Evaluate

Evaluate

Weigh the pros and cons of technologies, products and projects you are considering.

• Digital marketing companies: The new competitor in the cloud era

  Line-of-business managers are contracting for cloud services through a relatively new type of channel partner: digital marketing agencies. Continue Reading

• IT channel training, education more important than ever

  Dynamic industry changes have created a sense of urgency around training, certifications and specializations. Learn about education trends that are emerging as the channel reshapes. Continue Reading

• Cloud HR projects: Key IT services for channel partners

  Implementation is just one of the services that channel companies can wrap around a cloud HR project. The opportunities include strategy consulting, configuration, change management and the integration of HR apps with other back-office systems. Continue Reading

• Cloud distribution: The race for relevance

  If traditional distributors are to gain traction in the cloud-based IT economy, they will have to overcome competition from unexpected corners. Continue Reading

• How managed security services providers benefit from transparency

  In light of recent breaches, organizations may seek out MSSPs that hold themselves to the highest security standards. Continue Reading

• Hybrid cloud management software: Keeping up with the complexity

  To keep pace with their customers' increasingly complicated, hybridized environments, service providers employ a range of new and developing tools.Continue Reading

• How vendor relationship management practices empower partners

  Vendors have long dominated their partner relationships; however, through practices like vendor relationship management, solution providers are taking control.Continue Reading

• How to add value, boost margin in maturing managed services market

  Managed service providers change their business strategies to overcome commoditization and price erosion in the managed services market.Continue Reading

• Ancillary MSP tools add an edge to managed service practices

  RMM and PSA software serve as foundational tools for a managed services practice. Many MSPs choose to supplement these with network assessment tools and more.Continue Reading

• Top firewall purchasing decision factors

  Find out the type of firewall that customers are planning to purchase, the top business drivers behind their firewall projects and more.Continue Reading

• Rethink MSP business processes for greater operational efficiency

  Greater operational efficiency can help MSPs maintain margins and keep their customers happy. MSPs utilize automation and KPI tracking to improve back-end processes.Continue Reading

• Third-party, open source AWS management tools offer unique benefits

  Amazon boasts a broad range of tools for managing an EC2 instance, but partners say third-party and open source tools expand on Amazon's offerings.Continue Reading

• How customers size up public cloud computing services

  What are your customers' top concerns when choosing public cloud services? Our survey offers insight that can help shape your selling strategy.Continue Reading

• Technology advertisements that cross ethical, legal lines

  It's hard to tell fact from fiction in technology advertisements, says technology and security consultant Kevin McDonald. These irresponsible claims about a product's compliance or security capabilities can have ethical and legal consequences.Continue Reading

• Born-in-the-cloud companies trigger a new partner world order

  The new breed of born-in-the-cloud partners have some overlap with traditional partners but are square pegs in the round holes of traditional channel partner programs.Continue Reading

• Building a big data practice

  For IT solution providers, there's big money in big data. That's because data volumes are growing at staggering rates, and SMBs are discovering use cases for big data. Perhaps even better for the channel, many SMBs don't have the skills needed to ...Continue Reading

• A surge in FOIA requests brings new business to open records specialists

  Legislation and initiatives for open government have yielded greater expectations for data availability. With the FOIA market seeing new life, open records software companies are partnering up with e-discovery companies to help meet the demands.Continue Reading

• Philanthropic providers bolster nonprofit tech

  A recent trend shows cloud and managed hosting providers doing work for nonprofit organizations pro bono in an effort to engage communities and develop loyalty. Salesforce.com is credited as a major influence in these philanthropic activitiesContinue Reading

• VARs and MSPs profit from selling Office 365

  For MSPs and VARs, Office 365 presents a gateway to the cloud. Partners have found ways to make Microsoft Office 365 a highly profitable part of their business by bundling the product with additional value and leveraging a weakness in the platform.Continue Reading

• Cloud and SaaS applications can spark channel conflict

  As solution providers and vendors continue to adjust to the growth of the cloud and SaaS applications, channel conflict remains a concern.Continue Reading

• Unclear HIPAA rules permit healthcare data offshoring … for now

  Soon enough, Washington will take on the issues surrounding the offshoring of healthcare data, says technology and security consultant Kevin McDonald.Continue Reading

• White labeling cloud services pros and cons

  The decision to white label a vendor's cloud services requires careful consideration. Weigh the pros and cons to decide if it's right for your firm.Continue Reading

• 'Getting Dell'd': Partners open up about channel conflict

  Market pressures, cloud computing and the changing tech landscape may strain more partner-vendor relationships now than in the past, some believe.Continue Reading

