News in the Channel - issue #43

2025 Microsoft Distributor Partner of the Year Issue #43 NEWS inthechannel.co.uk News, Analysis and Opinion for Resellers, MSPs and Distributors

2025 Microsoft Distributor Partner of the Year

VIDEOCONFERENCING SOLUTIONS

In the Channel Media Ltd is the publishing and

newsinthechannel.co.uk

CLOUD RESELLER NEWS cloudresellernews.co.uk

advertising arm of Stock in the Channel,

the UK’s leading IT

printinthechannel.co.uk

search engine.

Our magazine portfolio includes 4 of the leading trade only publications...

ucadvanced.com

cloudresellernews.co.uk

healthcare solutions guide 2024 info@inthechannelmedia.com To find out about partnering with us please contact:

V E R T I C A L S

VIDEOCONFERENCING SOLUTIONS

Stockies AWARDS

Our four titles have reached an incredible milestone... ONE Powerful Publishing Portfolio.

Headline Sponsor

ISSUES

INSIGHT, INNOVATION, INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP

CLOUD RESELLER NEWS cloudresellernews.co.uk

Across every edition, we’ve brought the channel the stories that matter, the voices shaping the industry and the technology driving the future. From emerging trends to expert perspectives, our portfolio continues to connect businesses, partners and innovators across the technology ecosystem.

In the Channel Media IMPACT Four titles. One mission. 100 issues of

CLOUD RESELLER NEWS cloudresellernews.co.uk

2023

www.newsinthechannel.co.uk

COMMENT

Opportunity knocks With summer over, many businesses are now looking to upgrade their equipment as they refocus efforts on growing their business. There is a wealth of opportunities across the channel for resellers to get into growing sectors and make significant sales.

The summer may be over – a relief for many after the heatwaves – and with the holiday season finished too, businesses across the board are renewing their focus on developing their business, which presents opportunities for resellers in a range of product areas, from tech to furniture. For instance, demand for ergonomic furniture is growing among office and home workers. There is a greater appreciation than ever of the importance of good posture and working habits for maintaining health as well as keeping maximising productivity. Nevertheless, there are still many workstations that are not optimised to their occupant, and this presents opportunities for resellers, not just as upsells for other products but as standalone sales. Read more on p36. With businesses looking to refresh their equipment, there are various new products on the market for buyers to consider. For instance, AGON has recently launched two new 34-inch curved monitors that are aimed at gamers and workers offering them high refresh rates and productivity focused features that can help them to achieve peak performance. Read more on p16. Many organisations in the public sector will also be seeking out new equipment. The public sector is a huge market worth

tens of billions per year, which means there are huge potential opportunities for resellers and managed service providers if they can get into the market. There are various ways to do this now, including frameworks, dynamic markets and dynamic purchasing systems. Read more on p51. Elsewhere in this issue, Luca Marinelli and Jordan Hobday from Netgear talk about the recent launch of the latest iteration of the company’s popular Insight cloud network management programme and how it is targeting the SMB market, marrying solutions that are simple to run and available for a reasonable price, yet are enterprise grade. Read more on p18. The features show that there remain strong opportunities for growth for resellers across the channel. Sometimes getting into new parts of the market can take time, resources and money but the rewards are there for those that are willing to take the risk and work hard to get the results. As always, I hope you enjoy the issue. News in the Channel covers the whole of the channel, so if there is a topic that you would like to see covered in a future issue – or you have a press release or opinion piece you would like to submit for consideration for publication – please drop me a line at dan@newsinthechannel.com. n

Dan Parton

www.newsinthechannel.co.uk

CONTENTS

News You should know p8 Product launch AMD p12 AOC Gaming p16 Interviews Netgear p18 Keepit p21 AOC Gaming Models Five challenges p26 Stockies 2026 p29 M2M Direct Component availability p34 Ergonomic Furniture p36 Cover story Arrow on Copilot p40 CyberSentriq Building momentum p43 Passkeys Beyond passwords p48 Public sector Accessing it p51 CX Real-time CX p55 People on the move p62

Interview: Netgear – p18

Netgear has recently launched an updated version of its popular Insight cloud network management platform, with significant new AI functionality, which can help MSPs to manage customers’ IT systems more effectively and efficiently.

Interview: Keepit – p21

SaaS data protection and secure cloud backup are priorities for businesses as the threats from cyberattackers increase – fuelled by advances in AI – but Keepit is investing to help businesses in the channel keep their customers’ data as secure as possible.

Ergonomic Furniture – p36 Poor ergonomics is one of the leading causes of ill health in employees, which demonstrates the importance of furniture in the office and home workspaces to avoid this and improve productivity.

Product launches AMD – p12

AOC Gaming – p16

AMD recently held its Advancing AI 2026 event in San Francisco, where the company outlined its vision for the future, as well as launching a range of products that aim to reshape the AI and high- performance computing landscape.

AGON by AOC has launched two new 34-inch curved monitors that are aimed at gamers and workers offering them high refresh rates and productivity focused features that can help them to achieve peak performance.

CONTENTS

Fully Digital. Bigger Than Ever

M2M Direct – p34

Stockies AWARDS

Availability is the new specification. How the AI infrastructure boom is changing the rules for memory and storage procurement.

