Feeling overwhelmed by the switch to Windows 11? Wondering if it's worth the hassle or worried about a complicated migration process? Unsure if Windows 11 is a complete overhaul or a familiar friend with new features? In this podcast, we'll tackle all these questions and more, including the exciting world of AI integration within Windows 11. We'll also explore strategies for planning your upgrade, running both Windows 10 and 11 side-by-side, and top tips for a smooth and successful migration. By the end of this episode, you'll be a Windows 11 upgrade pro, ready to unlock the next generation of user experience. Host: James Hilliard Guest: Rob McGilvrey, Americas Specialist for Windows Pro & Modern Endpoints at Microsoft   Show Notes 00:00 Introduction and Windows Upgrade Experiences 02:22 Windows 11 as a Feature Update 05:17 Reasons to Upgrade to Windows 11 08:05 Impact of Windows 11 on End User Productivity 10:25 Hardware Requirements for Windows 11 13:16 AI Integration in Windows 11 16:05 Procurement Planning for New Hardware 23:06 Creating a Refresh Plan for Windows 11 26:23 Running Windows 10 and 11 Concurrently 29:32 Tips for a Successful Windows 11 Migration 30:27 Resources

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been nothing short of revolutionary for the manufacturing industry. From research and development to production, and even extending to aftermarket services, AI can drastically improve productivity, bolster quality control, and optimize supply chains in the industry. However, adopting AI in manufacturing is not without its challenges and complexities. Join us as we navigate this evolving landscape, explore practical applications of AI for manufacturers, and uncover the business benefits it can bring. Guests: Ryan Spurr, Manufacturing Strategy Director at Connection Jamal Khan, Chief Growth and Innovation Officer at Connection Show Notes 00:00 Introduction 00:46 The Impact of AI in Manufacturing 03:01 Challenges in AI Adoption in Manufacturing 05:30 Unique Challenges in Manufacturing 08:22 Job Displacement in Manufacturing 09:40 Drivers for AI Adoption in Manufacturing 11:43 Factors Enabling AI Adoption 14:35 The Role of Data in AI Adoption 18:48 Applications of AI in Manufacturing 24:52 Use Cases and Workloads in AI 28:36 The Power of Camera Vision in Manufacturing 34:06 The Importance of Supply Chain Twins 38:41 The Role of Synthetic Data in AI 45:25 Connection's Approach to AI in Manufacturing 50:15 Six Areas of Focus 50:45 Partnerships and Technology Stacks 51:08 Opportunity and Feasible Use Cases 51:36 Limited Sampling of Use Cases 52:03 Learning More about AI in Manufacturing 52:17 Closing Remarks

Manufacturers demand better technology delivery.   In this podcast, we'll explore how Connection's Technology Integration and Distribution Center (TIDC) can help manufacturing IT organizations invest in automation, tech modernization, and leverage our deep technology experience to reduce costs, improve efficiency, and free up it staff to focus on more strategic initiatives.   Host: James Hilliard Guests: Ryan Spurr, Manufacturing Strategy Director at Connection Mark Wulfhorst, Senior Director for the Solution Engineering Group at TIDC, Connection Show Notes: 00:03 Introduction to Connections Technology Integration and Distribution Center 00:49 Challenges Faced by Manufacturing Customers 01:23 Disruptive Initiatives in Manufacturing 02:12 The Changing Expectations of IT 03:04 The Struggle to Hire Competent People 03:57 The Reality of IT Staffing in Manufacturing 05:30 The Increasing Demand for Better Technology Delivery 06:39 The Evolution of Customer Needs and TIDC Services 07:43 The Benefits of TIDC Services 08:57 The Impact of COVID on IT Delivery 11:43 The Transition to Windows 11 20:12 The Role of TIDC in IT Asset Disposal 22:05 The Engagement Process with TIDC 23:55 Conclusion and Contact Information

The pace of work has increased exponentially—along with the crush of data, information, and always-on communications. People are struggling to shoulder the weight of it all, while business leaders feel pressure to increase productivity amid economic uncertainty. New Windows 11 Pro devices are well-positioned to tackle these challenges and accelerate workflows and collaboration with experiences that elevate the potential of everyone on your team.  In this podcast, we'll discuss what the move to Windows 11 Pro devices can do for you and your users. With simple deployment and advanced security protection, the time to upgrade to Windows 11 is now.  Host: James Hilliard Guests: Dan Ortiz, Director of Center of Excellence Workspace Transformation Solutions at Connection Rob McGilvrey, Americas Specialist for Windows Pro & Modern Endpoints at Microsoft

Guests: Brian Gallagher, Retail Strategy Director at Connection Jamal Khan, Chief Growth and Innovation Officer at Connection   The role of artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly prominent in the retail landscape. Discover how AI is reshaping the retail landscape, from enhancing customer experiences and optimizing supply chains to boosting employee engagement. Join us as we explore practical applications of AI for retailers and uncover the business benefits it can bring.

