v52 · 2022 www.technologyreseller.co.uk THE MAGAZINE & ONLINE CHANNEL RESOURCE FOR MSPS, IT RESELLERS & IT SUPPORT PROVIDERS PAGE 30 OBSERVABILITY MPS Q&A PAGE 39 PAGE 29 Cribl to turn Search on its head with Q4 launch Why expansion is the best form of defence for MPS providers With Klaus Schlichtherle, CEO of Infinigate Group Now great protection comes with greater rewards. More Info
01732 759725 02 BUSINESS BRIEFING
technologyreseller.co.uk 03 BUSINESS BRIEFING Copyright © 2022 NortonLifeLock Inc. Visit the Empower portal by scanning the above QR code for information and full terms & conditions. More Info www.empowerreseller.norton.com Join the Norton Empower Reseller Program. Everybody wins when you join the Norton Empower Reseller Program. Your customers get protection that’s trusted by millions worldwide, and you’ll be rewarded beyond the benefits you earn when you sell a Norton product. When your customers renew on Norton’s eStore, you’ll start earning a revenue share – even if they choose an upsell or cross-sell product.** Now great protection comes with greater rewards. Extra rewarding Earn revenue share when your customer renews their Norton Empower product – including if they select an upsell or cross-sell product on Norton’s eStore. Cyberthreats evolve. Our protection does, too. As a leader in consumer cybersecurity, we are driven to help protect your customers against cybercrime. We’re committed to keeping up with existing and emerging cyberthreats. First-rate services and support No additional charge for help and support for you and your customers makes renewing an easy choice for your customers. **Revenue share is payable on up to 3 years of license renewals on Empower-enabled products made through the Norton eStore. Sell the protection they need. Get the rewards you want.
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technologyreseller.co.uk If you no longer wish to receive Technology Reseller magazine please email your details to [email protected] COMMENT 05 We have a new feature starting this month called My Life in IT, where we ask people how they got into IT, what they like about the industry (and what they don’t like so much), what advice they would give a young person starting out in tech and so on. Our first victim is David Trump, Cyber Security Solutions Director at BOM IT Solutions in Bristol. You can read his answers on page 48. I mention this because I was surprised to learn that BOM IT Solutions, or Bristol Office Machines as it was originally called, was founded way back in 1958 in the same week that the world’s first computer exhibition was held in Earl’s Court, London. Today, BOM provides a wide range of IT support, managed IT, unified comms, connectivity and cloud & hosting services. It has also just set up a dedicated cyber security division, led by David, to expand and develop its offering in this growing area. The desire to keep evolving and adding new capabilities must be a big part of why BOM IT Solutions is still going strong after 64 years. Which leads me neatly on to Tech Live 22, taking place at the Business Design Centre in Islington on September 13. This one-day exhibition, co-located with Mobile News XPO, provides a forum where MSPs and resellers can engage with technology providers on the look-out for new channel partners, as well as those offering software and services that can help the former enhance operations, boost productivity and improve customer service. As end user customers increasingly expect MSPs and IT resellers to act as trusted advisors on their digital transformation journeys, being able to offer a broader range of solutions and services has become essential. If you want to diversify your offering or simply improve the efficiency of your business operations, Tech Live 22 is the place to be. Find out more about visiting (or exhibiting) on page 19 or at www.technologylive.co.uk. As ever, this issue is full of news of mergers, acquisitions and take-overs. Buy and build strategies are a popular way of expanding a business’s capabilities and replicating a successful revenue model, especially when money is cheap. Now that interest rates are on the rise again, what does the future hold? In our interview with Klaus Schlichtherle, CEO of Infinigate Group (page 30), he suggests that things could get interesting if interest rates reach 5%. That seemed a distant prospect when we spoke, but that was before the Bank of England raised the UK base rate to 1.75%. Watch this space. 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. © 2022 Kingswood Media Ltd. Design: Sandtiger Media www.sandtiger.co.uk v52 · 2022 technologyreseller.co.uk Comment Register online To receive your regular FREE printed copy of Technology Reseller Magazine simply fill in our online registration form at www.technologyreseller.uk/register Read Technology Reseller online, on tablets and smart phones www.technologyreseller.uk Join us : Follow us @techreselleruk www.facebook.com/TechnologyResellerMag technology-reseller-magazine Editor: James Goulding 07803 087228 · [email protected] Publishing Director, Social Media and Web Editor: Neil Trim 01732 759725 · [email protected] Advertising Director: Ethan White 01732 759725 · [email protected] Group Sales: Martin Jenner-Hall 01732 759725 · [email protected] Art Director: Nick Pledge 07767 615983 · [email protected] Advertising Executive: James Trim 01732 759725 · [email protected] ISSN 2632-9301 (Print) ISSN 2632-931X (Online) 06 What’s New The month’s best new products and services 08 Working Together A round-up of the month’s new distribution agreements 09 Distributor News The Spicers brand returns to wholesale office supplies market 12 Reseller News Why risual is the perfect fit for Node4 19 Events Register now for Tech Live 22 20 Cyber Resilience How to build a robust cyber resilience strategy 29 MPS Why expansion is the best form of defence 30 Q&A With Klaus Schlichtherle, CEO of Infinigate Group 32 I couldn’t do my job without... Tim Richards picks his five favourite work tools 33 Managed Services Beware staff burnout, warns Barracuda MSP 34 Cybersecurity Norton launches its first UK partner programme 35 Cloud New CloudStratex report highlights higher than expected costs 36 Opinion Why soft skills matter as much as IT qualifications 39 Observability Cribl turns Search on its head 43 Software Why your customers should start planning for the end of support for Windows 10 46 CRM Getting the best out of Dynamics 365 48 My Life in IT We ask David Trump of BOM IT Solutions about his life in IT 49 People New faces, new places 51 First Steps Caitlyn Sheldon takes her first steps in IT The essential show for IT and mobile resellers and providers Business Design Centre · London · 13 September 2022 22 In partnership with REGISTRATION NOW OPEN>> REGISTER N W at tech-live.co.uk CloudStratex Insights Report 2022 Resilience, Integration & Efficiency Addressing the challenges of cloud’s mid-life crisis. HIDDEN CLOUD CHALLENGES CloudStratex
