News in the Channel - issue #30

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Issue #30

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NEWS: The latest news and product news from the Channel – pages 6-10 2023 PREVIEW:: Crystal balls at the ready – page 15 INTERVIEW:: Richard Wells embracing 30 years of change – page 26 SCANNING GATEWAYS: Hybrid working is driving the growth of digitising documents – page 46 BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE:: How FX rates affect toner pricing – page 50 NEWS: The latest news and product news from the Channel – pages 6-10 2023 PREVIEW:: Crystal balls at the ready – page 15 INTERVIEW:: Richard Wells embracing 30 years of change – page 26 SCANNING GATEWAYS: Hybrid working is driving the growth of digitising documents – page 46 BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE:: How FX rates affect toner pricing – page 50

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COMMENT

The appliance of intelligence

Artificial intelligence is changing many aspects of how business is conducted and this includes cloud marketplaces, which is providing benefits for resellers and end users alike.

Dan Parton

Over the past two and a half years or so I’ve written a lot about artificial intelligence (AI), and I make no apology for doing so again. People, much more steeped in technology than I, have said that AI could bring about as big a revolution in business as email and the internet did about 25 years ago. They may well be right too. AI is being used in many sectors and is influencing how many functions are carried out. One particular area where AI is having an influence is cloud marketplaces. The use of AI within these platforms is reshaping how they are built and monetised and helps resellers to deliver solutions that are more personalised to their customers, along with streamlining buying processes, among many other benefits. Read more on p40. AI is also, of course, affecting security considerations, with companies wanting to keep their data secure while they are using it and ensure that it is effectively destroyed once it has served its purpose. With hackers increasing in their sophistication, including with data recovery tools, data destruction is as crucial as it’s ever been. It isn’t just a matter of hitting ‘delete’, it must be ensured that data can never be recovered again. This is something resellers have an

important role in advising customers with. Read more on p22. Elsewhere, a growth area in the channel is for audio-visual equipment for meeting rooms. With the number of people in hybrid working arrangements continuing to rise, employers are increasingly developing meeting rooms that can help those in the office collaborate effectively with those who are elsewhere. But to

ensure that collaboration is as effective as possible, the right AV tools are needed – and this presents plenty of opportunities to resellers. Find out more on p45. The pace of change in all three of these sectors of the channel mentioned above is fast, which means that

resellers need to keep on top of the latest technologies to ensure they provide the best services to their customers. As always, I hope you enjoy the issue. News in the Channel covers businesses and topics from across the spectrum of the channel, so if you have a topic that you would like to see us cover in a future issue – or want to get involved with editorial or send a press release – please drop me a line at dan@newsinthechannel.com n

See the 2025 Nominations and Sponsors

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CONTENTS

News You should know p8 Product Launch Lenovo ThinkCentre & ThinkVision p14 Computex 2025 All the world’s a stage for AI p18 Stockies 2025 A word from... p21 Data Destruction Seek and destroy p22 Exertis Enterprise Jason Chibnall Interview p29 STOCKIES 2025 Nominations and Sponsors p31 Cloud Untapped market Cloud Marketplaces Growing popularity p40 Audio-Visual Equipment Meeting rooms p45 Eagle Eye BI Mice p52 Gaming Peripherals Game on p54 On the move p58 p35 HPE Private cloud p38

Exertis Enterprise – p29

HPE – p38

HPE has launched a new private cloud portfolio that combines flexible enterprise- grade software for virtualised workloads

and unified cloud management to modernise how end users work.

It has been a busy year for Exertis Enterprise, culminating recently in its Summit in Barcelona. Here, Jason Chibnall from Exertis Enterprise talks about how the company is evolving to cope with new demands from the market.

Computex 2025 – p18

Computex 2025 drew a record- breaking 86,521 attendees from 152 countries, while the wider venue welcomed around 1,400 exhibitors across 4,800 booths in roughly 80,000 m² of space.

Product Launch: Lenovo – p14

Audio-Visual Equipment – p45

Meeting rooms are growing in popularity as businesses seek to tempt employees back to the office and ensure hybrid workers can collaborate effectively – and the audio-visual elements are crucial to ensuring these ambitions happen.

Lenovo has unveiled a new generation of AI PC desktops and monitors that are designed to maximise productivity and multitasking in the workplace through clever use of AI.