• Hospitality technology trends show hotels rebounding and modernizing

  Bouncing back from a drop in domestic tourism, the lodging industry is investing in technology for better efficiency and modern guest amenities.Continue Reading

• Channel: Nonprofit software deemed a must-have by many charities

  Nonprofit organizations are increasingly looking to cloud-based software to improve their operations and further their causes.Continue Reading

• Born-in-the-cloud partners vs. reseller vs. hybrid

  On the final day of the Ingram Micro Cloud Summit 2014, partners are urged to transform their business and adapt to new and more educated customers.Continue Reading

• Filling the MSP sales pipeline when transitioning to recurring revenue

  Building up your sales pipeline when establishing an MSP practice requires a lot of early success with lead generation and business development.Continue Reading

• Managed services pricing models: Per-device vs. SLA-based approach

  A per-device and per-user pricing model is easy for MSPs, but experts caution it carries business risk and leads managed services to commoditization.Continue Reading

• Channel vertical: ERP software solutions for the aerospace supply chain

  Consulting and implementation opportunities are on the upswing in the aerospace supply chain. Learn how solution providers are capturing business.Continue Reading

• Recurring revenue recognition: Channel grapples with cloud accounting complexity

  Recurring revenue recognition is a sticky issue for cloud and managed services providers. Read up on the problems providers are facing.Continue Reading

• Sophos partner program revamped with higher incentives, deal registration

  Sophos is rolling out a major revamp to its partner program, with four tiers, higher incentives, deal registration, lead generation and training.Continue Reading

• Channel business: Determining tech vendor onboarding costs

  Find out about the hard and soft costs involved in adding a new tech vendor to your product portfolio.Continue Reading

• Microsoft managed partner designation: What it takes, what it's worth

  A Microsoft managed partner designation can get you a warm body within Microsoft whose job it is to help you. Get info on how partners are selected.Continue Reading

• Media and entertainment technology market opens for channel

  The media and entertainment technology market centers around storage. And while the use cases vary, they all demand more capacity.Continue Reading

• Free cloud services: How profitable is the 'freemium' model?

  Cloud providers must strike a balance between giving customers the free cloud services they expect while staying profitable.Continue Reading

• Working with your IT channel account manager

  Get partner and vendor insight on the relationship between your company and your IT vendor's channel account manager.Continue Reading

• Cloud support services business models and adoption by the IT channel

  Four basic cloud support services business models are emerging. Find out which one offers the best opportunities for the channel.Continue Reading

• Healthcare digital signage: Starting small, but growing

  The healthcare digital signage market is still relatively small, but systems are surfacing in lobbies, waiting areas, cafeterias and patient rooms.Continue Reading

• Technology in restaurants: Fast-casual sector represents growing market

  Fast-casual and fast-food restaurants need an increasingly broad array of technologies from VARs selling into this vertical.Continue Reading

• Demand for rental management software, solutions on the upswing

  Channel partners are finding increased demand for rental management software as the equipment rental market picks up steam.Continue Reading

• Solution providers flocking to Amazon partner network with AWS products, services

  VARs, systems integrators and ISVs are flocking to the Amazon partner network, citing huge opportunities among the organizations that are using AWS.Continue Reading

• Gaining access to apps market via mobile app reseller program

  Mobile apps are a fast-growing segment. Find out how to use a mobile app reseller program to resell mobile apps or to build your own apps for resale.Continue Reading

• IT distribution strategy: Distributors upping investments in enablement

  The IT distribution strategy is shifting away from products and toward enablement around services, solutions and industries.Continue Reading

• Fleet management systems opportunities for the IT channel

  Fleet management systems are being ported to the cloud and finding acceptance among a wider customer set, creating opportunities for broad-based VARs.Continue Reading

• Verticalization of cloud applications: Channel play

  Channel companies are seeing potential in the verticalization of cloud applications, in which cloud ERP, CRM services are adapted for verticals.Continue Reading

• VARs adding value to the IT procurement process

  VARs are finding success -- and profit -- in adding value to the IT procurement process, addressing inventory, warranty, pricing and testing issues.Continue Reading

• Cloud broker services: How the role of cloud 'middleman' is evolving

  Cloud broker services have evolved into three different roles: the cloud aggregator, the cloud broker enabler and the cloud customizer.Continue Reading

• VDI project success: VMware View installation at collection agency

  A VMware View installation set the stage for VDI project success and paved the way for big business growth at debt collection agency Williams & Fudge.Continue Reading

• IBM leads among top storage vendors for midrange arrays

  IBM proved to be the top storage vendor in the Quality Awards for midrange arrays survey, outperforming a strong group of contenders.Continue Reading

