By Doug Green

“AI goes blind at exactly the moment when you need it most.”

In this Technology Reseller News podcast, Vishal Gupta, Director of Product Management at ZPE Systems, explains why AI-driven infrastructure management needs an independent path to the devices it is expected to monitor, troubleshoot and recover.

AIOps platforms have become increasingly effective at detecting problems, correlating events and automating routine infrastructure operations. The problem, Gupta says, is that these systems often run on the same production infrastructure they manage.

When a network outage or hardware failure occurs, the AI platform can lose both its connection to the affected equipment and access to the telemetry it needs to diagnose the problem.

“That is the gap out-of-band fills,” says Gupta.

Out-of-band management provides an independent management plane that remains separate from the production network. Even when the primary infrastructure is unavailable, IT teams—and increasingly AI agents—can still reach devices through console access, examine system logs and kernel messages, and take corrective action.

Gupta compares the architecture to an airport. Aircraft use the runway for normal operations, while emergency and service vehicles have separate roads and infrastructure. If the runway becomes unavailable, the service infrastructure can still reach the aircraft.

The same principle applies to resilient IT operations. An isolated management environment should have its own connectivity, security, routing, switching, storage and compute capabilities. It may also include failover connectivity through 4G, 5G or satellite services such as Starlink.

Building Out-of-Band for a Larger Edge

ZPE Systems developed its Nodegrid Net Services Router 2U, or NSR 2U, in response to customers operating increasingly large and complex edge environments.

These environments can include branch offices, remote facilities, ships, oil rigs, cell sites and other locations outside traditional data centers. They frequently contain more devices, require greater bandwidth and have fewer trained personnel available on-site.

The NSR 2U was designed around three priorities: greater capacity, increased resiliency and support for AI workloads.

The modular platform offers 10 expansion-card slots, allowing customers to configure the system around their particular deployment. It also includes redundant, field-serviceable power supplies and fans, two NVMe storage slots with RAID support, four native 10-gigabit SFP+ ports and an increased Power over Ethernet budget.

ZPE has even addressed the possibility that the out-of-band device itself could fail. Two NSR 2U systems can be interconnected so that one system can provide remote console, power and reset control for the other—effectively providing out-of-band management for the out-of-band infrastructure.

Taking NVIDIA Jetson AI to Remote Locations

ZPE Systems has also developed an NVIDIA Jetson AI Expansion Card for the Nodegrid NSR family. The card supports NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano and Orin NX modules, providing local AI processing within the isolated management environment.

This allows organizations to deploy AI agents close to the infrastructure and data they manage, without relying entirely on a remote cloud connection.

A key capability is remote lifecycle management. IT teams can remotely flash the Jetson operating system, deploy or update AI agents and models, access the console, and power the device on, off or into recovery mode.

Ordinarily, updating or recovering an edge AI device may require someone to travel to the location and connect directly to the hardware. ZPE’s approach is intended to reduce those truck rolls while allowing organizations to manage distributed AI infrastructure centrally.

Potential applications extend beyond AIOps. The platform can support real-time video analytics, object detection, smart recording, manufacturing quality control, sensor-data aggregation and local automation. GPIO and I2C interfaces also allow sensors measuring conditions such as temperature, vibration or voltage to feed information directly into locally running AI models.

Asking the Hard Infrastructure Questions

Gupta says much of the AI conversation remains focused on models, software and the token economy. Those areas are important, but they can obscure fundamental infrastructure questions.

Where will an AIOps platform run? Can it survive the outage it is expected to resolve? Will it still have a path to the affected equipment? Can it access sufficiently accurate data to diagnose the problem and select the right recovery action?

“If you can’t answer these questions, then there’s a gap in your AIOps strategy,” Gupta says. “No software and no model will fix it for you.”

As AI becomes more autonomous, infrastructure resilience will determine whether AI agents can move beyond identifying failures to actually recovering from them. ZPE Systems is positioning isolated out-of-band infrastructure, the NSR 2U and edge-based Jetson AI processing as the foundation for making that transition possible.

