THE MAGAZINE & ONLINE CHANNEL RESOURCE FOR VARS, IT RESELLERS & IT SUPPORT PROVIDERS www.technologyreseller.co.uk v22 · 2019 Growing Together Partner-first culture drives rapid growth at Virtual1 Q&A MOBILE VIEW FROM Jamie Farrelly bigs up Veritas COMPUTING THE CHANNEL Technologies’ June product Dynabook branding marks new James Doggart, CEO of mega-launch chapter for 30-year-old start-up Cloud Technology Solutions PAGE 30 PAGE 38 PAGE 40 Article TiTLE 2 01732 759725 MK6160 Nimans Cisco Smash Press Ads TechReseller.indd 1 10/04/2019 13:41 ISSN 2632-9301 (Print) ISSN 2632-931X (Online) COMMENT technologyreseller.co.uk v22 · 2019 Comment 04 What’s New An interesting column from Brother UK MD Phil Jones The month’s best new on page 18, in which he lists some of the advice he products and services would give his younger self. These nuggets of wisdom, 07 Distributor News based on his experience in the IT industry, would have Midwich Group opens been valuable at any point in the last 30 years, but Bracknell showroom seem particularly pertinent today. His advice to seek 12 Reseller News and take note of feedback, however challenging it New financial backer for 24 Communications 33 SD-WAN might be, and to be aware of one’s own prejudices, ASL Group The go-to company for New Masergy market ‘decision pathways’ and blind spots strikes me as being UCC analysis highly relevant now that more and more businesses are 26 UCaaS 36 Computing embracing teamwork and collaboration in the pursuit of The opportunity in Meet ‘the most exciting agility and innovation. enterprise-controlled end user computing SIMs product in decades’ Chris Griffiths, who contributes this month’s ‘I couldn’t do my job without…’ feature on page 21, has built a career 37 Compliance on creativity and innovative thinking, helping his clients ICO gets tough over foster both through a combination of training courses, GDPR ‘how to’ books, apps and software tools. How refreshing 38 Mobile computing of him to list as one of his favourite ‘work tools’ free time First dynabook-branded to ‘think, reflect and daydream’. I’m sure this advice will laptops launched in strike a chord with all those readers who took their work 16 Vendor News Europe Circular Computing with them on holiday this year. starts planting in California It has become something of a cliché in the IT world for 18 The Insider established businesses that have recently undergone Lessons I have learnt by 27 Collaboration a change of ownership, rebranding or other significant Phil Jones MBE Enhanced team working reboot to describe themselves as a 20-year-old, 30-year- old, whatever-year-old start-up (see page 38 for an 21 I couldn’t do my job with Dropbox and without… Microsoft Teams example in this issue). When established businesses 40 View from the with layers of bureaucracy, long-standing customer and Chris Griffiths’ favourite channel 30 Q&A supplier relationships, security, generous staff perks etc. work tools With Jamie Farrelly, VP James Doggart, CEO describe themselves in this way it is usually to give the 22 Cover Story of EMEA Channels at of Cloud Technology impression of innovation, agility and inventiveness. Is this Virtual1: the story so far Veritas Solutions credible or is it just a corporate version of the ‘boosterism’ 42 60 seconds… so loved by Boris ‘No Deal’ Johnson? On which subject, With Wilfred Wood, how long before he describes Great Britain as a 300-year- Managing Director of old start-up? Clackstone Ltd 43 People James Goulding New faces, new places Editor, [email protected] [email protected] Register online Editor: James Goulding Social Media and Web Editor: John Peters To receive your regular FREE printed copy of Technology 07803 087228 · [email protected] 07711 204011 · [email protected] Reseller Magazine simply fill in our online registration form Advertising Director: Ethan White Art Director: Nick Pledge 01732 759725 · [email protected] 07767 615983 · [email protected] at www.technologyreseller.uk/register Publishing Director: Neil Trim Advertising Executive: James Trim 01732 759725 · [email protected] 01732 759725 · [email protected] Join us : Follow us Group Sales Manager: Martin Jenner-Hall @techreselleruk 07824 552116 · [email protected] or [email protected] www.facebook.com/TechnologyResellerMag technology-reseller-magazine Read Technology Reseller online, on tablets and smart phones Technology Reseller is published by Kingswood Media Ltd., Amherst House, 22 London Road, Sevenoaks TN13 2BT • Tel: 01732 759725 Email: [email protected] www.technologyreseller.co.uk www.technologyreseller.uk No part of Technology Reseller can be reproduced without prior written permission of the publisher. If you no longer wish to receive Technology Reseller magazine © 2019 Kingswood Media Ltd. Design: Sandtiger Media www.sandtiger.co.uk please email your details to [email protected] technologyreseller.co.uk 03 INNOVATIONS 9 EDITOR’S