CONTENTS

Data Destruction – p22

Written permission from the publisher is required before any part of News in the Channel can be reproduced. © 2025 In the Channel Media Ltd. Market Analyst Wickus Bester wickus.bester@ stockinthechannel.com 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 Liz Newbury 07756 069297 liz@newsinthechannel.com

TECHNOLOGY & STORAGE 24 NOVEMBER

More data than ever is being produced, but, with cyberthreats similarly growing, disposing of this data securely is crucial if businesses are to avoid potential breaches – and resellers have an important role to play.

The first set of STOCKIES 2025 award nominations and sponsors have been announced .

Cloud Marketplaces – p40

In association with

Cloud marketplaces have been growing in popularity in the UK in recent years as users seek the convenience of them. But with the growth in AI, how they work is changing – but it should mean their popularity grows further.

Gaming Peripherals – p54

Cloud – p35

Cloud has become a cornerstone of many businesses, but there is still a largely untapped market out there that channel partners should be targeting.

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

Gaming is a multi-billion-pound industry in the UK, and increasingly gamers want high quality equipment to play their games on – including peripherals such as headsets, keyboard and mice – and this presents opportunities for resellers.

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

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NEWS

NCC Group adds SentinelOne’s AI cybersecurity platform

NCC Group has partnered with SentinelOne to add the SentinelOne AI-powered Singularity™ Platform to NCC Group’s managed services and incident response offering. This addition provides NCC Group’s clients with expanded options for tech- flexibility as well as robust protection against cyber threats through advanced threat detection and response. This partnership delivers advanced, AI-driven protection to NCC Group’s services, enabling autonomous threat detection, response and remediation. Leveraging agentic AI and automation,

the solution empowers analysts to identify and contain threats in real time by streamlining investigation workflows and delivers insights faster, reducing mean time to response and supporting more informed decision making. SentinelOne’s technology enriches NCC Group’s Unified Cyber Platform, cross- correlating threat intelligence from both platforms to deliver actionable, data-backed insights. By combining NCC Group’s proprietary intelligence with SentinelOne’s autonomous capabilities, the collaboration empowers clients to stay ahead in a dynamic and complex threat landscape.

TD SYNNEX expands Cohesity partnership

TD SYNNEX has been appointed as a UK distributor for Cohesity, offering new potential for partners to grow their business and deliver cloud-native data management and protection solutions to their customers. The agreement will give partners access to Cohesity’s cloud-native data management, backup and recovery and security solutions. “This is an excellent opportunity for our partners to engage with Cohesity,” said Simon Bennett, managing director – Advanced Solutions, UK and Ireland, TD SYNNEX. “It will enable them to offer customers a dynamic and flexible way to manage, access and protect

their data across hybrid and multicloud infrastructures.” TD SYNNEX will also provide consistency and stability for Veritas NetBackup and Alta Data Protection partners. “We have well- established, strategic relationships selling with Veritas solutions,” added Simon. “With many years of close collaboration, we have considerable in-house acumen and implementation experience. We see even more potential to support partners in growing their sales of these key solutions now that they are part of the Cohesity portfolio and will be making sure that Veritas partners and their customers experience a smooth transition to the Cohesity channel programme.”

Simon Bennett managing director, Advanced Solutions, UK&I

uk.tdsynnex.com

AI is saving British workers time

AI is delivering real impact for British workers and businesses alike. According to surveys commissioned by HP Inc UK Ltd and carried out by YouGov, 72% of employees surveyed who are using AI say it saves them time each week, with one in 10 saving more than five hours. For many, this means spending less time

on repetitive tasks and more time on higher-value work. One in three business leaders whose organisations use AI report that it has already delivered more than 11% in cost savings, while almost half say it helps reduce time spent on admin tasks, and 34% say it has improved decision CONTINUED

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NEWS

CONTINUED

making and strategic planning. Despite these early wins, not all businesses are keeping pace. While 44% of senior decision-makers surveyed expect AI to be fully embedded by 2027, more than a quarter admit their business currently has no formal AI strategy in place. Common barriers include concerns over data security, a lack of internal

expertise, and difficulty proving return on investment. “AI is no longer a ‘nice to have’ – it’s a business imperative,” said Neil Sawyer, HP’s managing director for Northwest Europe. “Companies that fail to act now risk falling behind their competitors, losing productivity, and missing out on the efficiency gains AI is already delivering.”

