The IT channel community in Irvine, CA, was electric on Nov. 12-13. A full house of IT service providers leaned in for every security and business development insight at the ChannelPro DEFEND: Irvine cybersecurity conference. MSPs made it clear that they are curious about advanced security — and they’re ready to act.
ChannelPro’s security-themed DEFEND conference returned to the Los Angeles area for the third consecutive year. This followed successful 2025 stops in Boston and Dallas. For MSPs, MSSPs, VARs, and IT consultants in Irvine and the surrounding region, that meant two days of masterclasses in cybersecurity content, expert panels, tech demos, connections with peers and vendors, and insights built specifically for the channel.
First-time attendee Owen Geer said he came away with many valuable elements from the conference. “It’s nice to be at an event where there are people in the same industry with the MSPs and people who work in the channel,” said Geer, a Santa Cruz, CA-based sales rep at Harborcoat, a VAR in Lehi, UT. “The most useful sessions for me were some of the panels about how to properly relate to customers.”
Audience members are active participants in the discussions.
What Made DEFEND in Irvine Different
Unlike other ChannelPro events, DEFEND zeros in on the threat landscape, defensive countermeasures, and cybersecurity’s profitability.
- Actionable Sessions: From CMMC readiness to selling vCISO services to automating compliance workflows, speakers focused on strategies MSPs could put to work right away.
- Regional Insight: Content addressed cybersecurity trends across state borders as well as the unique risks and regulations California businesses face.
- Stronger Connections: Between panels and presentations, vendors and MSPs turned networking breaks into impromptu playbooks over coffee and cocktails.
“The energy at ChannelPro DEFEND: Irvine reinforced what I’ve always believed: The MSP community thrives when we share real-world experience, not just theory,” emphasized Phillip Walker, customer advocate leader of Network Solutions Provider USA Inc., one of the featured on-stage experts at the Irvine event.
(from left) Mike Semel and Blair Dawson
Real-world Strategy Comes Alive
Throughout the event, an ethical hacker joined compliance pros and MSP leaders to step beyond theory. The offered those in attendance firm, actionable guidance. Among the most-talked-about sessions:
- Q&A with an Ethical Hacker: Ian Thornton-Trump, CISO of Inversion6, opened the show by unveiling real-world attack methods, emerging threat patterns, and practical defense tactics. He also fielded candid questions and insights from attendees.
- CMMC: Embrace the Opportunity: Panelists Mike Semel of Semel Consulting LLC and Blair Dawson of McDonald Hopkins explored what looming compliance changes could mean for MSP operations and revenue streams.
(from left) Justin Esgar and Philip de Souza
“I appreciate not only the interaction with the folks, but I also like the way that everybody is presenting their material. It’s always engaging,” said attendee Jerry Perrella, president of Professional Systems Design in San Diego, CA. “It’s really a lot of fun and I learn stuff the whole time. I sit there, and I’ll make a little note here and a little note there to follow up on later.”
Copilot Collaboration
Participants enjoy an interactive Copilot workshop.
At the Irvine MSP conference, OpenText Cybersecurity teamed with Microsoft to conduct an interactive demonstration and workshop on using Copilot. Audience members gathered together to discuss potential uses and how they would affect their own businesses.
The session was one of the longer activities on Day 1, but among the most popular. Microsoft’s Monica French, assisted by OpenText’s Mike DePalma, offered key pointers as well as real-world actions that would help MSPs better operate their own businesses, as well as become a bigger asset to clients.
Peer Learning Met Local Context
ChannelPro DEFEND featured several educational presentations and discussions focused on security best practices. Sessions included:
- New Cybersecurity Services You Aren’t Offering (But Should!), featuring Justin Esgar of Virtua Consulting Group and Philip de Souza of Aurora
- The Good, Bad, and Ugly: The Biggest Issues Facing California MSPs in 2025, featuring Esgar and Heather Noggle of Codistac
- vCISO Services: A Step-by-step Guide to Selling Security Leadership, featuring Semel and Walker.
- Building the Perfect Security-powered MSP, featuring Noggle and de Souza
- The Key to Unlocking Big Profits: What Vendors Know That MSPs Often Don’t, with representatives from Beauceron Security, Cylerian, Seceon, Slide, SonicWall, and Vircom.
The latter, a panel featuring select vendors at the event, took things steps beyond the sales track. Rather, the panelists unpacked revenue-boosting tactics, from dealing with identity sprawl to unlocking big profits. That format sparked stronger engagement for vendors as well.
Karl Palachuk (L) and ChannelPro Founder Michael Siggins (R)
Celebrating a Champion of the MSP Community
Karl Palachuk
At the close of Day 2, ChannelPro Founder and Publisher Michael Siggins presented the Partner in Excellence Award to Karl Palachuk, founder of Small Biz Thoughts and the National Society of IT Service Providers.
Palachuk earned the honor for his tireless work bringing the IT channel together, strengthening cybersecurity practices, and building bridges between MSPs, vendors, and community leaders.
For decades, Palachuk has championed professionalism and peer education, helping thousands of IT providers grow stronger businesses and safer client environments — a legacy that continues to shape the industry today. His work has left a lasting mark on both the channel and the clients MSPs serve.
Recognizing Vendor Excellence
ChannelPro DEFEND: Irvine concluded with special recognition for the event’s sponsors. Awards were presented to the following vendors, as voted by the Los Angeles-area audience:
Vendors offer revenue-boosting tactics to MSPs.
- Best Breakout Session: Celerium
- Best Add-on Product: NUSO
- Best Cloud Solution: US Signal
- Best Distributor: Pax8
- Best Expo Hall Presentation (Premium Sponsors): Kaseya
- Best Expo Hall Presentation (Silver Sponsors): Huntress
- Best Hardware Solution: Carbon Systems
- Best New Solution: PayEm
- Best On-stage Presentation: Kaseya
- Best Product or Platform: Validize
- Best Revenue Booster: Check Point
- Best Security Solution: Cylerian
- Best Software Solution: ThreatLocker
- Most Exciting Solution: Slide
- ROI Lightning Round Winner: Alta Labs
- Editor’s Choice: OpenText
- ChannelPro Community: SaaSAssure
- Best in Show: Helpt
Sponsors Make It Happen
Many thanks to ChannelPro DEFEND Central’s world-class sponsors:
ChannelPro’s in-person events feature top IT channel vendors.
What’s Next for ChannelPro?
ChannelPro’s event series continues with one more virtual gathering for 2025, and our full schedule of both online and regional in-person summits next year:
- ChannelPro Deep Dive: Leveraging Vendor Partnerships for Differentiation, a virtual event on Dec. 9, 2025
- ChannelPro DEFEND: Orlando, February 17 – 18, 2026
- 2026 ChannelPro DEEP DIVE: MSP Risks & Liability, a virtual event on Mar. 3, 2026
ChannelPro events are designed to be highly interactive, solutions-focused, and full of insights you can leverage right away. Don’t miss your chance to join us!
Irvine Award Winners 2025
Jonathan Browning contributed to this article.
Anjali Fluker is senior channel editor for The ChannelPro Network, where she covers news, trends, and best practices for the MSP community. She specializes in telling the stories that matter to IT providers serving the SMB market. When she’s not reporting on the latest in managed services, she’s connecting with channel pros at industry events across the country.
Images: Anjali Fluker/ChannelPro, Michael Siggins/ChannelPro
