Products Of The Year 2024: The Finalists

CRN staff compiled the top partner-friendly products that launched or were significantly updated over the last year. Now it’s up to solution providers to choose the winners.

Application Performance and Observability

As more applications run in hybrid-cloud and multi-cloud environments, maintaining application performance has becoming a more complex task. Application performance management and observability tools help IT organizations maintain the health, performance and user experience of business applications, according to market researcher Gartner. Such tools are used by IT operations managers, site reliability engineers, cloud and platform teams, application developers and software product owners.

Datadog Observability Platform

Dynatrace Unified Observability Platform

Grafana 11

IBM Instana Observability

New Relic Observability Platform

Splunk Observability Cloud

Artificial Intelligence: AI PCs

Everyday information workers and consumers are adopting the rapidly growing number of AI applications, copilots and other AI-driven software to improve their productivity and creativity. That’s fueling demand for personal computers with specialized processors, hardware and software to handle AI tasks. Global AI PC unit shipments are expected to exceed 43 million this year, according to market researcher Gartner, and soar to more than 114 million in 2025.

Acer TravelMate P4 14 (AMD)

Apple MacBook Pro (M3)

Dell Latitude 7455 (Qualcomm)

HP EliteBook 1040 G11 (Intel)

Lenovo ThinkPad 14S Gen 6 (Qualcomm)

Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro (Intel)

Artificial Intelligence: Productivity Suites

Copilots, AI-powered assistants and other AI-based productivity software have become the most popular vehicle for users to tap into the power of artificial intelligence technology. These tools can help with everyday tasks including writing and editing documents, generating images, conducting research, automating repetitive tasks and more. AI productivity software, along with AI PCs, are the products that are bringing AI capabilities to the masses.

Microsoft Copilot

Google Gemini

Artificial Intelligence: Infrastructure

Businesses and organizations are rapidly expanding their use of AI. Building, deploying and running AI and machine learning applications, however, takes a lot of compute horsepower and the ability to process huge amounts of data. That’s boosting demand for powerful AI hardware in data centers and the cloud. Systems that support AI initiatives are expected to provide high levels of performance and scalability.

Dell PowerEdge R760xa

Lenovo ThinkSystem SR780a V3

Supermicro AS-4125GS-TNHR2-LCC

Big Data

Data volumes continue to explode and the global “datasphere” – the total amount of data created, captured, replicated and consumed – is growing more than 20 percent a year and is expected to reach approximately 291 zettabytes in 2027, according to market researcher IDC.

But wrangling all that data is a major challenge for businesses and that’s fueling demand for a range of big data tools to help businesses access, collect, manage, move, transform, govern and secure data.

Cloudera Open Data Lakehouse

Databricks Data Intelligence Platform

HPE Ezmeral Data Fabric Software

Microsoft Intelligent Data Platform

Snowflake Data Cloud

Starburst Galaxy

Business Applications

Business applications, including Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and financial management software, are the operational backbone for many businesses and organizations. ERP applications are the tools they use to automate and manage their business processes including accounting and finance, HR, supply chain and procurement, manufacturing, and more.

Epicor ERP

Oracle NetSuite

Microsoft Dynamics 365

Sage Intacct

SAP S/4HANA

Syspro ERP

Business Intelligence and Data Analytics

Many businesses and organizations are deriving huge value and competitive advantages from data generated by their own IT systems, collected through customer transactions and acquired from outside sources.

Businesses analyze data to gain insights about markets, their customers and their own operations. They are using the data to fuel digital transformation initiatives. They are even using it to support new data-intensive services or packaging it into data products.

Amazon Redshift

Domo Data Experience Platform

Google Cloud BigQuery

MicroStrategy ONE

Qlik Sense

Salesforce Tableau

Data Protection, Management and Resiliency

Data is the lifeblood of the modern enterprise. Data that’s lost or unavailable, either due to system failure, a disastrous event like a fire or earthquake, human error or a cyberattack, can cause major disruptions.

Data resilience and protection systems and services help businesses protect and maintain access to data, and identify, detect, respond and recover from data-destructive events.