More at Enterprise Network Management Solution | ZPE Systems

“The physical and the virtual can come together to deliver a consistent experience across everything the enterprise does.”

In this Technology Reseller News podcast, Doug Green speaks with Tony Lama, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Avaya Software, about how Avaya is extending customer experience beyond the traditional contact center.

The discussion focuses on Avaya’s work with avatarin, whose AI-powered robots can be deployed in airports, retail locations and other physical environments. Using Avaya Infinity, organizations can connect those interactions with virtual assistants, contact center agents and back-office teams.

The goal is to preserve context as customers move between physical, digital and human interactions. A robot may handle a routine request, for example, before seamlessly transferring a more complex or sensitive issue to a live person.

“We are not in the world of building robots,” Lama says. “We are building platforms that can be used for enterprise-wide orchestration.”

Lama also explains Avaya’s open approach to AI. Rather than locking customers into a single AI provider, Infinity allows enterprises and partners to connect their preferred models, applications and data platforms.

The platform can be deployed in the cloud, on premises or in a hybrid environment, giving organizations a path to modernization without sacrificing security, data sovereignty or existing Avaya investments.

For enterprises, MSPs and channel partners, Avaya’s message is clear: start with the customer experience, then connect the technologies needed to deliver it.

Listen to the podcast to learn more about Avaya Infinity, physical AI, agentic AI and enterprise customer-experience orchestration.

Learn more at Avaya.com.

“Sports has caught up,” says Andy Abramson, CEO of Comunicano. “I think there’s a big opportunity.”

In this Technology Reseller News podcast, Doug Green speaks with longtime communications strategist and entrepreneur Andy Abramson about Comunicano’s return to the sports industry and the growing intersection of sports, technology, media, telecom and business.

Abramson began working in professional sports as a teenager, promoting the Philadelphia Wings and later helping build Hockey Central, an early fan-development organization associated with the Philadelphia Flyers. He went on to create programs that introduced thousands of young people to hockey and helped establish initiatives that continue decades later.

Comunicano eventually shifted its focus almost entirely to technology. Since then, Abramson says the agency’s work has contributed to 64 exits representing approximately $9.5 billion in value for founders, investors and executives.

Now, after nearly three decades focused primarily on technology and telecom, Abramson believes sports and technology are finally ready to come together in a more meaningful way.

“I think I took a 27-year retirement,” says Abramson. “I kind of feel like Gordie Howe coming out of retirement.”

The move has led to the launch of Comunicano Sports and DevLocker, a database containing hundreds of application programming interfaces (APIs), Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers and other development resources. Abramson says these tools can help connect sports organizations, venues, technology companies and emerging AI applications.

The podcast also introduces Abramson’s role as the sports technology contributor to the new Technology Reseller Sunday Report. His coverage does not focus on scores, standings or betting odds. Instead, it examines the broader business of sports, including infrastructure, ticketing, media, retail, fan engagement, transportation, data and venue technology.

“Sports is more than the athletic event,” says Green. “There are a hundred industries wrapped into sports.”

One example is Abramson’s analysis of the changing economics of stadium and arena parking. Parking has historically generated millions of dollars for teams and venue operators, but ride-sharing services, autonomous vehicles and new transportation habits could substantially reduce that revenue.

“The parking lot is getting fired,” says Abramson.

For fans, ride-sharing can eliminate long walks, traffic congestion and concerns about driving after drinking. For sports organizations, however, fewer parked cars may mean the loss of a significant and dependable revenue stream. Abramson argues that teams must begin developing new ways to monetize arrivals, departures and the surrounding venue experience.

His broader message is that sports organizations cannot focus only on individual games, championships or short-term moments. They must build technology, revenue systems and operational infrastructure that deliver sustainable results.

“Systems matter and moments expire,” says Abramson. “It’s about how you build infrastructure to win consistently on the floor, on the ice and on the court—but most importantly, at the bank.”

Comunicano Sports will focus on the business, marketing and technology of sports, while TR Publications and Abramson plan to continue the conversation through a new series of sports technology podcasts.

