 34 Interview Technology Reseller meets new Epson UK MD Duncan Ferguson 39 Data Storage How the channel is helping VAST Data to extend its reach 42 Workplace Sören Enholm makes the case for old tech, like his 2013 Lenovo notebook 44 People New faces, new places 46 Introducing Suzanne Tiernan, CEO of Avitor Distribution UK
01732 759725 04 NEWS Job satisfaction linked to MSP use The UK’s small and medium-sized businesses are increasingly turning to MSPs to help them address IT challenges, such as tool sprawl, external threats and security, even if they have been slower to adopt managed services than peers in the US, according to new research from JumpCloud. The company’s latest SME IT Trends report, Flexibility and Ingenuity: What’s Powering Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise IT Management in 2023, shows that 57% of IT admins in UK SMEs currently use MSPs to some extent, compared to 79% in the US and a global average of 69%. However, the report suggests that UK SMEs are catching up, with 30% of UK respondents considering working with an MSP, compared to 22% globally. Interestingly, the percentage point difference between MSP take-up in the UK and in the US is almost identical to that between job satisfaction in the two countries. In the UK, 48% of IT admins said they were happier in their roles this year than they were last year, compared to 71% in the US. Half of UK respondents that are not currently employing MSPs say they prefer to handle IT themselves, even though 53% of UK IT admins that do use MSPs cite increased effectiveness in managing IT as the biggest benefit. More than four in 10 UK respondents (43%) say they have concerns about how MSP manage security. Security is the top challenge for IT admins in the UK, cited by 47%, followed by device management (43%), both of which have become more complex due to remote working and BYOD trends – 61% of UK IT admins report using their own devices to access work-related IT resources and tasks and 53% estimate that 10-30% of their organisation’s employees do too. On a positive note, 70% of UK admins agree or strongly agree that remote workers are better at following security best practices now than they were last year. Tool sprawl remains a problem. While 76% of UK IT admins would prefer to use a single solution or tool for managing IT, 48% use 3-7 tools/applications and 38% use 8 or more. Commenting on the findings, Denis Dorval, VP International (EMEA & APAC) for JumpCloud, said: “UK admins are less satisfied than their global counterparts, even though they are working less overtime and are less likely to report feeling overwhelmed. This implies that it is the nature, not the volume, of work that is getting them down. Adoption of MSPs in the UK is also less mature than in other regions, meaning UK-based admins are bearing responsibility for a greater proportion of routine tasks, in-house. This may be contributing to job dissatisfaction; it isn’t surprising that 30% of UK respondents are considering engaging an MSP.” https://www.jumpcloud.com/ ······ Partner growth In 2023, 73% of IT spending will have been partner delivered, according to an estimate by Canalys for TD SYNNEX’s second-annual Direction of Technology Report. At 91.5%, cybersecurity is the technology that is most often partner-delivered. The survey of more than 550 technology resellers in 60 countries also highlights the rapid uptake of AI, with the number of partners offering AI/ML solutions up 625% in the last year. Overall, 77% of channel partners have increased their revenue this year, with 50% more survey respondents identifying as managed service providers (MSPs) than last year. www.tdsynnex.com/dot ······ Jobs at risk Almost two thirds (63%) of IT workers and 44% of office workers are worried that Generative AI will take their job in five years. More than half (56%) of IT workers believe AI benefits employers more than employees (source: Ivanti, 2023 Report: New Imperatives for Digital Employee Experience). ······ AI making workers happier Two thirds (65%) of UK execs surveyed by ABBYY attribute rising employee happiness to AI – with 52% noting that more staff are leaving the office on time. Nearly half (47%) of IT decision-makers say they have seen an increase in staff retention levels since introducing AI, with 38% citing reductions in stress and improved work-life balance as well. Other benefits of AI include faster delivery of products to customers (55%) and improvements in employee efficiency (53%) and productivity (50%). Almost NEWS continued... AI TRIGGERS TECH ANXIETY Almost every business leader (94%) surveyed by global digital transformation consultancy Kin + Carta admits to ‘tech anxiety’, driven by the accelerating pace of technological change in areas such as cyber security, AI and machine learning. Specific areas of concern pinpointed in the 2024 Leadership Priorities in Tech report include the speed of technological change (35%), the internal skills gap (29%) and being able to access the right talent (28%). Three-quarters (75%) of leaders in £800m+ turnover organisations believe that further investment in digital transformation initiatives is necessary within the next 12 months to combat this anxiety. More than half (58%) plan to spend more in the coming year compared to previous years. Richard Neish, Global Chief Strategy Officer at Kin + Carta, said: “Overall, it appears that tech anxiety among leadership is primarily triggered by factors and technologies with the potential to significantly disrupt established ways of working. We’ve all seen reports about the huge potential impact of AI, while previously we have seen cloud, mobile and indeed the birth of the world wide web completely alter the way businesses operate. “There’s no doubt that technology is moving incredibly quickly. But concerns such as data trust and the internal skills gap can be managed, as long as businesses invest in the right areas.” www.kinandcarta.com Direction of Technology 2023: TD SYNNEX Ecosystem Report