Logicalis offers global Cisco MXDR

Logicalis has achieved the Cisco Extended Detection Response (XDR) Cisco Powered Services (CPS) Solution Specialisation and become a Cisco XDR CPS Specialisation Partner. Logicalis is the first Cisco XDR CPS Specialisation Partner to offer Cisco XDR as a global Managed Service (MXDR). Through Logicalis’s global network of Security Operations Centres (SOCs), the company’s MXDR services enable organisations to proactively manage threats and strengthen their security

posture 24/7/365. “As one of only six Global Gold Partners, Logicalis continues to innovate and deliver leading secure managed services to clients,” said Andrew Sage, VP Global Partners at Cisco. “We are proud to work in partnership with Logicalis to bring the best of Cisco XDR technology combined with top- tier Security Operation Centre delivery across the globe. Together, Cisco and Logicalis provide our customers with the confidence that their data is secure.”

Andrew Sage VP Global Partners

cisco.com

Brigantia partners with Paessler Cybersecurity distributor Brigantia has partnered with IT monitoring vendor Paessler. This latest addition to the

🌐 Real-time alerts: detect and respond to issues

quickly, reducing the risk of disruption

Brigantia portfolio addresses the need to continuously optimise IT infrastructure. Paessler Router Traffic Grapher (PRTG) provides real-time visibility, intelligent alerts, and extensive performance insights across entire IT, OT, and IoT environments that businesses seek. PRTG is an easy-to- deploy, highly scalable solution that gives service providers the tools to deliver value to clients, positioning them as strategic advisors and opening up opportunities across wider IT and security avenues. Key features and benefits of PRTG include: 🌐 Unified dashboard: MSPs can monitor all client environments in one place

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device health, bandwidth and CPU load

🌐 Customisable monitoring: settings can be tailored to meet varying client requirements 🌐 Simple deployment: clear licensing with and fast setup 🌐 E asy integration: works with networking vendors including Cisco and VMware. PRTG enables Brigantia partners to deliver proactive, efficient, high- value IT services, strengthening client relationships and unlocking new opportunities.

paessler.com

brigantia.com

NEWS

Multi-vendor becomes new normal

Seventy percent of UK MSPs now manage a mix of Windows, Mac, Linux, and Chromebooks, driving new security and compliance risks, according to JumpCloud Inc’s 2025 MSP Performance Report . However, high-growth MSPs are adapting faster, with 74% supporting both Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, 66% automating device onboarding and security enforcement, and 72% actively investing in AI to reduce overhead and scale efficiently. However, 38% report vendor lock-in as a major frustration, limiting their ability to

meet diverse client needs. More than 90% of UK MSPs support at least one non- Microsoft productivity suite, highlighting the shift away from single-vendor dependency. Also, SaaS spawl and Shadow IT now threaten operational efficiency: 48% of UK MSPs say SaaS complexity is a major challenge to efficient scaling, with 70% managing mixed device environments (Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebooks) MSPs face mounting security and compliance hurdles. Additionally, 40% lack a formal Shadow IT policy, exposing clients to security blind spots due to unmanaged apps and BYOD usage.

Ricoh Europe forms collaboration with ServiceNow

Ricoh has announced a major collaboration with ServiceNow, a AI platform for business transformation, to deliver a unified service delivery platform. The collaboration aims to provide Ricoh’s customers and employees with seamless, intelligent and responsive digital management of modern workplaces. Ricoh will leverage ServiceNow’s platform to unlock the talent of its European workforce and improve operational efficiencies by standardising service management processes across Ricoh’s entire European business portfolio. ServiceNow’s generative AI capabilities will automate and curate

knowledge around complex solutions, and dynamic translations will enable experts to collaborate easily with colleagues in different countries. “Our strategic collaboration with ServiceNow represents a transformative leap forward in how we deliver value to our customers and empower our workforce,” said Andrea Gombac, chief services officer at Ricoh Europe. “By building a next-generation service platform, we're enhancing operational efficiency while reshaping the overall customer and employee experience. This collaboration will enable our teams to focus on what matters most: delivering value to our customers.”

