Category Archives for "Managed Services News"

Jul 20

SolarWinds Completes N-able Spinoff, Publicly Traded Company Emerges

By | Managed Services News

N-able’s goal is to hit $340 million in revenue by the end of the year.

It’s official. SolarWinds has completed its spinoff of N-able, which is now an independent, publicly traded company.

SolarWinds announced the planned spinoff of its MSP business last August. SolarWinds MSP then rebranded to N-able in January.

N-able’s stock is trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol of “NABL.” The stock opened at $15.37 a share, but didn’t live up to expectations on day one. By the end of the trading day, it has dropped nearly 22%, to $12.50.

N-able provides cloud-based software solutions for MSPs. It enables them to support digital transformation and growth within small and medium businesses. SolarWinds retained its core IT management business, which primarily focuses on providing IT infrastructure management software to corporate IT organizations.

N-able's John Pagliuca

N-able’s John Pagliuca

John Pagliuca is N-able’s CEO. He said in addition to a distribution to SolarWinds shareholders and paying down debt, the funds also position N-able for long-term growth investments that serve its MSP partners.

He said the company’s No. 1 priority is building “a diverse base of shareholders that are focused on N-able’s long-term growth.”

Mike Cullen is N-able‘s group vice president of partner enablement. He said N-able’s goal is to hit $340 million in revenue by the end of the year, and to “really get in touch with our customers as that is the primary focus.”

N-able's Mike Cullen

N-able’s Mike Cullen

“We’ve been a public company off and on for the last seven years, so that part’s not new to us,” he said. “I think it’s really positive. I think transparency for this industry is important for people to recognize the caliber of company that they’re doing business with. So we welcome the transparency that we’ll have.”

Wholly Focused on MSPs

Mike Adler is N-able‘s chief technical and chief product officer.

“I think MSPs can really depend on us to really focus on MSPs,” he said. “I think the main driver for this whole action is creating a company that is wholly focused on helping MSPs be successful in their job. And so I think from our point of view, they should expect us to continue to be highly focused on them, and ensuring and building towards their success overall.”

N-able's Mike Adler

N-able’s Mike Adler

Cullen said N-able has a lot of good competitors, but its advantage is how it support its customers.

“Of course, we have a very high bar on our technology, but we invest very heavily in success programs, whether it’s our customer success reps or our education facilities, or our Head Nerds program,” he said. “We’re constantly finding ways to listen to our customers and invest in them to support them to success.”

Cullen said there will be a single focus from N-able on its partners.

“I think that’s one of the reasons for the spinoff,” he said.

Alder said beyond Tuesday’s celebration, “we look forward to really continuing to support our customer base and our partners in ensuring their growth.”

Jul 20

Keeper Security, Ivanti Surveys Highlight Weaknesses in Ransomware, Phishing Defense

By | Managed Services News

More security awareness training is needed to combat ransomware and phishing.

New research by Keeper Security and Ivanti shows organizations have a long way to go in protecting themselves from ransomware and phishing attacks.

Before their organization suffered an attack, nearly one-third of employees had never heard of the word ransomware. That’s according to Keeper Security’s new 2021 Ransomware Impact Report.

The report goes on to confirm that the entry point for about half of ransomware incidents was a phishing email. That’s a frightening indication of how lack of awareness remains an Achilles heel for too many organizations. After surveying 2,000 U.S. employees, the report looks at the crippling domino effects felt by companies targeted by ransomware attacks.

Remote Work Increases Phishing Attacks

And speaking of phishing, Ivanti’s new survey shows the global shift to remote work has exacerbated the onslaught, sophistication and impact of phishing attacks. Ivanti surveyed more than 1,000 enterprise IT professionals across the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Australia and Japan.

Nearly three-quarters of respondents said their organizations have fallen victim to a phishing attack in the last year. Furthermore, 40% confirmed they have experienced one in the last month.

Keeper Security's Chris Goettl

Keeper Security’s Chris Goettl

Chris Goettl is Ivanti’s senior director of product management.

“These findings demonstrate that anyone can be tricked into tapping a link, and divulging their username and password by a sophisticated social engineering attack,” he said.

