Business of Tech: Daily MSP News & IT Services Analysis

Four things to know today

• Cloud data center growth

https://www.crn.com/news/data-center/covid-19-spurs-record-data-center-spending-by-amazon-google-microsoft?itc=refresh

• Right to Repair needs renewal

https://www.vice.com/en/article/m7ape4/it-is-time-yet-again-to-beg-for-the-right-to-repair

• The NSA offers help

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/nsa-shares-guidance-tools-to-mitigate-weak-encryption-protocols/

AND

• Haven is no more

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/04/haven-the-amazon-berkshire-jpmorgan-venture-to-disrupt-healthcare-is-disbanding-after-3-years.html

About Business of Tech: The daily MSP news and analysis podcast for managed service providers and IT services leaders. Host Dave Sobel covers AI for MSPs, MSP pricing and profitability, MSP M&A and private equity, vendor partner programs, MSP cybersecurity and liability, and MSP operations — and answers the question every story raises: Why do we care? Produced by MSP Radio.

MSP Radio is supported by our partners:

ABC Solutions · CometBackup · Firetail · HaloPSA · LogMeIn · Mailprotector · Pax8 · Rythmz · ScalePad · TimeZest · Transit AI

Supporting the IT services community through insights, analysis, and transparency.

Get exclusive access to investigative reports, vendor analysis, leadership briefings, and more.

👉 https://businessof.tech/plus

Want the show on your favorite podcast app or prefer the written versions of each story?

📲 https://www.businessof.tech/subscribe

Looking for the links from today’s stories?

Every episode script — with full source links — is posted at:

🌐 https://www.businessof.tech

Pitch your story or appear on Business of Tech: Daily MSP News & IT Services Analysis

💬 https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/businessoftech

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/28908079

YouTube: https://youtube.com/mspradio

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/businessof.tech

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mspradio

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@businessoftech

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mspradionews

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Four things to know today

• Cloud data center growth

https://www.crn.com/news/data-center/covid-19-spurs-record-data-center-spending-by-amazon-google-microsoft?itc=refresh

• Right to Repair needs renewal

https://www.vice.com/en/article/m7ape4/it-is-time-yet-again-to-beg-for-the-right-to-repair

• The NSA offers help

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/nsa-shares-guidance-tools-to-mitigate-weak-encryption-protocols/

AND

• Haven is no more

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/04/haven-the-amazon-berkshire-jpmorgan-venture-to-disrupt-healthcare-is-disbanding-after-3-years.html

Support the vendors who support the show:

👉 https://businessof.tech/sponsors/

Get exclusive access to investigative reports, vendor analysis, leadership briefings, and more.

👉 https://businessof.tech/plus

Want the show on your favorite podcast app or prefer the written versions of each story?

📲 https://www.businessof.tech/subscribe

Looking for the links from today’s stories?

Every episode script — with full source links — is posted at:

🌐 https://www.businessof.tech

Pitch your story or appear on Business of Tech: Daily 10-Minute IT Services Insights:

💬 https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/businessoftech

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/28908079

YouTube: https://youtube.com/mspradio

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/businessof.tech

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mspradio

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@businessoftech

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mspradionews

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Four things to know today

• The first big tech worker union

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/04/technology/google-employees-union.html?referringSource=articleShare

https://qz.com/1952169/a-new-google-union-is-allowing-contractors-in-as-members/?mc_cid=7d52ad395b&mc_eid=70cbbe1cdc

• Big changes to come for Windows?

https://www.theverge.com/2021/1/4/22212817/microsoft-windows-10-visual-changes-update-sun-valley-2021

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-wants-to-show-windows-is-back-with-windows-10-ui-refresh/

• Netscape returns!

https://www.theverge.com/2020/12/29/22204624/brexit-eu-uk-netscape-communicator-4-crytography-email-data-dna-trade-deal

AND

• Broadband outage costs

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-05/world-s-worst-internet-shutdowns-cost-india-2-8-billion-in-2020

https://thenextweb.com/in/2021/01/04/indias-misguided-internet-shutdowns-cost-the-country-2-7b-in-2020/

About Business of Tech: The daily MSP news and analysis podcast for managed service providers and IT services leaders. Host Dave Sobel covers AI for MSPs, MSP pricing and profitability, MSP M&A and private equity, vendor partner programs, MSP cybersecurity and liability, and MSP operations — and answers the question every story raises: Why do we care? Produced by MSP Radio.