2026

stockies.co.uk

Publishing Director Justin Penn 07816 573 186 justin@ newsinthechannel.com Editorial Dan Parton 07941 979 845 dan@ newsinthechannel.com Advertising Sales Martin Jenner-Hall 07824 552 116 martin@ newsinthechannel.com Market Analyst Wickus Bester wickus.bester@ stockinthechannel.com

NOW INTERNATIONAL

Nominations now OPEN for Personalty of the Year and Reseller of the Year. Stockies – p29 Be Seen. Be Recognised. Be Global Awards Week 30 November – 3 December 2026

Public Sector – p51

The UK public sector is worth billions, so for resellers and MSPs there are plenty of potentially lucrative opportunities in this market – but only if they can access it and then ensure they provide what organisations require.

Passkeys – p48

Published by: In the Channel Media Ltd Company registration number: 14363401 Registered office address 14-18 Heddon Street,

Cover story: Arrow – p40

Oliver Harvey-Jones, director of cloud UK&I for Arrow's enterprise computing solutions business, explores how channel partners can help SMB end-customers turn Copilot use into measurable value through a focused 30-day trial.

Martin Wegrostek, cyber security portfolio manager at managed IT specialist OryxAlign, explains why passkeys are becoming essential for modern cybersecurity for businesses.

Mayfair, London, United Kingdom, W1B 4DA In conjunction with:

www.newsinthechannel.co.uk

NEWS

Distology enters next phase of European growth following Foresight investment

Distology is entering its next phase of growth following investment from Foresight Group, which has acquired the specialist cybersecurity value-added distributor from NorthEdge. NorthEdge invested in Distology in February 2021, backing founder and CEO Hayley Roberts and her management team in their first institutional investment to broaden the vendor portfolio, deepen technical capability and scale the business internationally. Over the two years to FY26, Distology delivered a 48% EBITDA CAGR, expanded and diversified its vendor portfolio, increased its services capability following the acquisition of Squareball in 2022, and strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of a chief technical officer and a chief commercial officer. "NorthEdge has been a fantastic partner

over the past five years,” said Hayley. “They believed in us at a pivotal moment, backed our vision and helped us grow across the UK and Europe, while always supporting the culture and people that make Distology what it is today. “This investment means we can be much more ambitious with our growth plans, particularly across Europe, and gives us greater opportunity to pursue strategic acquisitions. “It's exciting news for our partners and vendors too. We'll be able to provide even greater technical expertise, strengthen our vendor portfolio and give our partners more insight into what's happening across the cybersecurity market and where the opportunities lie. That means they can have better conversations with customers, bring them the right solutions and become even more valuable to their businesses.” n

Hayley Roberts

distology.com

Westcon-Comstor and Sonar sign multi-region deal

Westcon-Comstor has announced a multi-region distribution agreement with Sonar, an AI code verification and governance provider. The partnership provides high-value growth opportunities for channel partners in the UK and across EMEA and APAC to help customers securely adopt AI into their software development workflows. The agreement makes Sonar’s core platform, SonarQube, available to Westcon-Comstor partners, enabling them to extend their DevSecOps offerings with automated code verification that helps development and security teams identify and remediate security vulnerabilities, exposed secrets and other code issues before software reaches production. As AI agents become more deeply embedded in development workflows, organisations need to maintain the speed

benefits of AI without introducing new security risks. Sonar’s Agent Centric Development Cycle methodology gives partners a clear framework for helping customers do so: guide AI agents with the right context and constraints, verify their output through fast, multi-layered feedback loops, and resolve issues before they become a production risk. Through this Guide-Verify-Solve approach, partners can help customers build security and governance into AI- assisted development from the outset. Sonar provides automated code analysis that embeds verification directly into AI-driven workflows to reduce outages, improve security and lower costs and risks associated with AI and agentic coding. This gives security and development teams a shared, actionable view of code risk, while supporting faster remediation

sonarsource.com

westconcomstor.com

NEWS

and stronger governance as software environments become more complex. With strong upsell and cross-sell potential, short sales cycles, fast time to revenue and attractive margins, Sonar enables partners to broaden customer relationships and create new recurring revenue streams.

Partners will benefit from Westcon- Comstor’s value-added distribution model, which supports market entry and growth through technical enablement, market intelligence and data-driven lead generation, alongside support for customer adoption, expansion and renewals. n