Many respondents blamed successful attacks on a lack of understanding, according to Ivanti. Furthermore, only 30% said the majority of employees actually completed the cybersecurity awareness training their company offers.

Our slideshow above features more on the Keeper Security and Ivanti research findings.

Jul 20

Dish Spurns T-Mobile, Turns to AT&T for Wireless Help

By | Managed Services News

The nonexclusive network services agreement deals a blow to T-Mobile and bolsters Dish’s goal of covering 70% of the U.S. population by 2023.

The musical chairs of wireless partnerships continues — this time with AT&T and Dish Network.

The companies signed a strategic partnership that makes AT&T Dish’s primary mobile virtual network operator (MVNO). The network services agreement pays AT&T more than $5 billion over the next 10 years. Dish will use AT&T’s wireless network to expand coverage for Dish customers and support its goal of covering 70% of the U.S. population with its OpenRAN-based 5G network by 2023. On the other hand, AT&T can use the spectrum that Dish has been collecting over the last decade, though it must request it.

Swieringa, Johna_Dish

Dish’s John Swieringa

Customers of Dish’s Boost Mobile, Ting Mobile and Republic Wireless retail brands will benefit from the partnership. John Swieringa, Dish’s chief operating officer and group president of retail wireless, said AT&T is offering transport and roaming services.

“Teaming with AT&T on this long-term partnership will allow us to better compete in the retail wireless market and quickly respond to changes in our customers’ evolving connectivity needs as we build our own first-of-its kind 5G network,” Swieringa said.

AT&T maintains both a “low-band” network that reportedly covers more than 250 million people, as well as a smaller but faster “high-band” (also known as mmWave) network.

AT&T’s Thaddeus Arroyo

“Teaming with Dish on this agreement is not only a testament to the strength of our network, but it further validates the investments we’ve made in our fiber and wireless infrastructure,” AT&T Consumer CEO Thaddeus Arroyo said.

Implications

The nonexclusive deal raises all the more intrigue when we remember that Boost Mobile and Republic Wireless currently use the Sprint network that T-Mobile acquired. Dish entered the wireless market after the U.S. Justice Department ordered T-Mobile to sell Boost Mobile to Dish in order to complete its merger with Sprint. The Justice Department wanted to ensure that a fourth wireless carrier existed to ensure competition.

Parker, Tammy_GlobalData

GlobalData’s Tammy Parker

Tammy Parker, senior analyst at GlobalData, noted that T-Mobile and Dish haven’t exactly seen eye-to-eye.

“… although Dish’s involvement [in the Justice Department deal] saved T-Mobile’s acquisition of Sprint, the relationship between Dish and T-Mobile appears to have been fraught from the start. T-Mobile’s plans to shutter its 3G network by January 2022, leaving many of Dish’s customers without network service, has created an especially contentious standoff between the two companies, which likely helped pave the way for Dish’s new agreement with AT&T.”

Parker notes that AT&T can terminate the agreement if Dish experiences a “qualifying change of control.” In other words, if another party takes over at least half of Dish, AT&T would only need to take care of Dish MVNO customers for another two years.

But Parker predicted that Dish and AT&T will play nice with each other.

“The [network service agreement] is not exclusive for either party, so both can go out and find new dance partners; however, given the depth and breadth of this agreement, that would appear both unlikely and unnecessary,” Parker said.

Light Reading’s Jeff Baumgartner mused that the deal could pan out very well for Dish and very poorly for AT&T.

Dish has announced several different partnerships that will help it build a 5G network. The company announced in April that it would build its 5G network on AWS.

Nokia will provide the 5G standalone core, and Dell will provide Radio Access Network (RAN) and edge compute infrastructure.

AT&T, on the other hand, announced late last month that it will outsource its 5G core network to Microsoft Azure.

Jul 20

M&A Roundup: Deloitte, Granite, HPE, Spectrotel, Telarus, Multiple MSPs

By | Managed Services News

Partners and vendor are filling gaps in their portfolios buying cloud and security capabilities.

Partner M&A continues to hit the news wire.

