5 Companies That Came To Win This Week

The Week Ending Sept. 4

Topping this week's roundup of companies that came to win is Intel's launch of new processors that should help the chipmaker make up ground in the market for mobile device processors.

Also making the list are Dell's savvy hiring of a top channel executive from Lenovo, Symantec's plans to boost its channel efforts in the wake of its Veritas divestiture, a key Department of Homeland Security contract win by a little-known software company, and a big venture capital win by a security technology startup.

Not everyone in the IT industry was making smart moves this week, of course. For a rundown of companies that were unfortunate, unsuccessful or just didn't make good decisions, check out this week's Five Companies That Had A Rough Week roundup.

Intel Strengthens Mobile Stance With New Skylake Processors

Intel's technology Achilles' heel in recent years has been its over-reliance on the slumping PC market and weak market position in providing processors for mobile devices. This week the company took a significant step in turning that around.

Intel debuted a line of mobile processors based on its sixth-generation Skylake platform. The processors are scalable across multiple product areas including laptops, notebooks, tablets and 2-in-1 computers.

The new processors deliver energy efficiency and high performance through Core IPC (instructions-per-clock) performance improvements and increased tablet-like input/output. The Y-Series, for example, are low-power, 4.5 watt Core i5 and Core i7 processors designed for 2-in-1 detachables and tablets.

Dell Hires Lenovo VP, Partners Applaud Channel Charge

Last week Lenovo made the "Rough Week" list for its loss of the executive who managed its enterprise business. This week Dell wins kudos for hiring that executive, Jay Parker, to lead the vendor's U.S. channel operation.

Channel partners applauded the hiring of the respected Parker and said the move is further evidence of Dell's increasing channel momentum.

Parker was a marketing executive at Dell for more than a decade before moving to Lenovo in 2007. He replaces Curtis Hutcheson, who was tapped five months ago to become vice president and general manager of Dell Security Solutions.

Security-Focused Symantec Unleashes New Partner Program

Having struck a deal to sell off its Veritas storage business, Symantec is now making good on its promise to focus on its security technology business.

This week the company outlined plans for a new channel partner program that is designed to make it easier for security partners to achieve Platinum status. The new Symantec Secure One program consolidates core competencies to core security, threat protection, information protection and cybersecurity services. And a simpler deal registration process sets aside up to 20 percent margins for partners of all levels regardless of certifications.

The changes were outlined this week in a letter to partners, signed by Adrian Jones, executive vice president of global sales; John Thompson, senior vice president of global sales; and Stephen Thomas, vice president, Americas channel sales.

RES Software Lands Role In Homeland Security's Threat Protection Program

RES Software said this week that the Department of Homeland Security is using the vendor's user environment management technology as part of the department's Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation (CDM) program, which seeks to defend federal government IT networks from security threats.

Booz Allen Hamilton, which is working with DHS, is integrating RES Software's desktop management software into the CDM dashboard, RES Software CEO Al Monserrat told CRN. The software uses predictive analytics to identify anomalies on users' desktops, ensuring they are accessing only authorized applications and data.

The DHS work is something of a coup for RES Software and Monserrat said his company intends to use the win as a springboard to raise its profile in the federal government IT market.

Tanium Lands $120M In VC Funding

The security technology arena remains one of the hottest segments of the IT industry with startups announcing three-figure rounds of venture funding.

This week's winner was Tanium, a developer of next-generation endpoint security management technology, which landed $120 million in venture financing to help fuel its already astronomical growth.

The latest funding round comes just six months after the company raised $52 million in an earlier round and reportedly puts the company's valuation at $3.5 billion. The startup wins additional kudos because some of that funding is going into its channel efforts, which co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Orion Hindawi told CRN is a key element of its growth strategy.