NerdioCon Nerd Icon: Lamon Gorman, Trend Micro

Pleased to share our most recent Nerd Icon interview with the one and only Lamon Gorman, Director, Service Provider Channel, Trend Micro!

This is the latest in our blog series introducing you to the experts you’ll hear live at NerdioCon 2023, taking place February 27 – March 3 in beautiful Cancun, Mexico. Our agenda is now live on our event website – www.nerdiocon.com – and we encourage you to check it out in addition to downloading our NerdioCon app via the Apple or Android stores where you easily can plan your event schedule and identify sessions to attend.

Tell us a bit about Trend Micro and your current role with them. 

As a global cybersecurity leader with 7,000 highly skilled “Trenders” in 65 countries, equipped with the world’s most advanced global threat research and intelligence, Trend Micro empowers organizations to confidently navigate the complexities of the connected world. With our innovative solutions, we simplify security and ensure a secure exchange of digital information for organizations worldwide.

I’ve been a Trender going on almost 15 years and have worked with MSPs for the majority of that time. In my role today, I help look after our overall MSP strategy for North America. I love that in my role I get to see the best of both worlds, as I’m able to collaborate and innovate with both MSPs and internal stakeholders.

How did you get to this point in your career, and what sustained or prompted your interest in the tech industry?  

I’ve always considered myself a “techy” and pursued such interests growing up. While in high school, I explored programming, learning the fundamentals of C++ and QBasic. My career in cybersecurity kind of found me after graduating with a degree in psychology of all things. I’m passionate about trying new things & seeing new places and this spill-over into my love of the tech industry. I’ve gotten to this point in my career by focusing on my strengths; my tenacity, positive can-do mindset, and my ability to connect people.

Can you tell us about what you plan to speak about at NerdioCon? Why will this be relevant/important for partners?  

I plan on educating MSPs on strategies that can help them reframe the cybersecurity conversation they are having with their clients. Their clients understand that cyber risk is a business risk, and MSPs are in a prime position to help them better navigate (and manage) cyber risk.

As cybersecurity is now a “boardroom” conversation with their clients, MSPs have to level up the conversation and map IT spend to business outcomes vs the threat or tech of the day.

MSPs and their clients are facing a myriad of dynamics in the market

  • Macro-economic conditions have clients more cost-conscious, and MSPs can help them consolidate and maximize IT spend by aligning to business outcomes.
  • The continued evolution and sophistication of threats create new risks to clients’ resilience and long-term growth.
  • The growing attack surface – digital and cloud transformation continues and the client’s attack surface is expanding, impacting visibility and creating new risk exposure.
    • MSPs are tasked with managing and securing more connected digital assets and are hindered by limited staff and cybersecurity expertise.
  • Navigating the compliance, regulation & cyber insurance landscape has increasingly become more challenging for MSPs and their clients.

What are you looking forward to at the event?  

Looking forward to networking, collaborating, and learning with peers.

What trends do you think we’ll be seeing in the partner space in the year to come?  

  • Partners will explore ways to incorporate AI into their automation workflows.
  • Partners will continue to prioritize building out their cybersecurity and cloud skillset.
    • For cybersecurity – Finding and consolidating true partnerships (vs “vendors”) that augment the partner’s staff will be key a to closing this gap.
    • For the cloud, enablement resources available via the major cloud providers and cloud-focused distributors will be key go-to resources for partners to bring the cloud skillset in-house.
  • Partners who are unable to pivot the cybersecurity conversation and better align to their clients’ business outcomes will risk losing business to those that do.

Finally, who are your “nerd icons”? That is, who do you look up to in the tech industry? And/or who has influenced your career in it? 

I’m drawn to those who think ”BIG” and outside-of-the-box , and one of my favorite and inspirational nerd icons is Katherine Johnson, she truly was a “human computer” and is the epitome of thinking outside the box, in this case, outside the planet.

NerdioCon Nerd Icon: Scott Davis, Quickpass Cybersecurity

If January sets the tone and pace for 2023 then we better buckle up! This month we’ve been heads down getting the agenda, content tracks, excursions, and all the moving parts ready for our all-inclusive, in-person partner conference taking place Feb 27 – Mar 3 in beautiful Cancun, Mexico. You can read our press release from last week to learn more.

