CRN

CRN, a media brand of The Channel Company, is the #1 trusted source for IT channel news, analysis and insight online and in print.

[CRN @CRN]

June 15-19 is AI Week at @CRN, and we're digging into the impact AI is having on the channel and the opportunities it's creating for solution providers.

You can find all of our AI Week coverage, as well as more localized coverage from our sister publications @CRN_UK, @CRN_Australia, @CRN_Asia and @CRN_Deutschland, here: https://t.co/WjwkIDHsyf.

Topics we'll explore include the emerging implications of AI for cybersecurity, AI use cases driving real productivity gains for managed service providers (MSPs), a roundup of the latest AI PCs the channel needs to know about and more.

[CRN @CRN]

. @EverpureData has unveiled software-focused data management advances, including Universal Data Intelligence and Data Stream, aimed at helping enterprises discover, govern, contextualize and vectorize data for AI while giving partners new opportunities around data-centric modernization.

@ChannelWritrGuy has the details from Chadd Kenney, Everpure’s vice president of product management, and Ned Engelke, CTO of Everpure channel partner @EVOTEKhq:

#PureAccelerate
https://t.co/bjxyVIGyrA

[CRN @CRN]

In this week’s edition of CRN Channel Essentials, @CRN Executive Editor @jfollett examines three new details solution providers need to think about as they design and build IT solutions for AI. Subscribe here to receive the June 18 edition in your inbox: https://t.co/MPLGCFt9Yz.

Jen’s insights stem from our editors’ reporting during our Global AI Week, which runs all this week on our site and our sister publications @CRN_UK, @CRN_Australia, @CRN_Asia and @CRN_Deutschland.

CRN Channel Essentials is a weekly newsletter written by a CRN editor on a particular news story, topic or trend that is pertinent to the channel community.

[CRN @CRN]

Netskope unveiled an overhauled managed service provider (MSP) program today, along with a new orchestration tool for MSPs, @Netskope Partner Orchestrator, aimed at making it faster and easier for providers to deploy secure access service edge (SASE) for customers, executives told @CRN exclusively.

https://t.co/fKOuOiQqTd

[CRN @CRN]

Cloudflare’s new @Cloudflare One Design Partner Designation aims to provide a select group of partners with a deeper level of technical expertise and enablement needed to accelerate the implementation of secure access service edge (SASE) and AI security, Cloudflare’s Chief Partner Officer, Tom Evans, told @CRN exclusively.

https://t.co/JUebp9J0Qy

[CRN @CRN]

Co-founder and CEO of @databricks @alighodsi sees a 10-year boom in demand for IT services among organizations that will need the channel’s help to prepare data and responsibly establish AI technology stacks.

#DataAISummit
https://t.co/FY5HJTiBIB

[CRN @CRN]

Architecting for AI starts with the self-driving network, @HPE CEO @AntonioNeri_HPE told thousands of HPE partners and customers during his keynote address at HPE Discover.

“With our combined HPE networking organization, our goal is to deliver the best user and (network) operator experience possible,” Neri said.

Here are five key takeaways from Neri’s HPE Discover keynote and press conference:
https://t.co/40V9IVtTIN

[CRN @CRN]

Mark Haranas spoke with @OpenAI’s partner program leader, Colleen Kapase, for the five biggest things solution providers need to know about its inaugural partner program, the OpenAI Partner Network, from specializations and tiering to its $150 million channel investment:
https://t.co/UAyhNxSenD

[CRN @CRN]

As part of our 2026 Global AI Week, @KyleAlspach spoke with the following cybersecurity experts for their insights on how security and IT teams are rethinking their approach to identity security and access management in the AI agent era, especially around non-human identities, life-cycle governance, least privilege and continuous monitoring:

- Rob Gregory, CISO, @Optiv
- Ian Swanson, AI security leader, @PaloAltoNtwks
- Nancy Wang, CTO, @1Password
- James Hauswirth, global managing director of privileged access management (PAM), @Cyderes
- @George_Kurtz, co-founder and CEO, @CrowdStrike
- Nick Schneider, CEO, @AWNetworks
- Jay Chaudhry, founder and CEO, @zscaler
- Kevin Converse, vice president for identity and access management, GuidePoint Security
https://t.co/LxvSbe9hTR

[CRN @CRN]

We heard you—need a little more time? Good news!

The deadline for the 2026 Women of the Year Awards has been extended!