Samsung Galaxy XR headset now available through TD SYNNEX

TD SYNNEX is now supplying the Samsung Galaxy XR advanced mixed reality headset, enabling developers and partners in the UK and Ireland to take advantage of its extensive resources to maximise their potential with design, manufacturing, training and simulation and digital twinning solutions. This builds on the existing relationship between the two companies. It allows solutions providers to make use of TD SYNNEX’s expertise and experience in the mixed, augmented and virtual reality (XR) market and call on the distributor’s business development resources, technical expertise, logistics and financial support to extend and maximise their opportunities. “The Samsung Galaxy XR is a superb addition to our mixed and virtual reality portfolio and one that provides partners with a technically excellent platform that delivers high performance and superb features and is easy to deploy

and manage,” said James Reed, vice president, Endpoint Solutions, UK and Ireland, TD SYNNEX. “TD SYNNEX has been active in this market for several years and we feel there is great potential for the Samsung Galaxy XR, especially in areas such as design, manufacturing and healthcare along with other areas of the public sector.” The Samsung Galaxy XR is a high- resolution, AI-powered computing platform with spatial audio that delivers clear and immersive user experiences. Developed in partnership with Google and Qualcomm, it features two ultra-high- resolution dual 4K micro-OLED displays, the Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 processor, precise eye and hand tracking, and runs on the dedicated Android XR platform. It is ideal for applications that simulate real-world environments for training, demonstrations, digital twinning and for demanding design and rendering solutions. n

James Reed

uk.tdsynnex.com

inforcer announces general availability of inforcer TDR inforcer has announced the general availability of its threat detection and response solution, inforcer TDR.

across Entra ID, Exchange, SharePoint, Teams, Defender and Purview, it enables MSPs to understand the full context of an attack beyond identity alone. It can also analyse up to six months of historical Microsoft 365 logs to provide further context and uncover active compromises that may have gone unnoticed. inforcer TDR compiles this complex data into a dashboard that allows MSPs to see active incidents, trends and preventions

inforcer.com/tdr

Built specifically for MSPs, inforcer TDR goes beyond traditional identity detection to reduce noise, rapidly identify threats, automate breach containment and continually strengthen protection across every Microsoft 365 tenant. inforcer TDR has unparalleled depth of Microsoft telemetry. Detecting from

CONTINUED

www.newsinthechannel.co.uk

NEWS

CONTINUED

for every customer from one screen. Users can export jargon-free, customer- ready reports that clearly show every threat detected, every action taken and the value of MSPs’ security services. In just six weeks, TDR has detected thousands of real threats within minutes and reduced average containment time to less than 60 seconds. Human analysts operating within a Security Operations Centre (SOC) simply can’t respond quickly enough or consistently around the clock, making it difficult to protect against AI- powered attacks that move through an environment in minutes. inforcer TDR does things differently than traditional identity threat detection and response

solutions, using AI to fight AI. inforcer TDR has a behavioural engine that individually profiles every user, Entra application, tenant and MSP, analysing every signal, spotting patterns and anomalies and intelligently reducing noise. inforcer TDR can then act against threats immediately: automatically revoking active sessions, locking or disabling compromised accounts, and containing the breach in as little as just a few seconds. The platform is also backed by oversight from a human SOC team that can advise on threats and provide additional threat verification where necessary, to reduce false positives, and streamline the alerting system. n

Redsquid acquires ARK ICT Redsquid has acquired ARK ICT, a technology provider based in Spalding, Lincolnshire. Established in 2001, ARK ICT has

supported by the same trusted local team while gaining access to Redsquid’s wider capabilities, including AI enablement and transformation, cybersecurity backed by a 24/7 Security Operations Centre, cloud services, connectivity and workplace technology. “ARK ICT has built an exceptional reputation across the education and SME markets,” said Sohin Raithatha, CEO and co-founder of Redsquid. “Its commitment to customer success, strong regional presence and highly experienced team make it a natural fit for Redsquid. “This acquisition considerably strengthens our education proposition while broadening our reach within the SME market. Most importantly, it brings together talented people who share our ambition to build the UK’s most trusted and loved technology partner.” The acquisition continues Redsquid’s growth journey and supports its long- term vision of creating a differentiated technology group that combines deep sector expertise, exceptional service and innovative technology solutions under one trusted brand. n

built long-standing relationships with hundreds of schools and businesses across the East Midlands. The company provides managed IT support, hardware and software, installations, training and consultancy, supported by a strong reputation for exceptional customer service and practical technology solutions. The acquisition marks another milestone in Redsquid’s strategy to build the UK’s most trusted technology partner through people-first acquisitions that expand capability, strengthen regional presence and create greater value for customers. About 80% of ARK ICT’s customers operate within the education sector, giving Redsquid a significantly stronger presence in the market alongside an established regional SMB customer base. The combination will bring customers broader technology expertise, deeper specialist resources and access to an expanded range of services. ARK ICT customers will continue to be

Sohin Raithatha

redsquid.co.uk

ark.me.uk

NEWS

Exclaimer launches MSP Connect

Exclaimer has launched MSP Connect, a new partner programme that enables MSPs to provision, manage and grow centralised email signature services across multiple customer environments.

and ongoing management. Exclaimer uses directory data to populate approved signature attributes across Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace. Depending on the customer environment, an MSP can deploy the service in under an hour, without a heavy integration project or mandatory professional services. MSP Connect also gives partners room to build services around the platform. MSPs can offer signature template design, create template catalogues for customers, and bundle Exclaimer into a broader Microsoft 365 or managed services package. Their customers' marketing teams can use approved campaign banners, engagement analytics and rules-based signature content, while IT retains centralised control over deployment and governance. For end customers, centralised management keeps brand assets, employee details and legal disclaimers consistent across outgoing email without relying on individual users to apply updates. n

