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MSP Conferences and Events in 2020: What’s Cancelled, Still In-Person, or Virtual?

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which 2020 msp conferences are cancelled virtual or in-person

Is your favorite MSP event still taking place this year? Scroll down to find out.

Updated August 14, 2020.
It’s safe to say things haven’t exactly gone according to plan this year. The pandemic has disrupted pretty much everything, including the MSP conference circuit. The good news for MSPs is that, for the most part, conference hosts have been remarkably quick to adapt. Not only have the majority been able to salvage their events by making them virtual, many of those events now cost less (or are even free) for attendees.

Keeping track of event details as the situation evolves has been a hassle, though. That’s why we’ve collected the details for you below.

We’ll continue to update with new information as it comes in!

Microsoft Inspire

July 21 – July 22, 2020

In-person, virtual, or cancelled? Virtual ?‍?

  • What to expect: This is obviously one of the year’s big events, and it will be interesting to see how it all plays out being virtual. While many may miss the opportunity for a trip to Vegas, what they likely won’t miss is having to schlep all over a giant expo center to pick-and-choose between over-packed sessions. The schedule is packed with opportunities to dive into all things Azure, M365, and Teams-related, not to mention obligatory digital keynotes from powerhouses in the industry such as Jared Spataro, the CVP of Microsoft 365; Nick Parker, the CVP of Microsoft’s Global Partner Solutions program; and Satya Nadella, the CEO of Microsoft itself. And best of all…
  • Cost: Free
  • COVID-19 information: The entire conference has been moved to a two-day, online-only program.
  • Learn more: https://partner.microsoft.com/en-us/inspire/

 

Black Hat USA / DEF CON

Aug. 1 – Aug. 6, 2020 (Black Hat); Aug. 6 – Aug. 9, 2020 (DEF CON)

In-person, virtual, or cancelled? Virtual ?‍?

  • What to expect: At Black Hat? More cybersecurity vendors and buzzwords than you can shake a stick at. And not just any stick. A next-generation, AI-enabled, military-grade, multi-layer, edge-to-edge stick (that anticipates and automates swings in realtime). Full of briefings and trainings, there’s always much to be learned, but the popular perception is Black Hat is by far the more corporate part of “hacker summer camp.” The “real hackers” tend congregate at the two smaller conferences bookending the week  — BSides (canceled this year ?) and DEF CON (the running joke is that DEF CON is canceled every year, but this year the truth is it’s gone virtual). If you’re an MSSP or if you have dedicated security experts on your team who haven’t had their souls crushed by the spring/summer of CVSS 10 vulnerabilities, the good news is Black Hat and DEF CON going virtual means they can still get a jump start worrying about the next big thing that will be keeping us all up at night.
  • Cost: Black Hat — $1,095 (briefings pass); DEF CON — Free
  • COVID-19 information: This year, Black Hat USA, its subsequent show in Asia, and DEF CON have each been moved online. BSides has been canceled.
  • Learn more: https://www.blackhat.com/us-20/

 

CompTIA ChannelCon Online

Aug. 4 – Aug. 6, 2020

In-person, virtual, or cancelled? Virtual ?‍?

  • What to expect: The Computer Technology Industry Association is all about providing  learning, collaboration, and education opportunities for the larger IT pro community. This convention gives attendees the chance to build relationships with peers and industry leaders, learn about emerging technologies, and listen to the industry’s thought leaders on new challenges and concepts in our post-pandemic world.
  • COVID-19 information: Unlike the majority of the other events on this list, CompTIA actually has plenty of practice hosting things virtually. This will be the seventh year they’ve offered ChannelCon Online.
  • Learn more: https://www.comptia.org/channelcon/home

 

2020 XChange

Aug. 18 – Aug. 20, 2020

In-person, virtual, or cancelled? Regional in-person + Virtual event (Aug 20) ?‍?

  • What to expect: The Channel Co. is taking an interesting hybrid approach that could provide a blueprint for others. Since large in-door events are out, instead they’re hosting 10 small-scale regional events August 18 and 19, along with a “virtual experience” on August 20.
  • Cost: Free, but attendees for the in-person events need to apply
  • Learn more: https://event.thechannelco.com/xchange-plus

 

Connect IT Global

Aug. 24 – Aug. 27, 2020

In-person, virtual, or cancelled? Virtual ?‍?