CF Signature Series StampWe’re seeing MSPs and agents participate in consolidation like never before. Yes, there’s no shortage of IT and security vendors that are buying and selling and getting involved with private equity, but the partners are doing M&A in a big way. Core BTS continued its evolution from VAR to cloud-focused MSP with the acquisition of Aptera Software. Upstack continues to lure telecom consultancies with its deep pockets and the promise of agent equity.

Not all M&A news made the gallery. For example, Xerox enhanced its SMB practice by purchasing a document solutions provider, and Cisco finished purchasing a vulnerability management platform.

Check out the 16 acquisitions that we covered in the slideshow above.

Did you see our previous monthly M&A recap? Check it out.

 

Jul 20

Dish Spurns T-Mobile, Turns to AT&T for Wireless Help

By | Managed Services News

The nonexclusive network services agreement deals a blow to T-Mobile and bolsters Dish’s goal of covering 70% of the U.S. population by 2023.

The musical chairs of wireless partnerships continues — this time with AT&T and Dish Network.

The companies signed a strategic partnership that makes AT&T Dish’s primary mobile virtual network operator (MVNO). The network services agreement pays AT&T more than $5 billion over the next 10 years. Dish will use AT&T’s wireless network to expand coverage for Dish customers and support its goal of covering 70% of the U.S. population with its OpenRAN-based 5G network by 2023. On the other hand, AT&T can use the spectrum that Dish has been collecting over the last decade, though it must request it.

Swieringa, Johna_Dish

Dish’s John Swieringa

Customers of Dish’s Boost Mobile, Ting Mobile and Republic Wireless retail brands will benefit from the partnership. John Swieringa, Dish’s chief operating officer and group president of retail wireless, said AT&T is offering transport and roaming services.

“Teaming with AT&T on this long-term partnership will allow us to better compete in the retail wireless market and quickly respond to changes in our customers’ evolving connectivity needs as we build our own first-of-its kind 5G network,” Swieringa said.

AT&T maintains both a “low-band” network that reportedly covers more than 250 million people, as well as a smaller but faster “high-band” (also known as mmWave) network.

AT&T’s Thaddeus Arroyo

“Teaming with Dish on this agreement is not only a testament to the strength of our network, but it further validates the investments we’ve made in our fiber and wireless infrastructure,” AT&T Consumer CEO Thaddeus Arroyo said.

Implications

The nonexclusive deal raises all the more intrigue when we remember that Boost Mobile and Republic Wireless currently use the Sprint network that T-Mobile acquired. Dish entered the wireless market after the U.S. Justice Department ordered T-Mobile to sell Boost Mobile to Dish in order to complete its merger with Sprint. The Justice Department wanted to ensure that a fourth wireless carrier existed to ensure competition.

Parker, Tammy_GlobalData

GlobalData’s Tammy Parker

Tammy Parker, senior analyst at GlobalData, noted that T-Mobile and Dish haven’t exactly seen eye-to-eye.

“… although Dish’s involvement [in the Justice Department deal] saved T-Mobile’s acquisition of Sprint, the relationship between Dish and T-Mobile appears to have been fraught from the start. T-Mobile’s plans to shutter its 3G network by January 2022, leaving many of Dish’s customers without network service, has created an especially contentious standoff between the two companies, which likely helped pave the way for Dish’s new agreement with AT&T.”

Parker notes that AT&T can terminate the agreement if Dish experiences a “qualifying change of control.” In other words, if another party takes over at least half of Dish, AT&T would only need to take care of Dish MVNO customers for another two years.

But Parker predicted that Dish and AT&T will play nice with each other.

“The [network service agreement] is not exclusive for either party, so both can go out and find new dance partners; however, given the depth and breadth of this agreement, that would appear both unlikely and unnecessary,” Parker said.

Light Reading’s Jeff Baumgartner mused that the deal could pan out very well for Dish and very poorly for AT&T.

Dish has announced several different partnerships that will help it build a 5G network. The company announced in April that it would build its 5G network on AWS.

Nokia will provide the 5G standalone core, and Dell will provide Radio Access Network (RAN) and edge compute infrastructure.