We’re at an inflection point in U.S. manufacturing. Those that are not investing in advanced technologies today will quickly find themselves uncompetitive. Those that are beginning to modernize their facilities, however, are achieving smarter and more digitally excellent design and production. In this podcast, we'll explore how manufacturers can leverage advanced technologies to modernize their spaces and ultimately yield big business benefits. Host: James Hilliard Guests: Blake Kerrigan, Senior Director for ThinkEdge Business Group at Lenovo Zihan Wang, Global Business Development Manager at NVIDIA Ryan Spurr, Manufacturing Strategy Director at Connection   Show Notes: [0:55] Are there one or two trends or issues across manufacturing that are leading teams to recognize the need to modernize today? [4:52] What other trends from a technological standpoint are you seeing regarding manufacturers' need to modernize their facilities? [7:00] AI is helping the manufacturing industry modernize faster. What are teams looking to do with AI? [10:25] What are some of the leading cutting-edge manufacturers doing? What can we learn from them? [14:01] How much education is needed to assist manufacturers with what they need to begin the modernization process? [21:45] What are some case study examples of how manufacturers have modernized their facilities recently? [25:00] How did our teams help Trek Bikes modernize their research and development manufacturing operations? [28:01] How's Lenovo helping automotive manufacturers modernize the early stages of their manufacturing production operations? [31:56] How has our team assisted Pegatron with modernizing its mass production? [35:04] How can adopting smart technologies in manufacturing help with cost savings? [37:55] To continue the conversation, visit www.connection.com/manufacturing and Ryan can loop in our other teams to jumpstart your modernization process.

Modernizing your data center is crucial to your organization's long-term success. In this podcast, we'll better define what data center modernization can look like for different organizations, talk through some of the ideas and promises from AMD, and offer up stories of where teams can succeed. Host: James Hilliard Guests: Kristin Hintlian – AMD Channel Sales Manager for Connection Ken Bartels – Connection Technical Sales Executive for AMD (aka Resident Genius) Show Notes: [0:45] Modernization can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. What does a modern data center mean to customers? [2:37] Are newer companies also looking to modernize due to how quickly the market is moving? [4:40] What are some of the biggest and smallest data centers that you've been to, and how have they been able to modernize? [7:00] What are the "people" challenges when modernizing data centers? [11:40] Organizations are facing three big challenges surrounding data center modernization: needing better performance, reducing energy consumption, and reducing software licensing fees. How does AMD address these challenges? [17:45] What cost savings in software licensing fees are customers seeing? [19:35] Are there specific industries that are leading the modernization charge? [21:50] What are some of the ways teams that have modernized with AMD have been able to push their healthcare organization forward? [24:40] What are some examples in the manufacturing space where AMD has been able to help companies move forward? [27:35] Walk us through some typical customer interactions in terms of how they can get an overall cost of ownership view of where they are at vs. adding new technologies. [30:40] After the initial TCO analysis is completed, how can customers then get a good roadmap of how to get started based on their business goals? [32:45] Reach out to your Connection account team for a TCO analysis to see what your data center modernization journey could look like.

Success in retail has become centered on the customer experience. Take the friction out of purchasing with VMware while using an infrastructure that’s already in place. Check out this TechSperience podcast to hear from the retail experts at VMware and Connection on how to connect employees with consumers and transform your locations into faster and more efficient stores. Host: James Hilliard Guests: Brian Gallagher, Retail Strategy Director at Connection Ed Durbin, Senior Director, Global Retail at VMWare Show Notes: [0:22] What are the top ideas that retail leaders are discussing surrounding retail store modernization? [1:45] Are LoB leaders more "foot on the gas" and IT leaders more "foot on the break" when establishing store modernization initiatives? [4:15] Are those focusing on the backend infrastructure early enough, or only after they've purchased new technologies? [5:45] Do CIOs want their systems to be able to adopt any new technology?  [8:10] After a successful pilot, how do you execute that to scale? [11:00] Are there one or two common hurdles that always stop POCs from moving to the rollout stage, and what can be done to overcome them? [16:30] What are some initial steps people can be taking to modernize stores? [22:00] What should retailers be focused on now? You can hear us on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or Podbean.

It's time to rethink your IT strategy and support for remote employees. Learn how to simplify device manageability including provisioning, deployment, and security in this podcast featuring experts from Intel and Connection. Host: James Hilliard Guests: Rhett Livengood, Director of Digital Business Enabling at Intel Mark Wulfhorst, Director of Technical Services and Solutions, Technology Integration and Distribution Center, Connection You can hear us on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or Podbean.