Andrea Gombac, chief services officer

ricoh-europe.com

servicenow.com

E92plus partners with Smartech247 e92plus has launched its partnership

security solutions, such as advanced data security posture management and data detect and response to help businesses identify, classify and secure sensitive information as well as respond to data incidents in real time. For partners, the opportunity with providing MDR services allow them to support their customers in moving from

with Smarttech247, a managed detection and response (MDR) company. Smarttech247’s platform VisionX provides threat intelligence with MDR to provide actionable insights, 24/7 threat detection, investigation and response. The solution integrates with key data

smartech247.com

CONTINUED

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NEWS

CONTINUED

reactive defence models to proactive strategies, and put data security at the heart of their approach. With the MDR market growing at a rate of 50% YOY according to Canalys, many MSPs/MSSPs or VARs don’t have the in-house expertise and resources

to meet those requirements, therefore outsourcing to a partner that integrates data detection with incident response can provide strong growth opportunities as well as help provide a more comprehensive, holistic solution to their customers.

e92plus.com

Exertis Cybersecurity and BlockAPT announce partnership

Exertis Cybersecurity has announced its partnership with BlockAPT to bring its vendor agnostic, self-defending, autonomous cyber defence platform to Exertis Cybersecurity’s partners and customers globally. BlockAPT’s central management platform consolidates cybersecurity monitoring, automation, threat intelligence, incident response and policy enforcement into a single, centralised command console – radically transforming how security operations are managed and scaled. The BlockAPT platform provides real- time, end-to-end visibility across an organisation’s entire security stack. Its

vendor-agnostic orchestration engine integrates with more than 80 security tools, giving IT teams and security professionals the power to automate repetitive processes, rapidly detect threats and respond to incidents in seconds. With this partnership, Exertis Cybersecurity partners gain access to BlockAPT’s flexible licensing model and modular products with tailored support, making it easier to deliver differentiated cybersecurity services. For end customers, this means faster deployments, scalable protection, and real-time control of their digital environments, all from a single pane of glass.

CYBERSECURITY

Zensar partners with ManageEngine to drive IT transformation

ManageEngine and Zensar Technologies have formed a strategic partnership aimed at transforming enterprise IT management. This aims to address critical industry challenges such as fragmented IT ecosystems and cater to the growing need for real-time observability and unified operations for today’s enterprises. Zensar delivers solutions and drive business transformation across industries such as banking, financial services, insurance, healthcare, manufacturing and retail. Through this partnership, Zensar will leverage ManageEngine’s suite of enterprise IT management solutions to offer a unified approach to IT service management, application performance monitoring, and infrastructure

observability to its customers. “This partnership with Zensar will provide businesses with a unified solution to streamline IT operations and enhance service delivery,” said Promoth Kumar, chief revenue officer at ManageEngine. “By combining Zensar’s expertise with our advanced IT solutions, we aim to deliver real-time visibility and proactive incident management, ensuring seamless operations.” The collaboration will enable organisations to achieve faster incident response times, enhanced monitoring and reduced operational costs. Businesses can expect a more resilient IT infrastructure, improved service delivery, and data-driven decision-making through actionable insights that boost operational efficiency.

Promoth Kumar chief revenue officer

manageengine.com

10 3126

These aren’t your average client devices. Lenovo’s latest ThinkBook and ThinkCentre SKUs at Ingram Micro are packed with performance.

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PRODUCT LAUNCH

LENOVO ThinkCentre M Series Gen 6 & ThinkVision T Series Gen 40

Thinking ahead

Lenovo has unveiled a new generation of AI PC desktops and monitors that are designed to maximise productivity and multitasking in the workplace through clever use of AI.

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to develop at pace, so more businesses are harnessing the potential of it in their work. But this means businesses are seeking desktop PCs and monitors that can cope with the additional demands that AI puts on them. Lenovo is alive to this need and has unveiled its new generation of business devices with the AI-powered ThinkCentre M Series Gen 6 desktops and the ThinkVision T Series Gen 40 monitors. Designed to address the needs of businesses of all sizes, the ThinkCentre family of desktops combine performance and reliability in different form factors, including tower, compact and all-in-one (AIO), while the ThinkVision T Series monitors blend outstanding display, connectivity and manageability. “Nearly half of businesses believe that AI-powered devices boost employee productivity, and 90% of those are already piloting, planning or exploring AI-powered PC rollouts, according to a recent Lenovo and IDC global survey of IT decision- makers,” said Johnson Jia, senior vice president of Intelligent Devices Group’s Global Innovation Center at Lenovo. “AI has and will continue to reshape the future of work, and Lenovo is proud to lead the way with a new generation of AI desktop PCs and monitors that meet the changing needs of businesses in this new era. Our latest ThinkCentre M Series Gen 6 desktops and ThinkVision T Series Gen 40 monitors power businesses of all sizes with scalable performance to unlock next- gen AI productivity and creativity.”