You now have more time to recognize the trailblazers making an impact across the IT channel.

🕒 Extension for entries close Tuesday, June 23 at 11:55 PM PT!

Don’t miss this extended opportunity to submit—enter now before the extension ends! https://t.co/4s03L3QbOk

#CRNWOTY

[CRN @CRN]

HPE’s Vice President of Products and Solutions Marketing for Networking, Jeff Aaron, said @HPE is the only vendor that actually has the ability to “proactively detect” network problems and fix them without human intervention.

https://t.co/IS6Jtk9U6k

[CRN @CRN]

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is giving partners new funding, tools and incentives to show measurable customer business outcomes with the launch of a new partner competency, go-to-market motion and @awsmarketplace Storefronts for the AI era.

Bhargs Srivathsan, director of customer and partner success at @awscloud, told @CRN that the cloud giant’s new Business Value Realization (BVR) motion and BVR Competency are key to AWS’ channel future.

Here’s what else she shared:

@AWS_Partners
https://t.co/cPZ2VjusTb

[CRN @CRN]

HPE Networking Executive Vice President, President and General Manager @ramirahim said @HPE is bringing new breakthrough self-driving network innovations to the data center, including AI-based “root-cause analysis” to rapidly diagnose and proactively fix potential data center network issues.

@HPE_Networking
https://t.co/0pbYQ1aWQB

[CRN @CRN]

Amazon Web Services’ new @awscloud Business Value Realization (BVR) go-to-market motion, competency and AI agents inside its co-selling ACE program all aim to heavily incentivize AWS partners to provide tangible outcomes from AI deployments.

@AWS_Partners

https://t.co/GBeux4Ipam

[CRN @CRN]

The IT channel is being reshaped by bold thinkers and breakthrough startups – and we want to spotlight the innovators leading that change.

Submit your free application for our 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽𝘀 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀: https://t.co/GJmlLLcdi5.

The awards spotlight technology suppliers redefining the channel through innovative thinking, cutting‑edge technologies, and new avenues for solution providers. If your company is making meaningful strides and advancing the channel, we want to hear your story.

Share your achievements and earn recognition among this year’s leading startup trailblazers.

#CRNStellarStartups #TechStartups #ITIndustry

[CRN @CRN]

HPE announced that it is bringing the eagerly awaited @nvidia Vera CPU to @HPE Private Cloud AI.

Here are the details from John Carter, HPE’s vice president of mainstream compute, and Chris Marriott, Nvidia’s vice president of enterprise platforms and solutions:
https://t.co/Ub05z3tKzp

[CRN @CRN]

By deploying AI and automation internally, managed service providers (MSPs) are uncovering use cases that deliver productivity improvements and enhance customer service.

As part of our Global AI Week, @CRN Senior Associate Editor CJ Fairfield spoke with the following executives for a roundup of 10 ways MSPs are using AI to drive productivity, and improve daily operations and customer experience:
https://t.co/15iZZUajFO

[CRN @CRN]

Digital infrastructure and data center colocation provider @Equinix has unveiled an expanded collaboration with @Cisco and @nvidia, which the company said will make it easier for customers and channel partners to deploy the Cisco Secure AI Factory with Nvidia by providing standard AI factory blueprints across its global network.

https://t.co/ykPgzJ0cJr

[CRN @CRN]

HPE surprised partners at its @HPE Partner Growth Summit this week by announcing that effective Tuesday, it will extend price quote validity from 14 days to 30 days for servers, storage and @HPE_GreenLake Flex.

#HPEPartnerSummit
https://t.co/5TCNTPjekd

[CRN @CRN]

Managed service providers (MSPs) are facing intensifying pressure as AI-enabled threat actors increasingly target their SMB clients, according to @watchguard CEO Joe Smolarski.

In an interview with @CRN cybersecurity reporter and Senior Editor @KyleAlspach, Smolarski said that WatchGuard’s long history provides a massive advantage at a time when MSPs are looking for stability from their security vendors. You can watch the interview here:
https://t.co/BJxTo4OpMi

[CRN @CRN]

Microsoft plans to make enterprise and commercial versions of its new 13-inch @surface Pro and Surface Laptop models with @Qualcomm @Snapdragon X2 processors available starting July 14, as demand for on-device AI workload processing prompts interest among solution providers in AI PCs.

Here are more details and perspective from Chris Bogan, vice president of sales, Mark III Systems:

@msPartner
https://t.co/be4aTnT6cb