Accenture and Microsoft recently announced an expanded partnership around AI‑powered cybersecurity solutions designed to help customers combat increasingly sophisticated attacks.
Their collaboration targets four key areas: modernizing security operation centers (SOCs) via Microsoft Sentinel, Defender and Accenture's Adaptive MxDR; automating data protection and AI security across Microsoft 365 with Purview; streamlining cloud migrations and tool consolidation; and improving identity and access management using Microsoft Entra.
The initiative addresses a finding from Accenture's State of Cyber Resilience 2025 report that 90 percent of organizations are unprepared for AI‑driven cyberattacks, underscoring an industrywide shortfall in readiness for emerging threats. Accenture's survey revealing that 36 percent of firms believe AI outpaces their security.
"The combined power of Accenture and Microsoft will help clients future-proof against potential cyber threats, keep critical data secure and enhance business resilience," said Paolo Dal Cin, global security lead at Accenture. "This expanded relationship signals to the industry that we can be stronger together."
The "RCP Channel Briefing" blog is researched, fact-checked, edited and updated by the editors of RCPmag.com, with writing assistance from AI.
Posted by Redmond Channel Partner magazine staff on July 16, 20250 comments
Microsoft integration partner Luware on Tuesday announced the opening of its North American headquarters in New York City, marking its first major office in the United States.
Founded in Zurich in 2010, Luware has grown to over 150 employees and serves more than 1,000 organizations globally with its Microsoft Teams‑native contact center and compliance solutions. The new NYC office positions Luware to better support clients and partners in the U.S. market.
This expansion coincides with Luware's expected launch this month of Nimbus Power, built on Microsoft Teams Phone extensibility, which brings AI‑enabled multichannel contact center features.
With the brand-new U.S. headquarters, Luware aims to scale adoption of its cloud‑native solutions and foster tighter collaboration with Microsoft.
The "RCP Channel Briefing" blog is researched, fact-checked, edited and updated by the editors of RCPmag.com, with writing assistance from AI.
Posted by Redmond Channel Partner magazine staff on July 15, 20250 comments
Replit has entered a strategic, non-exclusive partnership with Microsoft, integrating its "vibe coding" platform deep into Azure Container Apps, Azure Virtual Machines and Neon Serverless Postgres, with sales available directly through the Azure Marketplace.
Vibe coding, a term coined earlier this year by OpenAI co-founder Andrej Karpathy, is a byproduct of the AI-assisted, low-code/no-code development movement. The idea is to enable a developer to tell an AI, for instance GitHub Copilot, to build an application to their specification using just natural language -- no coding required.
Announced last week, the partnership aims to help business teams across sales, marketing, design and operations to build and launch production-grade software using plain English, minimizing IT bottlenecks.
Replit counts over 500,000 business customers, including companies like Zillow, that use it for prototyping and internal tool development. Although Replit will continue supporting Google Cloud, this Azure integration marks a major step in scaling AI-driven citizen development within corporate environments.
The "RCP Channel Briefing" blog is researched, fact-checked, edited and updated by the editors of RCPmag.com, with writing assistance from AI.
Posted by Redmond Channel Partner magazine staff on July 14, 20250 comments
Microsoft marketplace partner Pax8's inaugural report about AI's impact on SMBs, introduces the concept of managed intelligence providers (MIPs), an evolution of managed service providers (MSPs), tasked with orchestrating and governing intelligent agents to drive business outcomes.
The report, titled "The Agentic Inflection Point: And the Rise of the Managed Intelligence Provider," highlights a significant shift in SMB operations through the adoption of AI-powered agents. The study identifies four levels of AI agent functionality -- chatbots, assistants, digital labor and digital workforce -- each representing increasing autonomy and business impact. According to the report, 54 percent of midsize organizations have already deployed AI, and 83 percent of "high-growth SMBs" are pilot testing it, indicating a trend toward AI-native businesses.
Pax8 emphasizes the urgency for MSPs to transition into MIPs within the next 24 to 36 months to remain competitive. The report also discusses new monetization models aligned with AI services, such as per-agent, per-action, per-workflow and per-outcome pricing structures.
"The proliferation of these AI agents will allow SMBs to compete against large enterprises and scale faster than ever, and Managed Intelligence Providers will be key to enabling the technology," said Pax8 CEO Scott Chasin, adding, "MSPs that evolve quickly into the MIP model will be poised to experience long-term success in the new paradigm."
