Channel catch-up: News in brief

Ignition Technology

The cloud and security services distributor has signed a partnership with Claroty to add cyber-physical systems (CPS) protection to the options it can put in front of resellers.

There are clear vertical markets, including industrial, enterprise, healthcare and public sector environments, where securing mission-critical infrastructure is essential. Growing awareness of the need to secure operational technology (OT) and internet of things (IoT) environments also underlines the need for tighter references. As a result, Ignition expects its latest addition to generate revenue opportunities for partners.

“We see a massive opportunity for traditional security partners to capitalise on the growing need for customers to protect mission-critical environments as IT and OT infrastructures converge,” said Sean Remnant, chief strategy officer at Ignition Technology.

“It takes an ecosystem approach to secure today’s interconnected, highly distributed and digitally driven organisations. The addition of Claroty’s CPS platform to our vendor portfolio, alongside the likes of CrowdStrike, will enable partners to truly differentiate themselves, add value to their customers, and generate new market opportunities. We’re excited by the possibilities that lie ahead.”

Lee Ealey-Newman, channel regional vice-president for EMEA at Claroty, said Ignition would be able to increase its channel reach across EMEA.

“Claroty has built a platform that redefines CPS protection by bringing unrivalled industry expertise to our technology, and we value the same level of expertise in our partners. Together with Ignition, we now look forward to redefining partner value,” he said.

Phoenix Software

The firm has been granted a Royal Warrant for Supplier of IT Managed Services, in recognition of its work with the Royal Household since 2012.

“Receiving this warrant is an honour and a testament to the hard work, integrity and dedication of everyone at #TeamPhoenix. It reflects the trust our customers place in us every day and reinforces our commitment to delivering exceptional IT managed services. Thank you to everyone involved,” said Clare Metcalfe, managing director of Phoenix.

“This comes after 10 years of working with the Royal Household and signifies our dedication in supplying them with best-in-class IT managed services. We take pride in building relationships of trust and adding ever more value over time, and we look forward to continuing to support their needs into the future,” she added.

Westcon-Comstor

The distributor has been certified as a Great Place To Work in the UK and 26 other countries, with the firm’s inclusive and people-centric culture being noted as a major factor.

This is the first time Westcon-Comstor, which employs more than 3,600 people around the world, has sought and achieved Great Place To Work certification in the UK.

“We are thrilled to achieve Great Place To Work Certification in 27 countries, including the UK, at the first time of asking,” said Erna de Ruijter-Quist, chief people officer at Westcon-Comstor. “We are very proud of the recognition. It is testament to the great culture which has been built over the years. We are equally clear that this is just the beginning. The real work starts now as we evaluate what our people have told us and make further improvements to our employee experience.”

Westcon-Comstor CEO David Grant described it as “an important moment” that “illustrates our success in creating a truly people-centric culture.”

He added: “Employee engagement is a key pillar in our strategy, because we acknowledge its value in empowering people to fulfil their potential while driving innovation and productivity gains, ultimately creating a more successful organisation.”

Sarah Lewis-Kulin, vice-president of global recognition at Great Place to Work, said that gaining recognition from the organisation was a “highly coveted achievement”.

“By successfully earning this recognition, it is evident that Westcon-Comstor stands out as one of the top companies to work for, providing a great workplace environment for its employees,” she said.

Utelogy Corporation

Connected workspace specialist Utelogy Corporation has announced a collaboration with audio-conferencing player Nureva to provide a wider offering to customers.

“We’re pleased to integrate our HDL310 and HDL410 systems with Utelogy’s platform and become part of the Utelligence Program,” said Nureva CEO Nancy Knowlton. “This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to continuous innovation that meets the evolving needs of IT professionals – delivering intelligent audio solutions that are easy to manage, deploy and scale in large spaces.”

In response, Nicole Corbin, vice-president of product at Utelogy, said it was committed to carving out a bigger slice of the audiovisual/unified comms market. “Through the Utelligence Program, we’re not only expanding our device ecosystem, but also ensuring enterprises have the insight and tools they need to optimise collaboration spaces at scale,” she said.