MSP Radio is supported by our partners:

ABC Solutions · CometBackup · Firetail · HaloPSA · LogMeIn · Mailprotector · Pax8 · Rythmz · ScalePad · TimeZest · Transit AI

Supporting the IT services community through insights, analysis, and transparency.

Get exclusive access to investigative reports, vendor analysis, leadership briefings, and more.

👉 https://businessof.tech/plus

Want the show on your favorite podcast app or prefer the written versions of each story?

📲 https://www.businessof.tech/subscribe

Looking for the links from today’s stories?

Every episode script — with full source links — is posted at:

🌐 https://www.businessof.tech

Pitch your story or appear on Business of Tech: Daily MSP News & IT Services Analysis

💬 https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/businessoftech

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/28908079

YouTube: https://youtube.com/mspradio

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/businessof.tech

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mspradio

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@businessoftech

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mspradionews

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Four things to know today

•   The first big tech worker union

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/04/technology/google-employees-union.html?referringSource=articleShare

https://qz.com/1952169/a-new-google-union-is-allowing-contractors-in-as-members/?mc_cid=7d52ad395b&mc_eid=70cbbe1cdc

• Big changes to come for Windows?

https://www.theverge.com/2021/1/4/22212817/microsoft-windows-10-visual-changes-update-sun-valley-2021

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-wants-to-show-windows-is-back-with-windows-10-ui-refresh/

• Netscape returns!

https://www.theverge.com/2020/12/29/22204624/brexit-eu-uk-netscape-communicator-4-crytography-email-data-dna-trade-deal

AND

• Broadband outage costs

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-05/world-s-worst-internet-shutdowns-cost-india-2-8-billion-in-2020

https://thenextweb.com/in/2021/01/04/indias-misguided-internet-shutdowns-cost-the-country-2-7b-in-2020/

Four things to know today

• Data misuse in new ways

https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/snitches-wheels-police-turn-car-data-destroy-suspects-alibis-n1251939

https://techcrunch.com/2020/12/30/nso-fleming-data-location/

• Apple loses a court case

https://www.itnews.com.au/news/apple-loses-court-case-against-security-vendor-corellium-559396

• Lessons from N-Able-ing a poor brand choice

https://www.channele2e.com/channel-partners/msps/solarwinds-msp-rebranding-as-n-able-amid-spin-out-plan/

AND

• A SolarWinds catchup

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/solarwinds-releases-updated-advisory-for-new-supernova-malware/

https://msrc-blog.microsoft.com/2020/12/31/microsoft-internal-solorigate-investigation-update/

https://www.techradar.com/news/us-government-agencies-told-to-patch-solarwinds-flaws-now

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/02/us/politics/russian-hacking-government.html

https://securityboulevard.com/2020/12/golden-saml-revisited-the-solorigate-connection/

https://www.geekwire.com/2020/solarwinds-hackers-targeting-cloud-services-unprecedented-cyberattack/

https://www.geekwire.com/2020/hacked-hacked-heres-hack-scale-better-understand-solarwinds-cyberattacks/

About Business of Tech: The daily MSP news and analysis podcast for managed service providers and IT services leaders. Host Dave Sobel covers AI for MSPs, MSP pricing and profitability, MSP M&A and private equity, vendor partner programs, MSP cybersecurity and liability, and MSP operations — and answers the question every story raises: Why do we care? Produced by MSP Radio.

MSP Radio is supported by our partners:

ABC Solutions · CometBackup · Firetail · HaloPSA · LogMeIn · Mailprotector · Pax8 · Rythmz · ScalePad · TimeZest · Transit AI

Supporting the IT services community through insights, analysis, and transparency.

Get exclusive access to investigative reports, vendor analysis, leadership briefings, and more.