Learn more and subscribe to Abramson’s coverage at Comunicano.substack.com.

“Over 100 million people a week are using AI for something related to mental health,” says Michael Rodio, General Manager of AI at Talkspace.

In this Technology Reseller News podcast, Doug Green speaks with Michael Rodio, General Manager of AI at Talkspace, about a growing but often hidden workplace issue: employees may already be turning to general-purpose AI tools for mental health support.

Rodio says the trend may be particularly relevant in IT and technology roles, where employees can face long hours, workplace isolation, limited mobility and high levels of stress. Traditional therapy appointments may not always fit easily into those working conditions.

Talkspace developed Tee, an AI mental health guide, to help bridge that gap. Tee is not therapy or a replacement for a licensed mental health professional. Instead, it gives users a private place to reflect on stress, process their feelings and begin engaging with their mental health.

“We envision that Tee will help people get to a place where they may be more open to thinking through what they’re feeling,” says Rodio.

The podcast also explores how employers and users should evaluate AI mental health tools. Rodio recommends reviewing privacy policies, understanding how the technology was developed, asking who owns the information entered into the system and determining whether licensed mental health professionals were involved in its design.

Talkspace developed T with input from psychologists, psychiatrists and other licensed mental health professionals. Rodio says privacy and transparency are especially important when users are discussing sensitive personal matters with AI.

“Trust is built on privacy standards,” says Rodio.

Learn more about Talkspace at talkspace.com and Tee at talkspace.com/tee.

“People are already using conversational AI to work on their mental health,” says Michael Rodio, General Manager of AI at Talkspace.

In this Technology Reseller News podcast, Doug Green speaks with Michael Rodio, General Manager of AI at Talkspace, about Tee by Talkspace, a proprietary AI mental health guide designed to offer a safer alternative to general-purpose AI tools.

Talkspace is a virtual behavioral health provider that connects people with licensed therapists and psychiatric providers. The company serves more than 200 million covered lives in the United States and offers care through insurance or direct payment.

Rodio says Talkspace developed Tee after recognizing that millions of people were already turning to conversational AI for mental health support, even though general-purpose large language models were not designed for that role.

“We saw not only an opportunity, but also an obligation,” says Rodio.

Tee is positioned as a mental health guide rather than AI therapy. Talkspace defines therapy as a relationship between a human client and a licensed human therapist. However, Tee can help users reflect on what they are experiencing, practice therapeutic skills and consider healthier ways of approaching difficult situations.

Unlike AI assistants designed to provide fast answers or agree with the user, Tee was developed with input from therapists. Rodio says the platform is designed to avoid reinforcing unhealthy thinking or offering overly simplistic advice.

“Therapists are trained to support you as a person without necessarily supporting behaviors or mental frameworks that can be counterproductive,” says Rodio.

Tee may suggest practical techniques such as box breathing for anxiety, ask users to explore why they feel a certain way, or challenge false choices such as immediately ending an important relationship after an argument.

The platform uses a proprietary model developed by Talkspace rather than simply placing a healthcare interface around a general-purpose AI service. Rodio says conversations are encrypted and the system was built using the security, privacy and compliance experience Talkspace has developed as a virtual healthcare provider.

For employers, MSPs, carriers and channel partners, Rodio says the central message is that employees and customers may already be using AI for mental health conversations. Organizations should consider whether those people have access to a purpose-built and responsibly developed alternative.

Tee may also provide an entry point for people who are not yet ready to begin therapy, helping bridge the gap between self-guided support and professional mental healthcare.

Learn more at talkspace.com or talkspace.com/tee.

“Every high performer has blind spots,” says Julie Thiel of TTS Company.

In this Technology Reseller News podcast, Doug Green speaks with Julie Thiel of TTS Company about why coaching should not be reserved only for employees who are struggling.

Thiel says managers often spend most of their time helping underperformers while assuming top employees already know they are doing well. That can be a mistake. High performers may be taking on the most difficult work, preparing for leadership roles or developing habits that will not serve them at the next level.

