Changing Channels

Artificial intelligence is compelling managed service providers to rethink where value is created, shifting the opportunity from resale and token margins to advisory services, implementation, optimization, lifecycle management, and measurable business outcomes. As customers look for partners that can turn AI ambition into practical systems, the MSP market is likely to split between providers with...

Hyperscaler marketplaces are rapidly becoming a preferred way for enterprises to buy technology, creating new opportunities for vendors and partners alike. But success requires far more than simply listing products online. New Relic recently surpassed $1 billion in sales through AWS Marketplace, demonstrating what's possible with the right strategy. On this episode of Changing Channels, Larry Wals...

Technology buyers are demanding business outcomes, AI readiness, and measurable value — not just products. To meet those expectations, Lenovo is evolving its channel strategy through Lenovo 360, emphasizing services, lifecycle value, technical enablement, and outcome-based selling. In this episode of Changing Channels, Wade McFarland, Vice President of North America Channel at Lenovo, joins Larry...

The managed services market is entering a new phase as MSPs confront rising operational complexity, mounting tool sprawl, margin pressure, and increasing customer demands for automation and efficiency. Platform consolidation, workflow orchestration, and AI-driven operations are reshaping how MSPs scale and compete, while vendors race to position themselves as the operational backbone of modern ser...

The backup and disaster recovery market has long been viewed as mature and saturated, yet shifting economics, evolving cyber threats, and partner fatigue are creating an opening for disruption. New infrastructure capabilities, changing MSP expectations, and rising concerns around vendor “extraction” models are redefining what partners demand from their technology providers – including BCDR. Slide,...

Enterprise resource planning systems have long been the operational backbone of businesses, but advances in cloud computing and artificial intelligence are transforming how they are used. AI is turning ERP from a static system of record into a system of intelligence by applying automation, analytics, and decision support to the core data that runs a company—finance, supply chains, procurement, and...

As enterprises move from AI experimentation to production deployment, security risks tied to data exposure, identity compromise and agent misuse are expanding rapidly, forcing organizations to rethink how they protect people, data and collaboration environments. Proofpoint is positioning itself at the intersection of AI, human-centric security and data protection, evolving from a point-product foc...

As AI workloads expand, data centers multiply, and everything stays perpetually plugged in, electricity has become a limiting factor for digital growth rather than a passive utility. Aging power grids, rising costs, and infrastructure constraints are colliding with unprecedented demand, pushing energy management into the core of IT strategy. For the channel, this convergence of power, IoT, and inf...

The channel is widely regarded as the most effective way for technology vendors to cover the total addressable market, enabling broader customer reach, deeper penetration into specialized segments, and more profitable growth. Yet persistent doubt remains—from boardrooms to field sales—about the true contribution of partners. That skepticism is rarely philosophical; it is rooted in attribution. Whe...

Artificial intelligence is radically transforming how businesses and individuals operate, eliminating mundane tasks, driving operational efficiency, and unlocking new sources of value. In the technology channel, AI is reshaping the go-to-market relationship between vendors and partners by automating processes, improving collaboration, and introducing new products and services that help offset the...

In this episode of Changing Channels, Larry Walsh sits down with Olivier Zieleniecki, Global Vice President of Worldwide Partners at MongoDB, to discuss how the database innovator is redefining partner collaboration in the era of artificial intelligence. Zieleniecki explains how MongoDB’s ecosystem strategy has evolved from product enablement to outcome-driven partnership, emphasizing joint innova...

In this episode of Changing Channels, Larry Walsh sits down with Jason Beal and Justin Crotty of Exclusive Networks to explore how the cybersecurity-focused distributor is carving out a distinct role in a market dominated by broadline distributors. Beal and Crotty discuss why they returned to distribution after senior vendor roles, the unique services Exclusive Networks offers across the customer...

The channel exists to extend a vendor’s reach and capabilities through partners, opening access to markets and revenue streams that would otherwise be out of reach. Building and running programs that enable those partners, however, rests heavily on how well performance and sales data are understood. While most agree that channel data management is critical, the practices for collecting, analyzing,...