Sensei is hoping to revolutionise vending in offices, hospitals, stations, schools, universities, gyms and other locations with the launch of its first Autonomous Cabinet. This uses a combination of smart inventory management, cameras and intelligent shelves to provide users with true ‘grab and go’ convenience, including the ability to pick up and hold products before buying them. Customers can open the cabinet door with the Sensei app or the tap of a card and are charged automatically for any products they decide to keep. Retailers benefit from the ability to stock items of all shapes, sizes and price points, with real-time visibility of stock and sales via the Sensei Fast App platform. www.sensei.tech 01732 759725 06 INNOVATIONS What’s New Photo scanner Canon’s imageFORMULA RS40 dedicated photo scanner taps into the popularity of ‘shoeboxing’, the digitisation and preservation of old photos. Suitable for use in the home or by retailers offering digitisation services, the scanner comes with a host of productivity features including batch scanning of up to 40 photos and 60 documents; a top speed of 30 images per minute; three pre-set scanning modes; a straight paper path that minimises the risk of feeding errors; ultrasonic sensors that detect overlapping pages; and Double Feed Release (DFR), which quickly restarts the device in the event of a jam. Also included are image processing functions such as auto fixing and enhancement of images and face smoothing, face sharpening and red-eye correction. www.canon.co.uk Grab and go More choice PPDS, the provider of Philips displays and TVs, has reaffirmed its commitment to the videowall market by extending its Philips X-line series with new sizes, new designs and its best ever image quality. The six new direct LED backlight videowall displays each feature near bezel-less designs (0.9mm- 3.5mm) and a range of updated features that support no-compromises 24/7 performance for single and multi-panel videowalls in retail settings (the 49-inch BDL2105X/00 and 55-inch BDL2105X/00), corporate meeting rooms and public spaces (the 55-inch BDL3207X/00, BDL4107X/00 and BDL8007X/00) and surveillance and control room environments (the 65-inch BDL6005X/00). Martijn van der Woude, Head of Global Business Development and Marketing at PPDS, said: “Some manufacturers have decided to switch their attention away from videowall technology but rather than scale back we are bringing even more choice, new dedicated features and advanced capabilities to our partners and their customers.” Look and book Zoom is addressing the needs of hybrid workers with the launch of a workspace reservation system. Accessible as a Zoom App or through a web browser, Workspace Reservation enables hybrid teams to book office workspaces and resources in advance or on arrival, either at a kiosk in the reception area or by scanning QR codes at specific meeting rooms or hot desks. The solution also enables users to see who else will be in the office on a given date and view seating locations on office floorplans. www.zoom.com Total protection Cyber security provider F-Secure has launched a new version of TOTAL, a security, privacy and identity protection app for every family member and every device – desktop PC, phone and tablet. The all-in-one solution offers all the features of the previous version, i.e. SAFE internet security and FREEDOME VPN, plus ID PROTECTION, which adds breach detection and underground web monitoring, the ability to create strong, unique passwords synchronised across every device and personal assistance for any customer who has their identity stolen. TOTAL also enables parents to enforce digital boundaries with Family Rules and remote device management through the parent app. F-Secure Executive Vice President of Consumer Security Timo Laaksonen said: “Parents who want to protect their kids, their devices and their data typically have to make 10 to 20 installations to secure a family. That’s not just a waste of time, it’s a huge barrier to effective protection. TOTAL reduces those installations by two thirds, resulting in a better experience and a more complete sense of security.” f-secure.com Twice as good The NEC Dual-Collaboration Room System from Sharp NEC Display Solutions Europe combines two identically designed displays – one interactive and one noninteractive – into a user-friendly system for team meetings. Shown for the first time at ISE 2022 in Barcelona, the first Du-Co Room System of its type will be available in 55in and 65in versions. www.sharpnecdisplays.eu
technologyreseller.co.uk 07 INNOVATIONS Hello Misty Furhat Robotics, the social robotics technology company spun out from the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, has relaunched Misty the robot, following its acquisition of US-based Misty Robotics earlier this year. The new platform is designed to be more intuitive and easier to use, with Python as its main programming language and a user-friendly drag and drop interface that is ideal for non-programmers in the education sector (students and teachers). The new Misty also boasts enhanced language skills that allow more complex, conversational interactions. Furhat Robotics CEO Samer Al Moubayed said: “The possibilities are endless, from helping students who are learning programming to assisting in making the classroom more inclusive and accessible. Beyond that, the applications for social robots are farreaching from social and health care to unbiased recruitment.” Flagship inkjet Brother has boosted the appeal of its flagship A3 inkjet X-Series with faster print speeds of 30 images per minute (up from 22ipm), a higher monthly duty cycle of 3,500 pages (up from 2,000 pages) and increased