New York-based MSP Atlantic has acquired Interloop, a Microsoft partner specializing in data analytics, automation and AI. As part of the deal announced Tuesday, Interloop will operate as an inependent offshoot of Atlantic, focusing on transforming client data into strategic assets.
The acquisition enables Atlantic (full name: "Atlantic, Tomorrow's Office") to offer enhanced services, including building what it called "scalable data foundations for automation and AI," using Microsoft Fabric for advanced analytics, and assisting clients in upgrading from legacy systems to modern platforms.
The acquisition of AI-focused Interloop by Atlantic, already an AI-forward MSP, is purpose-built to feed a growing demand among enterprises for integrated solutions that combine managed services with advanced analytics and AI capabilities. A recent IDC report, commissioned by Microsoft, found that 91 percent of organizations are using AI and anticipate more than a 24 percent improvement in customer experience, business resilience, sustainability and operational efficiency due to AI.
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 June 10, 20250 comments
Earlier this month, Microsoft announced the availability of extended multiyear contract lengths -- up to five years -- for offers in its commercial marketplace, whether they're public or private. This update, effective as of June 5, allows customers to lock in pricing and service terms for longer periods, which is useful for organizations that are trying to plan their budgets or simply need their costs to be predictable.
The new contract terms apply to Software as a Service (SaaS) and professional services offers, as well as virtual machine software reservations. Previously, contract durations were limited to shorter terms, but now Microsoft partners can offer one-, two-, three-, four- and five-year agreements. With these extended durations, Microsoft is aiming to appease customers seeking long-term commitments while giving partners more stable revenue streams.
Microsoft's move aligns with the broader industry trend of vendors offering longer-term contracts to meet enterprise demand for predictable costs and service continuity. For instance, Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud have introduced similar multiyear agreements to accommodate customer requirements for long-term planning.
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 June 06, 20250 comments
Austin, Texas-based NinjaOne this week confirmed that its acquisition of Australian cloud backup provider Dropsuite for approximately $270 million is a done deal.
The goal of the deal, according to NinjaOne's announcement, is to corral endpoint, server and SaaS application backups into a single platform. The idea is to simplify operations for MSPs and enterprise IT teams without compromising on data protection.
Dropsuite's services include automated backups for Microsoft 365, Google Workspace and real-time e-mail archiving. Integrating these capabilities into NinjaOne's endpoint management platform addresses the growing need for cohesive data protection strategies amid increasing ransomware threats and compliance requirements.
This move follows a broader industry trend of consolidating IT management and data protection solutions. See, for instance, similar notable moves by competitors ConnectWise (which acquired Axcient and SkyKick) and Kaseya (which acquired Datto).
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 June 06, 20250 comments
Microsoft and CrowdStrike, one of its strategic security partners, have launched a joint effort to make it easier to identify cyber threat actors that have different, vendor-specific names.
Announced earlier this week, the partnership aims to address longstanding naming inconsistencies that can hamstring efforts to quash threats. To do this, the companies plan to create a shared mapping system that links various aliases used by different security vendors to identify the same threat groups -- what CrowdStrike called in its press release a "Rosetta Stone" for cyber threat intelligence.
The goal is to eliminate ambiguity by correlating names like, for example, "Midnight Blizzard" and "Cozy Bear," which refer to the same adversary. By standardizing these names, security teams can, in theory, respond to threats faster and with more efficacy.
The collaboration has already reconciled over 80 threat actor aliases, including Microsoft's "Volt Typhoon" with CrowdStrike's "Vanguard Panda," both attributed to Chinese state-sponsored groups. Similarly, "Secret Blizzard" and "Venomous Bear" have been identified as the same Russia-linked entity.
This effort comes amid increasing concerns over the complexity of cyber threats and the need for unified intelligence. Other major cybersecurity firms, such as Palo Alto Networks and Google's Mandiant, are also joining the initiative to further streamline threat group taxonomy, according to Microsoft's own post.
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 June 04, 20250 comments
Argano, a digital services consultancy based in Plano, Texas, has acquired Anavate Partners, a Phoenix-based firm specializing in cloud-based planning and forecasting solutions, particularly on the Anaplan platform.
The move represents Argano's fourth acquisition in 2025 and its twentieth since it was founded in 2020, according to a press release last month. With Anavate, Argano further solidifies its plan to improve its technical capabilities and broaden its solution portfolio, with the ultimate goal of expanding its global reach.
Anavate brings a strong track record in enterprisewide planning transformation across finance, sales, marketing and supply chain functions. This acquisition follows Argano's recent purchases of Salesforce expert Attentis, SAP expert Netlogistik, and fellow Dynamics 365 specialist Real Dynamics.
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 June 02, 20250 comments