Identify. Protect. Detect. Respond. Recover.
Those five words are easier said than done when it comes to the complex, evolving world of cyberattacks. However, through our vendor, reseller, ISV and MSP partnerships, we’re tackling cybersecurity head-on.
Those partnerships recently came to life as we hosted our marquee high-growth technology conference, Beyond Security, in the beautiful, historic city of Boston, Mass. Under this year’s theme of “Building Connections,” Beyond Security brought together IT industry experts, leaders and professionals to engage, explore, connect and collaborate on the latest trends in the IT ecosystem and emerging technologies.
While the IT industry has undergone significant disruption over the past few years, it’s incredibly rewarding to overcome those challenges together, and Beyond Security 2024 exemplified that sentiment. Here are the top takeaways from a great week in New England.
To Infinity: Security and Beyond
While historically cybersecurity-focused, Beyond Security more than lived up to its name this year; the 2024 conference agenda and ensuing discussions went beyond just security, incorporating modern infrastructure solutions that tie cybersecurity with cloud, data and AI. The content and messaging for this event was tailored around high-growth and emerging technologies, including the market opportunities and steps that partners can take to use TD SYNNEX services to simplify complex challenges.
Through captivating keynotes on the general session stage, interactive breakout sessions and networking opportunities throughout the event, attendees were given uninterrupted access to some of the brightest minds in our industry. These speakers represented expertise from across the IT ecosystem, with unique insights on creative ways to drive success in 2024 through security, cloud, data and AI.
The intersection of these technologies will be essential to capitalizing on market opportunity.
We’re No Longer a B2B Company
The top reason this event is so special is our partner community. We love making the most of events like this and truly listening to the voice of the partner and understanding what’s valuable to them, so that we can take that feedback and build it into programs like Practice Builder, our Cyber Range and Destination AI.
Our people and the relationships we form are what make the difference. As our CEO Rich Hume often says, we’re not a business-to-business company; we’re a human-to-human business. We want to harness the power of people to overcome headwinds, maximize mutual growth in the channel, and celebrate wins both on the clock and off.
So, how do we walk that walk? We recognize that cybersecurity and high-growth solutions aren’t a one-size-fits-all. That’s why we work closely with our partners to meet them where they are in every stage of their maturity journey.
AI and Its Role with Cybersecurity
Will AI help or hurt cybersecurity? Yes. The answer is yes; AI is going to assist us in faster threat detection, automated protocols and reduced human error, but also poses a tremendous threat with data quality, privacy and AI-as-an-attack.
While AI will better enable us to go from data to decisions, it will require high-quality data, intelligent programs and expanded education and upskilling across the workforce. Calhoun McKinney said it best on the main stage:
“AI adoption is like getting a puppy – it requires lots of preparation, training and trial-and-error before there’s a level of comfortability.”
As we work with our vendor and reseller partners to find the balance of AI integration with cybersecurity, the goal is to help our partners exploit the technology without being exploited.
A New Era of Partnerships
We had tremendous representation from our vendor sponsors this year, each of whom play a key role in our cybersecurity line card. An emerging theme from vendor keynotes, breakout sessions and the vendor pavilion was that we are all working toward a common goal: keeping individuals and organizations safe from cyber attacks.
As a result, we are finding that many traditionally-competing vendors are now working with each other, not against each other, to create the best cybersecurity stack. Because so many of our reseller partners carry 40 or more cybersecurity vendors on their own line card, TD SYNNEX can play the role of solutions aggregator and drive collaboration between vendors so that customers are enabled to understand the full potential of their own cybersecurity practice.
Announcements from the Conference
We made several announcements on the main stage throughout the week that we are notably excited about:
- MSP Evolve – We engaged with our teams around the world to build a program specifically tailored to our managed service provider audience. The newly-launched MSP Evolve partner journey program equips MSP partners to take advantage of a full suite of solutions customized for MSP needs.
- High-Growth Center of Excellence (CoE) – Tackling increasingly complex digital transformation initiatives can’t be done alone. That’s why we developed the High-Growth Technology CoE, a resource hub that helps expand our partners’ AI and other high-growth integration, no matter where they’re at in the high-growth maturity model. The CoE is designed to bridge the gap between opportunity and implementation.
- Partner of the Future – We introduced the concept of “Partner of the Future,” the new moniker given to partners who we are enabling to thrive through the integration of modern infrastructure solutions and digital transformation through data, AI, cloud and cybersecurity.
- 2025 High-Growth Technologies Conference – All good things must come to an end, and it was bittersweet to say goodbye to Beyond Security as we know it. That said, we are excited to announce that next May, TD SYNNEX will host the first High-Growth Technologies conference in Los Angeles which will combine everything we know and love about Beyond Security plus expanded content around our other high-growth technologies! Stay tuned for more information…
A Heartfelt ‘Thank You’
Beyond Security is one of my favorite weeks of the entire year. It’s amazing how the IT ecosystem comes together to collaborate, and as this year’s theme indicates, build meaningful connections. I want to thank our partner attendees who took the time out of their schedules to connect with us and learn how we can help you reach your business goals. It’s our priority to provide an elite customer experience every single day. Thank you to our vendor sponsors; this event would not be possible without your innovation, vision and partnership. Lastly, thank you to our TD SYNNEX co-workers, with a special thank you to our events and marketing teams, who help make this event such a success.
Video: Full Event Recap
Additionally, you can read more about the event from industry publications who were on-site to cover the event:
- Channel Futures – Beyond Security: TD Synnex Partners Grow with AI, Cloud
- Channel Futures – TD Synnex Partners Focused On High-Growth Tech
- MSP Success – TD SYNNEX: Helping MSPs Make ‘The Right Bets’ On High-Growth Opportunities
To learn more about how you can become a Partner of the Future with TD SYNNEX, visit our new High-Growth Technology Center of Excellence. And be sure to keep up to all of the latest news and information for the industry on the TD SYNNEX Newsroom, LinkedIn and Instagram.