CHOICE AWARD YEALINK: T5 Prime Business Phones Impenetrable no more The Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and International Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP), a coalition of WWF and Fauna & Flora International, are trialling a combination of Inmarsat satellite technology and handheld devices to collect data on endangered mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda. There are thought to be about 1,000 mountain gorillas living in the wild in protected parks, 400 in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and 600 in the Virunga mountains. With human population growth of almost 3% per annum, these areas are experiencing increased Sound shield pressure on space that can result in conflict between gorillas and humans, including New from Nimans, Yealink T5 Prime attacks on crops and people and poaching. Local members of the National Park’s Business Phones remove the need for Human Gorilla Conflict Resolution (HuGo) programme are trialling Inmarsat handheld any telecoms cabling thanks to built-in devices that enable them to record incidences of human-wildlife conflict in their local Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. In addition to flexible language. It is hoped that this, combined with visual tools and standardised reporting, connectivity options, the SIP phones will enable managers to act on information more quickly. Data collected by HuGo groups feature HD communications and Yealink is transmitted via satellite to UWA rangers and other HuGo members in near real-time Acoustic Shield technology, which uses and stored on a central UWA server. As part of the pilot, UWA will also trial the automatic multiple microphones to create a virtual transfer of data to its server via satellite networks. www.igcp.org • wwf.org.uk sound-shield between the speaker and their surroundings. This makes the phones ideal for noisy call centres and offices. www.nimans.net Feedback for all Unipos, a Japanese employee feedback and recognition app, is launching in Europe. Already used by more than 240 companies globally, the platform helps start-ups and growing companies establish and maintain a positive working environment by enabling employees to reward colleagues with virtual bonuses and claps in real-time and submit feedback on a public timeline. Existing user Andries Bellemans, Head of HR at Lisk, said: “We experienced significant growth in employee Another set of eyes size and needed new ways to hold our Body-worn camera specialist Edesix teams together and foster our core values. What’s New is introducing a new model for the Unipos has helped us to tackle that and policing and security sectors. The has provided a way to celebrate both the VideoBadge VB-400 has an IP67 big and the small wins.” ingress protection rating, full 1080p HD [email protected] recording capability, Bluetooth sensor monitoring for hands-free incident reporting, and built-in GPS functionality to simplify camera asset management across large estates. Other features include a full-shift battery life, Wi-Fi streaming, 120 degree horizontal field Automatic refills of view and haptic and audio feedback Epson has integrated its ink monitoring Turn 5G into WiFi alerts to show when recording has been The Vodafone 5G GigaCube wireless and cartridge ordering system with Amazon activated. www.edesix.com Dash Replenishment, enabling Amazon router is a portable, flexible alternative to customers to sign up for the automatic broadband for customers or businesses delivery of replacement Epson ink without fixed line connectivity that can cartridges. Mauro Bartoletti, Head of Retail, be used anywhere there is 5G coverage. Epson Europe, said: “Epson ReadyInk Offering speeds of up to 1Gbps, the plug with Dash Replenishment monitors ink and play device connects to levels and Amazon automatically sends Vodafone’s 5G network and out a new cartridge when one’s needed, provides Wi-Fi connectivity without the user having to do a thing. It’s for up to 64 devices within the hassle-free, pay-as-you-go solution for a range of 90 metres. The consumers wanting to stay topped up with GigaCube is available on a ink.” Customers only pay when new ink is fixed-term or rolling contract, needed and can pause the service at any with the option of unlimited time. www.epson.eu/ReadyInk data. www.vodafone.co.uk 04 01732 759725 INNOVATIONS Built to last Durabook, the mobile rugged solutions brand owned by Twinhead International Corporation, is launching a competitively priced, 11.6-inch, 1.2kg Windows 10 Pro tablet for workers in retail, hospitality, warehousing, logistics and field service. Suitable for use in almost any environment, the IP65-rated, MIL-STD-810G-certified device features a DynaVue sunlight-readable LCD screen with a 10-point capacitive multi-touch For the professional panel that can be used with a glove, stylus or finger, even if the screen is wet.