Networking
SonicWall urges immediate patching of chained vulnerabilities
Two chained vulnerabilities (CVE-2026-83548 and CVE-2026-83549) have been disclosed in SonicWall SMA1000 appliances. The former is a maximum-severity (10.0) server-side request forgery flaw, while the latter is a high-severity (7.8) OS command injection vulnerability. SonicWall has confirmed in-the-wild exploitation, CISA has added it to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, and federal agencies must remediate by Saturday.
ScanSource to buy MicroAge for $220.5M in another convergence push
ScanSource announced a $220.5 million all-cash deal to acquire MicroAge, a value-added reseller and managed service provider, as part of its ongoing convergence strategy. The acquisition, expected to close Sept. 30, will add over 2,400 U.S. customers and 200 employees, and aims to fill service gaps for its technology advisor partners.
Modero pitches a tech advisor platform built by TAs
Modero, a technology advisor operating platform spun off from Georgia-based Socium IT, has launched in general availability. It offers a free CRM for TAs with paid add-ons for inventory, contract management, and commission tracking. The platform, originally built on Airtable and rebuilt by a developer, now serves seven TA customers and plans to onboard ten more. Founder Stephen Hancock emphasizes automation, privacy controls, and white-labeling options.
Cisco zeroes in on enterprise hardware refresh
Cisco's fiscal 2026 revenue hit a record $63.3 billion, up 12% year-over-year, as enterprises refresh hardware for AI workloads. The company cites a 'multiyear, multibillion-dollar networking super cycle' and notes component price hikes remain in single digits despite chip shortages.
Network security hardware is growing, but the margins are not in the box
Network security hardware spending is set to exceed $90 billion from 2025 to 2030, per Dell'Oro, with a 7% CAGR—nearly double the prior five years. However, the rebound is not a return to box-first profitability. SaaS and virtual revenue already overtook physical appliances in 2025, and growth is concentrated in high-end systems, data centers, and selective use cases. Partners should focus on services and subscriptions for durable margins.
F5 equips partners for AI inference bonanza
F5 is positioning its channel ecosystem for an AI inference-driven hardware boom, as enterprises shift workloads back on-premises and refresh infrastructure. The company reported 11% revenue growth in Q3 2026, with product sales up 19%, and has revamped partner credentialing to address AI, security, and automation.
Verizon channel chief leaves for health insurer Humana
Verizon channel head Mark Tina announced his departure to join health insurer Humana as vice president of national partner sales and distribution. Tina spent 23 years at Verizon, leading the channel division for the past three years. His responsibilities will be assumed by Verizon's vice president of business sales, John Constantino.
Lumen’s voice exit: no end date and no plan for partners
Lumen Technologies announced during its Q2 2026 earnings call that it has stopped selling enterprise voice services, but has not set a service termination date or disclosed a partner migration plan. The company's legacy business (including voice and copper services) saw a 15% revenue decline, while strategic business grew by 14%. Executives said they would actively manage the voice business exit but provided no specific timeline.
Logicalis lands New Mexico security shop Loial and its SLED book
Logicalis US announced the acquisition of New Mexico security services provider Loial; the transaction amount was not disclosed and does not require shareholder approval. Approximately 70% of Loial's revenue comes from state, local, and education customers, and its founder will lead the New Mexico region.
Coeo Acquires NetWolves for $14.5 Million, Strengthening Fortinet and Cisco Technical Capabilities
Coeo Solutions announced on Monday the completion of its acquisition of NetWolves, with a base purchase price of $14.5 million. This acquisition will enhance Coeo's service capabilities across Fortinet and Cisco technology stacks and expand its team size. Vaso Corporation thereby fully exits the IT market.