The launch is part of Exclaimer's channel-first growth strategy. MSP Connect brings together a

consumption-based commercial model, a redesigned self-service portal, dedicated channel support and not-for-resale licensing. It is designed around how MSPs operate, allowing partners to manage customers centrally and align costs with actual usage rather than paying for licences that are no longer in use. For MSPs, the opportunity is to add a recurring service to existing Microsoft 365 and managed services relationships without introducing a complex deployment or support burden. Partners can generate licence margin, bundle Exclaimer into broader managed service packages and build additional revenue through signature design, deployment

exclaimer.com

HPE appoints Infinigate UK as specialist distributor

Infinigate UK has been appointed by HPE as a specialist value-added distributor for the HPE Networking portfolio in the UK. The appointment enables channel partners to access HPE Networking solutions, including HPE Aruba Networking and HPE Juniper Networking, through Infinigate’s specialist distribution, technical support and partner services. HPE selected Infinigate UK for its track record as a value-added distributor, its specialist focus on AI networking and security and its established UK channel reach. Infinigate’s experience as a leading UK distributor for Juniper Networks, now HPE Juniper Networking, gives partners access to skills developed across enterprise networking, secure connectivity, cloud-managed networking and AI-driven

network operations. The appointment is relevant for UK channel partners, resellers and MSPs looking to expand their secure networking offering with HPE Networking products and services. It also supports customers investing in AI-ready infrastructure, cloud connectivity, campus networking, data centre networking and operational automation. Infinigate UK will support HPE Networking partners with logistics, partner services, professional and lifecycle services, partner enablement and pre- and post-sales support. These services are designed to help partners onboard quickly, build technical capability and deliver HPE Networking solutions effectively across customer environments. n

Charlie Tunley

hpe.com

www.newsinthechannel.co.uk

PRODUCT LAUNCHES AMD

Vision for the future AMD recently held its Advancing AI 2026 event in San Francisco, where the company outlined its vision for the future, as well as launching a range of products that aim to reshape the AI and high-performance computing landscape.

“

The next phase of AI will span frontier models,

agents and physical AI, creating new

Dr. Lisa Su.

AMD showcased its latest advancements in AI solutions and high-performance computing on July 23 in San Francisco at its flagship global event, Advancing AI 2026. AMD leaders joined developers, customers, enterprise leaders and partners to offer blueprints for building, deploying and scaling AI using AMD technology. At the event keynote, AMD chair and CEO Dr. Lisa Su announced a broad portfolio of end-to-end AI solutions. From silicon to software, AMD showed how it is reshaping the AI and high-performance computing landscape.

Among the products launched by AMD at the event were 6th Gen AMD EPYC™ CPUs, AMD Instinct™ MI400 Series GPUs, AMD Helios™ AI rackscale solutions, AMD Ryzen™ AI Embedded X100 processors and the AMD Kria™ AI SOM and Robotics Developer Platform. Also at Advancing AI 2026 companies including Anthropic, OpenAI, Meta, Cerebras, AT&T and Cisco detailed how they are collaborating with AMD to advance AI infrastructure, enterprise capabilities and edge AI. “The next phase of AI will span frontier models, agents and physical AI, creating new opportunities to bring intelligence everywhere,” said Dr. Lisa. “Realising that potential will take the entire industry working together. AMD is partnering across the ecosystem to deliver leadership compute and open platforms that give customers the performance, flexibility and choice to scale AI from the data center to the edge.”

opportunities to bring intelligence everywhere.

”

AMD Instinct TtM MI4000 Series GPUs

PRODUCT LAUNCHES AMD

High performance One of the products launched at the event was 6th Gen EPYC processors, which deliver the broadest server CPU portfolio for agentic AI, spanning cloud, enterprise, general-purpose and high- performance computing (HPC) workloads. With leadership per-core performance and the highest thread density, they enable the most agents per watt, per dollar and per rack. For AI host nodes, 6th Gen EPYC CPUs deliver the speed and memory bandwidth to keep accelerators fully fed. And for general-purpose servers, they bring leadership performance and energy efficiency to run business critical applications and AI support tasks. Allied to that was the launch of AMD Instinct™ MI400 Series GPUs, which enable AMD to deliver powerful performance for cloud, enterprise and HPC workloads. AMD Instinct MI455X GPUs deliver 34x higher token throughput compared to MI355X GPUs. For high-precision workloads, the AMD Instinct™ MI430X accelerator is the most advanced for HPC and sovereign AI with up to 288 TFLOPS of hardware-based FP64 performance for scientific computing. Instinct MI430X accelerators are powering the next wave of exascale-class supercomputers across the US and Europe. AMD also launched the Instinct MI350P GPU, bringing seamless AI acceleration to existing infrastructure with leadership token economics. MI350P GPUs deliver up to 4.2x more tokens per second per dollar than the competition. Supporting developers Another launch was the Ryzen AI Halo, which gives developers a local platform for building, testing and iterating on AI models, with 128GB of unified memory and support for models up to 200 billion parameters. AMD is also expanding its partnership with Hugging Face to bring optimised open models, libraries

