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Microsoft has advanced its enterprise cloud strategy with a new wave of solutions that complement Office 365 and other services.

New Windows Server, System Center, Visual Studio, Windows Azure, Windows Intune, SQL Server, and Dynamics solutions will accelerate cloud benefits for customers, claims the software giant.

Satya Nadella, Cloud and Enterprise Executive VP, said: "As enterprises move to the cloud they are going to bet on vendors that have best-in-class software as a service applications, operate a global public cloud that supports a broad ecosystem of third party services, and deliver multi-cloud mobility through true hybrid solutions."

To help customers build IT infrastructure that delivers continuous services and applications across clouds, on October 18th Microsoft will release Windows Server 2012 R2 and System Center 2012 R2.

Together, these new products enable companies to create data centres using Hyper-V for high-scale virtualisation, high-performance storage at lower costs, built-in software-defined networking, and hybrid business continuity.

The new Windows Azure Pack runs on top of Windows Server and System Center, enabling enterprises and service providers to deliver self-service infrastructure and platforms from their datacenters.

Building on these hybrid cloud platforms, customers can use Visual Studio 2013 and the new .NET 4.5.1, also available October 18th, to create applications for devices and services.

As software development becomes pervasive within every company, the new preview Studio 2013 Modern Lifecycle Management solution helps enable development teams, businesspeople and IT managers to build and deliver better applications, faster.

Recognizing that most enterprises will take a hybrid approach to cloud, Microsoft wants to help customers utilise their investments in on-premises software solutions toward the adoption of cloud computing.

On November 1st, Microsoft will offer Enterprise Agreement (EA) customers access to discounted Windows Azure prices, regardless of upfront commitment, without overuse penalties and with the flexibility of annual payments.

As another part of this effort to reduce cloud adoption barriers, Microsoft announced a strategic partnership with Equinix. Building on recently announced partnerships with AT&T and others, this alliance will provide customers with even more options for private and fast connections to the cloud.

Customers will be able to connect their networks with Windows Azure at Equinix exchange locations for greater throughput, availability and security features.

Governments are among the most demanding enterprise customers. To help U.S. federal, state and local government agencies realize the benefits of public cloud computing, Microsoft is introducing its Windows Azure US Government Cloud. This will offer US government customers a dedicated community cloud for data, applications and infrastructure, hosted in the continental US and managed by US personnel.

As part of its vision to help more people unlock actionable insights from big data, Microsoft next week will release a second preview of SQL Server 2014. The new version offers industry-leading in-memory technologies at no additional cost, giving customers 10 times to 30 times performance improvements without application rewrites or new hardware. SQL Server 2014 also works with Windows Azure to give customers built-in cloud backup and disaster recovery.

For big data analytics, later this month Microsoft will release Windows Azure HDInsight Service, an Apache Hadoop-based service that works with SQL Server and widely used business intelligence tools, such as Microsoft Excel and Power BI for Office 365. With Power BI, people can combine private and public data in the cloud for rich visualizations and fast insights.

The proliferation of cloud applications, data and consumer devices is moving many enterprises to a bring-your-own-device model. The new release of Windows Intune, also available Oct. 18, combines with System Center Configuration Manager to help IT departments give mobile employees security-enhanced access to the applications and data they need on the Windows, iOS and Android devices of their choice. This unified management environment for PCs and mobile devices complements the new access and information protection capabilities in Windows Server 2012 R2.

Further, with Windows Server 2012 R2 Microsoft is introducing the Microsoft Remote Desktop app, available for download in applications stores later this month, to provide easy access to PCs and virtual desktops on variety of devices and platforms, including Windows, Windows RT, iOS, OS X and Android.

The next major version of the company's CRM solution, Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Fall '13 will be available later this month, helping make customer interactions more personal via contextual information for deeper insights than the previous version, delivered on a variety of devices.

The on-premises version is expected to be available later in the fall for deployment either in-house or hosted by a partner. More information is available here. In addition, Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 R2 is available today, offering small and midsize businesses interoperability with Office 365, full multitenant support, and a range of tools designed to support large-scale hosting of the application on Windows Azure.

Nimans has kick-started a new partnership with Gigaset Pro by launching a series of introductory offers that can save resellers hundreds of pounds.

Running between October and December dealers can take advantage of four separate offers around the Gigaset Pro range of DECT solutions.

"We see this as a powerful new partnership that offers a host of benefits to all parties, most importantly the reseller community who are on the front line in an increasingly competitive market," says Nimans' Head of Category Sales, Paul Burn.

The Gigaset Pro range is specifically designed for the reseller market and is split into four key areas - Sip, Single Cell, Multi-Cell and Pro handsets.

"The DX800 for example is a micro PBX - built into a desktop handset from where you can run six DECT extensions - connected via SIP, analogue or ISDN or even through a mobile," Burn explained.

"There's a single cell solution that has a 150m range base station and associated handsets, while the multi cell DECT is for large deployment of up to 100 users. There's also a Pro range of handsets such as ruggedized versions."