ink capacity. As well as reducing waste and energy consumption, the X-Series can contribute to the circular economy when used as part of a managed print service (MPS), which allows Brother to refurbish and redeploy devices. https://www.brother.co.uk/ Smart tap Green Custard, a Cambridge-based professional services company and AWS Advanced Consulting partner, is helping soft drinks company Britvic to reduce its consumption of single-use plastics by developing software for a new range of IoT-enabled drinks dispensers intended for deployment in supermarkets, large businesses and other high footfall locations. Part of Britvic’s strategy to reduce the carbon footprint of its products across their lifecycle, including refrigeration, transport and manufacturing, the Aqua Libra Flavour Tap is operated via a touchscreen interface built using AWS mobile, cloud and IoT capabilities. Once a user has selected the flavour and style of drink they want (still or fizzy), it is dispensed into the customer’s own bottle. www.britvic.co.uk Streamlined communications Union Street Technologies has added automated customer communications via email or SMS to its Affinity billing platform. The optional Automated Communications module helps communication providers meet certain regulatory obligations, such as the requirement to notify customers when their contract is coming to an end and advise them of the best renewal deals. Resellers can modify templates with their company branding; personalise communications by merging customer information held in the Affinity database; segment their customer base to ensure customers only receive communications relevant to them; and schedule communications according to certain triggers e.g. a contract renewal date or overdue payment. Product Owner Samantha Dennahy said: “Managing customer communications can be a time-consuming and repetitive task but by leveraging the wealth of data held in the Affinity billing platform, the Automated Communications module enables our partners to be consistent and proactive, effortlessly communicating with customers any time, any day.” unionstreet.co.uk Made for sharing Panasonic has updated its PressIT wireless presentation system with new features that make it easier for users to share content in meeting rooms, huddle spaces and classrooms. These are Wireless Display, which gives Windows users the option to share content straight from their device via a keyboard shortcut without having to plug in a Transmitter Dongle; and Multicast, which enables users to display information to multiple screens simultaneously. Panasonic PressIT allows up to 32 devices to be connected wirelessly and up to four presenters to display visual and audio content simultaneously, with crystal clear HD image resolution, zero lag on video playback and WPA2 AES128-bit encryption for data security. business.panasonic.co.uk/ visual-system/pressit-wirelesspresentation-system Instant alerts Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise has updated its OmniAccess Stellar Asset Tracking solution with AI/ML-powered algorithms that offer improved accuracy and customisable push-button alert buttons on the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) tags used for tracing individuals and critical equipment in indoor geofenced areas. With applications in healthcare, security and other sectors, the new alert button allows users to request assistance at the touch of a button. Notifications and real-time location data are sent instantly to the Alcatel-Lucent OmniVista Cirrus Asset Manager and distributed to the right person or group via a range of channels. These include Android push notifications to the OmniAccess Stellar Asset Tracking app, web push to desktop or mobile devices, email, SMS, Rainbow and other third-party systems, such as IQ Messenger. al-enterprise.com Samantha Dennahy
01732 759725 08 WORKING TOGETHER Following its success in accelerating growth with specialised Proofpoint partners, Tech Data is now taking Proofpoint’s tried and tested enterprise-grade email security solutions to the wider UK security partner community, with full onboarding and expert support from Tech Data’s Security practice. These include Proofpoint Email Protection solutions, which can be deployed as a cloud service or on premises; Proofpoint’s awardwinning Security Awareness Training; and Proofpoint’s enterprise portfolio including Insider Threat Management (ITM), Security Service Edge and Email Data Loss Prevention (DLP). Alison Nixon, Business Unit Director – Security, UK and Ireland at Tech Data, said: “Email protection is a vital element of perimeter defences for all organisations and we see huge potential for our security partners to grow with Proofpoint. We have sales and technical resources primed and ready to support partners, so we are ready to hit the ground running. We’ll be looking to work with existing partners and to bring on board new partners and help them capitalise on the strong and growing reputation that Proofpoint has for providing rock-solid email protection.” Tech Data’s dedicated security practice has a team of more than 40 experts who provide pre-sales business development and technical support to partners, plus a range of managed security services and, through the Practice Builder methodology, enablement and competency training that helps partners develop their own expertise and deliver value-added service to their own customers. Exertis has been appointed UK distributor of Nothing, a London-based manufacturer of consumer tech, including carbon neutral Ear (1) earbuds, launched in 2021, and Phone (1), a distinctive Android smartphone featuring a transparent back and a wireless charging pad with reverse charge capabilities. Paul Jacobs, Sales and Commercial Director for Mobility and Services at Exertis, said: “We are excited to add the originality and innovation of Nothing to our already extensive Android portfolio. Nothing’s ingenious creativity could see them grow exponentially.” Pax8 has added four newly developed email signature solutions from Exclaimer Group to its cloud marketplace for MSPs. Part of the Exclaimer suite, these are Signature Management Cloud, which enables email signature designs to be created and deployed to all users at the push of a button; Signature Marketing Cloud, which transforms email signatures into a