A symbiotic relationship exists between the advanced , connected technologies being deployed and the wealth of new data waiting to be used . applications should reside . All of this slows down decision making , could introduce security risks and stops companies from achieving the IT agility they sought out in the first place .
In addition , many organisations inherit multiple ecosystems via mergers and acquisitions , shadow IT and legacy environments that need to be managed and maintained . There is an opportunity here for the channel partners to assist their customers in responding to these challenges .
Which technologies and innovations can make a difference to the channel market dynamics in the near future ?
Apart from data management , the least surprising , but most accurate answer here is cybersecurity and artificial intelligence . These two elements not only have significant implications for the channel but are also rapidly reshaping the way we live and work .
Those partners that are looking to be effective in the market , will need to be able to help customers run AI workloads anywhere they need them and scale AI from proof of concept to production . The choice of a preferred vendor will also influence the race to become GenAI-ready quickly – Dell currently boasts the world ’ s broadest GenAI solutions portfolio , spanning from desktop to data centre to cloud .
GenAI also represents a significant turning point for cybersecurity . It can be a partner in protecting IT environments while at the same time be used to create new attack vectors . As its capabilities expand , hackers can use the speed and automation in which GenAI works , uncovering vulnerabilities faster , evolving malware in real-time , and building better phishing emails and digital spoofing .
GenAI systems require proper security measures to help from becoming the target of attacks . Building skill and resources here will create an enormous competitive advantage for any partner willing to take the challenge .
How can a channel partner disrupt the regional market and gain a leading competitive position ?
In this new decade that we call the data decade , organisations with comprehensive data management and protection capabilities across their multi-platform and multi-cloud environments , need to be prepared to effectively mitigate risks , accelerate innovation , lower costs , and optimise their business outcomes .
If you think about the entire business- to-business relationship , especially for new workloads , such as GenAI , there are several important stages of any implementation – finding and sharing use cases , data preparation , defining the right scope and solutions and finally – implementation and support .
Today , most partners specialise in one , perhaps two of these stages . The ones that will get the resources and skill to run the process end-to-end , will truly be able to disrupt the market .
Which aspects of your job role do you find rewarding and which challenging ?
Coming from a family of entrepreneurs himself , Alex finds that helping businesses , both customers ’ and partners ,’ grow is one of the most rewarding aspects of his work . The biggest challenge that comes with the position for him is managing the diversity of the channel landscape he works with , strategies that work in one part of the world , do not necessarily work in another . Every problem requires a tailor-made solution .
How do you best like to de-stress and re-charge off work ?
Alex finds relaxation in spending time with friends and family , engaging in activities such as cooking , playing padel , and completing DIY projects . •
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