  • What to expect: Connect IT Global is Kaseya’s big annual conference, so attendees can expect to see product roadmap updates regarding VSA and BMS along with the company’s acquired solutions (Unitrends, IT Glue, ID Agent, and more). There will also be educational and thought leadership sessions lead by a broad mix of external partners, including Bitdefender, Datto, Huntress, and more.
  • Cost: $99 single pass / $349 for 5 passes
  • COVID-19 information: The conference has gone online.
  • Learn more: https://www.connectit.com/

 

Build IT 2020

Sept. 1, 2020

In-person, virtual, or cancelled? Virtual ?‍?

  • What to expect: Hosted by IT By Design, this virtual conference will feature more than 27 sessions geared specifically to MSP owners. Topics include human resources, sales, digital marketing, service delivery, and leadership.
  • Cost: Free
  • COVID-19 information: The event has moved to an online platform.
  • Learn more: https://itbd.net/build-it/

 

Channel Partners Virtual

Sept. 8 – Sept. 10, 2020

In-person, virtual, or cancelled? Virtual ?‍?

  • What to expect: This event gives MSPs the opportunity to meet over 3,000 other MSPs, VARs, integrators, and suppliers. The CPVirtual conference is taking advantage of online hosting by using AI-powered matchmaking to boost opportunities between MSPs and channel professionals. With the event’s Premier Pass, virtual attendees have access to keynote presentations and conferences, virtual roundtable discussions, and on-demand content and streaming for up to a year after the event.
  • Cost: $99 Limited Pass / $149 Standard Pass / $249 Premier Pass
  • COVID-19 information: Channel Partners Virtual (previously Channel Partners Evolution) has been moved to an earlier time frame and gone completely online.
  • Learn more: https://tmt.knect365.com/channel-partners-conference-expo/

 

Taylor Business Group Big BIG Conference

Sept. 24 – Sept. 26, 2020

In-person, virtual, or cancelled? Unconfirmed, but looks cancelled ?

  • Location: Scottsdale, AZ
  • What to expect: Taylor Business Group had looked like the first host on this list holding out hope for an in-person conference. With the location being a major COVID hotspot, it was difficult to imagine it actually staying that way, and now the event site seems to have been taken offline. When it was live it suggested registrants would be taken care of should the date change, but it’s unclear whether the event has been cancelled outright, or whether it’s being postponed. If and when the conference does take place, speakers include Datto’s Rob Rae, Huntress CEO Kyle Hanslovan, Dedicated IT Managing Partner Chris Burns, and more. Session topics range from MSAs and migration of tools to cyber risks and sales benchmarking.
  • COVID-19 information: With the event site taken down, there currently isn’t any information.
  • Cost: $795
  • Learn more: Event site is no longer live.

 

GlueX 2020

Sept. 27 – Sept. 29, 2020

In-person, virtual, or cancelled? Virtual ?‍?

  • What to expect: In addition to all the expected IT Glue product announcements and trainings, attendees will have the opportunity to rub digital shoulders with channel experts on a wide variety of session topics, all geared toward helping MSPs grow their business. Apple’s former chief evangelist and prominent Silicon Valley entrepreneur Guy Kawasaki will be delivering a virtual keynote.
  • COVID-19 information: Also originally slated to be held in Scottsdale, IT Glue decided to make this year’s GlueX completely virtual.
  • Cost: $99
  • Learn more: https://www.gluex.co/

 

VMworld

Sept. 29 – Oct. 1, 2020

In-person, virtual, or cancelled? Virtual ?‍?

  • What to expect: As you could guess, this one’s all about advances in virtualization and cloud computing. The digital version of the event will grant attendees the chance to follow several different learning tracks that cover app modernization, multi-cloud, intrinsic security, and more. MSP attendees can also learn how VMware’s security solutions manage intricate security for users and applications alike.
  • Cost: Free / $299 for Premier Pass
  • COVID-19 information: This conference has been moved to an online-only event.
  • Learn more: https://www.vmworld.com/en/index.html

 

Vision 2020

Sept. 30 – Oct. 1, 2020

In-person, virtual, or cancelled? Virtual ?‍?

  • What to expect: Master MSP The 20 describes Vision 2020 as “the most important MSP event of the year.” Attendees are invited to network, exchange best practices, and take in a variety of breakout and speaking sessions.
  • COVID-19 information: While the conference was originally scheduled to take place in-person in Dallas, The 20 has confirmed the event is now virtual and open to all.
  • Cost: Free
  • Learn more: https://web.cvent.com/event/b64f7c42-a7ce-4627-842d-4c747ccd3136/

 

MSPWorld Virtual 2020

Sept. 30 – Oct. 2, 2020

In-person, virtual, or cancelled? Virtual ?‍?