technologyreseller.co.uk 05 NEWS AD DWS TIME FOR SOMETHING NEW We connect technology resellers and MSPs to the best IT, Comms and Cloud products and services, making it simple for you to create brilliant technology solutions for UK businesses. Power in Partnership. DWS, Giacom and Union Street have come together under one brand. Giacom. www.giacom.com
01732 759725 06 Karen Meechan ScotlandIS NEWS half (44%) of executives saw a 2x return on their AI investments in 2023. (source: State of Intelligent Automation Report: Impact of the Economy on AI Priorities, ABBYY) ······ Matching teachers and techies With 37% of Scottish tech businesses reporting a lack of advanced digital skills among their workforces, Scotland’s tech trade body ScotlandIS is extending its Digital Critical Friends initiative across the whole of Scotland and inviting more tech professionals, from IT technicians to software engineers, to take part. Set up in 2021 and currently active in more than six regions, the initiative aims to strengthen links between Scotland’s tech sector and computer science teaching in secondary schools to align teaching better with industry best practices and give students a holistic view of opportunities in the tech sector. Karen Meechan, CEO of ScotlandIS, said: “Given the fast nature of the industry, the changes in how we use and develop technology can’t always be reflected in how the subject is taught in schools. There is no better way to protect the industry’s promising growth trajectory, and job opportunities for school leavers, than to build a direct line of contact between schools and professionals. We’re looking forward to working alongside new industry partners as we work to equip students with industry-relevant skills.” To find out more about becoming a Digital Critical Friend, visit the ScotlandIS website. www.scotlandis.com ······ Ransomware casts long shadow Three quarters (77%) of UK organisations with 500+ employees that have fallen victim to a successful ransomware attack in the last 18 months were forced to reduce staff numbers in the aftermath. In the three months following an attack, surveyed companies lost an average of 35% of their annual turnover. One fifth (20%) considered dissolving within a year of an attack, 32% reported that their staff worked longer hours and 42% said they experienced greater than normal customer losses. (source: Veeam Software, www.veeam.com) ······ Cyber fear on the rise Cybersecurity remains the No. 1 concern for C-suites in 2023 (cited by 63%, up from 58% last year). This puts it comfortably ahead of other issues such as digital transformation (57%), interest rates (48%), retaining/hiring employees (43%) and supply chain/logistics management (38%). Two thirds (69%) of IT decision-makers say the level of concern for cybersecurity has increased in their C-suite over the past 12 months, with 71% saying the C-suite is making more of an investment in cybersecurity (source: Rackspace Technology, Microsoft 2023). ······ Cloud savings on the cards Faced with double-digit increases in cloud costs, 33% of SMEs plan to reduce the amount of data they store in the cloud this year, 24% plan to cut the number of cloud-based services, 21% plan to downgrade some subscriptions to basic services and 17% plan to move data or applications from the cloud to on-premise systems. (source: Making the cloud work for UK businesses report, Beaming www.beaming.co.uk) ······ Finance and IT teams at loggerheads over cloud costs Organisations are being held back from controlling their cloud spending and gaining ROI due to a lack of alignment between finance and tech leaders. So says Vertice, provider of the first optimisation platform for SaaS and cloud spend. The findings of its latest The State of Cloud Cost Optimisation survey show that while cutting cloud spending was the top priority for finance leaders, with 78% citing it as a top three cost-saving goal and 33.5% citing it as their number one priority, only 9% of technical leaders say reducing cloud costs is a top concern. Over half (55%) of finance leaders blame a lack of transparency from tech leaders, with 44% saying they can’t get visibility of cloud costs. Moreover, 39% of finance leaders say they find it difficult to negotiate costs with cloud hosting providers because technical staff own relationships with cloud vendors. To help organisations tackle the challenge of spiralling cloud spending, up by an average of 35% between August 2022 and August 2023, according to Vertice’s analysis, it has launched an automated Cloud Cost Optimization platform that tracks cloud usage and spending in real-time in a unified dashboard for finance and tech, enabling finance leaders to accurately forecast and control spending. Eldar Tuvey, CEO and co-founder of Vertice, said: “There are over 200 AWS products alone, which makes managing and reducing cloud spending complex and time-consuming. Automating cloud cost optimisation leads to bigger savings of time and money and frees up resources for growth and innovation. We are excited by the prospect of helping our customers save up to 25% on their cloud costs.” www.vertice.one continued... Free computers for every primary school The Micro:bit Educational Foundation, in collaboration with BBC Education and Nominet, is giving every primary school in the UK 30 pocket-sized computers and teaching resources to introduce children as young as seven to programming and concepts like machine learning and AI. Through the BBC micro:bit – the next gen campaign, the Foundation and supporters like semiconductor designer ARM, hardware manufacturers Okdo and STMicroelectronics and distributor Farnell will distribute almost 700,000 free micro:bit coding devices to schools across the UK plus tens of thousands of micro:bit classroom sets and teacher training material. A REPORT FROM BEAMING, THE BUSINESS ISP Making the cloud work for UK businesses A REPORT FROM BEAMING, THE BUSINESS ISP Making the cloud work for UK businesses