The aftereffects of COVID have brought new challenges requiring new ways of thinking. Most manufacturers and warehouses leverage some level of asset tracking, typically to minimize loss. But location or asset tracking can be used throughout the entire supply chain lifecycle to help identify operational efficiencies. Asset tracking gives you the data needed to make informed decisions. Experts from Zebra and Connection share example use cases in manufacturing and explain how you can gain new insights to lower costs, maximize resources, and stay competitive. Host: James Hilliard Guests: Terry Price, Senior Sales Engineer at Zebra TechnologiesRyan Spurr, Director of Manufacturing Strategy at Connection You can hear us on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or Podbean.

Retailers can reduce shrinkage, diminish stockout, and enhance experiences for customers and employees with artificial Intelligence (AI). But that is just scratching the surface. AI-enabled intelligent stores can optimize so much more like managing staffing resources, reaching sustainability goals, and even predicting customers’ needs. This podcast explores how AI solutions – a combination of data management, connectivity, edge computing devices, and software – can create powerful results. Experts from NVIDIA, Lenovo, and Connection cover real-world examples of how retailers are getting their return on investment and what strategies have been successful to reaching strong business outcomes.    Host: James Hilliard Guests: Cynthia Countouris, Director of Product Marketing & Enablement for Retail, NVIDIAMatthew Bertucci, Retail Solutions Manager, LenovoBrian Gallagher, Retail Strategy Director, Connection You can hear us on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or Podbean.

The healthcare industry is seeing tremendous change. With the pandemic, staffing shortages, and a backlog of patients needing care, now is the time to reset and question traditional approaches. Add in the pressure of data protection and compliance, supporting remote working environments, and providing telehealth services – finding the right technologies and endpoint security solutions is essential to the future of healthcare. In this podcast, the experts at IGEL discuss how the next-gen edge OS for cloud workspaces is advancing user productivity, patient care, and security while simplifying endpoint management for healthcare enterprises everywhere. Host: James Hilliard Guests: Chris Feeney, Sr. Presales Engineer, Channel & Team Lead at IGELCarl Gersh, VP of Marketing – North America at IGEL You can hear us on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or Podbean.

We often take power for granted. But when there’s a power failure, a planned outage, or a natural disaster, we’re reminded that power is such a necessity. In today’s digital world, data loss and downtime for IT can lead to long-term financial and reputational damage for organizations. The risks are even greater for healthcare and critical infrastructure industries. Listen in on our latest podcast to hear how simple it is to prevent data loss and power failure before it’s too late. Host: James Hilliard Guests: Joe Doherty, Power and Cooling Business Development Specialist at ConnectionHillary Watkins, Product Marketing Specialist for Single Phase UPS at Vertiv You can hear us on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or Podbean.

In a recent Forrester report, 77% of full-time employees said PC devices play a critical factor in their ability to do their work. In today’s climate of hybrid and remote environments, how do you determine what technologies users need and what's at risk if user experience isn't prioritized? Listen to this podcast to hear why developing persona-based solutions is critical to user productivity, onboarding, and overall happiness. Host: James Hilliard Guests: • Rhett Livengood, Director of Digital Business Enabling at Intel • Tim Burns, Vice President of Product Management and Workplace Transformation at Connection Explore Your Wherever Workspace to learn more about persona-based bundles or visit the Intel showcase to discover their latest technologies. You can hear us on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, or Podbean.

Research by IDC show that 90% of enterprises around the world are relying on a mix of on-premises, or dedicated, private clouds, as well as public clouds, and legacy platforms to meet their infrastructure needs. Data center cloud solutions need to change as business needs fluctuate. This episode covers the best practices of a hybrid cloud strategy featuring experts from Intel and Connection. Host: James Hilliard Guests:  Vijay Bandari, Cloud Solution Architect at IntelSteve Fowler, Cloud Solution Architect at IntelKiran Agrahara, Cloud Solution Architect at IntelKevin Slate, Senior Director of Cloud Services and at Connection

Colleges and universities are prime targets for cyber attackers. From the large volumes of PII to medical and research data, higher education institutions are a gold mine for bad actors. The pandemic also added new attack vectors as institutions turned to remote and hybrid learning environments. CISOs, CTOs, and IT teams within higher education have a very challenging task when it comes to cybersecurity and data protection. With open networks, diverse user types, and limited resources, what can colleges and universities do to enhance protection? Listen to this podcast for tips on how to develop a cybersecurity risk management plan for your institution. Host: James Hilliard Guests: Bobby Sears, Senior Vertical Alliances Manager, Higher Education at ConnectionSteve Nardone, Senior Director of Security and Network Solutions at ConnectionTim Allen, Director of Operations and Technology at Connection   For additional cybersecurity resources, visit: https://www.connection.com/cybersecurityawarenessmonth. Thank you for listening. You can hear us on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, and Podbean.  Follow Connection on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, or read our latest insights.

