Category Archives for "Managed Services News"

D&H Distributing just launched its new Modern Solutions Business Unit. The new unit aims to help channel partners develop practices and create solutions in various technology categories. Those include hybrid-based business applications, infrastructure, collaboration and security. 

D&H’s Dan Schwab

“D&H Distributing has always worked hard to respond to both the market and its partners’ needs,” D&H co-president Dan Schwab told Channel Futures. “As environments become more complex, partners need more specialized end-to-end support to accommodate new hybrid models across multiple clientele. The new unit will provide the streamlined support, solutions, and delivery methods to address the evolution of the workplace.”

The Hybrid-Based Approach

The new unit will support the design and deployment of end-to-end solutions based on how partners want to deliver them. Naturally, it will also cater to how their end-customers want to consume these technologies. 

Jason Bystrak is VP of modern solutions at D&H.

D&H’s Jason Bystrak

This go-to-market model “knocks down the walls of traditional distribution business units,” said Bystrak. This will revitalize how D&H’s channel partners will deliver technology based on trends like XaaS, hybrid cloud and remote collaborative environments.

“Most distributors bounce customers around to different teams to develop a complete solution,” added Bystrak. “The D&H difference is providing a single team that handles everything from technical design to delivery model to flexible financing options for a true end-to-end solution.”

Supporting Modern Business Environments

As part of this new hybrid-based approach, D&H has assembled a team of experts to support all hardware, software, services and components sales. This involves flexible delivery and financing models incorporating cloud, hybrid, managed services and XaaS. Importantly, D&H designed this strategy to customize the delivery of these offerings. The focus, all the while, is on how new, modern business environments use technology. 

The goal? To help partners rise to the challenges of the changing workplace. These are environments where cloud-based and hybrid infrastructures combine with new XaaS-based consumption models. This, of course, requires a sophisticated breadth of technical expertise and product knowledge. 

“The convergence of mobile devices, high-speed connectivity and virtualization have enabled comprehensive cloud computing for businesses, shifting the burden of managing all this technology to managed service providers, VARs and MSSPs,” said Bystrak. “The role of the solution provider continues to evolve. [This will give] them more responsibility as unique consumption models like XaaS create new challenges. D&H formed the Modern Solutions Business Unit to provide bespoke solutions, services and go-to-market support to help these partners address market developments and profitably meet customer demand in a complicated, high-tech landscape.”

AT&T has unveiled its Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) with Cisco Meraki.

The managed service is for SMBs that want to provide wired and wireless access to their customers and employees, or stand up remote sites. It helps organizations improve network performance, enable access and defend sensitive data.

In addition, it helps protect against unauthorized use and loss.

AT&T SASE with Cisco Meraki combines services to provide businesses access and with cloud-based security and SD-WAN capabilities to help protect users from malicious web-based threats.

Danessa Lambdin is vice president of AT&T Cybersecurity.

AT&T Cybersecurity’s Danessa Lambdin

“In network connectivity and security, there is often little margin for error,” she said. “For many businesses, the expertise to get it right is hard to come by. AT&T SASE with Cisco Meraki is a completely managed service that puts our experts in the driver’s seat, giving growth-oriented businesses an integrated solution that can address their needs today, and scale up right alongside them going forward.”

SASE Portfolio Expansion

AT&T SASE with Cisco Meraki further expands the AT&T SASE portfolio. It creates a solution that also includes indoor/outdoor access points, network switches, cellular gateways and teleworker appliances.

The service allows almost any business to connect, protect, manage and scale its network without in-house expertise. It also accommodates businesses needing to expand or add more devices to their network.

In addition, it helps businesses defend their sensitive data against unauthorized use and theft.

Cisco Meraki’s Lawrence Huang

Lawrence Huang is vice president of product management at Cisco Meraki.

“Businesses looking to deploy cloud security across distributed locations must be able to do so in a simple, scalable and reliable way,” he said. “The AT&T SASE with Cisco Meraki service offers customers a seamless onramp to their SASE journey with a fully integrated networking and security offering, ultimately protecting users against internet-based threats both on and off the network.”

Leaders from some of the biggest names in the channel took the CP Expo stage at once last month.