Scalable Power Lenovo’s ThinkCentre M Series Gen 6 tower and small form factor desktops have been engineered for demanding business environments such as for AI model training, 3D designs, data analysis and more, the desktops provide maximum TOPs performance from a combination of CPU and discrete NPU and GPU, and outstanding connectivity with a variety of ports. Tower models such as the ThinkCentre M90t Gen 6 are equipped with up to Intel vPro® Enterprise with AI-capable Intel® Core™ Ultra 9 Processors (Series 2), DDR5 memory support and 8 expansion slots. Big capability, tiny footprint Appreciating that space is often at a premium in workspaces, the ThinkCentre M Series Gen 6 desktops also come in a compact, 1L design that can fit or hide behind a monitor screen or even inside a desk drawer. Ideal for healthcare, retail and financial industries, these tiny desktops deliver full- size enterprise-level AI performance and can be fully customised, from components to accessories such as mounting options. Select models, including the ThinkCentre M90q Gen 6 can be powered by up to an Intel® Core™ Ultra 9 processor, supports up to four displays and can come with an option discrete NPU at 30 TOPs for protected on-device AI. AI performance With increasing numbers of businesses using AI in their everyday work, it means

Johnson Jia senior vice president of Intelligent Devices Group’s Global Innovation Center

lenovo.com

“

AI has and will continue to reshape the future of work, and Lenovo is proud to lead the way with a new generation of AI desktop PCs and monitors that meet the changing needs of businesses in this new era.

”

PRODUCT LAUNCH

each monitor sports an array of connectivity options, including USB-C® one cable solution on ThinkVision docking monitors, built-in modular VoIP remote

their desktops need to be able to cope with the demands it places on them. To this end, the Lenovo ThinkCentre M Series Gen 6 AIO desktops have been designed to cope with the most demanding industries, including those requiring 3D visualisation such as healthcare, creativity, and education, the new generation of AIOs can deliver up to 260 TOPS of AI performance with Intel® Core™ ultra processors. Select models, such as the ThinkCentre M90a Gen 6, feature a 23.8” near edgeless FHD anti-glare display with 99% sRGB color accuracy, a smooth 120Hz refresh rate for crisp visuals, and certifications for EyeSafe® and IP55 water and dust resistance. The ThinkCentre M Series Gen 6 desktops also come with Lenovo’s proprietary AI solutions, including Lenovo AI Now on-device personal assistant to enhance workflow productivity and automation and Lenovo AI Turbo Engine that continuously allocates resources to optimise performance based on workload. These are backed by Lenovo ThinkShield, a comprehensive end-to-end security solution that combines hardware and software to protect your data. For additional security, they spot a dTPM 2.0 chip that encrypts passwords and data, a BIOS-based Smart USB protection and individual USB port disablement to help prevent unauthorised access via peripherals, and more. Visual performance Lenovo’s ThinkVision T Series Gen 40 monitors deliver performance that cater to individual needs. The family of WQHD and UHD IPS displays feature a wide 99% sRGB & BT.709 color gamut for accurate and vibrant images and a variable refresh rate3 (48-120Hz) that dynamically adjusts to match on-screen content for long-term energy saving and smooth visuals. Designed to boost efficiency,

conference technologies with AI-powered features and more. Select units offers fast device charge with up to 100W power delivery.

Responsible design For those concerned about the sustainability of Lenovo’s new products, Lenovo has increased the use of sustainable materials in the lineup. For instance, the ThinkVision T Series Gen 40 monitors, use 95% post-consumer recycled plastic with plastic-free packaging. The lineup is also certified to meet the industry’s most rigorous environmental standards, including ENERGY STAR®, TCO, and EPEAT Gold. For IT managers, Lenovo Display Fleet Manager (LDFM) enhances remote manageability with centralised asset management, firmware updates, and display setting configurations. With LDFM, firmware updates in around a minute and can be deployed in batches to minimise downtime for end users. n

Select models, such as the ThinkCentre M90a Gen 6, feature a 23.8” near edgeless FHD anti- glare display with 99% sRGB color accuracy, a smooth 120Hz refresh rate for crisp visuals, and certifications for EyeSafe® and

IP55 water and dust resistance.