“There’s even more bang for the buck in a conversation with an achieving employee about what they can do to take it to the next level,” says Thiel.

Thiel shares a lesson from her own career. Her manager told her that consistently working at 110 percent had helped her succeed as an individual contributor, but could lead to burnout if she carried the same approach into management.

“You have to know when to pick good enough,” Thiel recalls. “Where do you do 60 percent, where do you do 80 percent, and where do you do 110 percent?”

The podcast explores how managers can coach high performers without making the conversation feel like criticism. Thiel says leaders should make it clear that the employee’s current work is strong, then explain that the discussion is about future potential, new responsibilities and the skills needed for the next stage of the employee’s career.

Trust is essential. These conversations work best when they are part of an ongoing relationship rather than a sudden meeting after months of limited communication.

“Good leadership is one good conversation after another,” says Thiel.

Thiel encourages managers to invest in people before they ask for help, identify strengths they may not see in themselves and open the door to new possibilities.

TTS Company helps growing businesses remove people-related bottlenecks and supports larger HR departments with projects and added capacity. Thiel is also preparing to launch The Vault, a leadership development community offering ongoing training, practical challenges and peer support.

Learn more at thettscompany.com.

Jabra Evolve3 Headsets Bring Clearer Voice Input to AI-Powered Collaboration, Podcast, Jabra recently expanded the Evolve3 range with the Evolve3 65 Flex, Evolve3 65 and Evolve3 45, providing purpose-built options for hybrid professionals, open-office employees and desk-based callers

By Doug Green

“Voice is becoming increasingly important in that collaboration with AI.”

In this Technology Reseller News podcast, I speak with Michelle Ritz, Headset Marketing Manager at Jabra, about the expanded Jabra Evolve3 professional headset lineup, the evolution of workplace audio and why high-quality voice capture is becoming essential for AI-powered collaboration.

Jabra recently expanded the Evolve3 range with the Evolve3 65 Flex, Evolve3 65 and Evolve3 45, providing purpose-built options for hybrid professionals, open-office employees and desk-based callers. The three models join the premium Evolve3 75 and Evolve3 85 to create a broader workplace audio portfolio designed around how employees actually work.

Technology Reseller News previously reported on the expanded portfolio in Jabra Expands Evolve3 Headset Range for AI-Driven Collaboration and published the complete product announcement in Jabra Expands Evolve3 Range.

Ritz explains why the traditional “one headset fits everyone” approach no longer works. An employee spending the day at a desk has different requirements from someone working in a noisy open office or moving between home, corporate offices, airports, trains and shared workspaces.

The Evolve3 45 is a lightweight on-ear headset designed for frequent desk-based calling. The Evolve3 65 adds stronger noise control for professionals working in busy offices, while the portable and foldable Evolve3 65 Flex is designed for hybrid and mobile workers who need professional call quality across multiple locations.

Although each headset is designed for a different workstyle, Jabra has brought important core capabilities across the range rather than reserving them exclusively for premium models. These include Jabra ClearVoice technology, professional voice pickup, in-call active noise cancellation and centralized device management.

A central theme of the podcast is the changing relationship between workplace audio and artificial intelligence.

As organizations adopt AI meeting assistants, voice is becoming an important data input. Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Meet and other collaboration platforms can now use spoken conversations to produce transcripts, meeting summaries, action items and follow-up content.

However, the quality of those AI-generated results depends on the quality of the audio being captured.

Poor voice pickup can lead to incorrect transcripts, incomplete summaries and unreliable AI output. In sectors such as healthcare, financial services and law, even a small transcription error can change the meaning of an important conversation.

Jabra ClearVoice uses AI-powered deep-learning technology to isolate the speaker’s voice from surrounding conversations, office noise and wind. Ritz discusses how clearer voice capture helps the person on the other end of a call while also giving AI collaboration tools more accurate information to process.

The conversation also examines how employee expectations have changed. People increasingly expect workplace headsets to provide the comfort, audio quality, portability and ease of use they experience with personal technology. IT departments, meanwhile, need secure devices that can be deployed and managed consistently across an enterprise.