technologyreseller.co.uk 07 NEWS The art of energy efficiency In November, PPDS, provider of Philips professional displays and dedicated AV software solutions, is hosting the world’s first ‘zero emission’ digital art exhibition in Milan, when 20 finalists for the inaugural MUSE Digital Art Award will be invited to display their art on zero-power Philips Tableaux displays. The Award, open to professional artists and art students from around the world, comes with a first prize of €3,000 in cash and a Philips Tableaux display. Two runners-up will each receive a Tableaux display. Entries on the theme of ‘The Energy for Tomorrow’ must be created for presentation on a 25in (16 x 9) display and submitted by 20 October 2023. www.ppds.com/muse Outages minimised by observability The typical global enterprise suffers nine brownouts or outages every month, each of which lasts for an average of 12 hours, costing affected organisations £10.9 million annually. But not if they have invested in observability suggests a new report from SolarWinds. 2023 IT Trends: Lessons From Observability Leaders claims that observability leaders resolve brownouts nine hours quicker than the average, reducing the annual costs of outages to £2.4m. In addition, it states that observability leaders are 388% more likely to have extremely positive employee experiences, innovate 250% times quicker, and operate 214% more efficiently. www.it-trends.solarwinds.com ······ ······ Office not home, please Seven out of 10 UK workers say they get as much done in four days as they do in five, reports global freelance platform Fiverr. In its survey of 2,000 UK workers, more than two times as many respondents selected offices/co-working spaces as their optimal work environment as did working from home (46% vs. 21%). Almost half (46%) of respondents prefer to have no more than one meeting per day. www.fiverr.com ······ Big opportunities in AV refreshes A new report from AV solutions and services provider Kinly highlights opportunities for resellers to rectify poor technology investments made by organisations at the start of the pandemic. In a survey for its Trusted Connections report, 41% of AV specialists in banking, finance, healthcare, energy and the public sector say their organisations ‘rushed’ AV installations due to Covid-19; 39% say there was not enough time to ‘get the technology right’; and 32% worry that the rush to implement remote working has undermined their security. As a result, 23% of AV professionals are now rolling back the hybrid working technologies they installed at the time and selecting more appropriate solutions. Key areas of investment are network infrastructure (cited as a priority by 43% of AV professionals), virtual townhall tech (41%) and office displays (40%). www.kinly.com ······ Built like a tank Panasonic Mobile Solutions Business Division has launched a TOUGHBOOK 40 Military variant in collaboration with roda computer GmbH. Specially developed for use in military vehicles, the 14-inch rugged notebook is dust and water resistant to IP66 and tested to military standard MIL-STD810H. It can withstand a drop from a height of 180wcm and is resistant to shocks, vibrations and operating temperatures between -29°C and 63°C. The battery life can be extended to 36 hours, thanks to the hot-swappable function, and if necessary, all radio and display functions can be immediately switched off when in ‘Concealed Mode’. The TOUGHBOOK 40 Military is configured to run on Windows 11 Pro and comes with four expansion slots and military-grade interfaces, with the option of additional interfaces and an Eclypt Core Encrypted Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) from Viasat, which is certified for securing Top Secret information and for use by NATO and other European countries. https://eu.connect.panasonic.com Working together. Everywhere Trusted Connections 2023 The workplace collaboration index for high-trust organisations
01732 759725 08 wORKPLACE Third unicorn sets up home in Leeds KnowBe4, provider of a security awareness training and simulated phishing platform used by more than 60,000 organisations around the globe, has opened its new UK headquarters in Leeds. Located at One Leeds City Office Park, the office was officially opened by KnowBe4 CEO Stu Sjouwerman, who founded the tech unicorn to help organisations tackle cybercrime through security awareness training. He was joined by KnowBe4 Lead Security Awareness Advocate Javvad Malik and Leeds City Council representatives, Eve Roodhouse, Chief Officer – Culture & Economy, and Tariq Sadiq, Inward Investment Manager. www.knowbe4.com Palo Alto Networks opens new UK HQ Palo Alto Networks, the global cybersecurity leader, has opened a new UK headquarters in the City of London, and announced plans to create 485 new cybersecurity jobs in the UK over the next five years as it invests to support its growing customer base. The UK headquarters located on the 55th floor of 22 Bishopsgate, the second tallest building in the City of London, will be home to several functions, including sales, customer support, systems engineers and the company’s Unit 42 threat intelligence, cyber advisory and incident response functions. Palo Alto Networks established a presence in the UK in 2009 and has experienced strong growth since, driven by the uptake of its AI-driven cybersecurity platforms to run customers’ security operations centres and protect networks, cloud assets and endpoints. Gavin Mee, Vice President of Northern and Western Europe at Palo Alto Networks, said: “Our new UK headquarters and continued investment in the UK builds on Palo Alto Networks’ commitment to the UK over the past 14 years, and will create new jobs and enhance our ability to help our customers stay ahead of emerging cyber threats. As the digitalisation of industries in the UK accelerates, cybercriminals are becoming more sophisticated, innovative and persistent, and