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COMPUTEX 2025

All the world’s a stage for AI Every year in Taipei, tens of thousands of tech professionals and enthusiasts convene at the Nangang Exhibition Centre for Asia’s largest B2B tech expo. This year, Computex 2025 drew a record-breaking 86,521 attendees from 152 countries, while the wider venue welcomed around 1,400 exhibitors across 4,800 booths in roughly 80,000 m² of space.

important than ever that enterprises have a reliable networking stack to not only store personal data for ingestion by these AI algorithms, but also lend them the ability to train and fine tune personal models that can best fit every use case. In steps the PAS7700, Synology’s answer to that burning question. This new active-active NVMe storage solution has three times the performance as Synology’s previous flagship models. The PAS7700 is an enterprise solution designed to accelerate, scale and protect enterprise data, leveraging an active- active architecture for seamless support at every networking layer.

Held in Taiwan, a nation whose GDP surged approximately 4.3% in 2024, the fastest annual growth in three years, Computex benefits from being set in the world’s semiconductor heartland. Taiwan is home to TSMC, which manufactures about 90% of the world’s most advanced chips, and Taiwanese firms collectively account for roughly 68% of global chip production. This all sets the stage for the theme of this year’s event – AI Next. Exhibitors from all over the world put their best foot forward and showcased amazing advancements in a diverse range of fields. In this article, we will be looking at some of the highlights of innovation as was seen on the show floor at Computex, or announced as part of the wider events. Innovations in networking and data centre category When it comes to the AI race currently unfolding between large companies, one critical technology necessary to power the latest generation of algorithms is massive processing power. It is more

Exhibitors from all over the world put their best foot forward and showcased amazing advancements in a diverse range of fields

This personal best storage device achieves millisecond-grade low latency leveraging an end-to-end NVMe, and achieves up to 2 million IOPS and 30GB/s sequential throughput, as per internal testing. This storage device is optimised for mission critical applications and high volume transaction processing. This means that the PAS7700 is perfect for enterprise workloads such as databases,

COMPUTEX 2025

intentions, one stand-out feature will be the non-disruptive support at every layer, from the physical and all the way up to the applicational layer, which Synology has dubbed non-disruptive everything. The PAS7700 uses an active-active dual controller architecture ensuring uptime even when servicing and updates are required, meaning enterprises will experience less downtime and continual support. Furthermore, we can expect support for AI and machine learning workloads with faster data access to reduce bottlenecks and speed up large-scale model training. The PAS7700 is set to be released in the second half of 2025 and will be the personal best for this company.

which will have a comprehensive level of support, ensuring low latency, high availability and seamless scalability. Hypervisors can also expect seamless deployment, fast backups and efficient resource usage to ensure mainstream virtualisation stays seamless at scale. To be able to deliver on these Innovations in computing One of the busiest floors at the expo was, of course, the one containing all the heavy hitters of the computing world. There were so many exciting products announced for personal, enterprise and also gaming use cases and we highlight a few below.

Wickus Bester, Analyst

stockinthechannel.co.uk

Acer Swift Go 16 AI PC

For personal use, this device is a standout. Designed to be ultra-thin and light and have an impressive OLED display, it streamlines AI functions into productivity with Copilot, User Sensing 2.0 and Acer LiveArt 2.0 Available in black or ice, it offers 35% multi-threaded AMD AM5 CPU performance boosts and AI overclocking. Built for workstations and home desktops, meaning a new generation of flagship speed in high- performance processing Designed for modern PC builders, this AIO liquid cooling solution stole the show Demoed for the first time at Computex, we await the release of this chip in 2026 and the competition it will bring.

Gigabyte Aorus X3D

Gigabyte Aorus X3D motherboards

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9000

Thermaltake MINECUBE 360 Ultra ARGB Sync

Intel Panther Lake Chip

Thermaltake MINECUBE

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00 19

COMPUTEX 2025

CONTINUED

Innovations in monitors This year we also saw some exciting new monitors come onto the scene, and we highlight three that bring an interesting feature to the table.

