ChannelBuzz.ca

Peter DiMarco, general manager of D&H Canada Things change fast in the IT channel, but for D&H Canada, the tagline continues to be BFG or built for growth. But what does that growth look like in 2026, and where is it coming from? In this edition of the podcast, we talk to Peter DiMarco, who has been leading D&H Canada for about a year, about how the company is supporting partners, investing in growth, and navigating the changing landscape. From the rise of AI and other emerging technologies to the unique challenges of running a Canadian operation with a U.S.-based parent, Peter shares insights on where partners can focus their efforts, what initiatives D&H is prioritizing, and what to expect from the distributor in 2026. This episode offers practical takeaways for anyone looking to stay ahead in the channel. We discuss:  how D&H Canada is helping partners navigate growth opportunities in the current market; the impact of operating a Canadian distributor with a U.S.-based parent in today’s geopolitical and economic environment; how partners can leverage AI and other emerging technologies to drive business forward; key areas where D&H Canada is investing to support partner success; practical advice for resellers and MSPs planning for 2026; and what partners can expect from D&H Canada in terms of programs, support, and new opportunities. All that and more in this edition of the ChannelBuzz.ca Podcast.

Today is Monday, February 23, 2026. Welcome to In Case You Missed It, our weekly five-minute rundown of important channel news stories that might have flown under the radar last week. In this edition: Microsoft AI Cloud Partner benefits expanded: Microsoft has updated its AI Cloud Partner Program with new Copilot-related benefits, enhanced security and Azure credits, and additional go-to-market resources to help partners accelerate AI-enabled solutions. Palo Alto Networks NextWave Program: Palo Alto Networks has revamped its NextWave Partner Program to reward platform-based security delivery, emphasize recurring revenue, and recognize partners with specialized AI and cloud security expertise. monday.com Partner Program update: monday.com has introduced structured reseller and distributor tracks, an AI-powered Go-To-Partners marketplace, and a new AI Genius tier to support partners selling and implementing AI-enabled workflow solutions. Rocket Software IT leader survey: A new Rocket Software study shows 69% of IT leaders cite data security as their top concern and highlights the opportunity for partners to help customers modernize hybrid environments for AI readiness.

Chandreshkar LSP, managing director of Zoho Canada Zoho Canada’s efforts to offer a comprehensive suite of online applications it calls a “business operating system” got a boost with the recent launch of new Payroll and Point of Sales modules designed for all of Canada’s regions and regulations. In this edition of the podcast, we’re joined by Chandrasekhar LSP, managing director for Zoho Canada, to discuss the company’s new offerings and how Zoho views local investments as a global company. We also chat about the growth of the company’s Canadian organization and the role of its in-country data centre.  But it could be the launch of a mobile-first package for solopreneurs that’s the surprise star of this group of releases for both the web-based business app vendor and its partners. LSP explains the partner opportunity around Zoho Solo.

Stan de Boisset, senior vice president of global channels at Proofpoint Proofpoint is launching a major update to its global channel strategy with the debut of the Proofpoint Partner Network, a new partner program designed to improve partner profitability, predictability, and long-term growth. Replacing the Element program, the new framework introduces a three-tier structure — Select, Elite, and Elite+ — along with stronger incentives, clearer deal and renewal protections, expanded marketplace routes to market, and a greater emphasis on services and data security. In this episode, Stan de Boisset, senior vice president of global channels at Proofpoint, joins us to break down what’s changing, why Proofpoint made these updates now, and what partners need to know as the program goes live. We discuss how the company is thinking about partner trust, lifecycle economics, and the role of services in building durable, scalable partner businesses.

Today is Monday, February 16, 2026. Welcome to In Case You Missed It, our weekly five-minute rundown of important channel news stories that might have flown under the radar last week. In this edition: Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins says we’re in the early stage of a multi-year, multi-billion dollar campus refresh opportunity as customers look to redesign their networks for growing AI tasks. Palo Alto Networks completes its deal to purchase CyberArk for $25 billion, adding crucial identity management capabilities to its security stack. Global sovereign cloud technology spend will jump by more than 30% this year according to Gartner as geopolitical tensions stoke a desire for companies and regulators to insist that data stays close to home. Emerging networking service vendor Meter introduces former Meraki channel leader Pete Atkins as its global partner leader.