👉 https://businessof.tech/plus

Want the show on your favorite podcast app or prefer the written versions of each story?

📲 https://www.businessof.tech/subscribe

Looking for the links from today’s stories?

Every episode script — with full source links — is posted at:

🌐 https://www.businessof.tech

Pitch your story or appear on Business of Tech: Daily MSP News & IT Services Analysis

💬 https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/businessoftech

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/28908079

YouTube: https://youtube.com/mspradio

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/businessof.tech

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mspradio

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@businessoftech

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mspradionews

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Four things to know today

• Data misuse in new ways

https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/snitches-wheels-police-turn-car-data-destroy-suspects-alibis-n1251939

https://techcrunch.com/2020/12/30/nso-fleming-data-location/

• Apple loses a court case

https://www.itnews.com.au/news/apple-loses-court-case-against-security-vendor-corellium-559396

• Lessons from N-Able-ing a poor brand choice

https://www.channele2e.com/channel-partners/msps/solarwinds-msp-rebranding-as-n-able-amid-spin-out-plan/

AND

• A SolarWinds catchup

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/solarwinds-releases-updated-advisory-for-new-supernova-malware/

https://msrc-blog.microsoft.com/2020/12/31/microsoft-internal-solorigate-investigation-update/

https://www.techradar.com/news/us-government-agencies-told-to-patch-solarwinds-flaws-now

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/02/us/politics/russian-hacking-government.html

https://securityboulevard.com/2020/12/golden-saml-revisited-the-solorigate-connection/

https://www.geekwire.com/2020/solarwinds-hackers-targeting-cloud-services-unprecedented-cyberattack/

https://www.geekwire.com/2020/hacked-hacked-heres-hack-scale-better-understand-solarwinds-cyberattacks/

Support the vendors who support the show:

👉 https://businessof.tech/sponsors/

Get exclusive access to investigative reports, vendor analysis, leadership briefings, and more.

👉 https://businessof.tech/plus

Want the show on your favorite podcast app or prefer the written versions of each story?

📲 https://www.businessof.tech/subscribe

Looking for the links from today’s stories?

Every episode script — with full source links — is posted at:

🌐 https://www.businessof.tech

Pitch your story or appear on Business of Tech: Daily 10-Minute IT Services Insights:

💬 https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/businessoftech

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/28908079

YouTube: https://youtube.com/mspradio

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/businessof.tech

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mspradio

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@businessoftech

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mspradionews

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The tradeshow event circuit is dead as it was. Don’t listen to the channel chiefs that are running around telling you it’ll be back. They want it to be back, because it’s what they have been doing for 20 years, and they are terrified of doing anything else and competing for marketing dollars. You’re selling those events? You want it too. Old school marketers who are not learning the new craft are going to keep selling you the same line they have leaned on forever, not accounting for the 8 years of ecommerce transition in just 2 months of 2020.

And I hear a chorus of “Oh, people want it to come back. People are desperate for those interactions.”

Listen to the full prediction on the podcast.

About Business of Tech: The daily MSP news and analysis podcast for managed service providers and IT services leaders. Host Dave Sobel covers AI for MSPs, MSP pricing and profitability, MSP M&A and private equity, vendor partner programs, MSP cybersecurity and liability, and MSP operations — and answers the question every story raises: Why do we care? Produced by MSP Radio.

MSP Radio is supported by our partners:

ABC Solutions · CometBackup · Firetail · HaloPSA · LogMeIn · Mailprotector · Pax8 · Rythmz · ScalePad · TimeZest · Transit AI

Supporting the IT services community through insights, analysis, and transparency.

Get exclusive access to investigative reports, vendor analysis, leadership briefings, and more.

👉 https://businessof.tech/plus

Want the show on your favorite podcast app or prefer the written versions of each story?

📲 https://www.businessof.tech/subscribe

Looking for the links from today’s stories?