The "RCP Channel Briefing" blog is researched, fact-checked, edited and updated by the editors of RCPmag.com, with writing assistance from AI.
Posted by Redmond Channel Partner magazine staff on July 09, 20250 comments
Microsoft this week launched Azure Accelerate, a unified platform that merges the Azure Migrate and Modernize with Azure Innovate programs.
The new Azure Accelerate aims to streamline cloud and AI adoption by providing enterprises with expert guidance, funding and deployment assistance.
A key component is the Cloud Accelerate Factory, offering free deployment support for over 30 Azure services, delivered jointly with specialized partners. Under the program, Microsoft partners will be tasked with delivering hands-on deployment, migration and optimization services for customers adopting AI and cloud workloads.
Azure Accelerate supports various migration scenarios, including Windows Server, SQL Server, Linux, Oracle and high-performance computing workloads. It also facilitates the development of intelligent applications using Microsoft's AI platform and scalable analytics solutions.
The "RCP Channel Briefing" blog is researched, fact-checked, edited and updated by the editors of RCPmag.com, with writing assistance from AI.
Posted by Redmond Channel Partner magazine staff on July 08, 20250 comments
U.K.-based IT services provider and Microsoft Solutions Partner boxxe has acquired CAE Technology Services Limited, a Cisco Gold Partner with a strong presence in networking and security.
The acquisition, finalized on July 3, aims to enhance boxxe's capabilities in both the private and public sectors, especially in healthcare and education, where CAE has a deep roster of customers. The deal also includes CAE's subsidiary, Novus Networks Limited.
CAE will continue to operate independently before integrating into boxxe within the next year. Phil Doye, who acquired boxxe in 2019, will serve as group CEO. Doye is something of an IT channel magnate, having previously founded solution provider Kelway, which he subsequently sold to VAR giant CDW.
This acquisition follows boxxe's purchase of Total Computer Networks Limited in 2024, reflecting a broader strategy to expand its customer base and service offerings.
The "RCP Channel Briefing" blog is researched, fact-checked, edited and updated by the editors of RCPmag.com, with writing assistance from AI.
Posted by Redmond Channel Partner magazine staff on July 08, 20250 comments
Longtime Microsoft partner Commvault is taking steps to bolster its own channel program.
The data security giant announced a strategic leadership reshuffle on Tuesday, appointing Alan Atkinson as Chief Business Development Officer, and bringing on Michelle Graff as Senior Vice President of Global Partners and Channel. Atkinson, previously Commvault's Chief Partner Officer, will now oversee strategic alliances and business development initiatives. Graff, a veteran in channel leadership, will manage global partner programs and channel strategies.
This leadership change comes as Commvault aims to enhance its partner ecosystem amid a competitive data protection landscape. Atkinson's experience includes roles at Dell Technologies and as CEO of WysDM Software, providing him with a strong background in cloud and data protection. Graff's appointment is expected to bolster partner engagement and drive channel growth.
The restructuring aligns with industry trends where companies are focusing on strengthening partnerships to expand market reach. Commvault's emphasis on strategic alliances and channel development reflects its commitment to adapting to the evolving needs of enterprise IT and developer communities.
The "RCP Channel Briefing" blog is researched, fact-checked, edited and updated by the editors of RCPmag.com, with writing assistance from AI.
Posted by Redmond Channel Partner magazine staff on July 08, 20250 comments
Microsoft CSP Coretek has acquired Detroit-based Total Solutions Inc., enhancing its expertise in AI, data and Microsoft Power Platform.
Announced Monday, the acquisition aims to strengthen Coretek's position in delivering comprehensive Microsoft-centric solutions across various industries. Total Solutions, known for its proficiency in AI and data implementations, will integrate into Coretek, bringing a team experienced in Power Platform and application modernization. The merger is expected to broaden Coretek's service offerings, including enterprise AI frameworks, data architecture, and managed security operations.
Ron Lisch, CEO of Coretek, stated, "As demand for secure AI adoption and intelligent data platforms continues to surge, Coretek is investing in the talent and tools that help organizations turn complexity into clarity."
The integration process has already started, with both companies operating under the Coretek brand. Further details on customer support programs are expected in the coming weeks.
The "RCP Channel Briefing" blog is researched, fact-checked, edited and updated by the editors of RCPmag.com, with writing assistance from AI.