But more so than “learn more” you might want to jump on registering as only a few more NerdioCon spots are available! We’ve received incredible interest in the event and are looking forward to having over 300 partners join us in paradise this year. Please visit www.nerdiocon.com to register today and ensure your spot is saved.

To bring visibility to the event’s fantastic speaker lineup, we’re pumped to share our interview with the third Nerd Icon in this series: Scott Davis, Director of Cybersecurity Education, Quickpass!

Tell us a bit about Quickpass and your current role with them. 

Quickpass Cybersecurity provides solutions to empower MSPs, or what we like to call the superheros of technology, the ability to eliminate stale, static passwords and automate helpdesk security. Quickpass will deliver better security and productivity that enables your team of superheros to do what they do best.

My current role at Quickpass is to educate and strengthen the emerging and already established community leaders across cybersecurity and the channel. At Quickpass we are highlighting the successes of the community while adding value, security, and resources to help us all succeed together.

How did you get to this point in your career, and what sustained or prompted your interest in the tech industry?  

I have been listening and learning between enterprise IT, managed services, and the vendor community for over twenty years. The belief that true strength comes from sharing the struggles, experiences, successes and failures with each other makes us all stronger. That strength is a core principle and driving force that has allowed me to help so many fellow leaders find their success in technology. Technology is a constantly evolving and changing field: yesterday’s proven method can be tomorrow’s security risk. This reality requires us all to put education first. I am honored to be NerdioCon Nerd Icon, and can’t wait to learn something new from you.

Can you tell us about what you plan to speak about at NerdioCon? Why will this be relevant/important for partners?  

Making sense of the Acronym Soup. Industry jargon leaves many even the most experienced superheros confused as everyday a new acronym or category is created with some even having different meanings depending on which technology vertical you’re in. IAM, PAM, PIM, and others are dominating conversations while becoming the latest best practices, but it’s easy to get lost in translation. Together we will explore these, and some other common acronyms used today and their practical applications to help you find the right tools and services you need in 2023.

What are you looking forward to at the event?  

Sunshine and warm weather. Let’s be real, technology superheros usually don’t get the vacation time and even when they are “signed out” we are a phone call or message away from helping someone keep their systems online. It’s the conversations and stories from the community of superheros and what new things I will learn while sharing my experiences and stories with the other leaders of the community. I can’t wait to start the next conversation with each of you.

What trends do you think we’ll be seeing in the partner space in the year to come?  

The trends of last year are still the hot topics of today and tomorrow including:

  1. Security is driving the majority of conversations as more organizations begin to accept the notion of it’s not if but when will you be the target of a cyber attack. Cyber threats will continue, and brute force attacks will run faster, even strong passwords will need to get stronger.
  2. Compliance requirements and new cybersecurity insurance requirements are pushing more businesses to adapt to the core accepted standards or find themselves unprotected when it matters most.
  3. Social Engineering will continue its evolution and the art of phishing will target more emotional tendencies and continue to be an arch-nemesis for all the superheros.
  4. Mergers and acquisitions (M+A) are also going to continue as customers demand more and the available skilled superheros are fewer and fewer. From those staffing challenges or those just looking for their next journey, we will continue to see the continued merging of both MSPs and the tools and services they use.
  5. The economy is the unknown and none of us can see what tomorrow will bring. Remaining flexible and mobile while educating and planning for potential economic doom, should be a part your business continuity and disaster recovery plans both internally and for your clients.

Overall, it’s up to each and every superhero to step up their game with education and drive to improve security and compliance for us all. You got this!

Finally, who are your “nerd icons”? That is, who do you look up to in the tech industry? And/or who has influenced your career in it? 

You have the educators and coaches that have always been there to help extend a hand or identify that next step or goal. Even the superheros across the community are also always ready to share and help others succeed.

I personally would probably label my ‘nerd icons’ as Walt Disney and Steve Jobs. As visionaries, they put product and community above all else and “it’s not possible” was not in their vocabulary. Pushing the limits and creating something that has never been seen or done before requires a tremendous amount of education even when so many doubt your success and promote the failures.