We invited channel leaders from AT&T, ThreatLocker, Cisco and Microsoft to talk shop during the same keynote. Dubbed the “Ultimate Channel Power Panel,” it’s a new Channel Partners Conference & Expo tradition that started last fall.

These leaders discussed how partners can unlock their potential in the coming year. They also touched on the biggest market challenges and the type of partner they believe will be most successful. And that’s just for starters.

Missed the keynote? We have it for you, in its entirety, here.

D&H Distributing just launched its new Modern Solutions Business Unit. The new unit aims to help channel partners develop practices and create solutions in various technology categories. Those include hybrid-based business applications, infrastructure, collaboration and security. 

D&H’s Dan Schwab

“D&H Distributing has always worked hard to respond to both the market and its partners’ needs,” D&H co-president Dan Schwab told Channel Futures. “As environments become more complex, partners need more specialized end-to-end support to accommodate new hybrid models across multiple clientele. The new unit will provide the streamlined support, solutions, and delivery methods to address the evolution of the workplace.”

The Hybrid-Based Approach

The new unit will support the design and deployment of end-to-end solutions based on how partners want to deliver them. Naturally, it will also cater to how their end-customers want to consume these technologies. 

Jason Bystrak is VP of modern solutions at D&H.

D&H’s Jason Bystrak

This go-to-market model “knocks down the walls of traditional distribution business units,” said Bystrak. This will revitalize how D&H’s channel partners will deliver technology based on trends like XaaS, hybrid cloud and remote collaborative environments.

“Most distributors bounce customers around to different teams to develop a complete solution,” added Bystrak. “The D&H difference is providing a single team that handles everything from technical design to delivery model to flexible financing options for a true end-to-end solution.”

Supporting Modern Business Environments

As part of this new hybrid-based approach, D&H has assembled a team of experts to support all hardware, software, services and components sales. This involves flexible delivery and financing models incorporating cloud, hybrid, managed services and XaaS. Importantly, D&H designed this strategy to customize the delivery of these offerings. The focus, all the while, is on how new, modern business environments use technology. 

The goal? To help partners rise to the challenges of the changing workplace. These are environments where cloud-based and hybrid infrastructures combine with new XaaS-based consumption models. This, of course, requires a sophisticated breadth of technical expertise and product knowledge. 

“The convergence of mobile devices, high-speed connectivity and virtualization have enabled comprehensive cloud computing for businesses, shifting the burden of managing all this technology to managed service providers, VARs and MSSPs,” said Bystrak. “The role of the solution provider continues to evolve. [This will give] them more responsibility as unique consumption models like XaaS create new challenges. D&H formed the Modern Solutions Business Unit to provide bespoke solutions, services and go-to-market support to help these partners address market developments and profitably meet customer demand in a complicated, high-tech landscape.”

AT&T has unveiled its Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) with Cisco Meraki.

The managed service is for SMBs that want to provide wired and wireless access to their customers and employees, or stand up remote sites. It helps organizations improve network performance, enable access and defend sensitive data.

In addition, it helps protect against unauthorized use and loss.

AT&T SASE with Cisco Meraki combines services to provide businesses access and with cloud-based security and SD-WAN capabilities to help protect users from malicious web-based threats.

Danessa Lambdin is vice president of AT&T Cybersecurity.

AT&T Cybersecurity’s Danessa Lambdin

“In network connectivity and security, there is often little margin for error,” she said. “For many businesses, the expertise to get it right is hard to come by. AT&T SASE with Cisco Meraki is a completely managed service that puts our experts in the driver’s seat, giving growth-oriented businesses an integrated solution that can address their needs today, and scale up right alongside them going forward.”

SASE Portfolio Expansion

AT&T SASE with Cisco Meraki further expands the AT&T SASE portfolio. It creates a solution that also includes indoor/outdoor access points, network switches, cellular gateways and teleworker appliances.

The service allows almost any business to connect, protect, manage and scale its network without in-house expertise. It also accommodates businesses needing to expand or add more devices to their network.

In addition, it helps businesses defend their sensitive data against unauthorized use and theft.

Cisco Meraki’s Lawrence Huang

Lawrence Huang is vice president of product management at Cisco Meraki.

