October 2018 Reborn in the USA Mike Norris on Computacenter’s new life as a transatlantic company 16 THE CHANNEL IMPACT OF THE US-CHINA TRADE WAR 10 DEVICE-AS-A-SERVICE MAKES HUGE STRIDES IN THE INDUSTRY 18 MALWAREBYTES’ METEORIC RISE FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS 20 Bring colour to your customers’ labelling VC-500W colour label printer CONTINUOUS USB WIRELESS AIRPRINT ROLL CONNECTION brotherzone.co.uk/vc-500w Introducing an exclusive new model from Brother’s Up to market leading labelling range: the VC-500W full colour label printer. Delivering increased standout and impact, it’s sure to be popular with customers everywhere. £30 • USB and Wi-Fi connectivity for PCs, Macs, Cashback* smartphones and tablets • Brand new 5m label rolls available in widths of 9, 12, 19, 25 and 50mm Order today from your usual and free 3 year Brother distributor warranty *End user cashback available until 31st October 2018, whilst stocks last New London House, 172 Drury Lane, London WC2B 5QR Tel: (020) 7484 9700 Editorial Editor Doug Woodburn 9817 [email protected] Content editor Tom Wright 9797 [email protected] Reporter Marian McHugh 9883 [email protected] The prices bite Channelnomics.eu Content editor Josh Budd 9854 Living in the UK, it is easy to forget comparing it to buying his house. [email protected] that the scope of global politics does He also tells us about the rationale Multimedia editor Nima Green 9781 in fact extend well beyond Brexit. behind the move for Misco’s last [email protected] But while our bumbling system is remaining business. Production trying to work out which day it is, In our second high-profile Production editor Amy Micklewright Donald Trump’s chaotic brand of interview of the month, Production executive Hyrie Mehmet 9779 politics crashes on. Malwarebytes CEO Marcin The president’s ongoing stand-off Kleczynski explains how infecting Advertising sales with China has stepped up a notch, his family computer with a virus Commercial director Matt Dalton 9896 with the US announcing further as a child was his light-bulb [email protected] Head of global sales Nina Patel tariffs against goods imported moment. After visiting old-school [email protected] into the US from China. The chatrooms and speaking to techies Global account director Jessica Feldman 9839 implications for the tech industry to successfully fix the machine, [email protected] are far reaching, with a substantial Kleczynski went on to found Account manager Jessica Richards 9923 number of the largest vendors’ Malwarebytes and employ those [email protected] products being manufactured and same people who had helped him. Incisive Media London assembled in China. On p18 we look at the rise of Group publishing director Alan Loader Vendors device-as-a- Managing director, Incisive Media including “Vendors have already service, with Jonathon Whiteley networking giants confirmed that prices Microsoft finally Juniper and Cisco confirming Circulation, back issues & licensing have already will rise, but the impact rumours and Address changes, circulation, subscriptions confirmed that entering the and back issues 0845 1551846, email on the UK and Europe is [email protected] prices will rise, market with To subscribe to CRN visit: www.wdis.co.uk/crn but the impact still unclear” an offering CRN is available for international licensing. on the UK and that bundles Contact [email protected] Europe is still very much unclear. up hardware and various bits of This month’s Spotlight assesses software. Adoption from end CRN is published monthly by Incisive Media, New London House, 172 Drury Lane, London, WC2B 5QR. the potential implications for users at the moment is relatively © 2018 Incisive Media the channel, with some resellers low, but we speak to partners expecting to absorb any price rises that are convinced we will see a Printed by Stephens & George Print Group. ISSN and some preparing to pass them sharp increase in uptake over the 1744-3156. on to customers. The issue is likely coming months. Printed on paper from sustainable sources in to linger, with Trump planning to Meanwhile on p22, we look into Scandinavia. For custom editorial reprints contact Wrights Reprints further hike tariffs in the new year. the future and ask security experts at +1 877 652 5295 (international toll-free) Email: Speaking of the US, to name the cybersecurity threats [email protected] Computacenter made its long- they expect to become more CRN is distributed free to individuals who meet the awaited North American acquisition prominent in 2019. publisher’s terms. Paid subscriptions UK £120, at the start of the month. We Finally on p30, we get the Europe $150, Rest of World £280 first heard rumours of this a year lowdown on MSP IT Lab’s All images are from www.istockphoto.com, unless stated ago, but didn’t quite have enough