(NOTE: This story was originally posted to CRN.com July 13.)

Data Center, Security, And Cloud Lead The Way

The data center, security and cloud were the common threads in merger-and-acquisition activity in the channel in the first half of 2017, with eight of the period's 10 most important deals focused around those technology areas. 

Vendors, distributors and solution providers spent at least $19 billion on the year's most significant deals, acquiring nearly 130,000 employees from companies delivering more than $34 billion in combined annual sales.

Five of the acquired entities are based on the West Coast, two are based on the East Coast, two in the Midwest, and one in the South. Five of the acquisitions were carried out by the 200 largest solution providers on CRN's Solution Provider 500, three were enacted by private equity firms, and two were carried out by a distributor.

Here's a look back at the 10 most pivotal deals in the channel. 

(For more on the "coolest" of 2017, check out "CRN's Tech Midyear In Review.")