“Businesses looking to deploy cloud security across distributed locations must be able to do so in a simple, scalable and reliable way,” he said. “The AT&T SASE with Cisco Meraki service offers customers a seamless onramp to their SASE journey with a fully integrated networking and security offering, ultimately protecting users against internet-based threats both on and off the network.”

Leaders from some of the biggest names in the channel took the CP Expo stage at once last month.

We invited channel leaders from AT&T, ThreatLocker, Cisco and Microsoft to talk shop during the same keynote. Dubbed the “Ultimate Channel Power Panel,” it’s a new Channel Partners Conference & Expo tradition that started last fall.

These leaders discussed how partners can unlock their potential in the coming year. They also touched on the biggest market challenges and the type of partner they believe will be most successful. And that’s just for starters.

Missed the keynote? We have it for you, in its entirety, here.

D&H Distributing just launched its new Modern Solutions Business Unit. The new unit aims to help channel partners develop practices and create solutions in various technology categories. Those include hybrid-based business applications, infrastructure, collaboration and security. 

D&H’s Dan Schwab

“D&H Distributing has always worked hard to respond to both the market and its partners’ needs,” D&H co-president Dan Schwab told Channel Futures. “As environments become more complex, partners need more specialized end-to-end support to accommodate new hybrid models across multiple clientele. The new unit will provide the streamlined support, solutions, and delivery methods to address the evolution of the workplace.”

The Hybrid-Based Approach

The new unit will support the design and deployment of end-to-end solutions based on how partners want to deliver them. Naturally, it will also cater to how their end-customers want to consume these technologies. 

Jason Bystrak is VP of modern solutions at D&H.

D&H’s Jason Bystrak

This go-to-market model “knocks down the walls of traditional distribution business units,” said Bystrak. This will revitalize how D&H’s channel partners will deliver technology based on trends like XaaS, hybrid cloud and remote collaborative environments.

“Most distributors bounce customers around to different teams to develop a complete solution,” added Bystrak. “The D&H difference is providing a single team that handles everything from technical design to delivery model to flexible financing options for a true end-to-end solution.”

Supporting Modern Business Environments

As part of this new hybrid-based approach, D&H has assembled a team of experts to support all hardware, software, services and components sales. This involves flexible delivery and financing models incorporating cloud, hybrid, managed services and XaaS. Importantly, D&H designed this strategy to customize the delivery of these offerings. The focus, all the while, is on how new, modern business environments use technology. 

The goal? To help partners rise to the challenges of the changing workplace. These are environments where cloud-based and hybrid infrastructures combine with new XaaS-based consumption models. This, of course, requires a sophisticated breadth of technical expertise and product knowledge. 

“The convergence of mobile devices, high-speed connectivity and virtualization have enabled comprehensive cloud computing for businesses, shifting the burden of managing all this technology to managed service providers, VARs and MSSPs,” said Bystrak. “The role of the solution provider continues to evolve. [This will give] them more responsibility as unique consumption models like XaaS create new challenges. D&H formed the Modern Solutions Business Unit to provide bespoke solutions, services and go-to-market support to help these partners address market developments and profitably meet customer demand in a complicated, high-tech landscape.”

Our weekly Channel People Making Waves ranks the most popular stories of the past seven days. We feature the individuals behind the articles, this week highlighting people at Pax8, TBI, Dell Technologies and more.

First up, M&A hasn’t let up in the channel, including for cybersecurity providers. Meet the experts raising the critical questions about whether this influx of capital is helpful or disruptive for MSPs and MSSPs.

Next, channel marketers and their companies have faced a host of concerns in the last two years — whether it was the pandemic, the changing face of decision-makers, or increased security needs. Channel Futures spoke to nearly a dozen CMOs about the challenges and how their companies stay on message.

Last, we spoke to David Wright, founder of Disruptive Innovations, about the changing nature of technology advisory firms that seek to move beyond procurement and into more consulting roles with their customers.

Check out our slideshow above for the people who made the top stories of the week. Also, don’t forget to check out last week’s roundup, which you can find here.

Ransomware may be grabbing most of the headlines, but other cybersecurity threats and issues are keeping partners and their customers up at night.