new and measurable digital advertising channel; Signature Feedback Power Up, which provides tools to capture real-time feedback and take immediate action; and Signature Appointments Power Up, which allows employees to share their availability and accept new meeting requests from within their email signature. Ryan Walsh, Chief Operating Officer at Pax8, said: “Email signatures enable more brand awareness, standardisation and scale across the business. Through the partnership with Exclaimer, we are enabling partners to leverage innovative cloud marketing tools and add the solutions into their technology stacks. Exclaimer is the global leader in developing email signature solutions, and we are excited to offer their award-winning solutions to partners globally.” Exertis is bolstering its growing portfolio of Cloud vendors and solutions, with the addition of MigrationWiz from BitTitan. The fully automated SaaS solution enables customers to migrate email, files, public folders and other workloads from a wide range of source and destination endpoints to the Cloud quickly, securely and compliantly. It also includes Microsoft Teams and Hybrid Exchange Management capabilities. Lon Clark, BitTitan Director of Global Channel Sales, said: “Our commitment is to enable our partners with the solutions they need to ensure swift and secure data migration for customers. Together with Exertis, we are providing our partners with a single, best-of-breed cloud migration tool that’s capable of managing multiple cloud workloads. Whether migrating between instances of tenant-to-tenant environments or Microsoft Teams, MigrationWiz provides a seamless migration experience for end-user companies, ensures a high level of customer satisfaction and enables our partners to achieve continued business growth.” Following the completion of its acquisition of Tripp Lite, Eaton is expanding the existing, six-year-plus Tripp Lite distribution partnership with Ingram Micro UK to include the full range of Eaton backup, UPS and IT power distribution products alongside Tripp Lite power and connectivity products. Steve Bradbury, Unit Director – Enterprise Data Centre at Ingram Micro, said: “We’ve brought Eaton into our Advanced Solutions division to meet the increasing need from our server, storage and networking customers for worldclass data centre infrastructure solutions. Eaton has a wealth of expertise in single and 3-phase power along with power distribution and management. Now more than ever customers need to reduce their IT power usage. Eaton gives us a range of power management systems that integrate with the toolsets already used by Cisco, Dell and HPE users, allowing the IT manager to easily identify and reduce costs. We bring our experience of working with these vendors and their partners to Eaton. It’s a perfect synergy.” Nord Security is embracing the distribution channel for the first time through a global distribution agreement with Pax8. This will give resellers access to two of the company’s security solutions: NordLayer, an ISO-certified adaptive network access security solution that helps transition businesses to SASE (Secure Access Service Edge), implement zero trust and leave outdated legacy solutions behind; and NordPass, a password manager with state-of-the-art encryption, MFA and zeroknowledge architecture. Nuvias Group and Absolute Software, a leader in self-healing endpoint and secure access solutions, are building on their partnership across the Benelux and DACH regions and in the UK, through Cloud Distribution, a Nuvias Group Company, by giving resellers across Europe access to the company’s complete portfolio of solutions, extending the trust boundary from the endpoint to the network edge. Nuvias says the expanded relationship will give channel partners an opportunity to create a ‘hybrid work-in-a-box’ solution for businesses of all sizes with the flexibility of a SaaS consumption model. Working together This month’s round-up of new distribution agreements Alison Nixon, Tech Data Paul Jacobs, Exertis
technologyreseller.co.uk 09 NEWS : Distributors Spicers brand returns to wholesale office supplies market The 200-year-old Spicers brand is returning to the wholesale office supplies market following a seven-figure investment in strategic business supplies specialist OT Group by Paragon, which acquired the group and Spicers Ireland in May 2020. Paragon’s funding has been used to digitally transform finance, operations and sales order processes across the group, implement leading-edge automation in the firm’s Ashton and Dublin warehouses and further develop its SmartPad procurement engine. To help re-establish Spicers as a costeffective, digital-first solution for dealers, OT Group has recruited Group Operations Director Martin Weedall from Evo Group. He will work with an established team of Spicers personnel, including OT Group Procurement Director Scott Walker and wholesale experts Steve Morley (UK) and Martin Everard (Ireland). OT Group CEO Andrew Jones said: “We’ve taken a 200-year-old brand and made it fit-for-purpose in a constantly evolving wholesale market. Our Spicers team has over 100 years of collective industry experience, are in constant dialogue with dealers and understand what our market needs from suppliers.” Among the Spicers team’s first priorities are further investment to give dealers access to over 1 million products through its ‘extended range’ initiative and additional enhancements to the SmartPad procurement portal, including a complete audit trail of orders, visibility of order status and detailed order tracking. OT Group’s brands include Spicers, which stocks over 8,500 SKUs in depots in the UK and Ireland, Office Depot, OfficeTeam and ZenOffice. https://spicers.co.uk/ Andrew Jones Exertis reinforces commitment to inclusivity Technology distributor Exertis is reinforcing its commitment to inclusivity with the appointment of chairs for its newly formed Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) for Women, People from Ethnic Minorities and the LGBTQIA+ communities. Gemma Walters, General Manager for Microsoft at Exertis, chairs the ERG division for women; Manpreet Bath, General Manager for Datacentre & Commercial at Exertis, is leading the ERG for people from ethnic minorities; and Holly Chatton, Head of Data Governance within Exertis, is leading the