• How to sell cloud BI services by filling in the gaps for customers

  Cloud BI services offer customers real-time analysis without the capital expenses, but they can't do everything. That's where the channel comes in.Continue Reading

• Midrange storage array vendors: NetApp, Dell lead in sixth Quality Awards

  NetApp barely grazes by Dell to take the top midrange storage array vendor spot in Storage magazine’s sixth Quality Awards survey. Find out how end users ranked them and six other vendors in five key categories.Continue Reading

• XenServer VM and CPU resource sharing: FAQ

  Delve into XenServer VM and CPU resource sharing management for your customer’s environment in this FAQ.Continue Reading

• Primary storage deduplication's impact on backup deduplication

  Learn about the issues customers should consider when implementing primary storage deduplication alongside a backup deduplication system, such as rehydration and performance penalties.Continue Reading

• VSphere license options for solution providers: FAQ

  Become familiar with the different VSphere license options that will appeal to both SMB and enterprise customers, as well as possible license limitations to keep in mind.Continue Reading

• IPv6 addressing brings benefits, few problems to storage administrators

  IPv6 addressing brings benefits to storage networking in terms of scalability and performance, without big downsides for storage administrators.Continue Reading

• Windows Server 2008 R2 editions and Hyper-V licensing FAQ

  Knowing the capabilities of all Windows Server 2008 R2 editions and how they pertain to Hyper-V licensing will prevent issues from popping up when selling Windows Server 2008 R2.Continue Reading

• FAQ: Using Resource Governor in SQL Server 2008 R2 to allocate resources

  Ensure your customer's SQL Server 2008 R2 environment has the proper resources by determining workload group requirements with Resource Governor and classifying server requests.Continue Reading

• FAQ guide: Bandwidth management services projects

  Bandwidth management services can be a lucrative addition to any networking solution provider's portfolio. Learn how to provide bandwidth management products and services in this FAQ guide with IT expert Ron Barrett.Continue Reading

• FAQ: Installing Windows 7 hardware devices and drivers

  Solutions providers need to be aware of potential roadblocks during a Windows 7 hardware installation, including being unable to find a Windows 7 driver for an older device.Continue Reading

• NAS clustering: What it is and how it's being used

  Find out about the different meanings of the term NAS clustering, how it's being used for scalability, its limitations and how it differs from file virtualization.Continue Reading

• VSphere management FAQ: Virtual machine host resources

  Get answers to your frequently asked questions about vSphere management, including information on virtual machine (VM) host resources and how to configure VM settings.Continue Reading

• SAS-2: Benefits and drawbacks of the newest Serial Attached SCSI version

  Learn about the latest version of Serial Attached SCSI, SAS-2, including which segment of the market it holds advantages for, how it compares with Fibre Channel and SATA, and its key drawbacks.Continue Reading

• SSD firmware, performance measurements for Windows 7

  When moving clients from conventional hard drives to solid-state drives, it's vital to have the latest SSD firmware version and to compare performance before and after implementation.Continue Reading

• Windows 7 SSD optimization tools and benefits

  For Windows 7 solid-state drive optimization, you must have extensive knowledge of SSD tools, including SSD Tweaker. Find out about other useful tools and the benefits of SSD.Continue Reading

• Choosing vSphere vs. Hyper-V vs. XenServer

  When comparing vSphere vs. Hyper-V vs. XenServer, there are many factors to consider, including the customers' environment and each hypervisor's features.Continue Reading

• Hyper-V tools vs. VMware vSphere and Citrix XenServer tools

  Find out the how Microsoft Hyper-V tools compare to those from its market rivals, VMware's vSphere and Citrix's XenServer, and why third-party tools are important to use.Continue Reading

• Windows 7 in-place upgrade vs. replace upgrade

  Take a look at the differences between a Windows 7 in-place upgrade and replace upgrade and find out what you need to know about Windows 7 automated installations.Continue Reading

• VSphere virtual machine migration tools: vCenter converter

  Using virtual machine migration tools such as vCenter Converter will make converting customers' virtual machines to vSphere a smooth process for solutions providers.Continue Reading

• Resolving a Windows 7 crash or freeze

  This FAQ helps solutions providers give users the best assistance when Windows 7 issues arise, such as the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD), crashes and random freezes.Continue Reading

• Troubleshooting Windows 7 errors

  Use this FAQ when troubleshooting Windows 7 to get answers to commonly asked questions on Windows 7 errors and dealing with hardware problems.Continue Reading

• FAQ: Windows 7 system maintenance tools

  Our expert answers commonly asked questions about maintaining Windows 7 using Remote Assistance, determining which maintenance tools are most useful and how often they should run.Continue Reading