AMD 6th Gen EPYC processors

and toolkits to Ryzen AI Halo, helping developers spend less time configuring infrastructure and more time building applications. Later this year, every AMD Ryzen AI Halo developer platform will ship with a free year of Hugging Face PRO. AMD is already pushing the capabilities of local AI further with the recently announced Ryzen™ AI Max PRO 400 Series processors, with an increased unified memory of 192GB and supporting models up to 300 billion parameters. Developer platforms featuring Ryzen AI Max PRO 400 will be available in the Ryzen AI Halo and OEM systems later this year. These systems will enable larger open models, longer context, deeper agent memory and more sophisticated multiagent workflows — all running locally on a personal system. This snapshot of some of the major launches from Advancing AI 2026 shows how AMD technologies are helping customers scale quickly and accelerate enterprise transformation and will be impacting businesses large and small around the world. n

Developer platforms featuring Ryzen AI Max PRO 400 will be available in the Ryzen AI Halo and OEM systems later this year. These systems will enable larger open

models, longer context, deeper

agent memory and more sophisticated

multiagent workflows...

www.newsinthechannel.co.uk

Tech that makes people tick!

Today’s technologies have the power to help us become our most productive and powerful selves. When it comes to choosing tech products that enable your customers to effortlessly communicate, collaborate, and thrive, we have a huge selection to choose from. Including AV, Security, Headsets, Telephony, Networking and Infrastructure. To help ensure you make informed choices, our friendly tech experts have the tech ‘knowledgy’ and experience to support you every step of the way.

Let’s talk tech! 0161 925 1980 info@nimans.net nimans.net

The ‘go to’ people and place for technology

www.newsinthechannel.co.uk

PRODUCT LAUNCH AOC GAMING CU34G4CA (180HZ) AND CU34G4ZCA (250HZ OC)

Ahead of the curve AGON by AOC has launched two new 34-inch curved monitors that are aimed at gamers and workers offering them high refresh rates and productivity focused features that can help them to achieve peak performance.

Designed to transition seamlessly between gaming and work, both models combine high-refresh-rate performance with productivity- focused features...

Monitors are a crucial piece of equipment for gamers and workers, and they are increasingly demanding more from them to ensure they can achieve peak performance, whether at work or play. AGON by AOC has responded to this demand by expanding its 34-inch curved G4 ultrawide range with two new models: the AOC GAMING CU34G4CA at 180Hz, and the AOC GAMING CU34G4ZCA at 240Hz (overclockable to 250Hz). Designed to transition seamlessly between gaming and work, both models combine high-refresh-rate performance with productivity-focused features making them equally suited for immersive gameplay and hybrid work setups. Ultrawide format Both models utilise a 1500R curved Fast VA panel featuring WQHD resolution (3440 x 1440), providing a wider field of view compared to traditional 16:9 displays. This format offers specific advantages

across various workflows and gaming genres: 💎 Expanded field of view: The 21:9 ultrawide aspect ratio enhances immersion in racing and flight simulators by expanding the player's peripheral view, while strategy and MOBA players benefit from additional on-screen space for improved battlefield awareness. 💎 Cinematic visuals: With DisplayHDR 400 certification and a peak brightness of 450 nits, both displays deliver the contrast and depth required for lifelike imagery in expansive open-world titles. 💎 Workspace consolidation: For professional tasks, the 21:9 ultrawide format offers the convenience of a dual-monitor-style workflow on a single display, providing ample space to view documents, spreadsheets, timelines and multiple applications side-by-side without the interruption of a centre bezel.

PRODUCT LAUNCH AOC GAMING

High-velocity speed The G4 ultrawide lineup offers two

bundle for easy setup, featuring a 1.5m USB-C to USB-C (Gen 2) cable in the box, along with a 1.8m HDMI cable and a 1.8m DisplayPort cable. Sustained performance The CU34G4CA and CU34G4ZCA are engineered to support users through the physical demands of high-intensity gaming and full working days by prioritising posture and long-term visual health. Both models feature an ergonomic stand with 130mm of height adjustment, as well as tilt (-3.5° to 21.5°) and swivel (-20° to +20°) adjustment. This flexibility is critical for reducing neck and back fatigue during marathon gaming brackets or extended professional sessions. In addition, both models incorporate Flicker-Free technology and Low Blue Mode to help reduce eye strain during extended usage, while maintaining the visual clarity and responsiveness of the Fast VA panel. “The 1500R curve and 21:9 canvas are made for the games where immersion matters most, from sims to sprawling open worlds,” says César Acosta, senior gaming product manager at AGON by AOC. “What is new here is that we have added 90W USB-C, so the same screen that pulls you into a race can power a work laptop the next morning. You get an immersive, fast gaming monitor first, and a genuinely capable workspace on top.” n

