Logically acquires PCR

Logically, a Portland-based managed IT services provider, purchased Personal Computer Resources as part of a larger MSP M&A strategy that could add up to $35 million to the company’s top line by mid-2021.

Personal Computer Resources (PCR), based out of Braintree in Massachusetts, offers IT outsourcing services to customers in Eastern Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Rhode Island. Logically has expanded its presence in the northeast with the addition of PCR, which includes its Maine headquarters as well as an office in New York City.

Logically’s PCR acquisition was the first under Mike Cowles, the CEO who joined Logically in May 2020. Cowles stated that two more acquisitions are likely to close this year. Two more deals are expected in the first quarter 2021 and possibly one or more by the middle 2021. Logically is likely to add between $25 million and $35 million annually via acquisitions in six to seven months. The company was active in MSP M&A before Cowles’ arrival.

Cowles stated that the upcoming acquisitions will include smaller MSPs to complement Logically’s presence within a target geographical market and larger MSPs to place Logically in new areas. PCR, which has about 10 employees, falls under the latter category. Logically is very interested in security and cloud technology.

Sysnet purchases ControlScan unit

Sysnet Global Solutions is a cybersecurity and compliance solution provider based out of Dublin, Ireland. It purchased the Managed Compliance Solutions section of ControlScan. ControlScan is a managed security service provider headquartered in Atlanta.

Gabe Moynagh, Sysnet CEO, said ControlScan will expand Sysnet’s reach in the U.S. market. The company offers white-labeled compliance management and security software that credit card payment processing companies use to protect their merchants.

Moynagh stated that Sysnet’s acquisition combined with its existing customer base was the main motivation for the purchase. Sysnet now provides compliance and security management services for nearly four million small and medium-sized businesses as well as payment processing companies worldwide.

Moynagh stated that further acquisitions are possible. He noted that the rise in fraud online due to COVID-19 has led to “a strong push for the best-managed services and to get them to the largest market possible.” M&A is one of the most efficient ways to achieve this kind of market growth.

West Monroe buys Two Six Capital

West Monroe, a Chicago-based business and technology consultancy firm, purchased Two Six Capital in San Francisco. Two Six Capital uses AI-and-machine learning-based proprietary technology to assist private equity firms.

According to West Monroe, the transaction “primarily a talent and IP purchase.”

Christina Galoozis is the senior manager for external communications at West Monroe. West Monroe acquired Intellio Predict as a new asset. This will allow consultants to project business factors that are important in investment decisions.

Galoozis stated that West Monroe will continue to be acquisitive over the next year, primarily targeting companies with revenues up to $50,000,000. The firm is especially interested in targets that have proprietary technology, algorithms, and IP related to machine learning and AI.

Two Six Capital is West Monroe’s second transaction in as many months. Pace Harmon, a McLean-based management consulting company, was purchased by the company in November.

Deloitte to buy HashedIn Technologies

Deloitte Consulting purchased HashedIn Technologies, an Indian product development, and software engineering company.

HashedIn manages SaaS platforms and products for customers. This transaction will increase Deloitte’s engineering capabilities, IP assets, and delivery methods. The transaction is expected to close before the end 2020.

Ranjit Bawa (cloud leader at Deloitte Consulting) pointed out HashedIn’s “deep product engineering and software engineering skills within specific domains” and its IP and accelerators for domains like fleet tracking, preventive maintenance, digital banking, and intelligent edge. He also mentioned HashedIn’s pod-based, agile delivery methods and approaches.

HashedIn also includes a variety of cloud vendors and models. Bawa stated that the company works with “multiple cloud providers” as well as data and on-premise platforms.

Calligo buys Network Integrity Services

Calligo is a managed data service provider based in Jersey (a British Crown dependency in Channel Islands) and has acquired Network Integrity Services (a MSP) in the United Kingdom.

This deal comes after Calligo’s November purchase of Cinnte Technologies in Ireland. According to the company, the acquisition is a reflection of its goal to expand its local presence in Britain and build skills that can be used by customers throughout Europe and North America.