ERG for LGBTQIA+ colleagues. Exertis has created the ERGs to champion, mentor and coach individuals from all genders, ethnic backgrounds and sexualities and to drive policy changes within the company. As well as providing a safe, supportive space for employees who share a common identity, the ERGs aim to educate the wider business about each community’s lived experiences and to increase representation of the communities at all levels of the business. Exertis UK Managing Director Paul Bryan said: “I am so pleased that we have these new ERG platforms starting within our business and I am very proud to see that our people are so engaged and enthusiastic with this approach. The more we learn, discuss and elevate these communities, the more we break down the taboos within society and create safe environments, allowing people to grow and achieve their aspirations.” www.exertis.co.uk Target Components ownership transferred to employees Target Components, a Yorkshire-based IT distributor, has transferred majority ownership of the business to its 60 employees through the setting up of an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT). The EOT will represent the interests of company employees who will have a representative on the EOT board. The Target board, led by Managing Director Michael Lawrence, will continue to manage the company but with a commitment to do so in the best interests of its employees, while continuing to serve the needs of customers. Lawrence said: “We have exciting plans for Target and the change in ownership is a significant milestone for us. The commitment, innovation and attitude of the team at Target have underpinned our successes and it’s fantastic for them to have an even greater stake in the future development of the business”. Previous owners Paul Cubbage and Ian Prescott will retain a minority stake within the business and operate as non-executive board members. Cubbage said: “Selling the company to the employees through the creation of the EOT ensures the stability of the business for the long-term and supports our desire for further growth. This move recognises the value that the Target team have delivered over the years and the pivotal role each individual will play as the business progresses under its new leadership.” www.targetcomponents.co.uk Lyreco pick final three micro-businesses for support programme Lyreco, the workplace products and services distributor, has announced the final three businesses selected for this year’s Lyreco Goodness Microbusiness Support Programme. Pro Earth, developer of a natural and sustainable pollution control product, PPE recycling service Staysafe and S’wheat, creators of a reusable plant-based water bottle, will join seven other companies on the support programme for UK and Irish microbusinesses motivated by a greater societal purpose. Each will receive a business support package worth more than £20,000 whch includes a bespoke page on Lyreco’s web-shop, marketing and communication support, a free catalogue listing for up to 10 products or services, preferred payment days and ongoing business support. Left to right: Amee Ritchie and Jake ElliottHook (S’wheat), Denise Brinton (Staysafe PPE), Alexandra Addison and Nicholas Addison (Pro Earth). Gemma Walters Manpreet Bath Paul Bryan Holly Chatton
01732 759725 10 NEWS : Distributors Goodwood return for Arrow Electronics and Sam Schmidt Arrow Electronics and paralysed racing driver Sam Schmidt continued their partnership at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, with Schmidt driving up Goodwood’s iconic 1.86km Hillclimb in a specially modified 2021 McLaren 720S Spider sports car. Modifications made by Arrow Electronics enable Schmidt, co-owner of the Arrow McLaren SP IndyCar team and former Indy Racing League driver, to drive the semi-autonomous motorcar (SAM Car) using head and mouth controls and voice commands. Infrared cameras mounted on the dashboard enable Schmidt to steer left by looking left and steer right by looking right, while a ‘sip-and-puff’ device enables him to accelerate or brake by inhaling or exhaling. Arrow also exhibited its SemiAutonomous Mobility (SAM) Suit exoskeleton at the Festival of Speed’s Future Lab and a prototype facial recognition steering system for the SAM Car that is in development and has been successfully tested at low speeds. fiveyearsout.com Westcon-Comstor partners of the year In June, Westcon-Comstor announced the winners of its 2022 Partner Awards at a ceremony in the Green Room in London attended by more than 80 UK and Ireland partners. Its FY22 award winners are IP Integration, UK Avaya Partner of the Year; Wavenet, UK Mitel Partner of the Year; LAN3 Ltd (part of Convergence Group), UK Extreme Partner of the Year: Ultima Business Solutions, UK Check Point Partner of the Year; IBM, UK F5 Partner of the Year; CAE Technology Services, UK Palo Alto Networks Partner of the Year; Charterhouse Group, UK Networking Partner of the Year; CDW UK, UK Security Partner of the Year; Blackstar Solutions, UK XaaS/UC Partner of the Year; Damovo, Ireland Partner of the Year; BlueFort Security Ltd, UK Emerging Partner of the Year; Sabio, EMEA Cloud Partner of the Year; and Maintel, Partner of the Year UK&I. WestconComstor.com Exertis renews Basingstoke Town sponsorship Exertis has renewed its sponsorship of Basingstoke Town Community FC for a second year, following a successful 2021/22 season. As Main Club Sponsor for 2022/23, Exertis’ branding will be displayed prominently on Basingstoke Town kits and the home and away shirts of all 16 of the Community Club’s teams. This year, Basingstoke’s adult kits will be made from 100% recycled bottles and a tree will be planted for each one sold. Basingstoke Town Chairman Jack Miller said: “Exertis has been a real asset to the Community Club and we’re absolutely delighted to be partnering with Exertis again as we look to build on this growing relationship for the good of the football community in Basingstoke.” Cyber security consultancy service launched by CMS Distribution CMS Distribution is bringing new revenue opportunities to resellers with the launch of CMS Powered by Quantum Evolve, a new cyber security consultancy and cloud service introduced in partnership with Quantum Evolve, a cyber resilience and security solutions service provider. Nick Bailey, Alliance Director at CMS