Acer SpatialLabs View Pro 27

Acer PD163QT double screen monitor MSI MPG 271QR QD- OLED X50 Gaming Monitor Acer SpatialLabs View Pro 27

A portable double-screen monitor solution that looks just like a lightweight laptop when closed The world’s first QD-OLED Monitor, with an AI Care Sensor leveraging NPU algorithms

Acer PD163QT

This device made a comeback, pushing 3D screens back into popularity

MSI MPG 271QR QD-OLED

Standput product – VsaaS with AI chat functions An honourable mention also goes out to Synology’s new Video Surveillance as a Service (VSaaS) solution, called C2 Surveillance, accessed via a web portal

insights and productivity to end users via personal computers. The biggest tech show in Asia did not disappoint and we eagerly wait for these products to enter the channel and supercharge the world of AI development and deployment. We are entering the era of AI Next – the point when the buzz word becomes a business essential. n or mobile app. With a focus on ease-of- use and smart scalability, this service offers non-disruptive cloud monitoring and a setup time of less than two minutes for new camera setups. On theme with the AI Next focus of Computex, this system also includes DVA analytics to find examples of specific instances in the recorded feeds without users manually needing to scroll through hours of footage. The system now also has AI-powered semantic video search built with open source large language models, so users can search for these instances in natural human language, and be suggested occurrences to look out for.

Conclusion At this point, most companies realise that they need to introduce AI, and specifically LLMs with an agentic flair, into their business stack, but few know how to achieve it. Thus it was good to see businesses at Computex provide solutions to partners to target these developments from the ground up, starting with where to house and process the data, right down to serving

00 20

STOCKIES 2025

A word from...

1 Tell us about Ikonic and how the year has been going so far. As one of Europe’s leading independent IT distributors, we offer a wide portfolio including servers, storage, networking, peripherals and BSI-refurbished tech. With bases in Manchester and Frankfurt, we support partners across the UK and EU, holding over £15 million in new, legacy and hard-to-find stock whilst turning over more than £130 million. This year has been particularly strong due to the Windows 10 shutdown, so we are seeing continued growth, expanded service capabilities and deepened partnerships across the channel. 2 What are some of the latest developments at Ikonic? We became 60% employee-owned in 2023 through an Employee-Owned Trust, sharing long-term success with our team. We’ve achieved carbon-neutral status and expanded our refurbished and circular IT services, including BSI- certified processes, IT asset disposal and custom keyboard printing. 3 What one piece of advice would you give MSPs today? Stand out by adding value. MSPs

that offer configuration, sustainability support or end-to-end lifecycle services build stronger, longer-term customer relationships. Clients want more than products; they want partnership and accountability. 4 Why are the Stockies such a standout industry event? The Stockies recognise what really drives the channel… dedication, innovation and hard work behind the scenes. It’s a brilliant celebration of the people and companies going above and beyond. We’re proud to support that recognition. 5 What trends are shaping the storage and tech reseller space? Demand is rising for flexible, sustainable, bundled solutions. Resellers that combine fast delivery, energy-efficient products, asset disposal and great service are leading the way. 6 If you could recommend a winner, who would it be? For us, a winner in this category will be agile, customer-led, and delivering commercial and environmental impact. With so many good candidates, it is too tough to call! n

ikonic.com

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DATA DESTRUCTION

Seek and

destroy...

DATA DESTRUCTION

As technology advances, especially with the advent of artificial intelligence, the amount of data being produced continues to rise markedly. By 2028, Statista predicts that there will be 394 zettabytes of data consumed, up from 149 zettabytes in 2024. Given that a zettabyte is equal to 1 trillion gigabytes, that is a huge number. But data often has a shelf life for businesses, and when it is no longer useful it needs to be disposed of. But with cyberthreats continuing to increase, care must be taken to ensure it is done with no chance of it being recovered. “Data privacy laws, including GDPR, require organisations to properly handle and permanently erase personal and sensitive information when it’s no longer needed or upon request,” says Ross Brewer, VP and managing director of Graylog. “Simply deleting files or wiping a drive isn’t always enough. Organisations must follow recognised standards for data destruction, such as NIST 800-88 or DoD 5220.22-M, to ensure that data cannot be recovered.” Gavin Griffiths, managing director of Insurgo, adds: “What makes disposal more urgent is not just the increasing amount of data but the more powerful recovery technologies and advanced hacks the market sees each year. Even those we are unaware of yet, which companies spend millions on attempting to defend and deflect. “Hackers’ skills will continue to advance alongside these advancements and they are always looking for the easy open