Employee Spotlight: Get to Know Chuck Mikuzis

  1. What’s your role here at Nerdio? What do you do on a day-to-day basis and how do you help partners/customers?  I’m the Solutions Support Director here at Nerdio, running the gamut from support request escalation to technical webinars for our partners and customers, like our “What The Chuck?” Series.   
  1. What’s a fun fact about you that most people don’t know/couldn’t guess? I’m deep into music. I know everyone says that, but I’m really into current hip-hop and especially old, pre-reggae, Jamaican music (dancehall, early ska) and I’m a bit of a historian when it comes to music coming out of Jamaica in the 50s and 60s.   
  1. What’s one technological advancement you hope to see or think we will see in the next ten years? Consistently reliable and affordable broadband internet coverage across the planet. The internet is the basis for much of what we touch in technology and the foundation for cloud computing. 
  1. What are three movies you’d bring with you to a deserted island? Pulp Fiction, The Pope of Greenwich Village and Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back 
  1. In your opinion, what’s the most rewarding part of working for Nerdio? The people, and not just my Nerdio family, but our partners and customers as well. During the pandemic, our support team had a strange luxury of being able to connect with so many people and build relationships that went beyond just support.  
  1. What sitcom family or friend group would you choose to be a part of? The gang from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. I feel like I’ve been prepping my entire life for this with my brothers and sister.   
  1. Besides a standard computer, what is the earliest piece of technology you remember owning? I’ll never forget seeing my dad and uncle playing baseball on an Atari 2600. Just mind-blowing to see a video game in our house when I was a kid and seeing adults argue over who’s going to win. Things haven’t changed much, just the graphics.  
  1. You’ve been with Nerdio for a while now. What’s motivated you to stick around? Growth, Growth and More Growth. When I arrived at Nerdio, we were still in our infancy, with Nerdio Private Cloud. Now with Nerdio Manager for MSP and Nerdio Manager for Enterprise, I’m on the edge of my seat to see what’s next. Along with product growth, my personal growth here is a huge motivator. What I’ve learned about the technology and business with my time at Nerdio has been exponentially greater than anything else I’ve experienced in nearly 20 years in the industry.  
  1. What’s the most valuable thing you’ve learned while working in tech? “I don’t know” is an acceptable and very mature answer. You can always learn something you don’t know. Technology does not care about egos. It’s all 1s and 0s at the end of the day. 
  1. What’s a current technology trend you’re passionate about? I’d be lying if I didn’t say “everything cloud” but I’m also quite passionate about Data Science. I’m always looking for “Metrics that matter” based on data and Data Science will likely continue to grow with how much data is available out there. Making predictions on statistics really gets me fired up (I know, super exciting). I’m really interested in where this goes with further space exploration.  

NerdioCon Nerd Icon: Amelia Paro, Kaseya

Have you claimed your spot at NerdioCon 2023 yet?! Spaces are limited and selling out fast so please visit www.nerdiocon.com to register to attend and join us and our fantastic partners and sponsors in paradise.

To bring visibility to some of the experts you catch at the conference, we’re pumped to share our interview with Amelia Paro, Director of Channel Development, Kaseya!

Tell us a bit about Kaseya and your current role with them. 

Kaseya provides best-in-breed technologies that allow our customers to efficiently manage, secure and backup IT under a single pane of glass, known as IT Complete. It’s the world’s first and only purpose-built platform designed to directly address the challenges of DO-IT-ALL, multi—function, IT professionals. Kaseya is one vendor with everything you need, with tools integrated to save you time and smart enough to help you get more done, all in a way you can afford. We have solutions that serve both MSPs and internal IT teams.  

My current role at Kaseya is that of a brand ambassador, responsible for developing new partner relationships and building and cultivating long-term relationships within the MSP / IT Channel community to add value to and drive growth for our customers and partners. My primary objective is to evangelize Kaseya’s products and services within the communities/markets we serve, engage via various channels, and build a community of user/customer evangelists. I strive to serve as a leader within the MSP community (and be the voice of the MSP for Kaseya) through continual engagement with current peer groups and unlocking new industry opportunities with new peer groups, MSP communities, industry leaders, and others. I also provide support to our partners through our MDF and partner support & enablement programs. 

How did you get to this point in your career, and what sustained or prompted your interest in the tech industry?  

