This week, Erick and Rich talk over what Veeam’s latest product news says about tech in the time of COVID-19, why now’s a good time to reevaluate your MSP toolset, and why you might want to rethink packing a bag full of gold bars on your next trip if you’re forgetful.

Is there anything more refreshing on a summer day than a cool glass of sharkleberry fin juice? Matt, Rich, and guest host Dave Seibert would tell you if they knew what the heck a sharkleberry fin is. What they can tell you about is the addition of Salesforce Essentials to Ingram’s cloud marketplace, the surprising resilience of Ingram’s U.S. SMB business, and NinjaRMM’s latest update.

Erick and Rich explore the money-making implications of SonicWall’s new branch office networking solution, what MSPs can learn from SpaceX’s rigorous safety processes, and a brilliant DIY invention that automatically shuts off your webcam if it shows you’re not wearing pants.

Start buying house plants, channel pros. There’s at least a small chance it could get you federal grant money, according to guest host and channel finance expert Rayanne Buchianico, of ABC Solutions. She’s also got thoughts to share about the new security solutions from Sophos and SonicWall, the new integration platform and partner program from Cytracom, and the latest set of summer reading recommendations from the ChannelPro Book Club.

Have Teams, will travel. Virtually, that is. Though still grounded, ChannelPro’s Joel Zaidspiner checks in on the latest news from CloudOak, Nerdio, and Tigerpaw.

Matt and Rich have a fever, channel pros, and the only prescription is this episode. Joined by MSP, author, and improv comic Bob Coppedge, of Simplex-IT, your hosts discuss co-managed IT, Dell’s attempt to “democratize” artificial intelligence, a new managed services suite from Pulseway inspired by the coronavirus pandemic work-from-home phenomenon, and the 20th birthday of ConnectWise’s IT Nation Evolve organization, formerly known as HTG Peer Groups.

Erick and Rich take a few moments at a tense time to celebrate the 20th birthday of ConnectWise’s IT Nation Evolve peer groups (formerly known as HTG Peer Groups), extol finding moments of calm, and point you to a brief video sure to bring a smile to your face. Just Google “teddy bear roller coaster”!

In honor of Memorial Day, Erick and Rich discuss why veterans make great IT employees, why now’s the time to finalize your back-to-the-office plans with clients, and why the latest scheme to make empty sports arenas feel less empty during games is as weird as all the others.

It’s hard to put a price tag on good health and a good job these days. A good sandwich, though? That’s worth a cool million. Just ask Michael Goldstein, president and CEO of LAN Infotech and this week’s guest host. He has thoughts to share with Matt and Rich on other topics too, like the cross-platform “cyber resilience” functionality coming soon to Carbonite and Webroot, the many reasons veterans make good IT employees, and Kaseya’s latest product integrations.

With Karl Palachuk and Caroline Smith.

Catching up from afar again, our own Joel Zaidspiner checks in with Liongard, SOCSoter, and The Sky’s The Limit Consulting on what’s new and next in SMB tech.

Off the road but back on the air, our own Joel Zaidspiner returns with remotely recorded updates from AvePoint, BVoIP, and SiteLock.

From deep within their continuing stay-at-home blur, Erick and Rich discuss Kaseya’s software integration strategy, the merits of attending virtual events, and a well-intentioned attempt to simulate a pro sports crowd gone horribly awry.

Hips don’t lie, folks. Neither do Matt, Rich, or their guest host this week, MSP extraordinaire and former IT Glue exec Luis Giraldo of Ook Enterprises. Listen in as they discuss Tin Can, Luis’s interesting new cooperative services venture, plus Dell’s latest commercial laptops, stats about ransomware, and ChannelPro‘s 2020 Vendors on the Vanguard list.

Erick and Rich chat about the coronavirus pandemic’s effect on hardware sales, surveying your clients about when they’ll return to the office (if ever), and the recent spike in people who say they’re locked down at home with a ghost.

Only you can prevent breaches. Just ask the security marmoset! Don’t know who he is? You will after spending a little time with Matt, Rich, and guest host Karl Bickmore, of managed service provider Snap Tech IT. You’ll also hear their thoughts about the latest consumer PCs from Dell, Datto’s plan for coping with coronavirus, and the giant opportunity in managed security.

Erick and Rich dive into the launch of Acronis Cyber Protect, why you should host a virtual all hands meeting with your employees ASAP, and evidence that there may be less stress eating going on in the world than we thought.

Think COVID-19 can’t make things much worse? Wait until people without access to a barber start showing up in big 70s-style mustaches again. That’s just one of the dangers Matt and Rich discuss this week with their guest host, cloud entrepreneur and consultant Jamison West. In an interview with Forrester analyst Jay McBain, they also explore the sobering potential impact of the coronavirus recession on the channel’s long-term future.†

Erick and Rich (who are both wearing pants, we think) chew over NetApp buying CloudJumper, the coronavirus-fueled opportunity to sell managed services to midsize businesses, and why eating more french fries has become every Belgian’s patriotic duty.

In yet another bid to avoid going stir crazy, Erick and Rich discuss ID Agent’s new identity and access management solution, four priorities every MSP should set now to get through the COVID-19 crisis, and a long-distance runner whose indoor marathon encapsulates what all of us are feeling.

Matt’s from Chicago. Guest host Mike Bloomfield, of MSP Tekie Geek, is from New York. They have firm opinions about hot dogs.

With Amiel Harper and Delia Gutierrez McLaughlin

Taking a break from coronavirus news, if not coronavirus confinement, Erick and Rich discuss the new Secure Cloud bundle from Zix, why now is the time to ask your vendors about special finance programs, and how a 93-year-old woman sheltering in place in Pittsburgh scored 10 free cases of Coors Light.

E-cycling. Coaching. If you’re doing them the way Matt, Rich, and guest host Scott Beck, of Canadian MSP BeckTek, recommend there should be no sweating involved and no one in a track suit barking at you. Tune in to this week’s episode to get the lowdown not just on e-cycling used hardware and Tech Data’s free professional coaching program, but the latest financing offers from D&H and a new cloud/security suite from Zix and AppRiver.†

Live from the blur in which we all live these days, Erick and Rich discuss the prospect of private equity firms buying up distressed MSPs, investing the down time you may have these days in optimizing your tools, and a helpful TV news segment for those of us no longer sure what day it is.