ChefConf 2020 cites partner role in digital transformation
Executives speaking at ChefConf cited the role of partners in guiding customers through the sometimes difficult digital transformation journey. Chef also unveiled new tools.
Chef today expanded its line of DevSecOps and enterprise automation tools and pointed to digital transformation as an opportunity for its more than 500 partners.
Executives at the Seattle-based company discussed the company's product directions and noted its partner involvement at ChefConf 2020, an online event concluding on June 3. Chef partners frequently use the company's tools for digital transformation initiatives, supporting clients as they modernize their software development practices.
Chef CEO Barry Crist highlighted digital transformation early in his keynote address, noting enterprises seek to become "digital high performers" but face challenges such as security, technical debt and skills shortages.
"Even though everyone wants to get there, the majority are having a tough go at it," Crist said.
Partners, however, have an opportunity to help customers navigate the barriers in their digital transformation journeys, Crist noted. "This situation is a really powerful place for our partners to add value," he added.
Crist highlighted the important role of partners to Chef, noting that the company can't reach out to every prospect. Chef in February launched a new channel partner program, which introduced a standardized approach for engaging MSPs, systems integrators and resellers.
Even though everyone wants to get there, the majority are having a tough go at it.
Barry CristCEO, Chef
Product lineup expands
New Chef offerings, now generally available, include Chef Desktop, which the company said lets IT managers write configuration and compliance requirements in YAML. The tool provides the ability to deploy, manage and secure fleets of laptops, desktops or workstations from a central location, according to Chef.
Corey Scobie, CTO at Chef, said Chef Desktop comes with analytics that let IT managers view the state of their Chef-managed systems at a single glance.
Also at the conference, Chef rolled out Chef Compliance, which includes Chef Compliance Audit and Chef Compliance Remediation. Additionally, the company expanded its ServiceNow integration to include a bidirectional interface with ServiceNow's configuration management database.
