Why is the pool empty? Because a few hundred channel partners are inside at Ingram Micro's TrustX Alliance conference here in Orlando, Fla.Trust X Alliance is a network of Ingram partners who work closely with one another to drive successful customer outcomes. The members are "individually strong but collectively exceptional," according to Ingram.Among the metrics to note: Trust X Alliance includes 330 of Ingram's top-performing channel partners across the United Kingdom, United States and Canada. Those partners represent more than $15 billion in annual IT spend and IT services revenues.
Ingram Micro TrustX: What We'll Cover
Stay tuned to this live blog throughout the day, including backroom chatter about the managed security services market (yup... a shameless tease for our new site, MSSP Alert). Plus, plenty of talk about financial models and business strategies will surface here on ChannelE2E.
Our live blog from the conference -- featuring exclusive interviews with Ingram executives and technology industry leaders -- starts around 10 a.m. ET today. (Maybe sooner.) Keep checking this blog for ongoing updates today.
TrustX Alliance: Chatter So Far
Cisco Spark Deployment: Ingram Micro TrustX Alliance is set to standardize on Cisco Spark for community collaboration. The beta is starting now with a production rollout expected later this year. Ingram and Cisco together have been promoting Spark in multiple ways.
Ingram Financing: It sounds like Ingram's back office team is here in full-force. We'll be poking around to learn about the financial programs that are moving front and center.
Cisco's Andres Sintes: Cisco's global senior director for partner go to market, described how digital disruption will redefine every key vertical market. The usual Uber and Amazon examples popped up. But Sintes offered a key warning: The technology vertical faces the biggest disruption, and partners need to get ahead of that disruption. (On a related note, here's why it's so hard to get ahead of the disruption wave, according to Forrester.)
Cisco's Top 100 Partners: How are Cisco's top 100 partners profiting from digital transformation? Here's the math:
Shawn Fitzgerald, research director at IDC: Fitzgerald described digital transformation as "Transformed decision making with technology." The image below more fully describes what Fitzgerald is covering.
Stephen Miller, Lenovo: Miller described four major inflection points and IT trends that are reshaping the industry. We'll share more details soon.
The Ingram Perspective: Multiple executives described how the company is focused on talent, agility and One Ingram. We'll share more details from interviews later today.
Ingram Partner Growth Opportunities: The company is describing key opportunities across Advanced Solutions, Finance, Tools, Cloud, Integration, Internet of Things (Product, Platform and Professional Services), and professional+training services. We'll share more later today.
Ingram Micro Finance: Expect a big conversation around Project to Annuity, Cash Flow and Technology as a Service. Also, check out programs involving Hardware as a Rental (hmmm... checking to see if GreatAmerica owns that term), Hardware as a Service and more.
More: Keep checking back for more updates throughout the day.
Joe Panettieri is co-founder & editorial director of MSSP Alert and ChannelE2E, the two leading news & analysis sites for managed service providers in the cybersecurity market.
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