Channel Brief: AWS, Microsoft, Cybersecurity, Schnizzfest, More

Grab a cup of your favorite morning beverage and check out the return of our regular market briefing for managed services providers (MSPs), IT service providers (ITSPs), technology service providers (TSPs), cloud service providers (CSPs) cybersecurity consultants, systems integrators, VARs, independent software vendors (ISVs), and distributors.

Scroll down for a quick view of upcoming in-person channel and MSP events at the bottom of this post (while we spiff up our industry calendar behind the scenes. It will return!)

And please send your news tips, information, and industry chatter to editorial director [email protected].

Sip up.

A. Today’s Tech, Channel and MSP News

1. Schnizzfest Lessons - Gary Pica's event is in Arizona this week. (We remember the days when it was in Philly.) A famous lesson and important reminder from one of those past Schnizzfests: 'Stop selling ingredients. Start selling chocolate cake.' What this means (translated for today's emerging tech, too): Your customers don't want to buy a bunch of separate cloud or cybersecurity or AI services from you. They want you to sell them one complete thing.

2. It’s an ecosystem - AWS Marketplace sellers, including independent software vendors (ISVs), consulting partners and channel partners, can now resell third-party professional services in AWS Marketplace, the company announced in a blog post. Services can include implementation, assessments, managed services, training, or premium support.

3. AWS Marketplace fees drop - The AWS announcement follows a January 5 drop in listing fees to 1.5% - 3% that sellers pay to be on the marketplace

4. AI drives data center expansion - AWS also plans to invest $10 billion to build two data center complexes in Mississippi. The move comes as businesses are expanding their AI development with that compute capacity expected to go to the public cloud big three – AWS, Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure.

5. Microsoft outage - Microsoft Teams, the tech giant’s online texting, collaboration and video conferencing software, experienced an outage last week, but services were restored by Saturday, according to the company, in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter).

6. Cybersecurity channel champs - Market analyst firm Canalys has named eight cybersecurity vendors as channel champions. Choices were driven by factors such as positive partner sentiment, boosting growth opportunities for the channel, and demonstrated commitment to growing the share of revenue generated through the channel. The full list of vendors is here. 

B. In-Person MSP and Channel Partner Events