Distribution, said: “With some agreed criteria, Quantum Evolve will arrange a free call with potential clients on behalf of VARs and MSPs to see what additional services they may need. Any chargeable work done by Quantum Evolve through CMS will always flow back through the introducing partner, as would any remediation on incremental procurement that the end customer requires.” Quantum Evolve CEO Mark Child added: “Quantum Evolve are thrilled to be partnering with CMS Distribution and are looking forward to working with their team and extensive partner base to bring leading edge services and solutions to their respective customers. We believe that this presents a significant opportunity for CMS and its partners to complement their already excellent portfolio of products and services.” www.cmsdistribution.com Exclusive Networks backs Cyber Hub Exclusive Networks has been named as one of the founding partners of the world’s first Cyber Hub set up by cybersecurity skills training company ThriveDX and cybersecurity investment firm NightDragon to address the cybersecurity talent shortage. Uniting educators, industry and government organisations in a mutually beneficial ecosystem, the Cyber Talent Hub powered by ThriveDX aims to provide a pipeline of trained individuals interested in a career in cybersecurity and to match them with employer partners with cybersecurity positions to fill. Jesper Trolle, CEO of Exclusive Networks, said: “Closing the cybersecurity talent gap is one of biggest challenges facing global businesses and governments today. With an estimated 2.7 million deficit in the global cyber workforce, it is going to take a huge effort to rebalance the cyber talent equation. Collaboration between the cyber industry, educational institutions and governments is critical to this effort and we applaud this move by ThriveDX and NightDragon.” Other founding partners include Carahsoft, Ingram Micro, Jacobs, Kyndryl, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Mandiant, Marsh, New York University, University of Chicago, University of Michigan and University of Wisconsin. http://www.thrivedx.com/cyberhub
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01732 759725 NEWS : RESELLERS 12 Node4 acquires ‘perfect fit’ risual Node4, backed by Providence Equity Partners, has strengthened its Microsoft Cloud capabilities and UK public sector footprint with the acquisition of risual, an IT managed services and solutions provider and Microsoft Azure Expert MSP employing 170 people in the UK. Node4’s acquisition of risual follows that of TNP in July 2021 and is part of a strategy to support strong organic growth with acquisitions that enhance its ability to provide end-to-end services and help UK businesses move to secure, cloudbased platforms. As a Microsoft Expert MSP accredited to major public sector digital and IT service frameworks including the Crown Commercial Service (CCS), risual brings significant expertise, skills, experience and revenue to Node4’s managed services business, strengthening its focus on all three Microsoft cloud platforms and furthering plans by Node4, itself an Azure Expert MSP, to create a Microsoft Centre of Excellence. Andrew Gilbert, CEO of Node4, said: “As Node4 evolves as a business delivering more cloud-led transformation services, risual represents a perfect fit given its track record, consultancy skills and managed services in the public cloud. With complementary Microsoft skill sets, Node4 and risual are ideally suited to deliver the change that matters for clients and the transformation outcomes they need.” Ball rejoins Cardiff IT community with Flotek launch Jay Ball, Founder and Managing Director of Welsh telecoms business Datakom, which he ran for 13 years prior to its purchase by Southern Communications Group, is flexing his entrepreneurial muscles once more with the establishment of a new IT, comms and managed service provider serving small to medium-sized businesses in South Wales. Flotek Group, founded by CEO Jay Ball, Financial Director David Middleton and Managing Director Malcolm Holland, aims to help SMEs transform their operations through the adoption of Microsoft cloud technologies offering enhanced security, flexibility and cost savings. Ball said: “For large corporations, IT digital transformation has already begun, but many SMEs in the area are unaware of the changes and technology available to them. Our focus is on ensuring these local businesses adopt next generation technologies. “With huge needs around security and cyber awareness in the workplace, we want to be the go-to for protecting customers and ensuring they have the right policies and systems in place. It’s exciting to be re-joining the regional market with Flotek Group, as there’s a real opportunity to supercharge SMEs with high-quality, scalable services, bringing together trusted technology in the cloud.” Alongside organic growth, Flotek’s management team has set out a buy and build acquisition strategy, headed by David Middleton, who brings five years of corporate finance advisory experience in the ICT industry. Ball added: “We’re excited for Flotek’s future; we’ve built a strong foundation, a well-structured management team and a robust strategy for organic and acquisition growth. The team is committed to helping regional SMEs embrace cloud technology through a structured digital transformation plan and reach their full potential whilst maximising the opportunities for the Flotek team to share in the business’ success.” www.flotek.io Urban Network service offering expanded with twin mergers Urban Network, a London-based MSP and outsourced IT solutions provider, has expanded its offering and geographic reach by merging with Birminghambased IT solutions and VOIP telephony specialist Heart Business Systems and Suffolk-based print and IT specialist Kerbury Business Centre. The merged company, offering fully integrated IT and business solutions from ‘best of breed’ providers, will operate under the name Urban Network. All existing sites, offices and operating locations will remain the same. Perry Ashby of Urban Network said: “This merger is an exciting and innovative step towards Urban Network redefining the concept of a full-service managed service provider. By pulling in the telephony and printing expertise of Heart Business Systems and Kerbury Business