Cohesity Data Cloud

Commvault Cloud Powered by Metallic AI

Dell PowerProtect Data Manager Appliance

HYCU R-Cloud

Rubrik Security Cloud

Veeam Data Platform

Edge Computing and Internet of Things

Efforts to bring applications and data processing closer to data sources is driving the proliferation of local edge servers and IoT devices. That, in turn, is driving demand for products to better manage and support increasingly distributed computing networks.

The global market for edge computing hardware, software and services is expected to grow at a CAGR of 15.7 percent to $111.3 billion by 2028, according to Markets and Markets.

Eaton iCube

HPE Edgeline

IBM Edge Application Manager

Red Hat Device Edge

Scale Computing Autonomous Infrastructure Management Engine (AIME)

Schneider Electric EcoStruxure Micro Data Center R-Series

Hybrid Cloud Infrastructure

Hybrid cloud infrastructure combines cloud-based (often Infrastructure-as-a-Service) resources with on-premises/private cloud IT systems, working together and sharing applications and data to provide businesses with the flexibility and scalability they need to support distributed business workloads and processes. A report from Allied Market Research says the global hybrid cloud market was $96.7 billion in 2023 and will reach $414.1 million by 2032.

Dell Technologies Apex Hybrid Cloud

HPE GreenLake

IBM Hybrid Cloud

NetApp Hybrid Cloud

Nutanix Hybrid Multicloud

VMware Cloud Foundation

MSP Platforms

Managed services have been one of the fastest growing segments of the IT channel as more businesses, organizations and government entities rely on MSPs to manage their IT infrastructure and end-user systems.

That’s boosting demand for MSP platforms, including the remote monitoring and management tools, professional services automation systems and other tools that MSPs rely on to do their jobs.

Atera

ConnectWise Asio Platform

HaloPSA

Kaseya 365

N-able Cloud Commander

Syncro Platform

Networking – Enterprise

Networking hardware, including routers, switches, hubs and bridges, have long been a mainstay of the channel. Today channel companies offer networking solutions and services that span data center and cloud networks, campus LAN and WAN, Network-as-a-Service, network management and automation, and network security systems.

Cisco Networking Cloud

HPE Aruba Networking Enterprise Private 5G

Juniper AI-Native Networking Platform

Nile NaaS

Prosimo AI Suite for Multi-Cloud Networking

Networking – Wireless

Wireless networks are key to making computing, communications and collaboration ubiquitous whether in the home, throughout offices and other workspaces, in manufacturing and industrial plants, and across large venues such as conference facilities and sports stadiums. Wi-Fi 7 is the seventh generation of wireless technology offering faster speeds and improved connectivity and capacity.

Extreme Networks AP5020 universal Wi-Fi 7 access point

Fortinet FortiAP 441K Wi-Fi 7 access point

HPE Aruba Networking Wi-Fi 7 access point

Zyxel Wi-Fi 7 access point

Power Protection and Management

Power protection and management systems and appliances are a critical component for protecting critical IT infrastructure and keeping data centers up and running in the event of extreme events. The product category includes technology for monitoring and managing power usage, protecting IT systems against electricity surges, and providing backup in the event of power failures.

CyberPower PFC Sinewave 1U UPS

Eaton 9PX 6kVA Lithium-Ion UPS

Schneider Electric Easy UPS 3-Phase 3M Advanced

Vertiv Liebert GXT5 Lithium-Ion UPS

Processors – CPUs

CPU semiconductors are the processing engines that power servers, laptop and desktop PCs, and mobile devices. Intel was long-dominant in the CPU space, but rival AMD has developed highly competitive products in recent years. Apple, meanwhile, has been developing its own “silicon” for its Mac, iPad and iPhone devices.

AMD Ryzen Pro 8040 Series

Intel Core Ultra Series

AmpereOne

Apple M3

Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite

Processors – GPUs

Graphics processing units or GPUs are a specialized processor originally developed to accelerate the performance of computer graphics. But they are increasingly being designed into IT systems for high-performance computing tasks such as data science and AI applications. Nvidia has been a pioneer in developing GPUs for a broad range of applications, but rivals Intel and AMD have been expanding their GPU product portfolios.

