5 Companies That Came To Win This Week

The Week Ending Aug. 18

Topping this week's roundup of companies that came to win is storage system vendor NetApp for its acquisition of Greenqloud, a move that strengthens its position in the booming market for hybrid cloud services.

Also making the list are IoT security startup ZingBox, for a successful funding round; Webroot, for its acquisition of a training platform that MSP partners can offer to educate customers about security risks; Tenable, for launching a new channel program around its cloud-based vulnerability management platform; and industry veteran and channel icon Frank Vitagliano, for his induction into the IT Hall of Fame this week.

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 Five Companies That Had A Rough Week roundup.

NetApp Acquires Greenqloud, Boosts Cloud Management Offerings

Storage systems vendor NetApp took a major step to boost its position in the market for hybrid cloud data services this week when it disclosed its acquisition of Greenqloud, a Reykjavik, Iceland-based developer of technology for enterprise-scale cloud management.

The acquisition comes as NetApp prepares to enter the hyper-converged infrastructure systems market later this year.

Startup Greenqloud develops a cloud services orchestration and management platform for hybrid-cloud and multi-cloud environments. CEO George Kurian (pictured) said the acquisition provides NetApp with "a scalable architecture, unique technology, and expertise that enhances our ability to integrate and deliver cloud data services."

IoT Security Tech Developer ZingBox Snags $22 Million In Financing

ZingBox, which makes technology for securing Internet of Things devices in vertical industries such as health care and retail, raised $22 million in Series B funding this week.

The company plans to use the financing to accelerate product development, expand its market reach and build out its channel operations.

ZingBox's main product, IoT Guardian, uses machine-learning capabilities to discover and assess risk, baseline normal behavior, detect anomalous behavior and provide real-time monitoring across customers' IoT devices.

Networks of IoT devices are seen as being especially vulnerable to security threats such as distributed denial of service attacks. ZingBox is well positioned to address those threats and this week's capital infusion will provide it with the resources to make that happen.

Webroot Acquires Security Awareness Training Platform, Launches Service For MSPs And Businesses

Often the weakest link in cybersecurity isn't the technology, it's the people. Webroot understands that, so this week the security technology developer took a significant step to expand its security training offerings for its MSP partners and customers by acquiring the assets of Securecast, a developer of a security awareness training platform.

Webroot is using the Securecast platform to launch its own Webroot Security Awareness Training service to help businesses reduce the risks and costs of phishing, ransomware and other cyberthreats through end-user education.

The new service provides Webroot's MSP partners with the opportunity to offer security training to their customers.

Tenable Launches Channel Program To Help Partners Drive Cloud, IoT Security Sales

Tenable, developer of a cloud-based vulnerability management platform, wins kudos this week for launching its Tenable Assure partner program aimed at equipping partners with the marketing, training and deal registration ammunition they need to drive new business in the security arena.

Chris Peterson, Tenable's channel chief, told CRN that solution providers who can serve as strategic advisors around cloud, mobile, IoT and DevOps are critical to Tenable's go-to-market strategy.

The Tenable Assure program goes live Sept. 1.

Channel Legend Frank Vitagliano Named To IT Hall Of Fame

Frank Vitagliano, who developed a reputation for his ability to forge long-lasting relationships in the rough-and-tumble IT sales trenches through four decades in the IT industry, was inducted into the IT Hall of Fame this week.

Vitagliano is a 33-veteran of IBM who went on to hold leadership roles with Juniper, Dell and – most recently – Computex Technology Solutions where he is president and CEO.

In a speech Tuesday at his induction ceremony at The Channel Company's XChange 2017 conference in Orlando, Vitagliano said he was thankful for his family, and credited a number of mentors and colleagues for influencing his career.