Q4 and 2025 Annual IT Channel Recap: AI, VMware, Security & 2026 Outlook
In this Channel Insider Q4 and 2025 and Annual IT Channel Recap, host Katie Bavoso is joined by the Channel Insider editorial team—Victoria Durgin, Jordan Smith, and Luis Millares—to break down the biggest IT channel stories, trends, and turning points from 2025, plus their early predictions for what’s ahead in 2026.
Channel Insider: Partner POV · Luis Millares, Jordan Smith, Katie Bavoso, Victoria Durgin
Audio is streamed directly from the publisher (cdn.simplecast.com) as published in their RSS feed. Play Podcasts does not host this file. Rights-holders can request removal through the copyright & takedown page.
Show Notes
From VMware and Broadcom partner shakeups to AI maturity, governance, security, major tech layoffs, CMMC 2.0 enforcement, and the evolving role of MSPs, this episode delivers a comprehensive look at how the channel is changing—and what partners need to prepare for the new year.
Whether you’re an MSP, vendor, distributor, or channel strategist, this episode covers the insights that shaped 2025 and will influence decisions in the year ahead.
Topics & Time Codes
00:00 – Welcome & Q4 2025 channel overview
01:25 – Introducing Channel Insider writer Luis Millares
04:50 – Executive leadership shifts and vendor changes
06:34 – VMware & Broadcom partner program impact
11:51 – Partner-to-partner collaboration trends
12:13 – Veeam + ServiceNow partnership explained
13:36 – AI in the channel: from hype to execution
14:24 – Generative AI, agents, and enterprise adoption
16:20 – AI governance, trust, and compliance concerns
18:28 – Is there an AI bubble—or an “AI balloon”?
21:57 – Security, AI threats, and regulatory pressure
24:00 – CMMC 2.0 enforcement timeline and opportunities
26:26 – AI-powered cyber threats and Zero Trust
29:31 – Data sovereignty and cloud compliance trends
31:06 – Major tech layoffs: causes and channel impact
37:09 – How partners are choosing vendors in 2025
38:59 – MSP evolution and the rise of advisory services
44:12 – Channel Insider highlights & proudest moments
48:36 – Favorite stories and standout interviews of 2025
55:20 – 2026 predictions: AI, security, compliance & more
59:01 – The channel’s growing role in the IT ecosystem
A new episode of Channel Insider: Partner POV is released every other Thursday.
Watch the interview on YouTube @ChannelInsider_NewsAndTrends
If you have questions for a featured solution provider or want to be a guest on the show, reach out to us at [email protected]
For more episodes of Channel Insider: Partner POV as well as written content on the IT channel, go to channelinsider.com
Connect with Channel Insider on LinkedIn.
Episodes of Channel Insider: Partner POV are hosted and produced by Katie Bavoso with help from Dana Sell, and edited by Ayen Alvarez and Katie Bavoso.
The cover art for Channel Insider: Partner POV was created by Aubri Ziegler. The opening and closing animations were made by Mackenzie Burke. The thumbnails for each episode are made by Brandon Cornwell.
Channel Insider: Partner POV is an asset of Channel Insider, which is a brand under TechnologyAdvice.