distinct tiers of performance to match any competitive level, both delivering ultra- low response times of up to 1ms GtG. The CU34G4CA (180Hz) is built for smooth, high-refresh immersion at an accessible price point. It features a 180Hz refresh rate and 0.5ms MPRT to ensure fluid motion clarity during fast-paced gameplay. Connectivity includes 2x HDMI 2.0 and 1x DisplayPort 1.4, making it a natural fit for racing simulators, story- driven single-player titles and daily tasks. Meanwhile the CU34G4ZCA (250Hz OC) steps up to a native 240Hz refresh rate, overclockable to 250Hz, with 0.3ms MPRT to virtually eliminate motion blur. Paired with 2x HDMI 2.1 and 1x DisplayPort 1.4, it delivers the high bandwidth required for top-tier graphics cards and elite competitive play. Integrated professional hub To support hybrid work, AGON by AOC has integrated professional-grade connectivity usually found in business monitors into these high-performance gaming displays: 💥 One-cable solution: The 90W USB-C connection delivers video and data while simultaneously powering a laptop, significantly reducing cable complexity. 💥 Hardware-based KVM and integrated USB hub: An integrated KVM switch allows users to control two separate systems, such as a work laptop and a gaming desktop, with a single keyboard and mouse. This makes it easy to switch between devices without unplugging and reconnecting gaming gear. The integrated USB hub, featuring two x USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, keeps headsets, external drives and other accessories within easy reach while reducing cable clutter. 💥 Ready-to-use connectivity: Both models include a complete cable

César Reyes Acosta

aoc.com

What is new here is that we have added 90 W USB-C, so the same screen that pulls you into a race can power a work laptop the next morning “ ”

www.newsinthechannel.co.uk

INTERVIEW

Widening the net Netgear has recently launched an updated version of its popular Insight cloud network

management platform, with significant new AI functionality, which can help MSPs to manage customers’ IT systems more effectively and efficiently.

Businesses are increasingly relying on AI applications, cloud services, connected devices and distributed workforces, which means that network infrastructure has become more critical and complex. But for many SMBs, this infrastructure is becoming increasingly problematic as they don’t have the specialist knowledge in-house to effectively manage it. Netgear appreciates this need and is focusing on the SMB market, marrying solutions that are simple to run, yet are enterprise grade that can support heavy workloads and sophisticated requirements but at a reasonable price. “That’s our philosophy,” notes Luca Marinelli, head of Europe at Netgear. To this end, Netgear has recently launched an updated version of its popular Insight network operating system, Insight 10, which enables managed service providers (MSPs) to deliver more effective network management platforms to customers.

NETGEAR

Updates One significant part of the update is the introduction of an AI-powered assistant. “This is very useful because it helps administrators to understand the whole platform, but the main value in my opinion is that they can move from reactive troubleshooting to a predictive way of managing the network, and with less effort,” says Luca. “The second thing is that this platform is multi-tenant and it’s managing all the appliances that we have on the network, from routers to switches to our security embedded solution. There is an advanced view of the topology of the network, which basically provides clear information on everything – the devices, the signal coverage, the performance. You can manage everything through that platform in a proper way. “One aspect that is very important for the MSPs and partners using the solution to provide services to end users is the hierarchy tree, which is a new feature that helps MSPs to manage multiple network environments with a very fast navigation across all devices from one interface, so they don’t need other tools.” Luca adds that there is also role- based access control, which allows administrators to assign permissions depending on the roles of the people. These innovations are combined with a new user interface. “This is simple and intuitive to use, which goes with the whole value aspect,” says Luca. “It positions Netgear as a unique point of contact for our customers, because with this platform, they can easily manage whole networks in one without recourse to other tools or applications.” Addressing problems Jordan Hobday, UK country manager at Netgear, adds that historically, networking management platforms have focused on visibility and control. “They’ll tell the administrators what’s happening

on the network,” he says. “In reality, organisations need platforms that can interpret conditions, proactively identify anomalies, recommend actions and help administrators make decisions faster. We do that through the AI-assisted piece within Insight 10. “Insight 10 is designed to be the central management layer across the Netgear enterprise platform bringing together the hardware, the security, the SASE solution, visibility and partner operations into a more integrated and scalable experience for our partners. “A typical MSP partner is managing thousands of devices today across dozens of customers in multiple locations. The challenge isn’t deploying the hardware, it is operating them efficiently and effectively; every troubleshooting ticket, every time they go out on site and do manual configuration, it consumes valuable engineering time that could be used elsewhere within the organisation. Insight 10 is designed to solve that problem.” Jordan adds that Insight 10 provides greater visibility, operational intelligence and AI-assisted workflows that help partners identify the issues and reduce the manual effort, to deliver a much stronger customer experience. “That means MSPs can support more customers, more devices and with greater complexity without proportionally increasing their operational costs, which is super important,” says Jordan. “They can align their resources for the most effective return. “From a channel perspective, MSPs and channel partners are becoming increasingly strategic to their customers. They’re not just a technology provider that just provides the hardware anymore. Customers are looking for trusted advisors that can help them manage the complexity within their networks because often they don’t have that in- house. They need to improve security and support their own business growth. That’s why our strategy isn’t just about