Centre, Urban can now provide an expansive offering covering all the IT needs of companies across the UK.” www.urbannetwork.co.uk n IT solutions provider Urban Network has donated £5,000 to men’s mental health charity ANDYSMANCLUB and chosen it as its Corporate Social Responsibility Partner for 2022. Set up to reduce male suicides, ANDYSMANCLUB provides a safe space where men can talk honestly without fear of judgement. Its support groups extend across the UK, from Honiton in the SouthWest of England to Wrexham in North Wales and Stenhousemuir in Central Scotland. Andrew Gilbert Netcompany recognised for commitment to social value Netcompany, an international IT services company based in Denmark with offices in the UK, has become one of around 50 companies in the UK to achieve Social Value Quality Mark certification for its commitment to social value. Run by Social Value Mark CIC, an independent social enterprise, The Social Value Mark is awarded to values-driven organisations that cultivate and achieve the highest standards in values-led business. There are four levels to the mark – Commit, Forecast, Evaluate and Embed – and Netcompany has been certified to Level 2. To achieve this it had to provide evidence of the positive impact of its social interventions and the social value strategy which underpins them, such as improving societal mobility, creating opportunities for under-represented groups in IT and fostering environmental sustainability, while also undergoing a rigorous audit process. Richard Davies, UK Country Managing Partner at Netcompany, said: “This journey is a big commitment, and we are already on track to achieve Level 3 by April 2023 and Level 4 by 2024. As a company, we deliver on society-critical projects and by digitising these public services we can help underserved communities.” www.netcompany.com
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14 01732 759725 NEWS : RESELLERS Everything Tech acquired by MITSG In its fourth acquisition in just over a year, Managed IT Services Group (MITSG) has acquired Manchester-based MSP Everything Tech, bringing the Boost & Cobacked Group’s total headcount to 100. Everything Tech addresses every element of a business’s IT infrastructure, including IT support, IT security, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, Office 365 and Cloud services, Backup and disaster recovery, IT training, Unified Communications and Microsoft Dynamics. Founded by former GCI Chief Financial Officer Mark Allen and COO Phil Smith, MITSG is a UK-based managed services provider with four specialist units: Cloud & Remote Desktop services, Networks & Security, Voice & Contact Centre and IT Support. Allen said: “Our vision has always been to provide SMEs with access to real experts across every aspect of managed IT provision. The acquisition of Everything Tech provides another part of the jigsaw that will enable us to bring our vision to reality. The brand that Ruth (Hall), Lee (Wrall) and Anthony (Hautin) have created is sector-leading and a genuine fit for our portfolio. After experiencing incredible year-on-year growth, we feel truly privileged to have the opportunity to take Everything Tech forward into a new and exciting chapter.” Everything Tech Managing Director Ruth Hall said: “We see this acquisition as the start of a very exciting period of growth for Everything Tech, as well as an opportunity for our existing customers to benefit from a comprehensive offering.” https://www.everythingtech.co.uk/ Jigsaw24 partners with SentinelOne In a new partnership with SentinelOne, IT solutions provider Jigsaw24 is to offer the company’s AI-powered macOS endpoint security products and fully managed services to its enterprise customers. Luke Bexon, Senior Business Manager at Jigsaw24, said: “Apple devices are increasingly popular in enterprises and with remote and mobile working becoming more commonplace ensuring devices are secure is essential. We want to make sure our enterprise customers feel confident and secure in the knowledge that their staff are receiving the absolute best protection and support available. “SentinelOne meets our stringent requirements for a macOS endpoint security solution, with a feature and functionality set that puts it far ahead of the industry as a whole. Working with them will help us overcome the security challenges holding back OS adoption.” www.jigsaw24.com Intercity acquires Chandler Communications Birmingham-headquartered IT services provider Intercity has acquired Northampton-based telecommunications provider Chandler Communications following a period of strong organic growth across its communications, cloud & security and managed services divisions and a 108% year-on-year increase in new customers since 2020. Established in 1986 by Perry and Jo Chandler, Chandler Communications is a family-run business with over 350 customers across the UK. Andrew Jackson, CEO of Intercity, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Chandler Communications to the Intercity Group. Having seen how this well managed business has grown over the last 30 years and the care the team put into building long-term partnerships with customers, we recognised the huge synergies between our two organisations. “Chandler is a great fit for Intercity and this deal is an important step in our long-term plan to grow through careful and considered acquisitions.” https://intercity.technology/ Econocom joins Lenovo elite Econocom Group has become just one of six organisations in EMEA to be accredited as a Lenovo Platinum Plus International Channel partner. The digital general contractor, which facilitates customers’ digital transformation through project financing, technology and digital services, has already achieved great success with Lenovo in France and its intention is to replicate that success in other European markets including the UK, Germany, Italy and Spain. In particular, it aims to leverage the Lenovo 360 framework to access PC and infrastructure products and services from across Lenovo’s commercial product, solutions and services offering. Neil Berville, Executive Director, EMEA Channel Strategy & Programs at Lenovo, said: “Lenovo recently announced that it has reached $70bn in revenue for the first time, largely driven through indirect partnerships. We rely on partners who have scale, an in-depth