Posted by Redmond Channel Partner magazine staff on July 07, 20250 comments
Crowe LLP's AI-driven lease management solution has been accepted into Microsoft's Dynamics 365 Agent Initiative, the consulting firm announced late last month.
Microsoft has been urging its partners to leverage its stack as they begin incorporating AI agents into their portfolios. Crowe's lease agent was one of several partner agents that Microsoft spotlighted at its Build conference in May.
"We're excited to bring our expertise across various industries to this initiative," said Luis Lopez-Garay, Microsoft Cloud AI solutions leader at Crowe. "Being selected for the Microsoft Dynamics 365 Agent Initiative reflects our commitment to delivering AI-powered solutions that are not only innovative, but purpose-built to meet the evolving needs of our clients."
The "RCP Channel Briefing" blog is researched, fact-checked, edited and updated by the editors of RCPmag.com, with writing assistance from AI.
Posted by Redmond Channel Partner magazine staff on July 03, 20250 comments
This week, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) completed its $14 billion acquisition of Juniper Networks, following a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) that addressed antitrust concerns.
The DOJ settlement, reached last month, mandates HPE to divest its Instant On wireless networking business within 180 days and license Juniper's Mist AI software source code to competitors. The DOJ's initial lawsuit, filed in January 2025, argued that the merger would reduce competition in the enterprise-grade WLAN market. The settlement's requirements aim to preserve market competition while allowing HPE to proceed with the acquisition.
HPE announced its intent to buy Juniper in early 2024. The acquisition doubles HPE's networking business and integrates Juniper's AI-driven networking solutions, including the Mist AI platform, with HPE's existing offerings. This positions HPE to better compete with industry leaders like Cisco and Nvidia in the AI networking space.
As part of the integration, HPE is forming a new networking business unit by combining Juniper with its Aruba Networks division. Rami Rahim, former CEO of Juniper, will lead this unit, focusing on delivering AI-native networking solutions for enterprise, service provider and cloud customers.
The "RCP Channel Briefing" blog is researched, fact-checked, edited and updated by the editors of RCPmag.com, with writing assistance from AI.
Posted by Redmond Channel Partner magazine staff on July 02, 20250 comments
M-Files has announced an expanded partnership with Microsoft, integrating its AI-powered document management system directly into the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. Using Microsoft's SharePoint Embedded API, M-Files will store content natively within Microsoft 365, enabling users to access and manage documents through familiar interfaces like Teams, Outlook and Office applications.
The integration, announced Tuesday, aims to address common challenges in enterprise content management, such as fragmented information governance and siloed systems. By combining M-Files' metadata-driven automation with Microsoft's collaboration tools and AI capabilities, including Microsoft 365 Copilot and M-Files' own Aino, organizations can enhance productivity and reduce administrative overhead.
The goal is to offer a unified solution that enhances document management, streamlines workflows and leverages AI to provide more accurate and efficient content handling. The integration aligns with broader industry trends emphasizing AI-driven document management solutions. M-Files' recognition in Gartner's 2025 Magic Quadrant for Document Management underscores its growing influence in the sector.
The "RCP Channel Briefing" blog is researched, fact-checked, edited and updated by the editors of RCPmag.com, with writing assistance from AI.
Posted by Redmond Channel Partner magazine staff on July 01, 20250 comments
Guardz has introduced its Identity Threat Detection and Response (ITDR) solution, designed to help MSPs detect and mitigate identity-based cyber threats.
The ITDR tool leverages AI and behavioral analytics to identify anomalies in user behavior, such as unusual login patterns or privilege escalations, and automates responses like account suspension to prevent potential breaches.
This launch comes as identity-based attacks become increasingly prevalent. According to IBM's X-Force Threat Intelligence Index, such attacks accounted for 30 percent of total intrusions in 2024. Traditional security measures often fail to detect these threats, as attackers use legitimate credentials to access systems. The introduction of ITDR reflects a broader industry shift toward identity-focused security frameworks, emphasizing the need for real-time monitoring and automated response mechanisms to protect against sophisticated cyber threats.
Guardz's ITDR is integrated into its existing platform and is available across all service plans, with enhanced features for Ultimate Plan subscribers, including 24/7 monitoring by the Guardz Security Operations Center.
The "RCP Channel Briefing" blog is researched, fact-checked, edited and updated by the editors of RCPmag.com, with writing assistance from AI.
Posted by Redmond Channel Partner magazine staff on July 01, 20250 comments