In this episode of Changing Channels, Larry Walsh speaks with Nina Harding, Corporate Vice President of Americas Global Partner Solutions at Microsoft, about how artificial intelligence is reshaping the channel landscape. From internal adoption of Copilot—Microsoft’s flagship AI tool—to the rise of AI-native partners, Harding shares how Microsoft is enabling its vast ecosystem to innovate faster,...

In this episode of Changing Channels, Larry Walsh speaks with Tom Evans, Chief Partner Officer at Cloudflare, about how fostering an open, fun, and collaborative culture translates directly into partner success. Evans shares insights from his first year at Cloudflare, where he’s reshaping the company's channel strategy to accelerate growth and increase partner contribution. Learn how Evans cultiva...

In this episode of Changing Channels, Larry Walsh sits down with Chris Bell, Senior Vice President of Global Channels, Alliances, and Business Development at Sophos, for an inside look at MSP Elevate—the company’s bold new program designed to reward committed partners with richer margins, exclusive capabilities, and unmatched growth potential. Bell shares how Elevate goes beyond the existing MSP F...

Autodesk has overhauled its channel strategy by moving to an agency model, where the company handles transactions directly while partners focus on delivering post-sale value. The change provides Autodesk with greater pricing and data control, reduces the administrative burden for partners, and enhances the customer experience through streamlined systems and self-service capabilities. Early results...

Tariffs are top of mind across the channel. In this episode of Changing Channels, Larry Walsh talks with Lynn Smurthwaite-Murphy, CEO of Pluggable Technologies, about the wide-reaching effects of shifting U.S. trade policy. Lynn shares how Pluggable restructured its supply chain in response to Trump-era tariffs and how new rounds of uncertainty are forcing fast, complex decisions. The discussion c...

Vendors go to great lengths to create channel programs that enable and encourage partners to succeed in their mutual go-to-market activities. These programs define the rules and agreements under which vendors and partners operate. However, partners often have little direct influence over how these programs are crafted or managed. Vendors can either elevate partners to new heights or dash their hop...

In this episode of Changing Channels, host Larry Walsh speaks with Alessandro (Alex) Cattani, CEO of Esprinet Group, about the unique dynamics of working within the IT channel and distribution landscape across Europe. Unlike the United States, the European market is complex, shaped by distinct local economies, languages, and regulations across different countries. Cattani shares insights into how...

In this episode of Changing Channels, Channelnomics's Larry Walsh speaks with Stephanie Chiras, Senior Vice President of Partner Ecosystem Success at Red Hat, to discuss the critical role collaboration plays in building and leveraging successful ecosystem channels. Chiras highlights how no single company can solve all customer challenges alone, emphasizing the need for multiple partners to work to...

In this episode of Changing Channels, host Larry Walsh speaks with Sal Sferlazza, the CEO and founder of NinjaOne, a leading managed services platform, to discuss the evolving landscape of Managed Services Providers (MSPs). They dive into how NinjaOne has emerged as a competitive alternative in the crowded MSP market by focusing on simplicity, scalability, and superior customer service. From the r...

Partner advisory boards (PABs) or councils (PACs) are integral components of many vendor channel programs, serving as crucial platforms for direct and candid dialogue between vendor leadership, channel managers, and partners. These forums allow vendors to gain valuable insights into their current operations and gauge partner sentiment regarding future plans and aspirations. While most vendors ackn...

More than 90% of software and services vendors are selling their products on subscription plans, generating annual recurring revenue (ARR). The model is more advantageous than traditional sales through transactional perpetual licensing, as it provides predictable revenue that leads to higher market valuations. While software and services sold on long-term recurring contracts have many operational...

The managed services segment of the channel has long operated on a “best of breed” basis. These companies developed services with collections of technologies from multiple vendors, providing what they considered the best options for their needs. While "best of breed" is considered a good means of developing effective systems, it is not always easy and often expensive to create and maintain. The ho...