AT&T, on the other hand, announced late last month that it will outsource its 5G core network to Microsoft Azure.

Jul 20

M&A Roundup: Deloitte, Granite, HPE, Spectrotel, Telarus, Multiple MSPs

By | Managed Services News

Partners and vendor are filling gaps in their portfolios buying cloud and security capabilities.

Partner M&A continues to hit the news wire.

CF Signature Series StampWe’re seeing MSPs and agents participate in consolidation like never before. Yes, there’s no shortage of IT and security vendors that are buying and selling and getting involved with private equity, but the partners are doing M&A in a big way. Core BTS continued its evolution from VAR to cloud-focused MSP with the acquisition of Aptera Software. Upstack continues to lure telecom consultancies with its deep pockets and the promise of agent equity.

Not all M&A news made the gallery. For example, Xerox enhanced its SMB practice by purchasing a document solutions provider, and Cisco finished purchasing a vulnerability management platform.

Check out the 16 acquisitions that we covered in the slideshow above.

Did you see our previous monthly M&A recap? Check it out.

 

Jul 20

IBM Adds Advanced Protection to All-Flash Storage Range, Unveils Storage as a Service

By | Managed Services News

IBM integrates Safeguarded Copy to FlashSystem family and announces the rollout of a new storage-as-a-service offering.

IBM is ramping up the security features of its FlashSystem family of all-flash arrays with advanced data protection.

The vendor says it wants to help companies better plan for – and recover quickly from – ransomware and other cyberattacks.

As such, IBM has announced IBM Safeguarded Copy for the IBM FlashSystem range. Safeguarded Copy automatically creates data copies in “immutable snapshots,” which are securely isolated within the system and cannot be accessed or altered by unauthorized users.

In the event data is compromised, customers can recover their data from the snapshots based on known points in time prior to the breach.

Cybercriminals increasingly are taking advantage of the distributed data landscape to ramp up the frequency of their attacks. Ransomware in particular is on the rise. According to SonicWall, ransomware attacks rose to 304.6 million in 2020. This was up 62% over 2019, mainly due to the highly distributed workforces caused by the pandemic.

Denis Kennelly, general manager, IBM Storage, said protecting against cyberthreats requires “a two-pronged approach to resiliency.” This involves automated protection and rapid recovery.

IBM's Denis Kennelly

IBM’s Denis Kennelly

“That’s why we’re standardizing our modern data protection software,” he said. “Cyberattacks are on the rise, but data can be protected and restored when you are prepared.”

Storage as a Service

IBM also announced plans to roll out a new storage-as-a-service offering. This aims to give customers “a fast, new way to integrate hybrid cloud storage into any data center environment.” It also eliminates the need for upfront capital expense of a system purchase.

As part of its new Flexible Infrastructure family, IBM says Storage as a service makes it simple for customers to choose the storage they need. They determine the right performance, capacity and service term that matches their workload and business needs.

Customers pay a single rate based on terabyte per month at a fixed annual rate and the performance level of the system they deploy. IBM handles the install and configuration to concierge-level services and support. This, it says, provides an experience that combines the control of an on-premises deployment with the ease of a cloud service.

Customers will be able to scale their storage capacity up or down as they need with variable pricing. Unlike some comparative services, the IBM Storage as a Service base and variable pricing (when customers need extra capacity) are the same. In addition, IBM doesn’t penalize customers for having data that is not compressible.

The solution will extend to support hybrid cloud use cases with the monthly priced Spectrum Virtualize for Public Cloud. This supports IBM Cloud and AWS, and with planned support for Microsoft Azure. IBM Storage as a Service will also support hybrid cloud solutions deployed via cloud-adjacent architecture at Equinix.

Pricing for IBM Storage as a Service will be offered in three tiers that consider the level of system performance needed, capacity required and the length of commitment. The service will start at $27 per terabyte per month on effective basis and come with full concierge life cycle services.

Customers can take advantage of IBM’s optional 100% data availability guarantee. For each solution, IBM will provide about 50% of additional reserve capacity above customer base needs to respond immediately for data growth. The reserve capacity will be billed at the same rate as the base capacity once it is utilized.