Talks on the potential sale of Avaya to Oracle were held earlier this year according to a report posted by Reuters, citing sources 'familiar with the matter'.

The telecoms vendor's private equity owners entertained the idea of selling rather than going public, said the report.

Reuters also noted that Silver Lake and TPG Capital LP, which took Avaya private for $8.4bn in 2007, filed Avaya for an IPO in 2011 but its growth prospects were challenged by rivals such as Cisco and ShoreTel making an IPO less appealing to stock market investors.

Avaya notched up revenues of $5.17bn in its 2012 financial year, down 7% on the previous year. For the third fiscal quarter of 2013, revenue was $1.15bn, down 8% from the year ago.

Data recovery experts are the 'fourth emergency service' in the modern era, according to the CEO of Manchester-based hosting and colocation firm UKFast.

Speaking during BBC Radio 4's Bottom Line programme on Big Data, Lawrence Jones described the fundamental importance of technology firms always being readily available to offer a lifeline to customers when their whole business is at stake.

Jones said: "We're a managed hosting company, so fundamentally it's about being able to pick up the phone to receive support in times of need. Technology firms like UKFast are the fourth emergency service. We're the people you really don't want to have to call but if you have to, we're there for you.

"Businesses need to know that they can rely on the firm that is looking after its critical data, in the same way they can rely on emergency services for personal times of need. Data recovery teams give the peace of mind that businesses need if their hard drive completely fails and their critical business data is lost.

"You have to have the right firewalls, intrusion detection and anomaly detectors. It's about getting the basics in place as well as going the extra mile - for example at UKFast, we spot the traffic you don't want, because we've got 40 people looking at monitors 24-hours a day and we can begin data recovery immediately as we have an on-site clean room in the data centre, the only one in the UK."

Joining Jones on the panel were three technology experts - Conrad Feldman, CEO of digital adversity company Quantcast, Dave Coplin, Chief Envisioning Officer and Director of Search, Microsoft UK - along with host Evan Davies. They discussed how the creation and storage of data is changing businesses across the world as the ‘Big Data' trend evolves.

Feldman described how harnessing and assessing online data can provide a useful insight into trends and demographics. He said: "We help website owners and advertisers understand who the audiences are that are consuming online digital media.

"We amass data from a lot of different websites, and then we apply sophisticated software based on mathematical modelling to help us understand and estimate the characteristics of the audience, which could be standard graphics such as age and income, or more lifestyle information such as what they're interested in."

Coplin referred to the change in storage of data, saying: "In the old days your server would probably be under your desk and people would kick the cable walking past.

"The issue is not the data itself, it's what you're doing with it. The power of big data is going to change how we think about what it means to be humans. It's going to give us so much insight, and will enable humans to take much more control over their lives."

Red Box Recorders has scooped the top accolade of SME Deal of the Year at the Insider's Midlands Dealmakers Awards.

The award is in recognition of the company's management buyout earlier this year which was undertaken to support the continuing expansion of its global operations. The buyout was backed by a £14 million investment from ISIS Equity Partners with Cavendish Corporate Finance advising on the deal.

Lee Jones, CEO at Red Box Recorders, said: "This is a great award as it acknowledges the hard work and effort made by all parties to bring this deal to fruition. The MBO is designed to facilitate the continued development of the business, which has achieved annual growth of more than 20 per cent for the past five years.

"This will include taking advantage of new business opportunities within overseas markets, in particular North America and Asia Pacific, and extending Red Box's global workforce by almost 50 per cent."

Red Box is headquartered in Nottingham, with regional offices including London, New York, Singapore and Dubai, as well as a worldwide reseller network of more than 200 partners.

The company provides customer-focused solutions that help overcome the precise challenges of the contact centre, financial services, healthcare, government and emergency services sectors.

Canalys has named Softcat as 2013's top revenue growth partner in EMEA at this year's Canalys Channel Forum Awards.

Softcat chairman Martin Hellawell accepted the Canalys 'Revenue Growth Partner of the Year' award at a packed ceremony held at the Hotel Arts Barcelona.

Softcat announced 30% growth this financial year, following a three-year growth stint that has seen its revenues grow from £146m to £400m. It has won multiple partner awards and accreditations as a result of its revenue growth and partnership investments, just this week announcing HP's Platinum Partner status, and Red Hat's 'stronger Together' award.

Hellawell said: "Most of our awards tend to be UK-based, so it's humbling to have been nominated for an EMEA award, never mind win it. Due to our size and relative 'youth' we're still regarded as an up-and-coming player, which makes attaining this award even more of an achievement.

"The business environment has been challenging over the past few years and many of our competitors struggled to achieve significant growth last year. Winning this award is a testament to the hard work of our brilliant staff, who remain incredibly driven to provide great customer service, and committed to helping the company grow. We're privileged to work with so many great customers, and of course our relationships with our partners have contributed hugely to our growth."