Andy Marsee, general manager for the Intel Partner Alliance Late last year, Intel announced the latest revisions to its Intel Partner Alliance program, reducing the number of partner tiers and roles and aiming to make things a bit more simple. In this edition of the podcast, we’re joined by Andy Marsee, general manager for the Intel Partner Alliance, to talk about what’s going on in the chipmaker’s partner programs.  We discuss: the background of the unified Intel Partner Alliance program and the feedback the company has received from partners over recent years; the main goals of revamping the Partner Alliance; simplifying the number of partner tiers and roles in the program and designing the transition; the expanded role of distribution in the new partner program; maximizing partner profitability under the new program; how Intel has updated its Partner Showcase so more partners can run storefronts; how the company is looking to improve the number of leads it delivers to partners; changes to MDF in ease of use and both benefits and requirements; new types of partners Intel is working with; a shift to outcomes-based messaging and marketing at Intel; the role of software development across the Intel channel community; and where Marsee sees the next steps for Intel Partner Alliance. All that and more in this edition of the ChannelBuzz.ca Podcast.

Bob Bonneau, country manager for ESET Canada ESET Canada recently celebrated a decade since the company formally opened up shop in this country, ten years that have been filled with growth in the channel and evolution in both the cybersecurity threatscape and how businesses defend themselves. Bob Bonneau, country manager for ESET Canada, joins us on this edition of the podcast to take a look back at the company’s run in this country and where he sees things heading. We discuss: the theme of the first decade in Canada for ESET; the evolution of the Canadian cybersecurity landscape over the last ten years; the big milestones of ESET’s first decade in Canada; how the organizational structure in Canada has changed over the years; how ESET addresses both the under-representation of women in technology and the skills gap in cybersecurity; ESET’s partnership with the Calgary Flames and its role in the company’s growth in the west; the rise of managed service providers in the ESET channel; being a Europe-based company and operating in North America;  whether Canadian businesses are in better shape or worse when it comes to cybersecurity a decade later; and what the channel can expect from ESET over the near future All that and more in this edition of the ChannelBuzz.ca Podcast.

Asma Aziz, country manager for Intel Canada Everybody’s talking about AI, but is anyone doing it? How about doing it well? Those are among the questions that Intel of  Canada set out toanswer with a recent survey of business leaders in Canada and througout the region. And while it’s not the best possible results, the good news is there’s a lot of interest, and the building blocks are there for Canada to be successful in the next big thing. In this edition of the podcast, we’re joined by Asma Aziz, country manager for Intel Canada, to discuss the findings of the study and of course, the opportunity for Canadian solution providers. We discuss: how ready Canadian organizations are for AI; how Canada is leading in AI without talking too much about it; how business leaders are prioritizing and maximizing their AI approaches; why Intel sees an opportunity to turn “opportunity into scaled outcomes;” the biggest challenges and the biggest opportunities for solution providers to help solve them; the resources Intel is providing solution providers to sharpen their value creation around AI; why “the margin is in making AI both trustworthy and practical;” key steps for Canada to make right now to make the most of the AI opportunity; and AI and Canadian SMBs. All this and much more in this edition of the ChannelBuzz.ca Podcast.    

Edgar Zacharjev, general manager of RMM for Kaseya On many levels, AI is a natural evolution for managed service providers, who have long been focused on automating as much as possible en route to scale and profitability. But the artificial intelligence era also presents new challenges to MSPs, and is generally changing the nature of the market in which MSPs compete. What should MSPs be looking for, and how should they be preparing for an uncertain future state today? In this edition of the podcast, we talk to Edgar Zacharjev, general manager of RMM for Kaseya, to discuss how he sees aritifical intelligence playing out in the managed services space. We discuss: the future of AI in managed services; the most immediate benefits of moving towards AI for MSPs; the challenges MSP face around issues like data privacy and compliance; how AI is going to redefine the competitive landscape for MSPs; and practical steps MSPs can take to be start building AI into their technology and operations today. All this and much more in this edition of the ChannelBuzz.ca Podcast.    