Evolving attack methods, the blurring of lines between attackers and the ongoing shortage of cybersecurity talent are all adding to partners and customers’ stress.

So beyond the ransomware headlines, what threats are facing partners and their customers?

Our cybersecurity roundtable at the 2022 Channel Partners Conference and Expo addressed this topic. This is the second in a series of articles highlighting various topics addressed by the roundtable. The first was on partner stress from the M&A frenzy.

Panelists included:

• Scott Barlow, Sophos‘ vice president of global MSP and cloud alliances.
• Jon Bove, Fortinet’s vice president of channel sales.
• Justin Crotty, Netenrich‘s senior vice president of channels.
• Kristi Houssiere, Trellix‘s senior director of global channel strategy and operations.
• Matt Lantinga, NTT Application Security‘s vice president of sales and global strategic accounts.
• Joe Sykora, Proofpoint’s senior vice president of worldwide channels and partner sales.
• Brian Thomas, Malwarebytes’ vice president of worldwide MSP and channel programs.

See our slideshow above for more from the roundtable about the biggest threats facing partners and customers.

An expanding partnership between Avaya and Microsoft promises to increase organizational productivity and customer engagement. It pairs the Avaya OneCloud collaboration services portfolio with Microsoft Azure.

Avaya says its customers will be able to deploy in a hybrid, public or private cloud environment. The partnership builds on the success of Avaya OneCloud Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) delivered on Azure.

Avaya’s David Austin

David Austin is senior vice president, strategy and alliances at Avaya.

“Our strategic partnership with Microsoft is an important milestone in our continued transformation to a cloud business model,” Austin said. “The global scale of Microsoft helps ensure that our joint customers rapidly deploy Avaya OneCloud solutions in any cloud environment of their choice with speed, agility and cost competitiveness. This represents a tremendous opportunity for customers to accelerate their journey to the cloud, and a tremendous opportunity for Avaya to expand our go-to-market reach through the co-selling efforts we have identified with our trusted partner.”

Additional Opportunities

Casey McGee is vice president of global ISV partner sales at Microsoft. He said many of Microsoft’s largest customers have standardized on Avaya communications solutions. Offering Avaya OneCloud on Microsoft Azure gives them an additional opportunity to benefit from their investments. They can accelerate their cloud migration at the same time.

Microsoft’s Casey McGee

“Together, we are working to help customers around the world transform their businesses and drive digital transformation and implement workload migration initiatives more rapidly,” McGee said. “This is a significant opportunity, particularly for Microsoft customers as they move more workloads to Azure.”

Avaya has achieved co-sell ready status. This means the company can work directly with Microsoft sales teams and partners on joint selling and enablement opportunities.

AI Technology

Ray Wang is CEO of Constellation Research.

“The addition of Avaya OneCloud to the Microsoft Azure Marketplace provides customers with the agility to create communications and collaboration experiences using the public, private or hybrid cloud delivery approaches to offer the broadest range of options to fit an organization’s needs,” Wang said. “By partnering with Microsoft on both enablement and go-to-market, Avaya gains expanded customer reach and a significant new influencing channel to broadcast its unique agility and experience proposition. Further, organizations gain the benefit of expertise from these two global leaders to advance their innovation agenda.”

In addition to the reliability and scale of Microsoft Azure, Avaya CCaaS customers gain access to the power of Nuance’s Contact Center AI technology integrated with OneCloud. Nuance is a Microsoft company. The combined capabilities of Microsoft and Nuance give Avaya customers flexibility to create and deliver intelligent, personalized and impactful consumer interactions with long-term investment protection and control of their data, the companies said.

This news builds on Avaya’s longstanding relationship with Microsoft. Together Avaya, Microsoft and Nuance provide true integration. This spans not just the contact center application itself but also the underlying communication platforms.

Avaya OneCloud CCaaS customers have increased customer insight via CRM data maintained within Dynamics 365. They benefit from Microsoft’s powerful AI capabilities via Azure Cognitive Services. Later this year, Avaya expects to further expand OneCloud CCaaS capabilities with Microsoft Teams integration. This allows customers to more broadly use the expertise and knowledge of their entire organization in servicing customers via the contact center.