back door.” John Woolley, chief commercial

officer at Insurgo, adds that amount and appropriateness are two separate concerns. “Amount drives decisions on where to store data,” he says. “The more places that data is stored, the wider the attack vectors become. The decisions that organisations make balance cost and performance. Especially since the larger volumes currently are being driven by AI workloads. Regardless of whether organisations store data within their own boundaries or in public cloud offerings, the underlying technologies remain the same. SSD or magnetic media (disk and tape).”

Ross Brewer, VP and managing director

graylog.org

“

Evolving methods With much of business data today

In the cloud, companies now rely on

stored in the cloud, physical methods of destruction, such as shredding hard drives, are less relevant. “In the cloud, companies now rely on encryption and secure deletion protocols to ensure data is completely removed,” says Ross. “Cloud providers often offer ‘data erasure’ services where they wipe data from their servers according to industry standards, and many of them have certifications (like ISO/IEC 27001) to show they have followed the protocol. “Cloud services also enable remote wiping, which is critical in cases like employee turnover or device loss. “Effective encryption key management is critical in cloud environments, as is the use of ‘crypto-shredding’, which is a modern cloud-native method (destroying

encryption and secure deletion protocols to ensure data is completely removed.

”

23 CONTINUED

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DATA DESTRUCTION

CONTINUED

encryption keys), increasingly common as an efficient, secure deletion method.” Alyssa Blackburn, program manager, information management at AvePoint, adds that information lifecycle practices and processes must be built into systems from the outset. “But this means we need to understand the data we’re capturing and how long it needs to be retained for,” she says. “This is not just a deletion issue, but a data governance issue that needs to be considered for any system that holds information. “This is not an issue that can be tackled manually, and automation truly is the only option. Use lifecycle management solutions to track, manage and securely destroy data. It’s also crucial to implement regulate audits and secure protocols to ensure data disposal aligns with legal and security requirements in the cloud.” Gavin adds that responsibility needs to be considered. “Most cloud providers believe they have a robust policy for data security, but that’s their responsibility for the service provision. For the data owner, storing data in the cloud, the liability will never move from them. It doesn’t matter who leaks the data, whether it’s your infrastructure or a third party, the data owner is always going to be held accountable. “We should include a cradle-to-grave and any afterlife considerations of IT equipment and know exactly what is happening in any end-of-life process. The data owner must take responsibility for EOL practices seriously. Don't assume it is part of the cloud provider's processes and acceptable standards. If you don’t know

it or understand it; question it and even add to this with your acceptable policy requirements or suggested guidance you want to see implemented.” Best ways to dispose of data There are various ways that data can be disposed of once it has reached the end of its useful purpose. Gavin says that different devices and formats require different disposal techniques to achieve absolute data destruction. “If we take our tape world as our known example, companies tend to think shredding is the best way to dispose of tape, but with growing capacities, we leave about 12GB of information on a 10cm strand of film,” he says. “That’s why we believe it is important to seek out industry specialists who deeply understand the specific data-carrying media a company uses and the risks they may be exposed to.” John notes that businesses should choose what is appropriate for the level of risk, so partners should ensure they understand the recovery risks so they can make an informed decision that protects the organisation from exposure and supports its ESG goals. Ross adds that in cases where data is encrypted, it’s important to decrypt and then securely erase it. “Simply deleting encrypted files isn't sufficient – due to residual metadata, indexing and cached information potentially leaving recoverable fragments,” he says. “In cloud environments, cloud providers typically implement secure data erasure protocols that follow established standards like DoD 5220.22-M or NIST 800-88, ensuring data is permanently removed from their systems. Additionally, organisations can work with specialised third-party data destruction services, which offer secure disposal processes and provide official certificates of destruction to verify compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.”

“

Companies tend to think shredding is

the best way to dispose of tape, but with growing capacities, we leave about 12GB of information on a 10cm strand of film.

”

Gavin Griffiths managing director

John Woolley chief commercial officer

insurgo.co.uk

CONTINUED

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