Contact Center Provider NICE Joins Microsoft’s Business Apps ISV Connect Program
NICE, among the leading contact center platform providers, this week said it has joined Microsoft’s Business Applications ISV Connect. The program is designed to let partners build and bring line of business applications to market on Microsoft’s Dynamics 365 and Power Platform. Microsoft’s Business Applications ISV Connect program gives ISVs tools and support resources to facilitate the development, publishing and marketing of their apps. According to NICE, by joining the program customer service organizations can integrate NICE CXone, the company’s cloud-based omnichannel contact center as-a-service (CCaaS) platform, with Microsoft Dynamics 365, with a unified agent interface. By joining Microsoft’s Business Applications ISV Connect, NICE and its channel partners will have access to prioritized technical support from Microsoft, as well as go-to-market programs including proactive services, workshops, and training resources.
Reports: Veteran AWS Exec Charlie Bell Has Joined Microsoft
Former Amazon Web Services senior VP Charlie Bell has joined Microsoft in an unspecified role, according to multiple published reports. Though Microsoft hasn’t confirmed the hiring Bell, the Wall Street Journal reported it has verified that he is now a Microsoft employee. The move is particularly noteworthy because Bell, a 23-year Amazon veteran who joined the AWS group at its inception, was a contender to lead the cloud business after its previous head, Andy Jassy, replaced Jeff Bezos as CEO of Amazon. Instead, Jassy tapped former Tableau CEO Adam Selipsky, to lead AWS. Bell, who reportedly left AWS earlier this month, nor Microsoft have acknowledged the move, perhaps because Amazon’s history of taking legal action to prevent former employees from joining rivals.
Comcast Business to Acquire SDN Provider Masergy
Comcast Business is fleshing out its business communications portfolio with its agreement to acquire leading software-defined networking services provider Masergy. Terms of the deal, announced this week, were not disclosed. But the acquisition aims to boost Comcast Business effort to offer communications, networking and managed security services to enterprises and mid-sized organizations. Masergy, which said it has more than 1,400 customers in 100 countries, brings its portfolio of services to Comcast including managed SD-WAN, unified communications-as-a-service (UCaaS), CCaaS and managed security offerings. The acquisition promises to boost Comcast’s business fiber networks.
NVIDIA Ships Software for VMware vSphere Servers Optimized for AI
Organizations looking to build AI and machine learning models and run the resulting workloads on-premises can do so with NVIDIA Certified Systems from to, Dell Technologies, GIGABYTE, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Inspur, Lenovo and Supermicro. The GPU provider’s new NVIDIA AI Enterprise, announced in June at the annual Computex event, consists of AI tools and frameworks that can run the models and workloads on virtualized VMware vSphere servers. NVIDIA and VMware had announced a partnership a year ago to enable these solutions. In addition to offering the validated solution on the NVIDIA Certified servers, Dell Technologies introduced the first hyperconverged infrastructure appliance with NVIDIA AI Enterprise. The Dell EMC VxRail is an automated HCI platform that offers single click, full stack lifecycle management (LCM). NVIDIA also announced that it has validated the Domino Data Labs’ Domino Enterprise MLOps Platform with NVIDIA AI Enterprise running on NVIDIA-Certified Systems.
Centrilogic Adds CISO As-a-Service and Managed Security Services
IT services provider Centriogic this week expanded its Cybersecurity and Managed Security Services portfolio with the addition of a chief information security officer (CISO) as-a-service offering, security assessments and managed security services that include incident response programs. Centrilogic’s CISO-as-a-Service provides security experts to companies that don’t have their own CISO. The experts brought in through this service can manage an organization’s entire cybersecurity portfolio provided on an on-demand basis. The managed security services include threat management, data protection and supporting compliance needs. Centrilogic’s new incident response offering includes security assessments, preparation, prevention and policy recommendations and disaster recovery.
8×8 Adds Synnex as a Distributor
UCaaS provider 8×8 this week added Synnex a distributor. Synnex will carry the 8×8 XCaaS (eXperience Communications as a Service) to its network of VARs, MSPs, and system integrators. 8×8 XCaaS is an integrated, cloud-based communications service that includes voice communications, chat, and video meetings, and is available with a contact center option. Synnex partners can also offer the recently launched 8×8 Voice for Microsoft Teams direct routing solution as well as the 8×8 Contact Center for Microsoft Teams solution. Both are certified by Microsoft, to customers through Synnex.
CharTec to Host Virtual Academy for MSPs
CharTec, a training facility for managed service providers (MSPs), this week said that it will hold its next Academy as a virtual event December 8-9. CharTec had held its first in-person academy earlier this month. The December event will focus on sales and marketing with sessions that will cover how to generate leads, Tax Law 179, brand development and strategies for closing large deals.