Many UK firms feel they lack skills to deal with cyber threats
Almost half of UK organisations do not feel that they have access to the in-house skill set necessary to deal with current cyber threats, according to research from Databarracks’ 2016 Data Health Check. Two-thirds of those surveyed had been affected by a cyber threat in the past 12 months, but only 53% of those asked felt that they had enough cyber-security skills in-house to deal with the issue. With the rise in cyber threats and the increase in sophistication of attackers, a third of respondents are reviewing policies and making changes following an attack, as opposed to the lower 29% in 2014.

Jamf extending channel reach Apple device management specialist is looking to work with managed service providers and security players to get in front of more customers

Softcat trading update signals growth is on track Channel player’s brief insights into how its third quarter has fared will provide further reassurance for those channel watchers looking for signs of economic resilience

Adam Binks steps down as SysGroup CEO After five years at the helm of the business, the chief executive reveals he has decided now is the right time to move on

Hellawell joining Gamma board Former Softcat boss has been named as the next chair at comms player Gamma as the business looks for further growth

Epaton keen to sound death knell for tape Channel player argues now is the time to get the remaining users of tape to shift towards alternatives

BT Wholesale exposes digital shift opportunity Comms player exposes customer investment plans and the importance of channel relationships

Westcon-Comstor underlines benefits of security and networking focus Distributor shares financial results that show the benefits of operating in resilient areas that are continuing to grow

Bytes delivers strong full-year numbers Channel player plugs into strong demand for security and cloud across its customer base and talks of further growth opportunities

SAP connecting consultants and partners Vendor’s talent portal aims to make it easier for the channel to find expert staff and plug skills gaps

Dell expands Apex options Vendor’s as-a-service portfolio gets more storage, PC action and cloud compatibility

AI and automation growing channel revenue streams Sage research highlights the importance of emerging technology areas for securing future channel growth

Logicalis CEO: Sustainability efforts being accelerated The threats to the planet are mounting and efforts to reduce carbon are continuing at channel player Logicalis, with the firm taking a managed services approach to helping customers improve their positions

Veritas and Dynatrace using programmes to drive channel to cloud Vendors using training, certifications and incentives to reward those that line up behind their cloud priorities

Channel widens supplier relationships to extend choice In the hunt for products at a good price, the procurement ecosystem has widened – but that has caused its own problems

IaaS revenues dip but bounce-back expected A drop-off in revenues in the first quarter is a feature of a cyclical market and should not concern the channel too much

Big consultancies snapping up channel talent EY and Accenture have each dipped into the mergers and acquisitions space to add more services and technical capabilities to their offerings

Alibaba Cloud signals ambitions to bolster global partner network Firm uses channel event to outline the incentives and support it is offering as part of a push to widen its indirect base

Customers will continue to rely on channel talent Outsourcing study indicates that investment in external support will increase in many cases as users struggle to find skilled staff

Panasas, DataDome and Zebra leaning on partner programmes Vendors Panasas, DataDome and Zebra looking to drive growth and line up partners behind technologies experiencing strong customer demand

Riverbed hands MSPs digital experience managed net offering Vendor is continuing to increase its activity in the unified observability market with its latest programme for managed service partners

Westcon continuing to focus on sharing data insights Distributor has placed value on sharing customer and market insights with channel to drive further growth

Adobe shines light on SME employee tech frustration Channel has a role to play in helping customers improve productivity through the adoption of more digital technology

Cisco responds to channel requests with finance offer Vendor introduces financing programme to make it easier for customers to buy now and pay later on a wide range of products and services

Exclusive Networks enjoys a strong start to the year Distributor shares first quarter numbers that indicate the business remains in growth mode

BlackBerry offers lucrative incentive for fresh logos Vendor claims it has devised a channel first with its latest partner incentive scheme

BT bolsters security offerings Comms player’s relationships with CyberArk and Ivanti add more managed security options and SME protection

Channel roundup: Who’s gone where? The second quarter starts with momentum in another week of personnel changes

IT Priorities 2023: Customers continuing to turn to MSPs The channel is seen as a solution to a range of IT challenges, including security and cloud management

Kaseya beefs up security on IT Complete platform Managed service specialist offers more functionality as it integrates technology from some of its recent acquisitions

WatchGuard adds more options to FlexPay Vendor responds to channel feedback to ensure it can provide the flexibility partners are looking for

Infinigate rebranding setting up the next phase of growth Distributor talks of ambitious plans to expand the business as it rebrands operations

Calls for government to tackle late payment issue An open consultation of legislation closes tomorrow, with some in the industry viewing it as an opportunity to get tougher and act smarter around the problem

DataSolutions surfs security and cloud wave Distributor shares revenue growth numbers for past fiscal year and expects market momentum will continue in commercial space

FluidOne buys again and Leading Resolutions undergoes MBO Changes in business ownership continue to be a feature of the evolving channel landscape, with FluidOne snapping up project five, and Leading Resolutions building on growth with a management buyout

NetApp UK channel boss looking for market share The recently appointed channel lead is keen to work closely with partners to unlock more growth

Channel round-up: Who’s gone where? Several senior positions have been filled in the past working week as experience is sought across the industry

TD Synnex cuts ribbon on finance operation Distributor will start in the UK with Capital offering before rolling it out across more European countries

A weak ESG stance will lose channel business Research from OVHcloud and the Cloud Industry Forum adds to growing evidence that sustainability is becoming a business maker or breaker

Fulcrum IT adds UK depth with Viadex Global buy Ambitions to get to $1bn revenues includes adding managed service players to the portfolio