Luca Marinelil

Jordan Hobday

netgear.com

1291 CONTINUED

www.newsinthechannel.co.uk

NETGEAR

CONTINUED

understand that the network and their software is going to work as expected and have the MSP drive that for them, take away the headache that goes alongside that and that’s where we make it easy for our MSP partners with Insight 10.” Transformation Insight 10 is also indicative of Netgear’s ongoing evolution in recent years. “Our evolution from a company primarily associated with plug-and-play networking hardware into a platform-oriented enterprise business is focused on intelligent infrastructure, managed services, and long-term operational value for our partners and customers,” explains Jordan. “Insight 10 is a huge milestone in that transformation and it represents a foundational shift towards a more intelligent, predictable and streamlined network operation for our SMBs and

simplifying network infrastructure, it’s also about helping partners build scalable, predictable and service-led businesses around our platform.” AI and simplicity As mentioned, AI is a new feature in Insight 10 and plays a significant role in helping to build efficiencies for customers. “With AI, instead of the network administrator going in and having to identify the issue, it will give views on what could be an issue, and give recommendations on how to fix it,” explains Luca. “AI provides that functionality. We see that as a huge first step in our AI journey for Insight.” Jordan adds that it speeds up the time from initially spotting an anomaly to dealing with it. “This can really save time, especially if there is a security breach happening.” Luca adds that where partners and customers may have limited resource in that kind of area, it improves operational functionality within the business as well. “We take away the headache, we take away hours of engineering time that can then be applied into other areas of their business,” he says. Simplicity is also a key tenet, especially for the many SMBs that don’t have the in-house technical resources, which MSPs can capitalise on. “The software is super simple to use and to deploy,” says Luca. “AI helps with deployment as well. Also, from a hardware and a licencing cost perspective, we are super simple. It’s one licence per device so there’s no complexity around needing one licence for this device and another licence for that device.” This simplicity can also help MSPs that are still relatively small and trying to scale, Luca adds. “From an end customer perspective, they want the complexity of managing these things taken outside of their business, so they can grow effectively without having concerns around their network or what they need to manage internally,” says Luca. “They need someone to go in and

“

They need someone to go in and understand that the network and their software is going to work as expected and have the MSP drive that for them, take away the headache that goes alongside that and that's where we make it easy for our MSP partners with Insight 10.”

MSPs. We’re focused on helping organisations modernise their

infrastructure, operate more efficiently, and grow with confidence, and taking that headache of managing networks away from customers and partners.” Jordan adds that MSPs provide a huge growth area for Netgear’s business. “We’re already in that market and we have sought feedback from our MSP partners to help us develop the product and to ascertain what is needed within the market. We’re already on that journey, but the plan is absolutely to grow further within that market.” With the launch of Insight 10, Netgear is, as mentioned, pushing more into the MSP market and has a strong partner programme, called the Netgear Drive Programme. “There’s a portal there where MSPs can sign up and be a Netgear partner,” says Jordan. “Alternatively, MSPs can reach out to our distribution partners or to Netgear UK directly. “The Drive programme is developing well, and the launch of Insight 10 will help with that.” n

”

INTERVIEW

Keepit real

00 21 CONTINUED

www.newsinthechannel.co.uk

KEEPIT

CONTINUED

There are more threats to the security of businesses – large and small – than ever before, with the advent of AI turbocharging the volume of threats and attackers out there. This means security is more important than ever and should be a priority for channel businesses. Alex Walsh, regional vice president of channels for EMEA North at Keepit, says the rapid advancement of AI and large language models (LLMs) has shifted the conversation. “With the different types of AI algorithms out there and the LLMs that are being developed by threat actors, it now means that while in the past you might get a week to identify and fix a potential gap in your security infrastructure, you’re now looking at hours. “That threat vector has become so small and security vendors are working hard with customers to help them protect themselves. But fundamentally, the threat has risen in terms of ransomware attacks, but also the intelligence of those threats. It’s no longer a case of if we will get attacked, it’s how many times you get attacked and how you recover from them. The most effective foundation for recovery is to have an immutable copy of data that’s a source of truth that you can rely on. “As we move forward into this era of AI and the requirements of the customers, is not just ensuring that, from the security vendor perspective, they’ve got the right technologies in place, but its having that last line of defence, when a company is attacked and systems go down, is the vendor independent, rather than relying on a hyperscaler? You need to make sure you’ve got a fully-fledged plan, which Keepit can provide because of our independence from hyperscalers, and because we provide immutability at rest in our data copies. That message is resonating with customers and partners currently. “Everybody talks about having multiple copies of data in offsite locations on

different media types, and that hasn’t changed. The difference is that Keepit keeps four copies of a customer's data — two in each of two independent data centres within a chosen region — protected by a logical air gap.” Alex notes that the advancements in AI mean that attackers do not have to be sophisticated or particularly knowledgeable to be able to launch attacks. “They’ve got bots and agentic AI, and some are simply attacking just for the fun of it and finding those vulnerabilities,” he says. “It means that having proper protection in place is really important for all businesses – it’s not just the big fintechs, the banks or the retail manufacturing houses, it is literally small businesses and village schools that are getting attacked and getting shut down. “That's why it’s really important to do the basics and to have those disaster recovery plans and strategies in place for when it does go wrong. You have to know which data sets are critical to your business continuity, so that you know what to prioritise if disaster strikes.”

Alex Walsh

keepit.com

“

With the different types of AI algorithms out there and the LLMs that are being developed by threat actors, it now means that while in the past you might get a week to identify and fix a potential gap in your security infrastructure, you’re now looking at 12-24 hours.