The company plans to make IBM Storage as a Service available across North America and Europe in September. It will extend the service to other regions around the world in the future.

 

Jul 20

Dish Spurns T-Mobile, Turns to AT&T for Wireless Help

By | Managed Services News

The nonexclusive network services agreement deals a blow to T-Mobile and bolsters Dish’s goal of covering 70% of the U.S. population by 2023.

The musical chairs of wireless partnerships continues — this time with AT&T and Dish Network.

The companies signed a strategic partnership that makes AT&T Dish’s primary mobile virtual network operator (MVNO). The network services agreement pays AT&T more than $5 billion over the next 10 years. Dish will use AT&T’s wireless network to expand coverage for Dish customers and support its goal of covering 70% of the U.S. population with its OpenRAN-based 5G network by 2023. On the other hand, AT&T can use the spectrum that Dish has been collecting over the last decade, though it must request it.

Swieringa, Johna_Dish

Dish’s John Swieringa

Customers of Dish’s Boost Mobile, Ting Mobile and Republic Wireless retail brands will benefit from the partnership. John Swieringa, Dish’s chief operating officer and group president of retail wireless, said AT&T is offering transport and roaming services.

“Teaming with AT&T on this long-term partnership will allow us to better compete in the retail wireless market and quickly respond to changes in our customers’ evolving connectivity needs as we build our own first-of-its kind 5G network,” Swieringa said.

AT&T maintains both a “low-band” network that reportedly covers more than 250 million people, as well as a smaller but faster “high-band” (also known as mmWave) network.

AT&T’s Thaddeus Arroyo

“Teaming with Dish on this agreement is not only a testament to the strength of our network, but it further validates the investments we’ve made in our fiber and wireless infrastructure,” AT&T Consumer CEO Thaddeus Arroyo said.

Implications

The nonexclusive deal raises all the more intrigue when we remember that Boost Mobile and Republic Wireless currently use the Sprint network that T-Mobile acquired. Dish entered the wireless market after the U.S. Justice Department ordered T-Mobile to sell Boost Mobile to Dish in order to complete its merger with Sprint. The Justice Department wanted to ensure that a fourth wireless carrier existed to ensure competition.

Parker, Tammy_GlobalData

GlobalData’s Tammy Parker

Tammy Parker, senior analyst at GlobalData, noted that T-Mobile and Dish haven’t exactly seen eye-to-eye.

“… although Dish’s involvement [in the Justice Department deal] saved T-Mobile’s acquisition of Sprint, the relationship between Dish and T-Mobile appears to have been fraught from the start. T-Mobile’s plans to shutter its 3G network by January 2022, leaving many of Dish’s customers without network service, has created an especially contentious standoff between the two companies, which likely helped pave the way for Dish’s new agreement with AT&T.”

Parker notes that AT&T can terminate the agreement if Dish experiences a “qualifying change of control.” In other words, if another party takes over at least half of Dish, AT&T would only need to take care of Dish MVNO customers for another two years.

But Parker predicted that Dish and AT&T will play nice with each other.

“The [network service agreement] is not exclusive for either party, so both can go out and find new dance partners; however, given the depth and breadth of this agreement, that would appear both unlikely and unnecessary,” Parker said.

Light Reading’s Jeff Baumgartner mused that the deal could pan out very well for Dish and very poorly for AT&T.

Dish has announced several different partnerships that will help it build a 5G network. The company announced in April that it would build its 5G network on AWS.

Nokia will provide the 5G standalone core, and Dell will provide Radio Access Network (RAN) and edge compute infrastructure.

AT&T, on the other hand, announced late last month that it will outsource its 5G core network to Microsoft Azure.

Jul 20

M&A Roundup: Deloitte, Granite, HPE, Spectrotel, Telarus, Multiple MSPs

By | Managed Services News

Partners and vendor are filling gaps in their portfolios buying cloud and security capabilities.

Partner M&A continues to hit the news wire.