How did I get to this point in my career? I have been in the tech industry for over ten years in both B2B and B2C environments. I cut my teeth selling ERP software – SAP and Oracle, and then eventually left to join a small MSP just starting out. I gained a wealth of experience from managing and growing a successful MSP in AZ and working with clients across the US in the financial sector, non-profits and unions, and Fortune 500 retail organizations. Through my own struggles and successes, I have a deep understanding of the challenges faced by MSPs and have extensive experience with the development of strategies for fast-tracking ROI after adopting a new technology solution. I experienced great success during my years with the MSP and am passionate about seeing Partners gain the same success and profitability. 

Can you tell us about what you plan to speak about at NerdioCon? Why will this be relevant/important for partners?  

I’m going to be speaking about Datto’s Global State of the MSP Report, because this year’s study resulted in some really interesting statistics. Competition, revenue growth, and new client acquisition ruled as the top challenges facing MSPs, with profitability and improving operational efficiencies coming in right behind them. Partners will walk away with ideas on how they can apply these statistics to their 2023 business plan, and insight into the ways Kaseya is applying the findings to our roadmap moving forward 

What are you looking forward to at the event this year?  

This will be my first time attending NerdioCon, so I’m excited for the whole experience! 

Looking forward to connecting with partners and sharing the research we’ve done on how MSPs can continue to grow and capitalize on trends in the market. At the end of the day, MSPs continue to be the core of the IT channel and Kaseya’s business. They are essential service providers for millions of small and midsize businesses (SMBs) worldwide. We hope that this event provides great insights and sheds light on this industry that continues to thrive.

What trends do you think we’ll be seeing in the partner space in the year to come?  

Based on Datto’s recent State of the MSP report, the key findings showed:

  • Cybersecurity is still a very large area for growth. While services for ransomware and phishing/email security remain the top focus for MSPs, others are finding further growth offering services around expanding reporting, auditing, training and policy building for clients.
  • Revenue associated with managed security services seems to be shifting to break-fix across regions. Reasons vary, but many feel this shift is not the same as the break-fix the industry dealt with 20 years ago. Break-fix has conceptually changed to more of a co-managed service offered by MSPs to help over-burdened IT departments in larger companies stay afloat.
  • Cloud-based infrastructure design and management and office productivity software services are the top managed services currently offered. There is a big opportunity for new solution offerings with a strong intent to add new solutions in the next year across the board, primarily around collaboration software (26%) and storage design and implementation (25%).
  • The hybrid workforce (remote + office) is here to stay. There are a few MSPs that have clients whose workforces are fully remote, but most have settled into a permanent hybrid plan. MSPs will now need to ensure all offerings accommodate this model.

Overall, MSPs are looking to reduce operational cost and become more efficient. That is the goal of IT Complete, Every technician needs to be Multi-Functional – one person or a small team has to DO-IT-ALL, bouncing between different applications and tools. IT Complete is built specifically to serve these over-worked, under-resourced, under-funded, and under-appreciated IT generalists. The platform is purpose-built for the MSP to be complete, integrated, intelligent and prices-right.

Finally, who are your “nerd icons”? That is, who do you look up to in the tech industry? And/or who has influenced your career in it? 

My ‘nerd icons’ aren’t necessarily nerds per ser, but icons who have influenced my career. Sarah Blakely, Gary V, Shari Levitan, Richard Branson, Tony Robbins  

NerdioCon Nerd Icon: Tim Coach, Pia

Next month, February 27 – March 3, we will be back in Cancun for NerdioCon 2023, our second in-person, all-inclusive partner conference! We are once again looking forward to bringing attendees the best content, sponsors and speakers from around the channel and are stoked to have a new enterprise partner track added this year. Spaces are limited and selling out fast so please visit www.nerdiocon.com to view our agenda and register to attend.

To bring visibility to some of the experts you catch at the conference, we’re excited to kick off our Nerd Icon blog series that will run January – March. First up is none other than Tim Coach, Global Channel Chief, Pia!

Tell us a bit about Pia and your current role with them. 

Pia is a true automation platform that integrates a SaaS solution with a PSA but is also a standalone platform. This will allow MSPs to automate the day-to-day tasks of their help/service desk services thereby creating efficiencies, standardization and improved relationships with both employees and clients.

My role as the Global Channel Chief of Pia is to bring awareness of the PIA solution to the MSP channel that will drive and deliver the next big thing to MSPs; automation. In essence the role allows me to bring the value of true automation to the MSP and enterprise communities to improve their quality of business and life.

