5 Companies That Came To Win This Week

The Week Ending Nov. 17

Topping this week's roundup of companies that came to win is Scale Computing, which pushed the technology boundaries of edge computing this week with its new hyper-converged system for edge computing environments.

Also making the list are Talari Netwoks for its plans to go 100 percent channel under its new CEO, Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Rackspace for providing a cost-effective alternative to public cloud services, IoT startup Rigado for providing channel partners with a connectivity solution for Bluetooth IoT systems, and Cloudistics for its new channel program that creates virtual data center opportunities for its channel partners.

Not everyone in the IT industry was making smart moves this week, of course. For a rundown of companies that were unfortunate, unsuccessful or just didn't make good decisions, check out this week's 5 Companies That Had A Rough Week roundup.

Scale Computing Leads 'The Edge' Charge With First Hyper-Converged System For Edge Computing

Scale Computing is doubling down on its investments in edge computing and established itself as a technology leader this week with the unveiling of the industry's first hyper-converged system that's purpose-built for edge computing environments.

The new HC3 Edge system is a turnkey platform that runs virtualized applications without the need for VMware in IoT or distributed environments. The system provides customers with the benefits of the vendor's HC3 hyper-converged, on-premises appliance in a small form factor that meets edge computing requirements.

The new system means that Scale now offers a single hyper-converged platform that spans on-premise, cloud and edge computing environments.

Talari Plans To Go 100 Percent Channel Under New CEO

Talari Networks named Dell veteran Patrick Sweeney the company's new CEO and the new executive plans on relying heavily on the channel as the SD-WAN market takes off.

Sweeney, in an interview with CRN, said he plans to move Talari Networks to a 100 percent channel model, working with more MSPs, VARs and agent partners. The company does more than 50 percent of its business through the channel.

The new CEO said his priorities include recruiting additional partners and expanding partner training and programs.

The channel is uniquely qualified to sell SD-WAN because customers need help implementing and operating SD-WAN systems from different vendors within their IT environments, Sweeney said.

HPE, Rackspace Team Up To Offer Public Cloud Alternative

Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Rackspace unveiled Monday what the companies are calling a breakthrough OpenStack private cloud service that offers the same pay-as-you-go economics of public cloud systems at a cost savings of 40 percent or more.

The new service is targeted at companies that are anxious to get public cloud economics in a secure, managed private cloud service.

HPE and Rackspace are touting the new service as the first pay-as-you-go, elastic, single-tenant OpenStack private cloud and say it fundamentally changes the public cloud versus private cloud debate.

Rigado Arms Channel Partners With Key Building Blocks For IoT Solutions

Internet of Things startup Rigado is investing in its channel partners in a big way with a new connectivity suite that helps them rapidly prototype Bluetooth 5 IoT solutions.

The suite, which is designed to make the IoT product design and development process easier while reducing the cost and risk of deployments, is available now to the company's systems integrator partners, as well as to manufacturers directly. Roughly half of the Portland, Ore.-based company's sales are through the channel, and Rigado is looking to grow that channel base, according to the startup.

The new IoT connectivity suite is comprised of connectivity "building blocks" including a new end device module, the BMD-340; a Vesta IoT Gateway; and cloud-based tools for secure deployment and updating.

Cloudistics Launches Channel Program Around Virtual Data Center Platform

Virtualization has been a driving force of IT in recent years. So Cloudistics wins kudos for formally launching a channel program this week to enlist resellers to bring to market a data center platform designed to simplify on-premises cloud deployment and operations.

Cloudistics' technology delivers composable private clouds with capabilities and economics intended to challenge the wave of public cloud adoption.

Cloudistics introduced a program for MSPs in June and the company's VAR, systems integrator and ISV partners have been champing at the bit to work with the company's hyper-converged infrastructure technology. The new channel program, a priority of channel chief Chris Myhill, who joined Cloudistics two months ago from Lenovo, will help them do just that.