It’s a busy week, with World Password Day on Thursday, and, of course, Mother’s Day on Sunday. Here are two options to mashup both days. First, you can take that paper your mother keeps under the keyboard with all her passwords and laminate it for her. Second, change all your passwords by adding Mom to the end. Or m0m—your choice.
News from Dell Technologies World. Private cloud here, public cloud there, endpoints everywhere, and on-premises elsewhere could be the Dell slogan. Its APEX portfolio buffs up with Dell APEX Cyber Recovery Services, the first of a new series of APEX full stack solutions. Or maybe you need Dell PowerProtect Cyber Recovery for Microsoft Azure instead? In the Azure Marketplace. Similar news for CyberSense for Dell PowerProtect Cyber Recovery for AWS.
What needs Cyber Recovery Services? All that data on Dell PowerStore, PowerMax, and PowerFlex systems, which combined, received more than 500 software advancements. Better application performance, more capacity, resilience, and automation.
More data storage options? How about the new Dell and Snowflake partnership that integrates Dell’s enterprise storage tools with the Snowflake Data Cloud?
News from other big shots. Security improvements are always welcome, so small and midsize businesses should appreciate that the Microsoft Defender for Business stand-alone version is now generally available.
Hybrid working conditions, whether here, or there, or everywhere, need new tools. Say hello to new HP Elite Chromebooks (sample pictured moments before having coffee spilled on it) and HP Thin Client offerings, in mini-desktop or laptop form for mobile users.
Let’s get vertical with the launch of Manufacturing Data Engine and Manufacturing Connect from Google Cloud. Connect siloed assets and link data from the factory floor to the cloud.
Others might prefer the new integrations between Google Workspace and the SAP S/4HANA Cloud. Link Google Docs and Sheets, exchange data between the platforms, and add version control.
If you need endpoints and prefer virtual desktops, the new Citrix DaaS solutions are in the Google Cloud Marketplace. Both Citrix DaaS Standard and Premium versions are ready to go.
One good way to find young talent is to train them in school. The NetSuite SuiteLife Campus talent development initiative should help with that, and they encourage partners to get involved.
Other product news. Ready to move from data protection-as-a-service to business-class disaster recovery? The new Cove Data Protection from N-Able is now an option. Appliance free and direct-to-cloud.
Zomentum’s sales acceleration application, Zomentum Grow, now integrates with HaloPSA.
Augmented reality fans will appreciate the launch of AiStudio from TeamViewer, a fully integrated AI add-on to its enterprise AR platform Frontline. Oh, look, a self-learning algorithm.
Speaking of endpoints, the new Syxsense Enterprise IT management and endpoint security tool with real-time vulnerability monitoring and instant remediation for all endpoints is available. Combines Syxsense’s Secure, Manage, and Mobile Device Manager.
If mom gets insulted about your offer to laminate her password cheat-sheet because she’s an enterprise IT security officer, offer her the newly upgraded BIO-key MobileAuth from BIO-key International. Works across multiple authentication systems.
Non-product vendor news. It’s a double promotion at Arrow, as CEO Michael Long becomes executive chairman of the board of directors and Sean Kerins takes over as president and CEO.
Who’s that walking up the red carpet at Intel? Matt Poirier (pictured), joining as senior vice president of corporate development.
The welcome mat at TBI is for Vincent Gagliardi, the new business development manager for the Southeast territory.
Pax8 now offers its partner MSPs cloud-based network monitoring after signing an agreement with Domotz.
Impartner and The Sherpa Group teamed up to offer Partner Relationship Management along with bespoke services via channel growth specialists.
The Axonius Correlate Partner Program has a new web portal called the Axonius Partner Xchange, created with Impartner.
Verizon Business and Extreme Networks teamed up on Verizon’s International Stadium and Venue Practice.
Xerox Services will market IGI CyberLabs’ Nodeware and S2 from SecurityStudio, and focus on K-12, higher education, state/local governments, and more.
Carnegie Mellon University’s Security and Privacy Institute will help Aryaka research new threat mitigation techniques for enterprise networks.
This week’s stats ticker:
GoTo commissioned Frost & Sullivan to survey 1,000 businesses with fewer than 1,000 employees for its SMB Flexible Work Study 2022. Responses came from the United States, United Kingdon, Australia, Germany, Italy, and India and found that 76% of SMBs say the adoption of flexible work models increased their IT workload. 43% said IT jobs became more difficult as well, with more responsibility and scrutiny. The scramble for tools to support remote work has, for 95% of survey takers, become a search for ways to consolidate their tools this year. Many are in the evaluation stage now. This led to IT budgets skyrocketing in four of five organizations, and in 2022 budgets increased in 77% of companies, but fell in only 4%. The investments must continue since staff turnover is significantly lower in a hybrid model (22%) than in completely remote work situations (43%), and office-based models (44%). 78% say hybrid/remote work means more productivity, and 77% claim a very positive impact on company culture.
The Q1 2022 Phishing and Malware Report from Vade brings some expected but unpleasant news. First, malware jumped after a slump in December 2021 to 32.9 million malware emails in March of this year, a 201% increase month over month, and a 48.3% increase year over year. Phishing was up 46% to 29.8 million in March, and Microsoft “”wins”” as the most impersonated brand to lure users, up 98.9% this past quarter. Facebook, formerly #1, slid to the third slot, followed closely by WhatsApp. The financial services industry remains the most impersonated of all, with nearly a third off all branded phishing pages analyzed. Current events, like the invasion of Ukraine and tax season, inspired more and more phishing attempts.
The Hybrid Performance Review of 5,000 U.S. employees and employers from Poly reveals 63% of workers are resisting the return to the office, meaning hybrid is here to stay, even though 65% of employers are pushing for a return. 72% of workers say employers can do more to create a uniform experience between in-office and remote workers. Lousy video conferencing tools (17%) and poor audio or faulty headsets (16%) created frustrations. Only 28% of workers and 35% of business leaders say they have an equitable experience for local and remote workers, perhaps because only 36% of employers say they provided adequate technology for remote workers. Only 35% created new collaboration spaces to bring equality to meetings. 71% of employees said working from home suits their personality type better, and the same percentage reported it also positively affected their performance.
Twin stampede. Do you know any twins? Any triplets? You know a bunch if you’re in the graduating class of any of the high schools in the Mansfield, Texas, Independent School District outside Fort Worth. This graduating class features 35 pairs of twins and one set of triplets.
That’s not the record, believe it or not. The most twins in the same academic year at one school was 45, with one set of triplets, at New Trier High School in Winnetka, Ill., back in 2017.
Photo: KTVT