CF Signature Series StampWe’re seeing MSPs and agents participate in consolidation like never before. Yes, there’s no shortage of IT and security vendors that are buying and selling and getting involved with private equity, but the partners are doing M&A in a big way. Core BTS continued its evolution from VAR to cloud-focused MSP with the acquisition of Aptera Software. Upstack continues to lure telecom consultancies with its deep pockets and the promise of agent equity.

Not all M&A news made the gallery. For example, Xerox enhanced its SMB practice by purchasing a document solutions provider, and Cisco finished purchasing a vulnerability management platform.

Check out the 16 acquisitions that we covered in the slideshow above.

Did you see our previous monthly M&A recap? Check it out.

 

Jul 20

Dish Spurns T-Mobile, Turns to AT&T for Wireless Help

By | Managed Services News

The nonexclusive network services agreement deals a blow to T-Mobile and bolsters Dish’s goal of covering 70% of the U.S. population by 2023.

The musical chairs of wireless partnerships continues — this time with AT&T and Dish Network.

The companies signed a strategic partnership that makes AT&T Dish’s primary mobile virtual network operator (MVNO). The network services agreement pays AT&T more than $5 billion over the next 10 years. Dish will use AT&T’s wireless network to expand coverage for Dish customers and support its goal of covering 70% of the U.S. population with its OpenRAN-based 5G network by 2023. On the other hand, AT&T can use the spectrum that Dish has been collecting over the last decade, though it must request it.

Swieringa, Johna_Dish

Dish’s John Swieringa

Customers of Dish’s Boost Mobile, Ting Mobile and Republic Wireless retail brands will benefit from the partnership. John Swieringa, Dish’s chief operating officer and group president of retail wireless, said AT&T is offering transport and roaming services.

“Teaming with AT&T on this long-term partnership will allow us to better compete in the retail wireless market and quickly respond to changes in our customers’ evolving connectivity needs as we build our own first-of-its kind 5G network,” Swieringa said.

AT&T maintains both a “low-band” network that reportedly covers more than 250 million people, as well as a smaller but faster “high-band” (also known as mmWave) network.

AT&T’s Thaddeus Arroyo

“Teaming with Dish on this agreement is not only a testament to the strength of our network, but it further validates the investments we’ve made in our fiber and wireless infrastructure,” AT&T Consumer CEO Thaddeus Arroyo said.

Implications

The nonexclusive deal raises all the more intrigue when we remember that Boost Mobile and Republic Wireless currently use the Sprint network that T-Mobile acquired. Dish entered the wireless market after the U.S. Justice Department ordered T-Mobile to sell Boost Mobile to Dish in order to complete its merger with Sprint. The Justice Department wanted to ensure that a fourth wireless carrier existed to ensure competition.

Parker, Tammy_GlobalData

GlobalData’s Tammy Parker

Tammy Parker, senior analyst at GlobalData, noted that T-Mobile and Dish haven’t exactly seen eye-to-eye.

“… although Dish’s involvement [in the Justice Department deal] saved T-Mobile’s acquisition of Sprint, the relationship between Dish and T-Mobile appears to have been fraught from the start. T-Mobile’s plans to shutter its 3G network by January 2022, leaving many of Dish’s customers without network service, has created an especially contentious standoff between the two companies, which likely helped pave the way for Dish’s new agreement with AT&T.”

Parker notes that AT&T can terminate the agreement if Dish experiences a “qualifying change of control.” In other words, if another party takes over at least half of Dish, AT&T would only need to take care of Dish MVNO customers for another two years.

But Parker predicted that Dish and AT&T will play nice with each other.

“The [network service agreement] is not exclusive for either party, so both can go out and find new dance partners; however, given the depth and breadth of this agreement, that would appear both unlikely and unnecessary,” Parker said.

Light Reading’s Jeff Baumgartner mused that the deal could pan out very well for Dish and very poorly for AT&T.

Dish has announced several different partnerships that will help it build a 5G network. The company announced in April that it would build its 5G network on AWS.

Nokia will provide the 5G standalone core, and Dell will provide Radio Access Network (RAN) and edge compute infrastructure.

AT&T, on the other hand, announced late last month that it will outsource its 5G core network to Microsoft Azure.

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