we see it as our mission to protect the growth of the UK with the very best cybersecurity platforms.” On October 6, Palo Alto Networks held a ‘Capture the Flag’ event at its new offices for pupils from across London, as part of its partnership with the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) CyberFirst Girls Competition, to help inspire young people interested in technology to pursue a career in cyber security. Palo Alto’s modular cybersecurity platforms include next generation firewalls, SASE and code-to-cloud security, as well as AI-driven security operations centre solutions. These solutions are backed by industry-leading threat intelligence and strengthened by state-of-the-art automation. www.paloaltonetworks.com Evoke Technologies lands in UK Technology and consulting IT Services company Evoke Technologies is continuing its global expansion with the opening of a UK office to service the UK and wider European markets. This follows its establishment earlier in the year of a major development centre in Poland and offices in Australia to serve the ANZ market. Founded in India 20 years ago by CEO Ramesh Madala, Evoke develops systems for customers across a wide range of applications to drive digital transformation through technologies including AI/ML, Data Engineering, Cloud, Low-Code and Automation. It has more than 1,250 staff globally and for the last five years has grown by an average of almost 20% per annum. Its UK team is led by International Sales Lead Adrian Bignall, who has more than 30 years’ experience at Pega, Computer Associates and multiple low code IT Service Providers, and Customer Success Lead Matthew Leamy, also once employed by Pega and low code IT Service Providers. Harry Rao, President of Evoke, said: “I’m thrilled to announce the immediate opening of our company’s office in the UK. While we originally planned to expand into the UK market within the next two to three years, the remarkable capabilities of Adrian and his team accelerated our plans significantly. With rapidly growing demand for digital transformation services and the increasing importance of low-code and nocode platforms, we recognized the unique opportunity that Adrian and his team bring to the table. This expansion reflects our commitment to providing cutting-edge solutions and localised support, as we actively engage with businesses in the region to drive digital innovation.” Adrian Bignall said: “Evoke’s breadth of services and impressive technology partnerships make it an ideal choice for customers with complex IT landscapes requiring a partner that can deliver on a transformation and modernisation agenda. The recent success of ‘low-code, no-code’ development has provided a real impetus for Evoke: it’s a core specialism into which we have poured tremendous resources and developed deep expertise. Right now, companies across the world are adopting low code technologies and learning that they can benefit more and more quickly when they harness our resources and expertise.” evoketechnologies.com Adrian Bignal
technologyreseller.co.uk 09 EV charging Technology provider to offer electric vehicle charging solution to corporate fleet managers as a managed service functionalities creates a convenient charging experience. Managed service Siemens is providing the Siemens eMobility solution as a managed service and will set up and monitor the system on behalf of customers. It is offered as part of Siemens Smart Infrastructure, which provides IoT-enabled hardware, software and services for AC and DC charging from 11 kW to 300 kW for a broad range of applications. Markus Mildner, CEO eMobility at Siemens Smart Infrastructure, said: “We’re excited to be working together with Monta, integrating their innovative, feature-filled software into our offerings. This supports our ambitions to further expand EV charging infrastructure.” Casper Rasmussen, CEO, CTO and Co-founder of Monta, added: “We’re proud to be working together with a renowned company like Siemens, which has been making a long-lasting positive impact on our society for decades. Together, we can accelerate the buildout of a pan-European charging network where EV drivers and charging point owners alike experience a smooth EV charging experience.” Open network Through an EV charging app for car owners and a management system for charge point owners, Monta connects drivers, site owners and charge installers, helping to create an open, accessible network of charge point infrastructure. It allows any company, organisation or public entity with available sites and space to view, manage and set up charge points for employees, guests and public EV drivers. Charge point owners can manage users, power usage, pricing, access and transactions through the Monta app. Peer-to-peer charging allows homeowners to share their chargers with a community of EV drivers as a source of additional income. By connecting personal EV chargers to the Monta app, private charge point owners can view their charging history, manage access to the charge point and set their own pricing and usage. https://monta.com www.siemens.com Siemens and electric vehicle (EV) charging platform Monta are entering into a pan-European partnership to facilitate the expansion of charging infrastructure across Europe. Siemens will use Monta’s Charge Point Management System (CPMS) to manage its own fleet and charging points, accessible to over 11,000 Siemens employees in the UK. The partnership will also see Siemens become a one-stop-shop solutions provider of e-mobility services to corporate fleet operators, giving them a fully fledged solution for EV charging at work, in public and at home. By using Monta’s CPMS as an operating system, Siemens can accelerate its ambition to make e-mobility part of everyday life by building up a panEuropean infrastructure of corporate fleet and facility managers offering charging services for company car drivers, pool car drivers and employees. The CPMS supports charge point operation, with load balancing, charger availability (e.g. private/public), charger accessibility (e.g. reservation), pricing and multiple payment options (Apple Pay Google Pay, credit card etc.). It also includes fleet management, smart access rights and automatic home reimbursement. A mobile app with enhanced Siemens becomes e-mobility solutions provider in partnership with Monta Markus Mildner Casper Rasmussen
