“ There will be no Digital Transformation without Digital Resilience “. This is the thesis of Alex Pope, VP Integrated Rack Solutions EMEA of Vertiv , who underlines how this 2020 led to budget cuts that impacted the channel, the repercussions of which will also be evident in the 2021. To face the new challenges, Pope insists on the importance of finding the correct balance between digital transformation needs – significantly accelerated by the use of smart working – and resilience. Operational resilience, but also cyber resilience. Companies are looking for flexible solutions that help them face new challenges, including those of cybersecurity, and are looking for collaborations, partners to help and guide them in this process. An important business opportunity for the channel: “ Customers will look for partners to guide them in this process to ensure that current and future projects, they are safe, resilient and adaptable to the new challenges that may arise “, explains Pope. “ In this case, the partners have the real opportunity, through consultancy, to offer added value to their customers, guaranteeing their safety and the evolution of their IT infrastructure, in anticipation of the business landscape of 2021 and the following years “.

Security is only one of the aspects to be taken into account, however, and for the 2021 Pope also predicts a growth of edge computing , in addition to redefinition of relations within the channel .

Edge computing spending increases

The difficulties generated by pandemics have pushed companies to transform their business by focusing even more on digital, looking for new solutions that can improve workflows and decision-making. Driving this transformation is undoubtedly the cloud: in the first quarter of 2020 there was an increase in the cost of 37% on the “cloud” and these investments also had an impact on the edge portion. According to a research by Canalys, 35% of partners said they saw the growth of client investments in the edge. For 35% of clients, this was the first investment made on the edge. And it probably won’t be the last: “ As businesses look to AR, VR and a host of other IoT technologies as a means to engage and communicate remotely, it is agreed that the growing demand for Edge infrastructure will undoubtedly increase in the 2021 “, underlines Pope.

The new Vertiv Partner Portal

Remote work and the rush to digital have had a clear impact on relationships in the channel, highlighting its importance especially in times of crisis. Being able to meet in person was not always possible, which accelerated the use of IT also to manage relations with all the actors involved, and which prompted Vertiv to introduce a new Partner Portal , a platform that allows easy access to the tools most used by partners: clear contact information, online training courses and an intuitive and accessible overview of partner and point levels of the Vertiv Incentive Program (VIP).

Despite the difficulties experienced in the last year, the forecasts for 2021 are optimistic. According to Robin Ody, Senior Analyst at Canalys , investments are expected to grow, both on the cloud and on the edge , driven by the need to guarantee the possibility of working remotely: 5G, under this profile, could be a further growth driver.

“ As companies need to plan their flexibility for the future, channel partners and customers are adapting together “, concludes Pope” The sudden discomfort of the pandemic forced greater understanding from customers, while the Channel quickly figured out how to offer the best possible support; however, partners need to keep in mind that customers may not be as tolerant in the future. into a new normal and businesses are getting used to uncertain times. The Channel must continue to meet evolving customer expectations, and be prepared for the upcoming challenges that lie ahead “.