Tony Anscombe, global security evangelist at ESET ESET’s theat intelligence team has discovered a new threat actor it has dubbed GhostRedirector, that takes advantage of unpatched versions of IIS to offer manipulated Google search results as a service. While its targets are largely in Brazil, Thailand, and Vietnam, it includes servers that are hosted by third parties in North America. In this edition of the podcast, Tony Anscombe, security evangelist at ESET, joins us to discuss the new attack, and what MSPs need to be thinking about when they’re hosting or administering servers on behalf of customers. We discuss:  the nature of the attacks and how they targeted; who was behind the attacks; the motivations behind the attacks; how the attackers went after servers running MSPs’ and hosters’ environments; what MSPs and hosters can learn from these attacks, and how they can make sure their infrastructure isn’t used in attacks like this; how ESET makes the determination of a new attack group; how ESET finds new attacks, and what it does with the information once it’s discovered a new attack. All this and much more in this edition of the ChannelBuzz.ca Podcast.    

Michal Jankech, vice president for enterprise, SMB, and MSP at ESET A couple of months ago, at its ESET World event in Las Vegas, security vendor ESET announced it was launching an edition of its Managed Detection and Response, or MDR, product for MSPs, entering the fray for one of the hotter areas of security technology in the channel. Recently, ESET’s Michal Jankech, vice president for enterprise, SMB, and MSP at ESET, visited the company’s Toronto-area Canadian headquarters, and ChannelBuzz.ca had a chance to sit down with him for half an hour to discuss the product, the market, and the opportunity. We discuss: why channel partners are so important in delivering MDR services to customers; how the MSP edition of its MDR offering differs from the regular version in terms of technology and licensing; the profile of the MSPs ESET is working with; how the MDR product works from detection through to response; the types of threats MDR is best at handling; moving from traditional security approaches to MDR as an MSP; the market opportunity for MDR and what makes it attractive for MSPs; why the vast majority of MDR rollouts will be managed by channel partners; possible sales models for the technology for partners; and what gets him excited about the state of the industry. All this and much more in this edition of the ChannelBuzz.ca Podcast.    

Benjamin Jones, operations director for SaaS Alerts (left) and Chip Buck, co-founder and chief Technology Officer of SaaS Alerts (right) SaaS and cloud-based apps are key to businesses of any size, and the proliferation of apps outside of the data centre presents unique challenges to MSPs managing their clients’ infrastructures. In this edition of the podcast, we take a look at the threatscape for SaaS apps, as defined by SaaS Alerts’ annual SASI Report. We’re joined by Chip Buck, co-founder and chief Technology Officer of SaaS Alerts, and Benjamin Jones, operations director for SaaS Alerts, to discuss the findings of the company’s annual SaaS Application Security Insights report, diving deep on many aspects of the SaaS security scene. We discuss: details on the purpose and role of the SASI Report; the shift away from password spraying towards more targeted attacks like token harvesting and man-in-the-middle attacks; surprises in the data gathered in terms of geographical origin points of attacks; the rise of phishing-as-a-service; the risks around guest accounts for SaaS apps; the benefits and risks of using OAuth; managing the balance between collaboration and security; managing alert fatigue and recognizing the right alerts at the right time; some of the biggest or most attacks that SaaS Alerts blocked over the course of last year; a spike in the number of critical alerts coming from Slack; other major applications that are reporting more alerts than ever; what MSPs should be focused on and thinking about in front of their customers; how MSPs can maximize their profitability; flying-under-the-radar security gaps that deserve more attention; why attack dwelling times inside the network are on the rise; and one thing every MSP leader should do right now. All this and much more are in this edition of the ChannelBuzz.ca Podcast. You can find the results of the 2025 SaaS Application Security Insights Report here.    