01732 759725 10 WORKING TOGETHER Kite Distribution and Sectigo formalise relationship Cybersecurity technology distributor Kite Distribution is formalising its relationship with Sectigo through a new partnership to help UK organisations establish and maintain Digital Trust using the Sectigo Certificate Manager platform. Kite Business Development Director Stuart Nairne-Clark says the need for automated certificate lifecycle management (CLM) is growing as organisations face the potentially expensive challenge of shorter term certificates. In February 2023, in its Moving Forward, Together plan, Google revealed its aim to cut the maximum allowed validity of public certificates from 398 days to 90 days, creating a need to manage five times the number of digital certificates. Nairne-Clark said: “With organisations like Google driving change in the industry by mandating 90-day certificate lifespans, we believe the CLM market is on the cusp of immense growth. Kite is working with the channel to ensure that they understand the potential disruption and the resulting opportunity available to partners who prepare for changes that will impact digital trust.” kitedistribution.co.uk/sectigo/ Cutting edge for TD SYNNEX gaming range TD SYNNEX is giving its UK gaming range a cutting edge with the addition of Razer Blade gaming laptops. Blade laptops, with display sizes from 14 to 18 inches, are available to retailers and webstores, along with Razer Thunderbolt 4 docks and graphics enclosures. Customers benefit from TD SYNNEX’s extensive stock holding, logistics and credit and finance services. https://uk.tdsynnex.com/ Infinigate to offer full Versa offering across EMEA In a geographical extension of its existing relationship with Nuvias, now part of the Infinigate Group, Versa Networks is partnering with Infinigate to bring its AI/ML-powered Unified Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) solution to enterprises across EMEA. Versa Unified SASE securely and reliably connects home workers, branch workers and users to applications, while decreasing latency, reducing complexity and enhancing visibility across the entire network. With this addition, Infinigate is able to provide resellers, VARs and MSPs across EMEA with Versa’s full offering of on-premises, cloud and hybrid security and networking products, including SASE, Secure SD-WAN and SSE. Andreas Bechtold, President Europe at Infinigate, said: “Our partnership with Versa Networks brings new growth opportunities to our partners across the EMEA region by offering access to a leading Unified SASE solution that complements our existing portfolio. Expanding our successful partnership with Versa Networks across a wider territory is the next logical step for us.” www.infinigate.com Arrow embarks on extended collaboration with Check Point Arrow Electronics is adding Check Point Harmony Email and Collaboration to its offering for channel partners across Europe, as the first phase of an extended relationship with the company. Future plans include digital distribution of Harmony Email and Collaboration via ArrowSphere and the addition of other products from the Check Point Harmony MSP Platform, including Check Point Harmony Endpoint and Check Point Harmony Mobile. Harmony Email and Collaboration offers multi-layered, AI-driven protection for Microsoft 365, Google Workspace and other cloud collaboration and file-sharing apps and is available to Arrow channel partners with monthly billing, enhanced spend control and a seamless transition to digital distribution strategies. Chris Whitley, Email Security Channel Lead for EMEA at Check Point Software Technologies, said: “Given that email remains the primary breach gateway, Harmony’s deployment assures businesses of a fortified email infrastructure. With a staggering 99.2% reduction in successful phishing attacks and a 30% edge over native cloud security, our collaboration with Arrow stands poised to set a new industry benchmark.” fiveyearsout.com ABC Distribution to accelerate take-up of Zero Trust SaaS platform ABC Distribution has entered into a strategic partnership with cyberelements, provider of a Zero Trust Privileged Access Management (PAM) platform for securing access to critical business applications and assets by regular and privileged users. Jonathan Fussner, Head of cyberelements, said: “After a decade in the cybersecurity domain, our team is proud to introduce the first Zero Trust access security SaaS Platform in Europe. We understand the daily challenges faced by CISOs and CIOs, and our platform addresses these concerns head-on. Easy, swift and secure access is pivotal to driving business performance.” ABC Distribution was founded in 2020 to guide ‘innovator’ start-ups and ‘challenger’ vendors from initial market entry to widespread adoption. www.abcdistribution.io/ SonicWall now available from Infinigate Cloud marketplace Infinigate Group has expanded its existing relationship with cybersecurity specialist SonicWall to include distribution via the Infinigate Cloud marketplace in the UK. This will give Sonicwall greater market reach and make it easier for MSSPs and MSPs to protect their customers with SonicWall’s range of physical and cloud-based security solutions. As part of the agreement, Infinigate Cloud and SonicWall plan to collaborate on bringing new MSP and cloud-oriented service offerings to market. Infinigate.cloud TD SYNNEX appointed UK&I distributor for Zyxel Networks TD SYNNEX has been appointed a distributor for Zyxel Networks in the UK and Ireland, giving partners immediate access to the vendor’s full range of networking, wireless and security appliance solutions and allowing them to take advantage of TD SYNNEX services to maximise Zyxel sales. In addition to networking hardware, including LTE/5G mobile routers, TD SYNNEX will be offering licences for Zyxel’s Nebula cloud management platform used by MSPs for network monitoring. https://uk.tdsynnex.com/ Crestron expands UK distribution with Ingram Micro and Midwich Crestron has appointed two new UK & Ireland distributors – Midwich and Ingram Micro – for its Crestron Flex range of Unified Communications and Working together This month’s round-up of new distribution agreements Andreas Bechtold, President Europe, Infinigate
