Channel catch-up: News in brief

Synaxon

The industry group has been pursing a “Synaxon as one brand” strategy as it pulls the UK and German businesses into line under a single identify. As part of that process, the organisation has integrated UK website content into synaxon.com and renamed its Project Support service to Hub Enterprise Solutions. 

“These changes are about making it easier for partners to work with us and to grow,” said Mike Barron, managing director of Synaxon UK. “By unifying under one brand, we not only present a clearer story to the market, but also gain greater access to resources, expertise and back-office support from our colleagues in Germany – support that we can pass directly on to our partners.” 

Ricoh Europe

The vendor has cut the ribbon on its Unity Partner Programme, which has been designed to enhance partner collaboration and experience, and to accelerate digital transformation and growth for partners across EMEA. The programme has four levels: Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum as well as a series of specialisms across its portfolio.

David Mills, CEO at Ricoh Europe, said: “We are delighted to announce the launch of our new Partner Programme, Ricoh Unity, which reinforces our belief that strong partnerships are the foundation of innovation and growth. [The] launch underpins our commitment to continuously streamline and strengthen how we work together with our partners, while also delivering benefits that support their growth across EMEA and ultimately help deliver success to their customers.” 

Zyxel Networks

The vendor has made life easier for MSPs and their SME customers with the launch of a Pay as You Go (PAYG) online payment option on its Circle subscription management platform.

“Circle now offers the most comprehensive payment options in the industry, including a flexible PAYG option, and auto-renewal options (monthly and annual billing). This includes support for both online and offline transactions,” said Inchen Lin, assistant vice-president of Zyxel Networks’ Intelligence Cloud Center.

“We are launching a new PAYG model in direct response to partner feedback and have made license management as simple, flexible and scalable as our technology. This is about removing the entry barriers and giving our partners the tools and payment options they need to grow on their terms.”

SentinelOne

The security player has launched Managed AI Defense, an offering developed with MSP-targeted cloud marketplace specialist Pax8. The technology has been designed with SME needs in mind, proving AI-driven protection at a cost-effective option.

“Attackers don’t discriminate by company size and neither should world-class security,” said Tracy Ryan, area vice-president of global MSSP/MSP at SentinelOne. “This launch means that every business, no matter how big or small, can harness the power of AI to protect what matters most. Together with Pax8, we’re helping MSPs and MSSPs deliver real security outcomes for SMEs who deserve the same peace of mind as the enterprise giants.”

Sharp

The vendor has launched its Cyber Security Packages and a Microsoft Copilot Consulting Service to increase the data protection and AI support it can provide.

Simon Jefferies, director of technology at Sharp UK, said that the firm’s research had underlined how there was a need to increase security awareness around AI tools: “When AI tools are deployed without proper oversight and organisations operate without the minimum levels of cyber security protection in place, sensitive company data, intellectual property theft and compliance violations are very real risks. The goal we have with our new Cyber Security Packages is to simplify the basics of cyber security, ensuring our clients are protected above and beyond just the minimum levels they need.        

“We also want to help organisations adopt and onboard Microsoft Copilot in the most secure, efficient and holistic way for their specific needs. Effective AI use in the workplace isn’t just about introducing new tools. The cultural shift of AI use needs to be supported through training and confidence building for teams, whilst ensuring Copilot implementation is ROI-focused,” he added.