Every episode script — with full source links — is posted at:

🌐 https://www.businessof.tech

Pitch your story or appear on Business of Tech: Daily MSP News & IT Services Analysis

💬 https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/businessoftech

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/28908079

YouTube: https://youtube.com/mspradio

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/businessof.tech

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mspradio

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@businessoftech

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mspradionews

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The tradeshow event circuit is dead as it was.  Don’t listen to the channel chiefs that are running around telling you it’ll be back.    They want it to be back, because it’s what they have been doing for 20 years, and they are terrified of doing anything else and competing for marketing dollars.   You’re selling those events?  You want it too.  Old school marketers who are not learning the new craft are going to keep selling you the same line they have leaned on forever, not accounting for the 8 years of ecommerce transition in just 2 months of 2020.  

And I hear a chorus of “Oh, people want it to come back.   People are desperate for those interactions.”

Listen to the full prediction on the podcast.

Let’s talk the big MSP players for this prediction.

When I covered the impact Capital has on a market, I focused on the lack of R&D investment. PE based companies often focus on cutting expenses by headcount and anything risky, and one of those cuts is R&D. Building something new is hard, and it gets in the way of driving profitability. It’s way easier to just go buy things and roll it in than it is to build something.

The second is the changing face of management. As I said back in September with Microsoft’s Lighthouse product, the future of management is that you don’t need to script it yourself, but instead configure management policies. You can see this in software development trends – serverless and codeless compute are the direction. You manage fleets of other devices not by writing scripts to control it, but by configuring policies. Which is exactly the tool Microsoft has built in their Lighthouse product.

And notably, the current “MSP providers” have not.

Prediction in the podcast.

About Business of Tech: The daily MSP news and analysis podcast for managed service providers and IT services leaders. Host Dave Sobel covers AI for MSPs, MSP pricing and profitability, MSP M&A and private equity, vendor partner programs, MSP cybersecurity and liability, and MSP operations — and answers the question every story raises: Why do we care? Produced by MSP Radio.

MSP Radio is supported by our partners:

ABC Solutions · CometBackup · Firetail · HaloPSA · LogMeIn · Mailprotector · Pax8 · Rythmz · ScalePad · TimeZest · Transit AI

Supporting the IT services community through insights, analysis, and transparency.

Get exclusive access to investigative reports, vendor analysis, leadership briefings, and more.

👉 https://businessof.tech/plus

Want the show on your favorite podcast app or prefer the written versions of each story?

📲 https://www.businessof.tech/subscribe

Looking for the links from today’s stories?

Every episode script — with full source links — is posted at:

🌐 https://www.businessof.tech

Pitch your story or appear on Business of Tech: Daily MSP News & IT Services Analysis

💬 https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/businessoftech

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/28908079

YouTube: https://youtube.com/mspradio

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/businessof.tech

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mspradio

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@businessoftech

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mspradionews

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Let’s talk the big MSP players for this prediction.

When I covered the impact Capital has on a market, I focused on the lack of R&D investment. PE based companies often focus on cutting expenses by headcount and anything risky, and one of those cuts is R&D. Building something new is hard, and it gets in the way of driving profitability. It’s way easier to just go buy things and roll it in than it is to build something.

The second is the changing face of management. As I said back in September with Microsoft’s Lighthouse product, the future of management is that you don’t need to script it yourself, but instead configure management policies. You can see this in software development trends – serverless and codeless compute are the direction. You manage fleets of other devices not by writing scripts to control it, but by configuring policies. Which is exactly the tool Microsoft has built in their Lighthouse product.

And notably, the current “MSP providers” have not.

Prediction in the podcast.

Support the vendors who support the show:

👉 https://businessof.tech/sponsors/

Get exclusive access to investigative reports, vendor analysis, leadership briefings, and more.

👉 https://businessof.tech/plus

Want the show on your favorite podcast app or prefer the written versions of each story?

📲 https://www.businessof.tech/subscribe

Looking for the links from today’s stories?

Every episode script — with full source links — is posted at:

🌐 https://www.businessof.tech

Pitch your story or appear on Business of Tech: Daily 10-Minute IT Services Insights:

💬 https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/businessoftech

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/28908079

YouTube: https://youtube.com/mspradio

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/businessof.tech

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mspradio

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@businessoftech

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mspradionews

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.