technologyreseller.co.uk 11 BUSINESS BRIEFING AD Nimans At Nimans we go to the n’th degree in everything we do! Becoming a sustainable business is at the top of our agenda. Our One Plan initiative addresses/highlights the need for greater awareness/focus on sustainable working across our everyday business activities and practices. We’re championing the need to adopt a single united approach to sustainability across the tech industry. It’s our ambition to empower our customers and partners to become advocates and contributors of our One Plan Initiative and join us on our sustainability journey. Share in our vision – Learn more about how you can get involved and together we can start to make a real difference. Discover more at nimans.net/oneplan
01732 759725 12 WORKING TOGETHER continued... Collaboration (UC&C) products. Crestron Flex video conferencing systems integrate with Microsoft Teams, Zoom Rooms and additional BYOD solutions, enabling a dispersed workforce to come together for effective collaboration regardless of location. Ross Floyd, Commercial Director of Midwich UK&I, said: “The Crestron Flex range works with multiple devices and software platforms allowing flexibility and ease of use across various sized rooms and locations. Adding Crestron’s UC&C range to our offering gives us increased scope to help our customers explore new products and offer a range of complete solutions to meet the needs of their end users.” Crestron solutions are also available from Ingram Micro, with all registered Ingram Micro UK resellers authorised to sell the full Crestron distribution portfolio for meeting room solutions. This includes the Crestron Flex Digital Workplace platform, Crestron Flex videoconferencing products, AirMedia wireless conferencing/ presenting, Flex phones, scheduling panels, XiO cloud management and Flex Care support services. midwich.com • uk.ingrammicro.eu Xencelabs tablets now available from Global Distribution Global Distribution is bringing a range of feature-rich tablets, pen displays and accessories to resellers in the UK, Ireland, Benelux, Nordics and Southern Europe through a new partnership with Xencelabs, a provider of digital drawing solutions for creative professionals. Richard Warburton, Director of Product, Creative at Global Distribution, said: “This partnership allows us to work with our reseller channel and industry partners to bring Xencelabs’ best-in-class products to their customers in the design, imaging, visual effects and educational sectors at incredibly affordable prices and without any compromise in quality or product support.” www.globaldistribution.com Dynamic Tech targets IT sector with MAXHUB deal CVTE Group brand MAXHUB, a provider of interactive displays and UC solutions, has appointed Dynamic CCTV Ltd to distribute its full range of smart workplace solutions in the UK. Dynamic CCTV has been active in the CCTV sector since 1994 and is now looking to expand into the IT/AV market under the Dynamic Tech name. Cathy Liu, Country Manager UK & Ireland at MAXHUB, said: “Dynamic CCTV is well known for its technical expertise and excellent service in the security industry, and we are convinced that Dynamic Tech will be very successful in the IT/AV market.” www.maxhub.com www.dynamic-cctv.com Time to explore potential of mixed reality, says TD SYNNEX TD SYNNEX is encouraging its reseller network to explore the untapped potential of mixed reality for simulated training, collaboration and 3D design applications, after being appointed a distributor of Lenovo ThinkReality virtual and mixedreality headsets. The distributor says it will provide partners with SDKs, warranty and support packages and access to a network of ISVs with applications for key verticals. https://uk.tdsynnex.com/ Distology to help Ermetic expand EMEA footprint Ermetic, provider of a Cloud Native Application Protection Platform (CNAPP) for multi-cloud security, has turned to cybersecurity solutions distributor Distology to strengthen its presence in Europe, expand its channel programme and increase market share. Eduard Meelhuysen, Vice President Sales EMEA/APAC at Ermetic, said: “This partnership allows us to achieve broader market reach for securing multi-cloud environments, with a specific focus on Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management (CIEM) and a Cloud Native Application Protection Platform (CNAPP). Together with Distology’s ecosystem, we can help organisations secure and protect their Cloud infrastructure from constantly evolving threats.” Ermetic and Distology are enhancing product distribution and support with a three-level certification programme providing in-depth insight into Ermetic’s solutions and monthly updates on its roadmap. Ermetic’s Cloud Native Application Protection Platform automates security operations for public cloud infrastructure (AWS, Azure and GCP), using an identityfirst approach to reduce the attack surface within the Cloud and enforce least privilege at scale. With Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management (CIEM), Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM), Cloud Workload Protection (CWP), Kubernetes Security Posture Management (KSPM) and Just-in-Time (JIT) access, the platform provides full asset