Last year Softcat won the EMEA channel partner of the year at the same event. The Canalys Forum is an annual event that recognises vendors, resellers and other partners in the IT industry for their successes in the channel.

Cloud and SaaS specialist to the channel intY has confirmed two significant new sign-ups to its intY CASCADE cloud provisioning platform.

Eclipse and alwaysON now line up alongside other CASCADE users including Cisco, Symantec and Microsoft, as well as many ISVs.

The addition of Eclipse to the co-operative-style marketplace will provide partners with high end business class Internet services that ensure the end user experience for cloud solutions.

alwaysOn will offer Microsoft Lync 2013 as a hosted application delivered over its resilient private MPLS network.

As part of CASCADE, partners and resellers will be able to sell and provision alwaysOn on its own or as part of their service bundles for end user organsations.

Chris Baldock, MD of intY CASCADE, commented: "Unified Communications remains an exciting and competitive space in the industry. We're thrilled alwaysOn has decided to bring its latest platform to a wider audience via CASCADE.

"The partnership with Eclipse represents a substantial milestone in creating the option for a complete end-to-end solution for CASCADE users."

Pete Tomlinson, Director of Sales and Marketing at Eclipse comments "SMBs are now really seeing the value of adopting cloud services as part of a more flexible, productive way of working. Being able to work with their communications provider to adopt cloud services in a way that is straightforward and well supported is the perfect route to success."

Eclipse's real time connection-monitoring tool, Sentinel will also be available to intY support to service customers by proactively monitoring connections and providing support as and when it is needed.

Baldock added: "These two companies demonstrate the bring and buy benefits of CASCADE. Both are exploiting the platform to better sell to its customers, whilst offering its products and services to other partners.

"Of particular significance to our resellers will be the signing of Eclipse. The reputation of cloud services is the quality of the connection - connectivity and the physical infrastructure required to enable a high performance cloud solution should be a priority for resellers wanting to get in the game. With the recent addition of Cisco products and now Eclipse' services on CASCADE, end users can realise the true RoI of cloud."

James Byles, MD at alwaysOn, commented: "Being a CASCADE partner enabled us to deploy cloud services and building blocks for new solutions, tailored to suit our clients needs. We now want to take the relationship with intY to another level and offer our Lync 2013 product for partners and resellers to utilise as part of their offerings. We remain focused on the expansion of our business, and this relationship will help the two companies grow together side by side."

Computer 2000 is to operate under the Tech Data banner, the same name as all of the group's European and global operations.

Peter Hubbard, Managing Director UK and Ireland for Tech Data, stated: "The rebrand is an important milestone in the history of the UK organisation. It lays the foundation for the forthcoming integration of SDG into the Tech Data UK business and the Collection of Specialists - Azlan, Datech, Maverick and Tech Data Mobile."

The rebranding plan includes external signage, website, marketing collateral and stationery. For resellers and vendors, the transition to the Tech Data brand will be seamless, confirmed the company.

Anglia Business Solutions has appointed Nikki Scarr as COO, bringing nearly 30 years of industry knowledge and experience in enterprise resource planning (ERP) and supply chain and performance management to drive Anglia's plan for international expansion.

Prior to joining Anglia Business Solutions Nikki Scarr was Vice President of consulting at Infor Global Solutions where she was responsible for managing a large Professional Services business across EMEA with a turnover of $80 million.

Her objectives for the first 12 months include managing the launch of the company's LINKFresh food supply chain ERP solution on the Microsoft Dynamics AX platform, significantly increasing the footprint for LINKFresh in both the UK and US marketplace and building on the project delivery and support capability within the organisation.

Scarr said: "I see a wonderful growth opportunity in this company and the solutions it offers. Coming from a large US company which has undergone significant growth I feel I can use my expertise to make a real impact on this business in its UK, European and US markets.

"I'm ERP born and bred and my objectives are to facilitate the growth plans, develop the business proposition and, most of all, further improve the service to our customers."

Anglia's Group CEO Robert Frost added: "Nikki has a proven track record of fostering team spirit and achieving sustained growth in terms of both revenue and profit. Following last year's £6 million management buyout, I'm confident that Nikki will add value by nurturing our already exceptionally strong management team and helping us to achieve our goal of annual revenues of over £20 million within the next three years."

Nimans has marked the first anniversary of its iQ PBX system with record sales levels.

The IP solution based on Asterisk open architecture was officially launched last Autumn and incorporates feature rich functionality including Microsoft Lync integration as part of an out-of-the-box solution, according to the firm.

iQ PBX Business Manager Judith Addison said: "The iQ PBX success story continues to grow. We've had record sales for the past two months that coincide with its first anniversary. Sales are growing over 20% month-on-month.

"It's been a year to remember and I'm sure the next 12 months will be even more successful. I'd like to thank everyone that's played a part, especially my customers and the sales and support staff at Nimans."