Cross Channel: Equinix Hire, Multifunction Hardware And Ransomware Grief

Welcome to Cross Channel, a weekly round up of the most pertinent stories from our sister site ChannelBiz, where you can find out all the latest developments, views and strategies from the world of the channel.

Equinix Hires NetApp Channel Exec to Lead UK Partner Programme

Equinix has named NetApp UK’s head of channel Simon Ognall as its new UK channel and alliances director.

Ognall has been given the task of leading the company’s channel programme in the UK. He was at NetApp for five years, and prior to that held senior leadership roles at Simon Magee, Bytes Technology and ShiftF7.

“This is an exciting time to be joining Equinix,” said Ognall. “The company has made some exciting announcements recently and has enjoyed a significant period of continued success. I’m looking forward to working with our partners to make the most of the changing business landscape and contribute to the ongoing success of our global channel partner programme.”

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Shift Towards Multifunction Hardware Accelerates Across Western Europe

Unit sales of printer hardware across Western Europe increased by two percent year-on-year in Q1 2017, driven by positive performance of multifunction devices, according to data published by IT market analysis company, CONTEXT.

Distributor sales of both inkjet and laser multifunction printers (MFPs) increased by six percent and five percent respectively for the quarter.

The shift to multifunction devices was reinforced as sales of single-function printers continued to fall: sales of laser SFPs were down by seven percent, while those of inkjet SFPs dropped by twenty one percent.

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Hit by ransomware? The seven stages of grief your customers will go through

Ransomware is one of the most prominent and prolific IT threats of recent years. Within hours of a device being affected, a company’s whole IT infrastructure can become paralysed, grinding the business slowly to a halt.

When hit by such an attack, IT professionals and users alike experience a range of different feelings, from panic to confusion to dread – and beyond.

As a reseller, you will have to help deal with the fallout of such an attack efficiently and effectively, and it is important to not let these feelings, while understandable, get in the way.

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