discovery, in-depth risk analysis, runtime threat detection and compliance reporting. ermetic.com • www.distology.com Teknov8 introduces Managed Fortinet Services for UK resellers Cybersecurity distributor Teknov8 is giving resellers and MSPs a hassle-free entrée into managed security services with the launch of Managed Fortinet Services in the UK and EMEA. Delivered as a white-label service in a joint venture with an experienced partner that already does £50 million of business with Fortinet annually, Managed Fortinet Services from Teknov8 enable resellers and MSPs to offer customers cuttingedge security services on an OPEX model, without the need for a large capital outlay. Paul Donnelly, Founder and CEO of Teknov8, said: “When a reseller signs up for our Managed Fortinet Services, we take all the pain away so they can focus on being that trusted advisor for their customers, while making the most of the competitive advantage that our managed services bring.” Managed Fortinet Services start with a managed firewall solution, providing network security, compliance support, rapid incident response and performance optimisation, supported by a powerful management, analytics and reporting platform. Resellers/MSPs that choose to do so can take their managed service to the next level with the addition of managed SIEM (Security Information and Event Management), offering real-time alerts of security threats and incidents, automated log collection, analysis and reporting, automated incident response processes and advanced analytics and machine learning algorithms. To find out more, please call 0203 422 7871 or email [email protected]. www.teknov8.com Paul Donnelly
technologyreseller.co.uk 13 real time using the co-editing feature. Open, save, and sync maps from anywhere and from any device. Import and export any supported file type such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and Project files. Cross-platform co-editing in MindManager makes collaborating with team members easy, no matter where in the world they are. This feature allows users to work natively across all platforms – Windows, Mac, Microsoft Teams, Chromebook and web. Co-editing is great for collaborative team settings as multiple users can join and edit together at the same time or separately. Research shows that over 65% of people are considered visual learners. The ability to work visually can lead to greater results and MindManager’s mission is to empower individuals and teams by equipping them with the ability to visualise their work effectively, organising thoughts, sharpening focus, and reducing distractions, driving better decisionmaking, planning, and outcomes. Why MindManager? As more businesses have moved to a modern workplace structure, teams are distributed all around the world, which can make certain tasks more difficult. MindManager’s solution empowers teams to collaborate from wherever they are, whenever they need to. With the scope and significance of activities in today’s professional environment, teamwork is key. Most projects require multiple contributors and reviewers to ensure the greatest chance of success. MindManager provides a secure service that allows groups of people to get more done together across platforms and time zones. MindManager offers solutions for all user and organisation types. With included Windows and Mac deployment options in the flagship Enterprise product, dedicated license administration portal, SSO and large-scale deployment options, MindManager is an Enterprise Ready solution. Offer your customers a free 60-day trial of MindManager Enterprise so that they can experience it for themselves! MindManager and Climb? As a MindManager partner you will have full access to the Alludo Partner Portal where you will find enablement, sales and marketing tools to help you best support your customers. The portal also allows you to add deal registrations, making you more margin. Climb are the exclusive gold distributor partner for MindManager in the UK and Ireland. You can see all the benefits of the MindManager solution and working with Climb, by checking out this page. What is MindManager? MindManager is a collaboration and project management tool that allows your customers to quickly capture and transform ideas into clear, customisable mind maps, flowcharts and timelines. The software can be used to brainstorm, manage projects, collaborate, and help users learn and work better with visual imagery. Organise ideas, plans, and processes and link them to your data, documents, and other project-related content. Share maps and work together asynchronously or in real time, increase productivity and pack more into your customers workday. MindManager has been recognised in the top mind mapping products in G2’s Summer 2023 Report for Best Estimated ROI – Small businesses and Leader. What are the benefits of using MindManager? MindManager for Microsoft Teams Equip your customers for seamless collaboration and success by combining the visual working power of MindManager with the robust communication capabilities of Microsoft Teams. Employees can work more effectively and be more productive by being able to share and organise business-critical information through this integration. MindManager Enterprise (includes MindManager for Microsoft teams) Help your customers create efficiency and augment the collective power of their team with MindManager Enterprise. Enjoy the benefits of the enterprise program, including volume license discounts, dedicated license administration portal, single sign on, secure large-scale deployment capabilities, optional training and consulting services, and more. Bring structure and clarity to your customers complex processes with easy-to-create flowcharts. Using MindManager allows your customers to keep their teams work aligned and organised. The tool gives them the ability to invite colleagues across departments, offices and time zones to work together in The power of MindManager Turn ideas into plans and plans into action BUSINESS BRIEFING