The expanded Jabra Evolve3 lineup is designed to address both needs: more headset choice for employees and a manageable professional audio platform for IT.

As voice becomes an increasingly important input for AI-powered meetings and workflows, a professional headset is no longer simply a peripheral for making calls. It is becoming part of the infrastructure that determines how accurately people—and the AI systems assisting them—can communicate.

Learn more at Jabra.com/evolve3.

NRS Helps Independent Retailers Embrace Unified Commerce—While Giving Back to the Communities It Serves, Podcast, “I feel the pain when I see a merchant that goes out of business,” Katz says. “We developed our point-of-sale register specifically to give tools to these merchants so that they could compete.”

By Doug Green

“We don’t just sell or do business as usual. We understand the humanity part of doing business as well.”

In this Technology Reseller News podcast, I spoke with Elie Katz, CEO of National Retail Solutions (NRS), about two closely connected ideas: helping independent retailers compete in a rapidly changing commerce environment and maintaining a company culture built around giving back.

NRS Cares

Katz discusses NRS Cares, an employee-led initiative supporting communities through blood drives, food donations, school visits and disaster-recovery efforts. A recent blood drive at the company’s Newark headquarters was especially personal for Katz, who underwent double-bypass surgery approximately two years ago and understands firsthand the lifesaving importance of donated blood.

Giving back, he says, is not separate from the company’s business mission. NRS works closely with bodegas, convenience stores, liquor stores, tobacco shops, restaurants and other independent businesses—many of which face rising costs, tight margins, crime risks and increasing competition from larger retailers.

“I feel the pain when I see a merchant that goes out of business,” Katz says. “We developed our point-of-sale register specifically to give tools to these merchants so that they could compete.”

That hands-on approach also shapes NRS product development. Katz says he personally tries to visit 12 stores each month to speak with merchants, observe how they operate and understand their changing needs. The goal is to ensure that NRS technology is designed for the people who actually use it—not merely for engineers or product developers.

Juniper Research projects $41 trillion market

The conversation comes as Juniper Research projects the value of global point-of-sale transactions will increase from $30 trillion in 2026 to $41 trillion by 2031, driven in part by the convergence of in-store, online and mobile purchasing.

For independent merchants, that shift is already underway. Katz says credit-card usage has risen significantly across the approximately 35,000 convenience stores using NRS point-of-sale systems. Younger shoppers increasingly carry no cash—and often no physical credit cards—relying instead on smartphones and digital wallets.

Independent stores that remain cash-only risk missing an entire generation of customers. They may also expose themselves to additional security risks by keeping large amounts of cash onsite.

Modern point-of-sale technology offers much more than payment acceptance. It can help merchants monitor inventory, understand sales patterns, manage employees, access payroll and financing services, and participate in delivery platforms.

Katz says he continues to be surprised by the volume of orders flowing through NRS systems from DoorDash, Grubhub and Uber. Rather than being displaced by delivery services, neighborhood stores are increasingly using those platforms to extend their reach and serve customers beyond the physical storefront.

For MSPs, technology resellers and other companies serving small businesses, NRS also offers a channel opportunity. Partners can bring point-of-sale systems, payment processing, payroll, cash advances and related services to independent merchants that need help modernizing.

The broader message is that digital transformation does not have to leave neighborhood businesses behind. With accessible technology, practical training and local support, independent retailers can compete in unified commerce while continuing to play an essential role in their communities.

Learn more or explore the NRS reseller program at NRSplus.com.

RabbitRun and Crexendo Expand Recurring Revenue Opportunities for Channel Partners, Podcast , RabbitRun offers an integrated platform that brings together Always-On Internet, enterprise-class SD-WAN, cybersecurity, voice survivability, POTS replacement and business continuity. The goal is to help businesses remain connected and operational when internet connections, networks or other critical infrastructure fail

@ Doug Green

“There’s a tremendous opportunity for partners to deliver more value, improve customer retention and create new recurring revenue streams.”

RabbitRun has joined the Crexendo Ecosystem Vendor Partner Program, giving Crexendo, NetSapiens and channel partners new ways to deliver resilient connectivity, business continuity and managed network services to their customers.