As the UK Cyber Security and Resilience Bill comes into force,

organisations will need to ensure that all relevant applications are protected and that the backup copies they rely on for recovery are immutable, authentic and readily accessible. This will be essential to restoring operations quickly following an attack.” “Most threat actors will actively go for the backups. So as a data protection vendor, you have to make sure you’ve got immutability at rest, which Keepit can provide.” Digital sovereignty Another important aspect for Keepit is digital sovereignty as it supports nations, businesses and individuals independent control over their own software, data and digital infrastructure. Alex works with a team of regional partner managers

”

KEEPIT

working with local partners to increase digital sovereignty for customers. “One of the big things that I talk to partners about in the UK at the moment is having independence because of increased regulation around the UK Cyber Security and Resilience Bill that’s coming into force meaning that customers will be required to have independent copies of data in air-gapped solutions that are immutable and they can recover,” he says. “That’s not something you can do with some of the more traditional data protection vendors. We have a USP in the market, one that can be complementary to some of those legacy vendors in the market protecting the on-prem workloads. We’ve seen a large increase in demand in terms of the channel coming to us through VARs and MSPs to help customers to truly feel safe around the protection of their data. We’ve signed a number of distributors across the region as well to help us scale this solution.” Channel strategy Indeed, one of Keepit’s main focuses is on developing its channel business. Alex says that in the past 12 months Keepit has doubled the size of its channel team, as it is felt that the best way to help customers effectively, and scale the business, is through channel partners. “That’s through working with our VAR channel, distributors, MSPs, alliances and OEMs,” he says. “We have invested heavily in bringing in the right talent into the organisation, people with experience of working with partners on joint business plans. We strive to address the customer’s pain and focus on how we can help that partner to deliver what their customer needs.” Alex adds that Keepit has also worked hard to ensure that it’s profitable for partners to work with the company. “From my perspective, the channel is about three things,” he says. “It’s got to be

profitable for the partner that you work with because why would they work with you

otherwise? Then you’ve got to make sure the technology is good because they’re also using their reputation to talk to their customers about the tech you provide for them. The third is one of the easiest, but one a lot of vendors get wrong, which is that you’ve got to be easy to work with. If somebody needs a quote, help them out. If they need help with a technical question, help them out. And also be fun to work with. It doesn’t always have to be about numbers and statistics, it’s about people and relationships too.” Alex adds that Keepit can also help customers to be compliant with regulations like NIST 2, DORA and the UK Cyber Security and Resilience Bill. “We can help ensure customers have real disaster recovery plans in place and are resilient against ransomware attacks,” he adds. “There’s been a lot of advancement in how Keepit goes to market and bringing the right talent in to achieve our aims. We’re also looking at our internal partner programmes to make sure that they are the best in the industry and that partners that lean in and work closely with Keepit reap the rewards of that. “Keepit is looking to become the most partner-friendly vendor of the next decade, and we’re more than happy to speak to partners that feel like they want to engage on that journey with us.” n

“

We can help ensure customers have real disaster recovery plans in place and are resilient against ransomware attacks.

”

www.newsinthechannel.co.uk

INFLECTION POINT

www.newsinthechannel.co.uk

AOC GAMING MODELS

Screen test Ahead of the Black Friday rush, a gaming sales expert from AOC UK finds the right monitor product for five example customers, and offers tips for resellers to help close deals.

Five customers. Five budgets. One AOC expert. AGON by AOC’s portfolio covers everything from a teenager’s first proper gaming monitor to a 540Hz esports beast, which is great news for choice, and a headache when a customer is standing in front of you with a budget and a vague idea of what they want. News in the Channel put that range to the test. We sat down with Neal Till, gaming sales manager at AOC UK, ahead of the Black Friday rush, and sent five very different customers through his door. His job: close a sale with every one of them.

CHALLENGE No.1 A 16-year-old with £300 of saved-up birthday money and a mid-range graphics card. He plays open-world games with his friends at the weekend and CS2 on school nights. He wants 4K because his console does 4K. He also wants the highest refresh rate number on the shelf. His budget will stretch to precisely one of those things.

Neal chose... AOC GAMING The AOC GAMING U27G4R . A 27-inch Fast IPS panel running 4K at 160Hz, then at the press of a button, dropping to Full HD at a whopping 320Hz. AOC calls it Dual Frame Mode. For this customer it means he stops choosing. Open-world on Saturday in 4K, CS2 on Wednesday at 320Hz, one screen, around £299. Two HDMI 2.1 ports mean the console comes along too. Reseller note: If he can find another £100, the Q27G4ZDR puts a

Neal Till

aoc.com

240Hz QD-OLED panel in front of him for £399.99. That is a difficult conversation to lose.

CHALLENGE No.2 A parent, three weeks before Christmas, buying for his daughter who “does gaming”. They don’t know what a refresh rate is and don't want to. They want it to look expensive when it comes out of the box, they want it to work with the PlayStation as well as the PC, and they have a hard ceiling of £350. Neal chose... AOC GAMING The AOC GAMING U32G4U . Thirty-one and a half inches of 4K does the job no

AOC GAMING U27G4R

Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64

newsinthechannel.co.uk