5 Product Releases And Why They’re Good for the Channel
Every week there are so many new product and service launches that it can be difficult to see how each one impacts channel partners. The VAR Guy put together a list of some of the most significant announcements of the week to illustrate how channel partners can benefit.
Every week there are so many new product and service launches that it can be difficult to see how each one impacts channel partners. The VAR Guy put together a list of some of the most significant announcements of the week to illustrate how channel partners can benefit.
1. BitCasa Advances Native Cloud Storage Efforts
Bitcasa is working to eliminate the need for local storage with the launch of its CloudFS software driver, which allows any device to access cloud storage at the OS level, according to the announcement. Bitcasa said CloudFS uses the cloud as its primary storage location, which in turn allows partners to natively cloud-enable devices.
Why It’s Good for the Channel: Although the eventual demise of local storage could be troublesome for the few companies still turning a profit from the sale of physical storage, Bitcasa’s latest offering is yet another development that will eventually make the cloud ubiquitous among enterprise companies, which hopefully will translate to more secure data storage for all.
2. AT&T To Provide Partners with More IoT Opportunities
AT&T Partner Exchange recently announced its plan to launch an Internet of Things (IoT) platform as part of its existing mobility portfolio. The solution, called AT&T Control Center, is expected to help solution providers deploy, manage and scale their IoT solutions via the AT&T 4G LTE network while also supporting the sale of IoT solutions across multiple verticals.
Why It’s Good for the Channel: AT&T’s claim that it is the first vendor program to offer resellers “a true business-to-business mobile resell opportunity” could open the door for more telecom companies and vendors to expand their IoT offerings as well. And more IoT resell possibilities ultimately means more growth for the channel as a whole, especially as mobile solutions continue to grow in relevancy.
3. Altera Adds New Features, Functionality for MSPs
Remote Monitoring and Management and Professional Services Automation solution developer Altera has added several new features to its platform to help MSPs improve their efficiency and profit margins. The new features include the addition of PowerShell scripting task automation and configuration framework from Microsoft as well as monthly client reports. Integration for Zapier, Citrix GoToAssist and Check Point Firewall have also been added.
Why It’s Good for the Channel: Anytime a company adds additional features to an existing offering without changing their pricing model is a win for members of the channel community, since they can effectively offer more services to customers without negatively affecting their bottom dollar.
4. Barracuda Slashes Storage Prices for Cloud Backup
Barracuda Networks (CUDA) announced a slew of new product and service offerings this week, namely the addition of new pricing models for its Barracuda Backup Vx and Barracuda Cloud-to-Cloud Backup solutions. Beginning immediately, Barracuda Backup Vx can be deployed as a virtual appliance starting at $599 for a per-socket software prescription. Additionally, Barracuda Cloud-to-Cloud Backup is available as a standalone subscription beginning at $20 per user/year, according to the announcement.
Why It’s Good for the Channel: Anytime a company looks to actively undercut the established pricing model for a good or service by slashing prices, their competitors are sure to follow suit, which ultimately creates savings for channel partners and their end users.
5. MapR Helps Customers Increase Processing Speeds
Converged Data Platform provider MapR Technologies announced a new Stream Processing Quick Start Solution to enable customers to manage and speed up their event processing streams. The solution, which is available immediately, is expected to help MapR customers adjust their event streaming capabilities to meet the increasing demands placed on applications and analytics by the growth of the IoT, according to the announcement.
Why It’s Good for the Channel: While the growth of IoT devices and applications is healthy for the growth of the channel, customers will also need solutions to help them manage the influx of new products connected to the network. MapR’s solution could help even out some of the initial problems that are bound to appear when hundreds and thousands of new devices attempt to connect to the web at once.