Pia’s partners are both MSPs and enterprise level businesses. Our primary focus is to serve the community of MSPs as well as partners that are looking to the future of their business and discovering a solution that will help automate day-to-day tasks. With the current trends in the economy along with the deficiency in the tech labor force, new forward-thinking solutions are needed. MSPs carry an extremely difficult task and are the backbone to ensure business stay open and server their clients. True Automation gives the MSPs the ability to switch the focus off overworked staff to the client. This allows for a deeper and more meaningful relationship between the two.

How did you get to this point in your career, and what sustained or prompted your interest in the tech industry?  

I began my career as a client of an MSP. Then jumped over to the MSP side in management. From there I worked my way up to COO, rebuilding and consulting with other MSPs to help create a better version of the MSP.  I did that for over a decade, during that time I was a guest speaker for various vendors and realized how much I loved the channel side of the business. That is when I decided to change my focus and bring products to the MSP that improved both their day-to-day quality of running the business and as a result improved their relationships with their clients.

Can you tell us about what you plan to speak about at NerdioCon? Why will this be relevant/important for partners?  

My session, “Next big shift for MSPs, the future of using true automation,” is coming at the perfect time to help MSP partners amid current market factors. Given the current state of the economy, in correlation with the lack of talent in the hiring pool, SaaS solutions providing true automation will relieve the burden of growing your business while increasing efficiencies and profitability.

What are you looking forward to at the event this year?  

We are looking forward to being able to partner with Nerdio at your premier event to put automation at the forefront of the MSP community as a primary resource to help move the MSP business model forward.

We are also looking forward to spicy margaritas for everyone (on me 😉)

What trends do you think we’ll be seeing in the partner space in the year to come?  

We feel the trends for 2023 will move heavily towards automations and platforms that are focused on AI and machine learning space. Pia wants to help take the load off the MSPs, by providing more within a solution to make up for resources, lack of talent as well as assist in the expandability of the MSP.

Finally, who are your “nerd icons”? That is, who do you look up to in the tech industry? And/or who has influenced your career in it? 

Nerd icons for me, are always the passionate innovators. Those that work tirelessly behind the scenes with little recognition but are the ones that are moving the industry forward. Our very own developer and CTO at Pia, Aron Hardy-Bardsley is a great example of this. If you look at all the successful IT companies over the years there is always a front person, someone who is the face of the company that we all know. Very few know the people that put the long hours in on the keyboard, or envisioned the next version, the next enhancement, the next BIG thing. Those are the innovators/creators that should inspire us all, those are the folks that allow me to represent them to our community.

Employee Spotlight: Get to Know Ernesto Gonzalez

  1. What’s your role here at Nerdio? What do you do on a day-to-day basis and how do you help partners/customers? 

I’m a Creative Marketing Specialist, meaning I create most of the designs, creative assets, website designs, and help on all things marketing for Nerdio.  

  1. What’s a fun fact about you that most people don’t know/couldn’t guess? 

I’m a big gamer and am very interested in 3D environmental art/design. Would love to work in a gaming studio as an environmental artist sometime! I also play 5 instruments! 

  1. What’s one technology advancement you hope to see or think we will see in the next ten years? 

Not sure if we’ll see this in the next ten years, but I’d love to see advancements in holograms and augmented reality. 

  1. What are three movies you’d bring with you to a deserted island? 

 Inside Llewyn Davis, Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, and Forrest Gump 

  1. In your opinion, what’s the most rewarding part of working for Nerdio? 

The diversity in projects I get to work on and seeing my actions making a difference and leaving a mark on the company. Growing with Nerdio while the company itself is growing is also very cool to see! 

  1. What sitcom family or friend group would you choose to be a part of? 

Friend group from the show Friends (but I would probably fit in best with the friend group from The Big Bang Theory) 

  1. Besides a standard computer, what is the earliest piece of technology you remember owning? 

Didn’t purchase this but it was handed down to me which I technically own now, the Nintendo Entertainment System from the 80s! 

  1. You’ve been with Nerdio for a while now. What’s motivated you to stick around? 

The fast-paced environment, growth, and the great people I get to work with! 

