Drive Control Corporation (DCC) has announced the launch of a holistic cloud portfolio to the South African and SADC channel; effectively catapulting the ICT distributor into a new chapter of service delivery to its partners.

The new cloud portfolio is three-pronged: Microsoft CSP (Cloud Solution Provider) services and products; SonicWall’s security offering Cloud App Security; and DCC Cloud Storage backup and recovery solution powered by Commvault.

“Whilst driven by three distinct components, our cloud offering ultimately extends throughout the entire lifecycle, ensuring that our partners can offer a complete solution built on infrastructure provided by leaders in their respective solution fields,” says Fred Mitchell, division head: software solutions at DCC.

Microsoft CSP

DCC’s Microsoft CSP offering is provided in partnership with Crayon, a Microsoft award-winning cloud platform service provider that is headquartered in Oslo, Norway with offices in EMEA, Asia Pacific and the US. DCC will be utilising Crayon’s globally respected cloud infrastructure, providing products such as Microsoft Azure, Office365, Enterprise Mobility Suite (EMS), and Dynamics CRM Online.

The Microsoft (CSP) programme enables its partner to manage Microsoft cloud customers’ entire lifecycle that includes billing and support.

“Through our partnership with Crayon we can now offer the Microsoft CSP offering, backed by their entrenched and recognised cloud infrastructure. Together with Crayon we are expanding our business and services to the channel while also reaching a previously untapped segment of the market,” says Catherine Lebudi-Mkhondo, CSP Business Development Manager at DCC.

Cloud-based security, backup and recovery

SonicWall and DCC Cloud Storage enable channel partners to offer cost-effective and advanced cloud-based security and backup with recovery services that feature sophisticated products. DCC Cloud Storage service is provided from a highly secure and resilient datacentre based in South Africa.

SonicWall’s Cloud App Security offers next-gen security for data within cloud applications such as Office 365 that includes e-mail, messaging, file sharing and file storage.

Explains Mitchell: “With SonicWall and DCC Cloud Storage our partners can offer cost-effective and easy-to-deploy cloud service supported by an experienced team and solid platforms. Our channel partners can now protect their customers’ data where it resides while also offering advanced backup and recovery services.”

SonicWall Cloud Apps Security benefits include:

* Visibility, data security, advanced threat protection and compliance for cloud usage;

* Prevents targeted phishing, impersonation and account takeover attacks in Office 365;

* Identifies breaches and security gaps by analysing real time and historical events; and

* Delivers the best user experience with out-of-band traffic analysis through APIs and log collection.

DCC Cloud Storage offers the following important benefits:

* Cloud connected backup and restore with no additional hardware needed;

* Backup data is always online and accessible for restore;

* Backups and restores are managed online from any web browser;

* Online monitoring and reporting of backup and restore operations;

* Backup data is always encrypted at source, in-transit and at rest;

* User access control and secure login to a web management portal;

* Backup resides in a purpose-built secure data centre monitored 24/7/365 with biometric access control;

* Automated backups with easy self-service restore;

* Backup can be restored to the original or different device; and

* 24/7 e-mail and remote support.