In this Technology Reseller News podcast, RabbitRun Founder and CTO Pat Saavedra discusses the partnership and the opportunity it creates for MSPs, service providers and telecom resellers.

RabbitRun offers an integrated platform that brings together Always-On Internet, enterprise-class SD-WAN, cybersecurity, voice survivability, POTS replacement and business continuity. The goal is to help businesses remain connected and operational when internet connections, networks or other critical infrastructure fail.

For channel partners, Saavedra says the opportunity extends well beyond simply selling another connectivity product. Partners can use RabbitRun to address real customer concerns surrounding uptime, security and operational resilience while creating new sources of recurring managed-services revenue.

As more business applications move to the cloud, internet connectivity has become essential infrastructure. A failed connection can interrupt voice services, payment processing, customer support, remote access and other core operations. RabbitRun is designed to identify network problems and move traffic to an available connection, helping businesses continue operating with minimal disruption.

The platform also gives partners greater visibility into customer networks, allowing them to identify performance issues, manage connectivity and provide ongoing support. That creates a more proactive relationship in which the partner is helping protect the customer’s business rather than simply responding after something goes wrong.

The conversation also explores the growing importance of voice survivability. Businesses may have backup internet connections but still discover that their voice systems fail during an outage. RabbitRun helps partners address that gap by protecting both data and voice communications as part of a broader continuity strategy.

POTS replacement represents another opportunity. As traditional analog lines become more expensive and difficult to maintain, businesses need alternatives for services such as alarms, elevators, fax machines and emergency communications. RabbitRun enables partners to incorporate those requirements into a modern managed connectivity offering.

By joining the Crexendo Ecosystem Vendor Partner Program, RabbitRun becomes more accessible to a large community of service providers already delivering communications through Crexendo and the NetSapiens platform.

Saavedra says this gives partners an opportunity to expand the value of their existing customer relationships. Rather than competing only on voice seats or connectivity pricing, they can provide a broader solution built around reliability, security and business continuity.

For MSPs and communications providers, the message is straightforward: protecting the customer’s ability to remain connected can become both an essential service and a meaningful recurring revenue opportunity.

Learn more about RabbitRun and its participation in the Crexendo Ecosystem Vendor Partner Program.

HP Builds AI-Powered Collaboration Ecosystem for the Hybrid Workplace, Podcast

“AI is changing collaboration by helping IT teams see, manage, and improve the entire workplace experience.”

In this Technology Reseller News podcast, Doug Green speaks with Brian Phillips, Director of Product Marketing at HP Inc., about HP’s InfoComm 2026 announcements and the company’s expanding vision for AI-powered enterprise collaboration.

The conversation focuses on how HP is bringing together meeting room technology, personal productivity tools, AI-enabled management, and workplace analytics into a more unified collaboration ecosystem. At the center of that strategy is the HP Workforce Experience Platform, or WXP, which is designed to give IT teams a broader view across devices, rooms, applications, and user experiences.

Phillips discusses how WXP, together with Poly Lens and new AI-powered capabilities such as Room Visualizer AI, helps organizations move beyond basic device management. Instead of simply monitoring endpoints, IT teams can gain more actionable insight into how rooms are configured, how devices are performing, and how collaboration spaces can be improved.

The podcast also covers HP Poly Studio Room Compute, VideoOS 5.1, and Poly DirectorAI, technologies designed to make hybrid meetings more engaging and equitable. These tools help meeting participants be seen and heard more clearly, whether they are in the room, working from home, or joining from another location.

Beyond the meeting room, HP is also expanding its personal workspace portfolio with products such as the Poly Focus 6 Series Bluetooth headsets and the HP Collaboration Keyboard. Phillips explains how these devices fit into the larger HP collaboration strategy by supporting productivity wherever employees work.

For MSPs, channel partners, and enterprise IT leaders, the message is clear: workplace collaboration is moving toward integrated ecosystems, AI-powered insights, and better experiences for both users and IT teams.