  1. What’s the most valuable thing you’ve learned while working in tech? 

The skillset that I’ve learned while working in tech can apply to so many other things outside of work. I’ve always been interested in technology and digital media and learning from my hobbies/art has helped in the work space and vice versa! 

  1. What’s a current technology trend you’re passionate about? 

Virtual and Augmented Reality and I have a big interest in storytelling in digital media (animations and gaming). 

Employee Spotlight: Get to Know Misty Bannigan

  1. What’s your role here at Nerdio? What do you do on a day-to-day basis and how do you help partners/customers? 

I’m a Partner Success Manager for Nerdio on the MSP side.  I mostly have conversations with business owners or tech’s that are looking for an easier way to Manage and optimize Azure/AVD/Win365 environments.  A lot of what I do is demoing our software & showing the ease of use along with the amazing value our tool provides MSPs around building their practice. 

  1. What’s a fun fact about you that most people don’t know/couldn’t guess? 

I dealt poker for 12 years and that’s actually how I met my husband.  I went to Las Vegas on a last minute whim and he happened to be out there at the same time with some mutual friends.  We’re both from Florida and started dating upon his return & “The Rest is History”! Also, I lived in Turks & Caicos for a year 😊 

  1. What’s one technology advancement you hope to see or think we will see in the next ten years? 

Flying Cars – or at least cars that are MUCH better at self-driving.  This is something I’d love to see happen if it can be done right so there are less accidents and people can focus more on what’s important.  

  1. What are three albums you’d bring with you to a deserted island? 

Phantom of the Opera, The Greatest Showman soundtrack, Stroke 9 – Nasty Little Thoughts 

  1. In your opinion, what’s the most rewarding part of working for Nerdio? 

The relationships that I’m building.  By having so many different types of conversations, it’s continuing to help with both personal & professional growth and I’m constantly learning new things.  

  1. What sitcom family or friend group would you choose to be a part of? 

Full House or The Office 

  1. Besides a standard computer, what is the earliest piece of technology you remember owning? 

Atari & then when I was 6 or 7 my mom & dad finally bought my brother and I a Nintendo for Christmas.  That was the coolest gift ever back then! 

  1. You joined Nerdio in April. What drew you to join Nerdio’s team?

The huge amount of opportunity that’s sitting right in front of me & the people.  I had conversations with a few people from HR to C-Level to my direct manager & couldn’t believe how passionate everyone was.  I knew it was a team I wanted to be a part of and am so glad I joined and took a leap of faith.  

  1. What’s the most valuable thing you’ve learned while working in tech? 

That everything is constantly changing & evolving, and you have to be willing to change with it or you will get left behind.  This forces you to be more open to new ideas, new ways of thinking and just to become a Student of Learning. 

  1. What’s a current technology trend you’re passionate about? 

Blockchain & Cryptocurrency.

How Azure Virtual Desktop Can Help IT Teams Reduce Risk

According to PwC’s 2022 Digital Trust Insights report published this month, fewer than 40% of c-suite respondents believe their organizations have fully mitigated the risks resulting from the sudden shift to remote work and the digital cloud that will persist into 2023. 

Operating desktops in the cloud presents several security benefits when proper access management controls, configurations and policies are in place. The above stat hits home for us here at Nerdio because we continue to see and support organizations in refining and optimizing their approaches to work and hybrid work.  

Running desktops in the cloud can help mitigate risk and reduce the overall threat attack surface. We connected with our VP, Product, Amol Dalvi to discuss how Azure and Azure Virtual Desktop can be viewed and leveraged in a risk context. 

What Azure and AVD technologies can IT teams use to better manage and mitigate risk?  

Reverse Connect, RemoteApps, and desktop images (not specific to Azure) are three technologies that organizations can use when managing their IT risks.  

  • Reverse Connect: Microsoft’s ingenious approach of using reverse connect for AVD session host servers to connect out to the end user dramatically changed the conversation around security of virtual desktops. In the past, the open ports required for RDS based virtual desktops were often a major security concern. 
  • Desktop Images: All AVD host pools that serve up virtual desktops to end-users are based on a desktop image. A golden image, so to speak, that IT administrators can control. IT admins are able to vet applications their end-users are getting access to, and the process of patching & keeping the apps up-to-date is far more regular, reliable and rigorous. 
  • RemoteApps: The ability to publish individual applications to end-users instead of a full desktop is something that is often overlooked as an excellent way to reduce security risk. By controlling which apps end-users have access to, IT admins can control what data the end-users have access to. Additionally, IT teams can use FSLogix application masking to help in this regard.  

