Channel Brief: Pia, Syncro, Barracuda Networks

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. New boss - MSP AI automation software company Pia has named Gerwai Todd as CEO to succeed founding CEO Christian Pacheco. The company sought a U.S.-based CEO, recognizing that most partners are based in North America, Pacheco said. Todd is currently the CEO of TimeZest, a company that helps MSPs schedule meetings and integrates with their PSA software. He will take on the new role and also continue as CEO of TimeZest. Pia and TimeZest will remain separate companies, supported by their respective executive leadership teams.

2. Syncro: more exec changes - Cloud-based MSP platform company Syncro, has appointed Dee Zepf as chief product officer. The appointment follows Michael George joining the company as CEO. Both George and Zepf previously were part of the team at Continuum, an MSP IT management platform before Continuum was merged into ConnectWise.

3. Partner program enhancements - Cloud-first security solutions vendor Barracuda Networks, Inc., is enhancing the Barracuda Partner Success Program to increase partner margin and profitability and expand technical enablement for channel partners and distributors. Investments in program include improving partner compensation models and strengthening distribution.

4. Dell, Crowdstrike partner - Dell Technologies has extended its strategic partnership with CrowdStrike, to enhance Dell’s existing MDR offering through integration with Crowdstrike’s Falcon XDR Platform. The companies said in  a statement that “combination of Dell’s global security operations experts and proactive threat hunting capabilities with the industry-leading Falcon platform delivers the security customers need across multi-cloud and multi-vendor environments.”

5. Amazon drops data transfer fees - Amazon's AWS said that customers who want to transfer their data to another cloud service provider will not have to pay any network fees globally. Regulators around the world have been probing companies' use of such fees, with critics saying they stifle competition, according to a Reuters report. Under the European Union's incoming Data Act, cloud providers will be forced to make it easier for customers to switch to competitors.

B. In-Person MSP and Channel Partner Events