acquisition of Content and Code. information to publish a story. As ever, please get in touch with In this month’s Big Interview your feedback via ChannelWeb or on p16, Mike Norris opens up Twitter @CRN_UK. on the deal and its impact on the ■ Tom Wright is content editor at wider Computacenter business, CRN. OCTOBER 2018 CHANNELWEB.CO.UK 3 Contents SPOTLIGHT 10 FEATURE 14 As Donald How the channel Trump cracks is adapting to down on the change in Chinese goods, working times how will the and the rise in price war affect popularity of the UK channel? flexitime FEATURE 16 FEATURE 18 Fresh from his Is DaaS on long-awaited the path to US acquisition, becoming the Computacenter new normal for CEO Mike Norris the channel? talks about it to CRN FEATURE 20 EMERGING Malwarebytes’ TECHNOLOGY 22 young CEO and A round-up of founder reveals the security that he learned threats to look to code with the out for in the help of a For year ahead Dummies book CHANNELNOMICS INDUSTRY 24 VOICES 26 BearingPoint’s Josh Budd on Kiumars Computacenter’s Hamidian recent reflects on the acquisition, and advantages Romy Hughes of MBOs on digitisation INTERVIEW 28 WHAT I SEEK FROM MY IT Cisco’s Wendy SUPPLIERS 29 Mars discusses Nathan Andrew her priorities in of SJ Andrew & her new role as Sons talks about EMEAR channel what he wants boss from resellers OCTOBER 2018 CHANNELWEB.CO.UK 5 Make a Wish with APC and Win an Amazon Wishlist Valued at €1,000 Join the APC Channel Partner Program! Already a Partner? Don’t wait! Join the award-winning APC by Schneider Electric Channel Become a Select Partner and win a €1,000 wishlist on Partner Program to win a €1,000 wishlist on Amazon* and to gain Amazon!* Don’t hesitate! Level up your Partner status multiple benefits resulting from this exclusive partnership: to gain access to multiple financial incentives such as: • Personal account on our Partner portal. • Opportunity Registration Program (ORP). • Marketing materials, support tools and sales resources available • iRewards Program. on the portal. • Single Phase Trade-UPS Program. • Multiple trainings to help you differentiate yourself on the marketplace and elevate your Partner status. Have you heard about our new Edge Computing Specialisation and promotions? Become an Edge At APC by Schneider Electric, we’re committed to helping you turn Computing expert with APC by Schneider Electric market challenges into new opportunities through our evolving and double your chances in the monthly raffle! Channel Partner Program. To learn more To learn more and join the evolution! scan the QR code Contact your distributor *Terms and conditions apply. ©2018 Schneider Electric. All Rights Reserved. Schneider Electric | Life Is On is a trademark and the property of Schneider Electric SE, its subsidiaries, and affiliated companies. Things we’ve learned this month Five things we’ve learned this month 1. APPLE AND AMAZON ARE AT THE HEART OF A CHINESE HACKING SCANDAL Apple and Amazon found themselves in the middle of a political scandal, after Bloomberg claimed that the Chinese government had secretly installed microchips into servers manufactured by Chinese vendor Super Micro. Bloomberg, citing 17 sources, alleged that Apple, Amazon and the US government had discovered the breach in 2015 – a claim denied by all three parties. The vendor duo were reportedly among around 30 global firms that had purchased servers manufactured by Super Micro which contained the suspect chips. On the report’s publication, Super Micro saw its share price tumble by over half. Bloomberg claimed that the microchips, which are only slightly larger than a grain of rice, were inserted into the motherboards of the servers while they were being assembled by a sub-contractor. The Chinese government also denied the allegations. 2. INVESTORS COULD SCUPPER DELL’S PLANS 3. EXERTIS IS SHOWING U.S. THE MONEY Dell confirmed it has explored the possibility of a Ireland-based distributor Exertis conventional listing, after reports that activist investors made good on its pledge to could block its favoured route to the stock exchange. move quickly in the US market, After a lengthy consultation process, Dell announced announcing its second substantial plans to float on the New York Stock Exchange by North American acquisition. acquiring shares in the publicly listed DVMT stock The firm’s parent company DCC – a tracking stock which reflects the performance of acquired AV outfit Jam Group VMware. This transaction would see Dell Technologies at the end of September in a deal that valued the become a listed organisation once more. Canadian firm at $170m (£130m). However, activist investors have reportedly The deal adds Jam’s $323m revenue to DCC’s North scoffed at the plan, with Carl Icahn American sales, with the organisation now claiming to supposedly ready to dig his heels in.