AMD Instinct MI300X

Intel ARC A570M

Nvidia H200

Public Cloud Platforms

Public cloud platforms provide organizations with an alternative to building and managing their own IT systems and data centers. Public cloud operators also offer their own portfolios of cloud products and services such as application hosting, data storage and analytics. The value proposition is that cloud services reduce capital spending for businesses and provide more flexibility by allowing them to scale IT usage up or down as needed.

Amazon Web Services

CoreWeave Cloud

Google Cloud Platform

Microsoft Azure

Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI)

Snowflake Data Cloud

SD-WAN

SD-WAN is a software-defined approach to managing and optimizing the performance and security of wide area networks that connect users to applications and cloud platforms. SD-WAN benefits include improved performance and connectivity, enhanced security, simplified management and lower operating costs.

Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN

Extreme Networks Extreme Cloud SD-WAN

Fortinet Secure SD-WAN

HPE Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN

Palo Alto Networks Prisma SD-WAN

Zscaler Zero Trust SD-WAN

Security – Cloud and Application Security

The rapid growth of cloud computing has created new security challenges for businesses and organizations as they adopt and utilize distributed IT infrastructure and applications that lie both within and outside of the corporate firewall. Cloud and application security technologies provide a range of capabilities including protection against internal and external threats, identity and access control, and network visibility and management.

CrowdStrike Falcon Cloud Security

F5 Distributed Cloud Services Web Application Scanning

Orca Cloud Security Platform

Palo Alto Networks Prisma Cloud

SentinelOne Singularity Cloud Security

Tenable Cloud Security

Wiz Cloud Security Platform

Security – Data

Protecting data has become a top priority for with the proliferation of ransomware attacks and other cybercrimes. The media is filled with headlines of businesses, hospitals, insurance companies, government entities and other organizations who find themselves blocked from accessing their own critical data or discover that their data has been stolen and is for sale on the Dark Web.

Data security tools provide a range of functions to accomplish their task including data encryption, user authentication and controlling access to data, monitoring data in real time to detect and respond to unusual activity, manage compliance with data governance requirements, and more.

ForcePoint ONE Data Security

IBM Guardium Data Protection

Proofpoint Information Protection

Rubrik Security Cloud

Wiz DSPM

Zscaler Data Protection

Security – Email and Web Security

Email and other internet communications are perhaps the most common vector for cybersecurity attacks including spam, phishing, malware delivery and system takeover.

Email security products, including antivirus/antimalware tools, spam filters, authentication and encryption systems, are a key component of a business’s overall IT security strategy. Web security tools help prevent attacks against websites.

Abnormal Security Platform

Akamai API Security

Barracuda Email Protection

Cloudflare Application Security

Mimecast Advanced Email Security

Proofpoint Threat Protection

Security – Endpoint Protection

Businesses can be most vulnerable through the endpoint devices (desktop PCs, laptops, smartphones) employees use for everyday work, along with embedded devices, IoT and other edge computing systems. This is especially true with today’s post-pandemic hybrid work practices where many of these devices now sit outside of corporate security perimeters.

Products in this technology category include antivirus and antimalware tools, endpoint protection platforms, and endpoint detection/response and extended detection/response software.

CrowdStrike Falcon Insight XDR

Huntress Managed EDR

SentinelOne Singularity XDR

Sophos Intercept X

ThreatLocker Protect

Trend Micro Trend Vision One

Security – Identity and Access Management

Businesses use identity and access management tools, backed by related policies and processes, to manage digital identities and control access to corporate IT systems and data. IAM tools, a foundational cybersecurity technology for zero trust IT initiatives, are key to identifying, authenticating and authorizing users – including employees and trusted business partners – while protecting against unauthorized access.