How can AVD make the job of overseeing risk mitigation easier for an IT team? 

A prime example to point to in answering this question is image management. Since AVD host pools are built off images, the IT and security teams can focus on securing their desktop images. This includes things like ensuring the desktop images are regularly patched and the right apps are installed. Rather than dealing with all the endpoint devices in the organization or the various number of host pools, they can oversee security at scale by focusing on a few desktop images for their hundreds or thousands of users. 

Because patching is done for the images, not individual session hosts, IT admins are able to apply patches on their schedule. They can then test that image, from both a security and functional perspective, without hassling end-users. And once they are comfortable, they can deploy the image to live session hosts with minimal disruption to end-users. 

How concerned about risk should IT teams be when adding or managing external users in AVD? 

The beauty of AVD is that it relies on Azure AD for identity management. Authentication is offloaded to Azure AD, allowing IT admins to take advantage of all the security features it has to offer. This would be authentication of all end-users including any users from another Azure AD tenant an organization may have been allowed into their tenant. 

Interested in learning more about how your organization can minimize the risks AND COSTS of Azure-based virtual desktops? Check out our free white paper – ‘9 Ways to Reduce the Risk and Cost of DaaS with Nerdio Manager for Enterprise’  

DOWNLOAD ‘9 WAYS TO REDUCE THE RISK & COST OF DAAS…’ WHITE PAPER

How to Achieve Azure Solutions Partner Designation in the New Microsoft Cloud Partner Program

July marked the start of Microsoft’s new fiscal year. Among a long list of new product features, integrations and initiatives that are expected in the year ahead, the evolution of the Microsoft cloud partner program is one that we are thrilled to see come to fruition.  

We have talked many times at Nerdio about the need to become a modern, cloud MSP (managed service provider) and move your practice and clients to the cloud. Well folks – the Microsoft Cloud Partner Program is the big neon sign, from the most influential vendor in the small and medium-sized businesses (SMB) market, echoing and amplifying that message.   

Our new white paper helps partners fully comprehend how they can fast track their Azure Infrastructure solution provider designation and obtain a competitive advantage in the Microsoft Cloud Partner Program much quicker by leveraging several out-of-the-box Nerdio Manager benefits. 

DOWNLOAD WHITEPAPER

Download our white paper for the comprehensive guide or read below for key need-to-knows regarding the new partner program changes and Solutions Partner designations.  

What Are the Benefits of Being a Microsoft (Cloud) Partner? 

Microsoft has one of the largest, and most comprehensive partner programs in the software landscape. Over 400,000 partners from all over the world benefit from their partnership with the Redmond-based giant. If you are looking for a place to sign up to become a Microsoft partner, check out Microsoft’s site.  

Becoming part of Microsoft’s new Cloud Partner Program will allow you to stand out from other MSPs who are still living in the on-premises world and who have not committed to building a cloud MSP.  

As part of the program, you also will qualify for benefits including Azure Production and Dev/Test credits and Product Benefits (formerly known as Internal Use Rights (IUL)) for important Microsoft cloud products including Microsoft 365, Power BI, and more. 

Microsoft Silver and Gold Competencies Shift to Solutions Partner Designations  

One of the biggest changes in the new Microsoft Cloud Partner Program is the shift from the well-known silver and gold competencies to Solutions Partner designations.  

Microsoft introduced silver and gold competencies in 2009 to help Microsoft partners grow faster and highlight their unique expertise among the competitive market of providers leveraging Microsoft technologies. When comparing two potential providers, SMBs could use these competencies to easily tell which were experts in the specific technology area they needed assistance with, be it cloud platform and datacenter, business application integration, etc. The same goes for the new Solutions Partner designations that also reinforce that your MSP is an expert in cloud aka the future of IT.  

The new Solutions Partner designations can be obtained on October 3, 2022. However, September 30, 2022 is the last date to renew legacy silver and gold competencies. 

How Do I Attain a Solutions Partner Designation? And Which Designation Should My MSP Pursue?   