Austin O’Saben, product marketing manager at Datto, a Kaseya company Ransomware groups continued to wreak havoc, and managed security services became table stakes for many solution providers. In this edition of the podcast, we’re joined by Austin O’Saben, product marketing manager at Datto, a Kaseya company, to discuss some of the security trends of the last twelve months. We discuss: the rise in the number of active ransomware groups; the types of security vulnerabilities attackers are going after today; how MSPs can stand out in an increasingly crowded market for managed security services; and how Datto helps MSPs develop a competitive advantage. All this and much more are in this edition of the ChannelBuzz.ca Podcast.    

Geoff Thompson, vice president of managed services strategy and development at Barracuda Geoff Thompson joined Barracuda as vice president of the company’s managed services strategy and development in 2024, and is setting the course for the security vendor in the rapidly growing field of managed security services. In this edition of the podcast, Geoff joins us to talk about his new role and the opportunity partners are seeing around managed services. We discuss: what he’s been focusing on in his first few months leading Barracuda’s MSP business; the biggest opportunities and challenges for MSPs in the security space; where Barracuda is looking to add value for MSPs; Barracuda’s bundling strategy and how it works for MSPs; how Barracuda is innovating at a technical level; and what MSPs are facing in terms of trends in the marketplace. All this and much more are in this edition of the ChannelBuzz.ca Podcast.    

Santiago Pontiroli, lead security researcher with Acronis’ Threat Research Unit (TRU) The security threatscape is an always-shifting environment, and 2024 and 2025 have certainly been no exceptions to those rules. To take a look back at some of the biggest security trends that shaped 2024, and a preview of what to expect the rest of this year, we’re joined on the podcast by Santiago Pontiroli, lead security researcher with Acronis’ Threat Research Unit (TRU) on this edition of the podcast. We discuss:  what the Threat Research Unit does; dominant trends in the security space for 2024, and where Acronis sees them going in 2025; surprises and new developments in the security space that are likely be of concern this year; the role of AI in modern targeted cyberattacks; the threat of triple extortion; the escalating nature of cyberattacks as part of broader geopolitical tensions; how to adapt to a more modern approach to security protection; how to protect yourself against the attacks of today, and the attacks of tomorrow; and good news in the security world for 2025. All this and much more are in this edition of the ChannelBuzz.ca Podcast.     Resources from Acronis: Trial: https://go.acronis.com/sp-trial One-on-one demo:  https://go.acronis.com/demo-request Solutions: https://www.acronis.com/en-us/solutions/cloud/ Promo: https://go.acronis.com/displacement-promo

Steven Brining, cybersecurity evangelist at Acronis The only thing that stays the same in the security world is that it’s constantly changing, and attack vectors are always evolving. Whether it’s the number of email phishing attacks skyrocketing or the emergence of new ways of attacking unexpecting users through QR codes, MSPs are well-served to keep their heads on a swivel for what’s next. In this edition of the podcast, Steve Brining, cybersecurity evangelist at Acronis, joins us to discuss the findings of their first-half study of the attacks they’re seeing in the wild and focus on what MSPs need to know about the state of security today. We discuss: the top cybersecurity threats and trends of the first half of the year, as applied to managed service providers’ businesses; the top three targeted countries, which weren’t what you’d think of; the rise of publicly reported ransomware attacks; the role of artificial intelligence in attacks; the massive growth in email-based attacks; top vectors for attacks on MSPs; the benefits of a zero-trust architecture for MSPs; how MSPs can keep themselves and their customers safe now and into the future, and the rise of “quishing” as an attack vector. All this and much more are in this edition of the ChannelBuzz.ca Podcast.     Resources from Acronis: Trial: https://go.acronis.com/sp-trial One-on-one demo:  https://go.acronis.com/demo-request Solutions: https://www.acronis.com/en-us/solutions/cloud/ Promo: https://go.acronis.com/displacement-promo