K-12 is a highly targeted sector when it comes to cyberthreats. In a recent report by CoSN, cybersecurity is a top priority among CTOs. Remote and hybrid environments have drastically increased the volume of devices to support the needs of educators and students. And each device is a potential point of entry for bad actors. There’s also a lot of PII available on these networks, making school districts a prime target for data breaches and ransomware. Listen to this podcast to learn what school districts can do to enhance cybersecurity measures. For additional cybersecurity resources, visit: https://www.connection.com/cybersecurityawarenessmonth. Host: James Hilliard Guests: Pam Aulakh, Vertical Alliances Manager, K-12 at ConnectionSteve Nardone, Senior Director of Security and Network Solutions at ConnectionTim Allen, Director of Operations and Technology at Connection Thank you for listening. You can hear us on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, and Podbean.  Follow Connection on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, or read our latest insights.

Host: James Hilliard Guests: Ryan Spurr, Director of Manufacturing Strategy at ConnectionSteve Nardone, Senior Director of Security and Network Solutions at ConnectionTim Allen, Director of Operations and Technology at Connection The pandemic, smart manufacturing initiatives, and Industry 4.0 trends has shifted manufacturing into a digital transformation. As such, the industry is now experiencing a dramatic uptick in ransomware attacks. The majority of these attacks target operational technology (OT) systems by gaining access through compromised home networks and the devices of remote workers. Manufacturing organizations have highly complex infrastructure and environments. Having an accurate picture of security vulnerabilities is a challenge in itself. Listen to this podcast to explore how manufacturing organizations can mitigate their cybersecurity risks and find a more secure path forward. For additional cybersecurity resources, visit: https://www.connection.com/cybersecurityawarenessmonth. Thank you for listening. You can hear us on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, and Podbean.  Follow Connection on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, or read our latest insights.

Host: James Hilliard Guests: Dr. Keith Nelson, Director of Healthcare Strategy, ConnectionSteve Nardone, Senior Director of Security & Network Solutions, ConnectionTim Allen, Director of Operations and Technology, Connection The value of patient medical information makes healthcare entities prime targets for cybercriminals. According to IBM’s 2022 Cost of a Data Breach Report, the average cost of a healthcare data breach is $10.1 million, the highest across all industries. With many healthcare providers expanding beyond the four walls into remote and virtual care, now is the time evolve your organization’s cybersecurity posture. Hear from our cybersecurity and healthcare experts on what measures will help you better protect your patients’ data and healthcare practice. For additional cybersecurity resources, visit: https://www.connection.com/cybersecurityawarenessmonth. Thank you for listening. You can hear us on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, and Podbean.  Follow Connection on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, or read our latest insights.

Mobile technologies play a critical role in today’s digital world. While there’s a big focus on our remote and hybrid workforce, there are many industries that are in-person. This podcast explores how mobile technologies have evolved since the pandemic – from the frontline employee and customer experience point of view – across healthcare, retail, hospitality, warehousing, and manufacturing industries. Host: James Hilliard Guest: Terry Price, Senior Sales Engineer, Zebra Technologies Show Notes: [1:20] Mobile contact tracing and tracking technologies have taken off since COVID. In-person industries had to implement social distancing practices and set maximum capacity limits to minimize potential exposure. [3:03] Serviceability for customers has drastically changed in the last few years. Customers expect instant gratification and convenience. Mobile technologies have become more necessary as we are quickly becoming a cashless society. [8:09] Ease of use and manageability are also at the forefront for consumers. It’s key to leverage mobile technologies that use a “common” operating system, such as Android, to deliver a streamlined interface that users are familiar with. [10:17] Healthcare workers require more out of their mobile devices than any other industry. Healthcare practitioners rely on technologies for patient care and life-and-death scenarios. These use cases require ruggedized mobile technologies that are fast and efficient. [13:20] Disinfectant-ready devices are must-haves in healthcare. Retail and hospitality industries followed suit by adopting healthcare-grade devices. [15:07] For many industries, ruggedized devices are critical, but decision-makers are sometimes hesitant on the upfront investment. A consumer-grade device will likely require more replacements and overall management. Ruggedized devices will result in an overall lower total cost of ownership. [19:00] Each industry defines cybersecurity in different terms. For instance, in healthcare, HIPPA compliance requires that data cannot be stored on the device itself. Zebra works with software companies to develop solutions that can meet or exceed cybersecurity requirements and needs. [23:49] How can a business start a mobile-first transformation? Determine the wireless and physical security infrastructure needed, find the right technologies that can elevate the employee and customer experience, and partner with experts to guide you through the process.   Thank you for listening. You can hear us on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, and Podbean. Follow Connection on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, or read our latest insights.