The Solutions Partner designation most relevant to Nerdio partners and MSPs who understand the value of having their clients and operations in the cloud is the Infrastructure (Azure) designation. The Infrastructure designation showcases your MSP can help customers accelerate their migration of key infrastructure workloads to Azure. You can find a list of other designations linked here.  

To qualify for any Solutions Partner designation, you must obtain a minimum Partner Capability Score of 70 (of 100 points maximum) across five metrics – Performance, Skilling (Intermediate), Skilling (Advanced), Customer Success (Usage Growth) and Customer Success (Deployments). 

Resources to Help Understand New Microsoft Cloud Partner Program Requirements and Benefits 

In addition to our white paper, explore additional resources including those from our partners Microsoft, Pax8 and Sherweb that help explain the new program benefits and associated partner opportunities. 

Are You Ready for the Microsoft Cloud Partner Program?  

Contact us today to discuss your Azure needs and how we can help you grow your Azure practice and achieve important distinction in the Microsoft partner ecosystem. And don’t forget to download Nerdio Manager for MSP for 30-days free from the Azure Marketplace!  

Employee Spotlight: Get to Know Jenae Gay

  1. What’s your role here at Nerdio? What do you do on a day-to-day basis and how do you help partners/customers?  

I’m an Administrative Assistant for the Events team. On a day-to-day basis I primarily work on our training camp events that take place globally! I mostly focus on coordinating the US training camps. I am responsible for the various event deliverables to make our training camps a success from pre- to post- event! That process entails locating the venue and planning event logistics with the venue staff, managing guest registration and communication of all event details, ensuring event inventory arrives to the venue, and organizing leads from our events to get generated to the marketing department.  

  1. What’s a fun fact about you that most people don’t know/couldn’t guess?  

I grew up singing and dancing! I’ve done pretty much every style of dance my whole life–jazz, tap, ballet, lyrical, you name it– and I used to sing in the church and performed a bit in high school, as well! 

  1. What’s one technology advancement you hope to see or think we will see in the next ten years?  

 I can definitely see an increased advancement in productivity-based technology. A lot of technological advances are based in helping the user save time and use It efficiently, whether it’s for business purposes or everyday household use like Roombas. I can see that continuing for sure over the next ten years.  

  1. What are three albums you’d bring with you to a deserted island?  

If I could bring three albums to a deserted island, they would be: Beyonce’s Renaissance, Rihanna’s Anti, and definitely a Best of the 80’s album. 

  1. In your opinion, what’s the most rewarding part of working for Nerdio?  

The most rewarding part is the culture. I’ve been searching for a company that truly values their employees and works hard, but also emphasizes a work life balance. Nerdio is exactly what I was looking for, in that they really prioritize all three. I also appreciate the fact that we are a smaller team but we continue to produce and achieve a lot within the industry.  

  1. What sitcom family or friend group would you choose to be a part of?  

The Office for sure. Reality TV wise, I would love to be a part of any of the Real Housewives Series 

  1. Besides a standard computer, what is the earliest piece of technology you remember owning? The first piece of technology I owned was an iPod Shuffle, the really small one which didn’t even have a screen. 
  1. You joined Nerdio in April. What drew you to join Nerdio’s team? 

I was looking for a role with more responsibility, so the role itself drew me in naturally. I also really did love my interview with Michele Spirk. I felt like we really connected and had similar experiences in the events industry, and I knew I’d really enjoy working with her and the Events team. Another draw was having a remote position. I wanted to get into the tech industry and keep working in events and wanted to coordinate and plan events with the option of not always attending the events in person. After the lack of job security during the pandemic in the events industry due to the in-person nature, a remote job involving tech and events seemed perfect. I also really appreciated the company values.  

  1. What’s the most valuable thing you’ve learned while working in tech?  

The most valuable thing I’ve learned is how important workflows are to maximizing your productivity, as well as the resources we utilize. I’ve learned over the last few months how many things are connected to our partners and customers. I’ve also had a closeup view of how important events are in the tech industry, and the integrations and workflows are a huge component of making our events successful.  

  1. What’s a current technology trend you’re passionate about?  

I’m really passionate about the integration of technology together to increase productivity. The way technology works together, with cloud-based technologies for example, to make different aspects and tasks in life more convenient and allow people to operate more efficiently is really great.