01732 759725 14 RESELLER NEWS Giacom to host MSP cyber security event November 22nd will see some of the biggest names in cyber security converge on London’s Science Museum to discuss developments shaping the industry at a special event hosted by IT solutions provider Giacom. MSP Cyber Secure Live, taking place in the Illuminate venue on levels four and five of The Science Museum, will bring together experts from leading vendors, including headline sponsor Microsoft, Sophos, Bitdefender and Vade, to share their insights in keynotes and panel discussions. With live product demonstrations and breakout sessions, the event will also highlight how MSPs can use Giacom’s comprehensive cyber security portfolio to protect their customers. James Baker, Managing Director – Cloud at Giacom, said: “We’re thrilled to be hosting a one-of-a-kind Channel event, side by side with some of the biggest names in cyber security. Finding the right cyber security solutions for your customers, from the right people can be challenging. That’s where Giacom comes in with our solutions, tools and experts.” To register for the event, please visit https://info.cloudmarket.com/mspcyber-secure-live-1 Wifinity makes second acquisition of 2023 Wifinity is expanding its technical and product capabilities with the acquisition of Next Connex, a Surrey-based high performance network connectivity provider with expertise in WAN, SD-WAN and Infrastructure-as-a-Service. This comes just months after the company acquired offshore connectivity specialist Vital WiFi. Wifinity delivers connectivity to customers where ordinary broadband doesn’t reach or where a bespoke solution is required, including rural and remote locations and multi-tenanted environments such as later living communities and student accommodation. RUCKUS Networks recently named Wifinity its EMEA Multi-dwelling Unit (MDU) Partner of the Year (see photo). www.wifinity.co.uk Integrity360 opens fourth and largest SOC James Baker Pan-European cyber security specialist Integrity360 has invested €8 million in a new Security Operations Centre (SOC) in Dublin, laying the ground for the creation of 200 jobs across the Group over the next three years, including 50 in Dublin. The new facility, the company’s largest to date, is in addition to the three SOCs that Integrity360 already has in Sofia, Stockholm and Naples. Located in the Termini building in Sandyford, it covers 16,000 square feet and comprises the SOC, plus seven customer suites, a training and innovation centre and a mix of collaboration areas, workspaces and meeting rooms. Services include Managed Detection and Response (MDR), Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) and Extended Detection and Response (XDR), with 24/7 monitoring and management of customer IT networks. The investment by Integrity360 follows a series of acquisitions over the last two years that have helped increase Group turnover to a forecast €115 million in 2023 and have grown its customer base to 2,000 and its headcount to 500 across offices in Ireland, the UK, Bulgaria, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Lithuania and Ukraine. www.integrity360.com ISO27001 consultancy services launched by NormCyber NormCyber, a managed security service provider for mid-sized organisations, has launched new ISO27001 consultancy offerings that will enable it to support customers at any point along their journey to ISO27001 accreditation, including the 2022 iteration of the standard, which NormCyber itself recently achieved. ISO27001 is an international standard for information management systems, certifying organisations’ ability to effectively safeguard customer, employee and shareholder information. NormCyber’s modular ISO27001 consultancy services cover three interrelated areas: q ISO27001 Gap Analysis, to provide clarity over current compliance status and a defined action plan for the gaps that will require remediation in order to attain certification. w ISO27001 Readiness, to prepare an organisation for external audit and, ultimately, certification to the standard. Organisations can select how much assistance they need at each stage of the certification journey or outsource the whole implementation. e ISO27001 Management, to ensure standards don’t slip once an organisation is certified. This service provides organisations with hands-on assistance and guidance in operating a functioning Information Security Management System to ensure certification is maintained. www.normcyber.com/smartbloc/ iso-27001/ Centerprise International expands in Wales Centerprise International, provider of a flexible, high performance public cloud solution (CiCloud), is continuing its expansion in Wales with the opening of a CiCloud location in Newport, on top of its existing facility in England. The establishment of a second CiCloud location in the Vantage Newport Data Centre follows Centerprise’s opening earlier this year of a new £6m IT operations centre at its 17-acre site in Ystrad Mynach, Caerphilly. Undertaken in collaboration with HPE and CloudSigma, the new Newport facility will give Welsh businesses and public sector organisations access to a wide range of cloud services, including virtual servers, storage solutions and innovative workloads, built on the HPE GreenLake enterprise technology stack. CloudSigma cloud management software enables users to provision exactly what they need, when they need it and only pay for what they consume. Centerprise CEO Jeremy Nash said: “CiCloud in Wales is one more step in Centerprise’s path to providing digital services designed with the interests of Wales and the wider UK in mind. We are committed to providing relevant services that are secure, performant and offer clear value. This is one more step in our pledge to continue to invest in creating a more prosperous Wales.” www.centerprisecloud.co.uk.
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