5 Companies That Came To Win This Week

For the week ending June 26, CRN takes a look at the companies that brought their 'A' game to the channel.

The Week Ending June 26

Topping this week’s Came to Win list is Hewlett Packard Enterprise for launching its Ezmeral container technology, in a challenge to rivals Red Hat and VMware, and expanding its GreenLake offerings.

Also making the list are Apple for officially disclosing its plans to design its own processors for its Mac computers, Microsoft for a strategic acquisition that will boost the IoT security capabilities of its Azure cloud, HP Inc. for doubling down on its sustainability and diversity initiatives, and IoT security tech developer Armis for launching a new reseller program.

HPE Throws Down On VMware, Red Hat With Ezmeral Launch

Hewlett Packard Enterprise this week debuted its open-source, cloud-native Kubernetes container software brand, “Ezmeral,” as the company goes toe-to-toe with rivals VMware and Red Hat.

Ezmeral, the Spanish word for “emerald,” is HPE’s entry in the battle for leadership in the next-generation container software arena.

The new software is at the core of HPE’s multi-cloud platform for modernizing applications that can run on – and easily move between – the edge, the data center and the cloud. It essentially provides the Infrastructure-as-a-Service and Platform-as-a-Service that customers and partners can use to build a new generation of intelligent applications.

HPE also wins kudos for taking its GreenLake pay-per-use offering to the next level with the release of 17 standardized “building block” configurations for small, midsize and large businesses that take GreenLake beyond its more customization model. That’s expected to shorten the sales cycle for partners that work with GreenLake. HPE also debuted new cloud services for machine learning, containers, virtual machines, storage, compute and networking that are available through GreenLake Central.

Apple Unveils Its Own Processors For Macs, Signaling ‘Historic’ Transition Away From Intel

In a bold move to chart its own technology course, Apple will launch the first Macs with Apple-designed processors by the end of this year, beginning the process of displacing Intel chips in Mac computers.

Apple announced the long-rumored shift to in-house chips at the company’s Worldwide Developers Conference 2020 this week. The transition is expected to take two years and will include an emphasis on improved performance, CEO Tim Cook said in a conference keynote.

Apple already designs its own ARM-based processors for its iPhones and iPads. The company will leverage that expertise to design processors for the Mac that offer high performance and low power consumption.

Microsoft: CyberX Acquisition Will Boost Azure IoT Security

Microsoft this week confirmed that it is acquiring industrial IoT startup CyberX in a move that will add to its Azure IoT security offerings and expand the scope of the devices it covers.

Published reports said the deal, which has been rumored for weeks, is worth $165 million.

While Azure already boasts multi-layer IoT security and IoT monitoring, the CyberX technology will expand Azure security to devices used in industrial IoT, operational technology and infrastructure.

HP Doubles Down On Sustainability And Diversity

HP this week released its 2019 Sustainable Impact Report and its inaugural Human Rights Progress Report, detailing the company’s progress in its sustainability and its diversity and inclusion initiatives, and revealing several new goals for accelerating those efforts in coming years.

HP reported that hiring from underrepresented groups accounted for 63 percent of all hires in 2019, up from 57 percent the previous year.

The company set new goals including a commitment to double the number of Black and African American individuals serving as executives at the company by 2025.

HP also plans to greatly reduce the amount of single-use plastic packaging that comes with its products and increase the amount of post-consumer plastic used within its products.

Microsoft likewise wins kudos for its announcement this week that it will work to bring more Black- and African American-owned solution provider businesses into its U.S. partner community, including creating a $50 million partner fund to provide such businesses with access to capital.

IoT Security Vendor Armis Launches Services-Focused Partner Program

IoT security tech developer Armis is going all-in on the channel, launching a new reseller program this week that aims to help partners build services around the company’s agent-less device security platform.

Armis said the new Armis Reseller Channel (ARC) program will help create long-term profitable growth for partners through expanded benefits like joint marketing and a program to help resellers build services on the Armis software.

The move follows the company’s strategic decision earlier this year to become “channel-first” under channel chief Peter Doggert, a former Symantec channel executive.

ARC will focus on partner education, opportunity development, accelerating profitability and driving innovation. The program, with Platinum and Gold membership tiers, will offer such resources as business development funds, product roadmap briefings and priority support escalation.