understanding of the market and the ambition to rapidly grow their businesses with Lenovo. The Lenovo 360 Framework helps partners to offer customers the entirety of our portfolio, across both our Intelligent Devices and our Infrastructure Services groups, something we know Econocom is keen to exploit.” www.econocom.co.uk Pictured left to right: Israel Garcia, International Deals Managing Director, Econocom; Irene Acedo-Rico, Executive Director, ISG Channel Sales, Lenovo EMEA; Angel Benguigui, Executive Managing Director, Econocom; Michael Schuck, Premium Resellers Sales Leader, Lenovo EMEA; Javier Alvarez Cano, Channel Sales Director, Lenovo EMEA Ultima strengthens security expertise with new acquisition Cloud, security and digital services provider Ultima Business Solutions Limited, owned by London-based private equity firm Apse Capital Limited, has followed its purchase of Just after Midnight in 2021 with the acquisition of The AntiSocial Engineer Limited. The AntiSocial Engineer combines social engineering and penetration testing assessments with educational phishing simulations, cyber security training courses and awareness campaigns to help organisations protect themselves against cyber-attacks. Ultima CEO Scott Dodds said: “We’re delighted to announce this acquisition. It strengthens our security expertise and will further help us protect our clients’ digital revenue and reputation round-the-clock.” https://theantisocialengineer.com/
technologyreseller.co.uk 15 BUSINESS BRIEFING As organisations re-evaluate their business space to meet the needs of hybrid working can our screen technology really keep up within our home working environment compared to our office environment? people of different heights and Auto EcoView sensors on the front of EIZO FlexScan monitors, which measure ambient light levels and adjust screen brightness accordingly, but also to clever software features that ensure a consistent experience when working at home or in the office. “One of the features on our FlexScan range is a piece of software called Colour Briefcase, which you load on your laptop,” explains Hadden. “This stores how you like to set up your monitor and when you take that laptop and plug it into another FlexScan monitor in a different location, it automatically applies your preferred settings. “If you like to run everything in sRGB mode, but like to view Word and Excel in our Paper Mode, which has a soft, sepialike tone that’s easier on the eyes, the software will change the settings on the monitor being used as soon as you open Word. If you then open Chrome, it will go back to sRGB mode because that’s the colour of the internet.” Tidy desk, tidy mind EIZO monitors also help home workers maintain a neat and tidy working environment with a single USB connection between the monitor and laptop, and the ability to daisy-chain up to four monitors with a single cable connection between each one. “We designed our single USB for hot desking, not really thinking about home working because it was less of a thing at the time, but as it happens it works beautifully for home working too. The single USB gives you a video connection but also power coming back into the laptop. Because it’s USB you also have the ability to plug a keyboard and mouse into the monitor,” explains Hadden. In addition, EIZO’s latest high-end ColorEdge monitors for colour-critical applications like graphic design and desktop publishing have an RJ45 network connection inside the monitor, providing the bandwidth and reliability of a wired network connection, and the flexibility to use them as endpoints in a VDI infrastructure. Demand for longer term solutions EIZO and Northamber believe that features like these, combined with EIZO’s standard 5-year warranty, have the potential to break the established technology cycle of ‘buying cheap and replacing often’. In the past, EIZO has had great success in selling to large organisations that prioritise total cost of ownership (TCO) in procurement decisions and are prepared to spend a little more on high quality, energy-efficient Japanese-made monitors that will save a lot more on energy costs and maintenance in the long run. With staff wellbeing and broader ESG goals rising to the top of the agenda, businesses of all sizes are having to take a more considered approach to IT procurement, which Hadden believes gives EIZO, with its focus on quality and ergonomics, a real advantage. “Compared to the cost of the person on the seat in front of it, the cost of the monitor is negligible. Just making someone 1% more efficient and encouraging them to spend 1% more time at their desk is worth at least £1,000. A monitor doesn’t cost anywhere near that.” To find out more about EIZO monitors from Northamber, please call us on 020 8296 7066 or visit https://northamber80970.ac-page. com/eizo for more details. Nothing annoys Dave Hadden, Head of Solutions at EIZO, quite as much as the assertion that ‘a monitor is just a monitor’. To him, it is like saying ‘a car is just a car’ and completely ignores the first rule of monitor buying, which is to choose a model based on the job you want it to do and where it is going to be used. “The breadth of range from EIZO now covers every requirement,” explains Mark Sumner, AV Technology Expert at Northamber. “It has the FlexScans range with built-in docks and it has a ColorEdge range with higher quality colour and more megapixels. They have a whole portfolio of products that really do fit every requirement and every application.” Bridging the gap between home and office Following feedback from the reseller community there is a need to promote EIZO monitors as tools to boost productivity and to meet their customers’ broader ESG and employee wellbeing goals, for example by giving flexible workers the same standard of ergonomics in their home offices that they enjoy in office environments. “The focus in organisations now is all around that work-life balance and giving employees products that support wellbeing regardless of whether they are at home or at work, and I believe the products coming out of EIZO give that,” says Sumner. Here, he is referring not only to ergonomic features, such as the industry’s largest vertical movement to accommodate Talking Technology: with EIZO & Northamber Mark Sumner Dave Hadden
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