  • What to expect: Hosted by MSPAlliance, this year’s MSPWorld has officially gone virtual, complete with real-time chat, streaming live sessions, and breakout rooms. Attendees will receive expert advice on topics such as growing and marketing your business, benchmarking against other MSPs, operational metrics, legal help, and more.
  • COVID-19 information: The original date for MSPWorld was March 15-17, but was moved to an online-only event this fall.
  • Cost: $199

 

Best of Breed

Oct. 12 – Oct. 13, 2020

In-person, virtual, or cancelled? In-person ✈

  • Location: Atlanta, GA
  • What to expect: This invite-only conference hosted by The Channel Co. is only open to executives from companies that made one of CRN’s top solution provider lists.
  • COVID-19 information: The event is scheduled to continue as planned, with changes in light of COVID. Public spaces will be continuously sanitized by hotel staff, and the event agenda will be extended to ensure minimal contact and no overcrowding.

 

NexGen Conference

Oct. 18 – Oct. 20, 2020

In-person, virtual, or cancelled? In-person ✈

  • Location: Anaheim, CA
  • What to expect: Dubbing itself “the conference dedicated to the high-velocity MSP,” NexGen is designed for attendees who want to explore what’s next in the world of MSP technology, take action on modern market trends, develop strategic partnerships, and build new revenue streams.
  • COVID-19 information: Also hosted by The Channel Co., NexGen is scheduled to continue as normal with an extended agenda to allow for sanitation and social distancing.
  • Learn more: https://event.thechannelco.com/nexgen

 

IT Nation Connect

Nov. 10 – Nov. 12, 2020

In-person, virtual, or cancelled? Virtual ?‍?

  • Location: Orlando, FL
  • What to expect: In early August, ConnectWise officially announced that Connect will be virtual this year. The conference is one of the biggest (if not the biggest) events on the calendar for MSPs, and it’s a strong indication that the other remaining in-person events on this list may soon follow suit. ConnectWise stresses that over the course of this three-day event, attendees can still expect to hear from a host of vendors and channel experts. Hopefully the company will be able to crack the riddle of capturing the in-person networking magic in a virtual setting. Many on this list have tried with mixed results. The good news for ConnectWise is they have both time and other vendor experiences to learn from.
  • COVID-19 information: The event has gone virtual.
  • Learn more: https://www.connectwise.com/theitnation/connect-na

 

AWS re:Invent

Nov. 30 – Dec. 4, 2020

In-person, virtual, or cancelled? In-person ✈

  • Location: Las Vegas, NV
  • What to expect: At this conference for Amazon Web Services users, attendees will have the opportunity to acquire in-depth knowledge about and business strategies for dealing with cloud architecture, IT infrastructure, and developer productivity.
  • COVID-19 Information: The event is currently scheduled to proceed as planned.
  • Learn More: https://reinvent.awsevents.com/

 

DattoCon

Postponed from June 8 – 10 to ???

In-person, virtual, or cancelled? Cancelled (for now) ?

  • Location: Atlanta, GA
  • What to expect: Honestly not sure at this point. It’s possible the event will still be held in Atlanta sometime in late 2020, but going virtual or simply canceling the event until next year appear to be on the table, too.
  • COVID-19 Information: The event is currently postponed while Datto works with the Georgia Conference Center and explores other alternatives.
  • Learn More: https://www.dattocon.com/
  • Note: DattoCon20 Berlin is currently still on and scheduled for Oct. 5 – 7.

 

Don’t want to wait to connect with peers? Tune in to NinjaOne’s MSP Live Chats

Some of your favorite MSP events may have been canceled or postponed, but that doesn’t mean you have to put your growth on hold.

NinjaOne’s MSP Live Chat Series gives MSPs a forum where they can connect directly with each other and top experts in the channel to discuss everything from the formula for deal-winning sales meetings to how to structure your MSAs and more.

Our next session is this Thursday, July 23 at 1pm ET | 5pm GMT.

msp town hall chat

We’ll be having an open check-in to see how business and teams are faring, and we’ll be hearing from several MSPs who have been adding new clients and growing during the crisis.

Save your spot today!

Even if you can’t make it on Thursday, by registering you’ll automatically get access to all of our MSP Live Chats, past and future.

Next Steps

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Learn more about NinjaOne, check out a live tour, or start your free trial of the NinjaOne platform.

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