Crayon to purchase Icelandic MSP

Crayon, a Norwegian managed services and consulting company, purchased Sensa, an Icelandic IT services company.

Crayon will now be able to expand its managed services in multi-cloud environments with the agreement. Sensa has certifications that cover such vendors as Microsoft and AWS. The company employs approximately 120 people and provides cloud management, operations, hosting, and security services.

2nd Watch lists the most popular AWS services

A list of the most requested AWS services by 2nd Watch, a Seattle-based professional services and managed cloud company, gives a glimpse into the core offerings organizations use to manage their AWS environments.

2nd Watch was ranked as the most popular AWS services and products of 2020 based upon the percentage of customers who used a particular offering. Chris Garvey is executive vice president of product for 2nd Watch. Products rated as 100% adoptable — such as CloudTrail and Virtual Private Cloud, Key Management Service Route 53, Cloudwatch, and Cloudwatch — are indicative of “required infrastructure” to operate a modern AWS cloud footprint.

Garvey pointed out that Relational Database Service has now crossed the 100 percent threshold. These services, which were not widely used in past studies, are no longer considered to be universally useful. He also noted that the Systems Manager has seen notable growths in adoption year-over-year.

Secureworks 2021: VARs will be happy

Secureworks, a cybersecurity service vendor and Dell Technologies subsidiary predicts that VARs having regional, national, or global reach will see an increase in activity next year.

Secureworks channel sales director Stuart Schielack said that VARs are more valuable than vendors in the COVID-19 market because of their existing customer base. Vendors will turn increasingly to VARs to maximize their Rolodexes, due to the restrictions on travel as well as face-to-face meetings that make it difficult to establish new customer relationships.

He said that vendors will be more dependent on resellers who have established relationships with customers.

Schielack also predicted that the changes in consumer purchasing habits during the pandemic would have an impact on how IT is purchased by businesses. Secureworks, for example, expects that the demand for asa-service options will grow due to the widespread adoption of subscription-based services. Everything is moving to an as-a-service model. Customers are beginning to seek out this model. He said that he believes this will increase exponentially in the next year due to the current [pandemic] situation.

Schielack also stated that easy-to-use online marketplaces such as Amazon will become more important within the channel. He said that he believes marketplaces will be more visible and vendors will find ways to join these marketplaces.

Secureworks launched a global partnership program in May, aimed at resellers and referral partners. Schielack stated that the program is well-positioned for expansion as it heads into 2021.

Other news

• Microsoft claims that its partner ecosystem now includes over 300 partners who offer a calling service for Microsoft Teams. This is a 100% increase year-over-year. According to a Microsoft spokesperson, some of these partners have an Advanced Specialistization for Teams Calling. Microsoft identified the telephone aspect in Teams as an opportunity for 2021 partners.
• AWS Marketplace professional services are offered by more than 100 companies, which includes many cloud consultancies and MSPs. This program was launched at the reInvent 2020 conference. It allows customers to purchase assessments, implementations, support, and training for third-party software according AWS.
• Bitdefender, a cybersecurity vendor, has released a cloud-based endpoint detection and reaction (EDR), offering to enterprise customers and MSPs. Bitdefender stated that the EDR package is designed to detect and eliminate cyberattacks as they happen and strengthen organizations’ resilience.
• MNJ Technologies, an MSP located in Buffalo Grove, Ill. played a reseller role in a high-performance computing cluster project of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. MNJ procured the equipment for Mammoth’s 64-node cluster. MNJ has a partnership agreement with Supermicro. This San Jose, Calif. company provided Mammoth’s racks as well as servers, motherboards, and other hardware. MNJ’s account manager Ed Armstrong said that Supermicro supplied the equipment and MNJ performed the reseller sales function. Mammoth will be used by the laboratory to conduct genomics analysis in support of scientists working on COVID-19.
• TPx, an MSP based in Los Angeles, said its UCx unified-communications-as-a-service offering now delivers an upgraded user experience using Cisco Webex.
• MSP nClouds is a San Francisco-based company that has been recertified by AWS Managed Service Provider Partner.

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