CyberArk Workforce Identity

Ping Identity PingOne for Workforce

Okta Workforce Identity Cloud

Microsoft Entra ID

OpenText NetIQ Identity Manager

SailPoint Identity Security Cloud

Security – Managed Detection and Response

Many businesses and organizations, especially SMBs, lack in-house cybersecurity expertise. Many turn to managed detection and response (MDR) providers for outsourced services that monitor clients’ IT systems, endpoints, networks and cloud environments on a 24/7 basis and respond to detected cyberthreats. MDR offerings generally combine cybersecurity teams, advanced threat detection tools and security operations center functions.

Arctic Wolf MDR

CrowdStrike Falcon Complete Next-Gen MDR

Huntress MDR for Microsoft 365

SentinelOne Singularity MDR

Sophos MDR

ThreatLocker Cyber Hero MDR

Security – Network

Businesses face multiple challenges to keep their network infrastructure secure and operational. Potential threats include distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, network-based ransomware, insider threats and password attacks, to name a few.

Securing corporate networks, meanwhile, has become all the harder with the move to remote work and the increasing use of cloud applications.

The specific technology components of a sound network security strategy include firewalls, SASE (secure access service edge) systems, network access control technology, antivirus and antimalware software, intrusion prevention systems, and tools for cloud, application and email security.

Cisco Hypershield

Fortinet FortiGate

SonicWall Cloud Secure Edge

Sophos XGS Firewall

ThreatLocker CyberHero MDR

WatchGuard ThreatSync+ NDR

Security – Security Operations Platform

Security Operations links security and IT operations teams to improve an organization’s cybersecurity posture across IT systems, networks and applications. SecOps software incorporates tools and processes to provide a unified approach to cybersecurity to help identify security threats and vulnerabilities, reduce risks and respond more quickly to security incidents.

Arctic Wolf Security Operations

CrowdStrike Falcon Next-Gen SIEM

Google Security Operations

Microsoft Sentinel

Palo Alto Networks Cortex XSIAM 2.0

Splunk Enterprise Security

Security – Security Access Service Edge

Security Access Service Edge platforms combine network and security services into a single cloud-based system – a critical concept for managing today’s multi-cloud environments and hybrid workforces. SASE can include multiple functions including zero-trust network access, secure web gateways, cloud access security brokers and firewall services to provide centralized control over identity and access policies and operations.

Cato SASE Cloud Platform

Cisco Secure Access

Fortinet FortiSASE

Netskope One SASE

Palo Alto Networks Prisma SASE

Zscaler Zero Trust SASE

Storage – Enterprise

Data volumes continue to explode and the global “datasphere” – the total amount of data created, captured, replicated and consumed – is growing more than 20 percent a year and is expected to reach approximately 291 zettabytes in 2027, according to market researcher IDC.

That data, of course, must be stored somewhere. While more data is being stored on cloud platforms, many businesses and organizations maintain on-premises data storage systems – either standalone or as part of a hybrid system – for a number of reasons including data security and governance and reduced internet costs.

Dell PowerStore

HPE Alletra Storage MP

Infinidat SSA Express

NetApp AFF C-Series

Pure Storage FlashArray//E

Quantum ActiveScale Z200 Object Storage

Storage – Software-Defined

Software-defined storage technology uncouples or abstracts storage management and provisioning from the underlying hardware. One benefit is that pools of physical storage resources can be managed as a single system, helping to reduce costs compared to traditional storage area network (SAN) and network-attached storage (NAS) systems.

DDN Infinia

Dell PowerFlex

HPE GreenLake for Block Storage

IBM Software-Defined Storage

Pure Storage Purity

Unified Communications and Collaboration

Unified communications (including Unified Communications as a Service) integrates VoIP, instant messaging, video conferencing and other communication capabilities through a single interface. UCC has taken on increased importance with more employees working from home and other remote locations.

UCC is a long-time channel mainstay with solution providers implementing, maintaining and operating UCC systems. The global UCC market is expected to reach $141.6 billion by 2027, according to Markets and Markets.

Cisco Webex

Intermedia Unite

Microsoft Teams

Nextiva Unified Customer Experience Platform

RingCentral RingCX