Tony Anscombe, global security evangelist at ESET The virtual private network is a tried-and-true part of many companies’ approach to both remote access and security. So what do solution providers need to know about VPN technology today? How can you recommend and implement the best solutions for your customers, and make sure they are secure and stay secure? And how can you find some new business around VPNs? Tony Anscombe of ESET joins us for this edition of the podcast to discuss these issues and more. We discuss: the difference between consumer and enterprise-grade VPNs; VPNs are privacy tools versus tools for remote access to corporate networks; the relationship between RDP and VPN; what MSPs and other VPN administrators need to think about in terms of securing their installation; why securing the VPN is so important; why VPN credentials are a risk for social engineering attacks; decision points for customers on what type of VPN to recommend for customers; what to look for in a VPN solution, be it hardware or software; what to train customers’ VPN users on, including the basics of cyber hygiene; the fact that VPNs don’t mean whatever users do is secure by default;  why patching is so important with VPN solutions and why customers with public RDP are low hanging fruit in terms of business opportunities. All this and much more are in this edition of the ChannelBuzz.ca Podcast.    

Stephen Nichols, director of solution engineering for Acronis As ransomware and other attacks have become ubiquitous, so has cyber insurance as businesses try to ensure they’re covered if the worst should happen. However, insurance companies are loathed to lose money, meaning that MSPs and their customers must stay on their toes to stay protected. In this edition of the podcast, we’re joined by Acronis’ Stephen Nichols to discuss what MSPs need to know about cyber insurance in today’s rapidly changing security and business environment. We discuss: why requirements for insurance have changed so much in recent years; what insurance providers are looking for in terms of coverage; what MSPs are doing to maximize the opportunity around cyber insurance; what cyber insurance covers, and how that’s trending; the liability solution providers face, and what they can do to manage that risk best; how to raise the bar on the minimum security stack you require, and when to fire a customer over their security choices; ways to make cyber insurance as affordable as possible a product for your customers; the benefits of making close connections with a cyber insurance provider, and how do MSPs future-proof their security offerings All this and much more are in this edition of the ChannelBuzz.ca Podcast.     Resources from Acronis: Trial: https://go.acronis.com/sp-trial One-on-one demo:  https://go.acronis.com/demo-request Solutions: https://www.acronis.com/en-us/solutions/cloud/ Promo: https://go.acronis.com/displacement-promo

In this special bonus episode of the podcast from Ingram Micro Canada, Lenovo Canada’s Bill Tirpkos interviews Ingram’s Ayon Khan and Roger Silvestre about the relationship between the vendor and the distributor, and how Ingram adds value to Lenovo’s data centre lineup. Tune in to find out what partners can get from the configuration centres at Ingram Micro Canada, how they help partner define and build solutions, and get access to an exclusive promotion from the distributor.    

Stephen Nichols, director of solution engineering for Acronis They can guide and shape your security practices and services, ensure you’re on the right side of regulation and governance, and help you sell higher-margin security services. Frameworks like NIST can do a lot for MSPs. Stephen Nichols, director of solution engineering for Acronis, joins the podcast to discuss cybersecurity frameworks in relation to managed services. We discuss: how to stay ahead of regulations by following a cybersecurity framework; what security frameworks are and how they work; how frameworks enable the overall customer conversation around security; how MSPs can operationalize their security around NIST or other cybersecurity frameworks; using frameworks for long-term planning with customers and can increase revenues; how frameworks help MSPs understand and manage risk and liability; dealing with customers who “opt out” of recommended security services and working within a framework during and after a breach. All this and much more are in this edition of the ChannelBuzz.ca Podcast.     Resources from Acronis: Trial: https://go.acronis.com/sp-trial One-on-one demo:  https://go.acronis.com/demo-request Solutions: https://www.acronis.com/en-us/solutions/cloud/ Promo: https://go.acronis.com/displacement-promo