The CDW OCTOpod

Devices to decisions: How AI, security, and endpoints are reshaping the Modern Workspace part 2

In this episode, CDW's Chief Technologist Tim Russell is joined again by Microsoft's Peter Rising to tackle the twin challenges of securing AI and driving real adoption

Listeners will get a practical view of how to roll out AI safely, build user trust, and turn pilots into measurable business value.

 

Speakers:

• Tim Russell, Chief Technologist, CDW
• Peter Rising, Senior Partner Cloud Solution Architect: Cybersecurity, Microsoft

Devices to decisions: How AI, security, and endpoints are reshaping the Modern Workspace

In this episode, CDW's Chief Technologist Tim Russell sits down with Microsoft's Peter Rising to unpack what the new Microsoft 365 E7 license and Copilot+ PCs mean for security, productivity, and the way work gets done.

Listeners will walk away knowing what's changed, why it matters, and where to start.

 

Speakers:

• Tim Russell, Chief Technologist, CDW
• Peter Rising, Senior Partner Cloud Solution Architect: Cybersecurity, Microsoft

AI PC, what will it mean to your organization Part 2?

In Part 2, Tim Russell from CDW and Matt Hains from Intel move from foundations into real‑world application, helping listeners understand how AI PCs translate into tangible outcomes for IT teams and the wider business.

The audience will learn where on‑device AI delivers the most value today, how workloads are shifting between cloud and endpoint, and what this means for productivity, security, and manageability at scale.

Tim shares practical guidance on what customers should be planning for across device refresh, user adoption, and operational readiness, while Matt explains how Intel’s platform capabilities particularly around performance efficiency and NPUs - enable these scenarios.

Together, they provide a clear, pragmatic view of how organisations can move from AI PC awareness to confident deployment.

 

Speakers:

• Tim Russell - Chief Technologist - CDW
• Matthew Hains - Sales Account Director at Intel Corporation - Intel

AI PC, what will it mean to your organization?

In this episode, Tim Russell, Chief Technologist at CDW, and Matt Hains from Intel unpack what the emergence of the AI PC really means for organisations today.

Listeners will learn how to cut through the hype to understand what defines an AI PC, why on-device AI matters, and how it changes performance, security, and the employee experience.

Tim brings the customer and workplace lens, explaining what IT and business leaders should be considering as they modernise endpoints, while Matt shares Intel’s perspective on how silicon innovation is enabling this next shift in computing.

Together, they set a clear foundation for how AI PCs fit into device strategy, refresh cycles, and the future of modern work.

 

Speakers:

• Tim Russell - Chief Technologist - CDW
• Matthew Hains - Sales Account Director at Intel Corporation - Intel

Why Integrations Keep Breaking — And What Integration Ops Does Differently

Integrations are meant to connect the business, but too often they become the source of delay, risk and frustration.

In this episode of the CDW Octopod, Jaro speaks with Juha and Soroush from ONEiO about the real-world challenges organisations face when systems, suppliers and workflows fail to connect properly and why Integration Ops offers a new way forward.

From platform wars and siloed accountability to AI readiness and managed outcomes, this episode explores how businesses can move beyond one-off integration projects and adopt a lifecycle approach that is faster, clearer and easier to manage.

If your organisation is struggling with fragmented tools, slow onboarding, legacy integrations or unclear ownership, this episode will give you a practical new lens on the problem.

Hybrid Trends with Veeam: Why Securtity.AI

In Part 2 of this Hybrid Trends conversation, Rob Sims sits down again with Michael Cade, Field CTO at Veeam, to unpack the next evolution of data resilience.

This episode moves beyond traditional backup to explore why Veeam made a bold move into data security and intelligence with the acquisition of Security AI.

Together, they dive into:

• Why understanding and classifying data is now the foundation of cyber resilience
• The rise of DSPM (Data Security Posture Management) and what it means for enterprises
• How mapping data flows unlocks security, governance, and breach impact analysis
• The shift from “data protection” to true data management and intelligence
• Why clean, well-governed data is the key to unlocking safe AI adoption

Part 1 was about trends, this episode is about execution—and the platform shift redefining how organisations manage, secure, and extract value from their data.

Why AI PCs Matter More Than You Think with Lenovo

This episode offers a grounded, jargon‑free look at how AI is delivering value today - not the slide‑deck theory, but the tangible benefits seen across real customers using Windows 11 Copilot and Copilot+ PCs.

Listeners will hear two senior technologists unpack the difference between cloud and on‑device AI, the rise of small language models running locally, and why training, adoption, and persona‑based device strategy matter far more than chasing every new tool on the market.

It’s a practical, candid conversation that cuts through the hype and explains how organisations can improve performance, strengthen security, extend device lifecycle, reduce compute costs, and build a long‑term AI investment strategy that genuinely moves the needle.

Speakers:

Tim Russell,  Chief Technologist, CDW
Ashley Rolfe, Field CTO , Lenovo

Hybrid Trends with Veeam: Data Sprawl and the Cyber Resilience Challenge

In this episode of Hybrid Trends, Rob Sims is joined by Michael Cade, Field CTO at Veeam, to explore the growing challenges around data protection, cyber resilience and enterprise recovery strategies.

As organisations continue to expand across cloud, SaaS, edge and on-prem environments, data is now everywhere. While this distributed architecture brings agility and innovation, it also dramatically increases the attack surface for cyber threats.

Looking back at the lessons of 2025 and heading into 2026, Rob and Michael discuss the key trends shaping data resilience today. The conversation also highlights the shift from traditional disaster recovery thinking to a more realistic cyber recovery strategy, where recovery timelines, data classification and business process understanding are essential.

Ultimately, the message is clear:
data resilience is no longer just an IT responsibility — it’s a business survival strategy.

This episode sets the stage for part two, where Rob and Michael explore why Veeam’s acquisition of Securiti AI signals a deeper shift in how organisations must approach cyber resilience in the future.