• FAQ: Windows Server 2008 R2 performance monitoring

  Read through these frequently asked questions to learn about Windows Server 2008 R2 monitoring features and how to monitor system activity and create data collector sets.Continue Reading

• FAQ: Using Windows Server 2008 R2 performance reports

  Knowing how to view log data reports with the Performance and Reliability Monitor will ensure that you keep your customer's server operating system running at peak performance.Continue Reading

• FAQ: Upgrading to the Windows 7 operating system

  This FAQ has tips for helping customers that are considering Windows 7 upgrades and explains two different installation methods and various licensing options.Continue Reading

• FAQ: Windows 7 hardware requirements and compatibility

  Use this FAQ to learn about Windows 7 hardware requirements and notebook compatibility factors, and find out when you should recommend 32-bit vs. 64-bit architecture.Continue Reading

• How to build the right managed security service level agreement

  Midmarket companies have little leverage in contractual negotiations with large managed security service providers, and should look toward smaller MSSPs for more flexibility in defining service level agreements.Continue Reading

• FAQ: Cloud-based computing applications and services

  In this podcast, expert Greg Schulz discusses the value of offering cloud computing applications and services to clients.Continue Reading

• FAQ: Pacemaker high-availability cluster technology

  Get the answers to frequently asked questions about Pacemaker -- a high-availability cluster technology -- with this expert Project FAQ from Sander van Vugt.Continue Reading

• FAQ: Desktop virtualization and virtual desktop infrastructure

  Learn about the pros and cons of desktop virtualization and virtual desktop infrastructure and when you should recommend these services to clients.Continue Reading

• Data migration services FAQ

  Learn why data migration services are becoming more important to customers, what the biggest problems are in data migration projects and why storage virtualization hasn't eased the data migration challenge.Continue Reading

• Offering network analysis in virtualized environments

  Offering network analysis and network monitoring services can be a lucrative business, but needs change when network analysis meets network virtualization. Learn the best practices for offering network analysis services in virtualized environments.Continue Reading

• VMware data protection FAQ

  Find out about the options for VMware data protection and how to decide which approach is best for a particular customer. And, learn about other techniques and tools for VMware backup.Continue Reading

• Parallel NAS FAQ

  Offering parallel NAS services can bolster your enterprise storage services portfolio. Learn how to decide if parallel NAS is right for a customer, as well as how to prepare for a parallel NAS deployment.Continue Reading

• Using virtualization to achieve green data centers

  Green is the hottest color in IT these days, so make sure your knowledge of green data centers is up to snuff. In this Q&A, virtualization expert Toby J. Velte discusses the future of cloud computing for solution providers and how to use ...Continue Reading

• Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) FAQ

  When deploying virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) projects, solution providers need to ensure that they've got the best information about the technology. Our Project FAQ examines the most frequently asked questions about desktop virtualization ...Continue Reading

• Network infrastructure FAQ

  There are many components involved in a network infrastructure project. In this FAQ, Allen Zuk discusses how to manage a network infrastructure project, what kinds of technologies and equipment you'll need and how to deal with long-term operational ...Continue Reading

• How can managed services be marketed?

  To boost business, managed services providers must carry out specific marketing campaigns. Find out the best way to market yourself as a managed services provider.Continue Reading

• How can managed services increase solutions and services sales?

  As a trusted advisor to your customer, you can sell more solutions and services by recognizing business opportunities in your customers' network. Find out how offering managed services can take you to the role of trusted advisor for your customer.Continue Reading

• What should be included in a managed services agreement?

  A well-written managed services agreement should provide a common understanding of the services to be performed by the managed services provider for the client. Learn why the managed services agreement is often the first step taken by MSPs, the ...Continue Reading

• What are the 3 core deliverables of basic MSP offerings?

  Developing an efficient managed services offering is essential to building loyal clientele. Learn about the three core deliverables that comprise a managed services offering.Continue Reading

• What is your perception of green data storage?

  Green data storage means different things to different companies. By finding out what green data storage means to your potential customer, you can better meet their storage needs.Continue Reading

• What operating systems are used at the customer organization?

  Your customer's OS preference might not be the same as yours. Learn how to work within your customer's OS and provide an authentication solution that works best within their network architecture.Continue Reading

• What are the disadvantages of high-performance NAS technology?

  High-performance NAS is not appropriate for every client. IT solution providers must understand the disadvantages of the technology and know when to recommend an alternative to the client.Continue Reading

• How can solution providers differentiate themselves from competition?

  Solution providers need to attract new business by standing apart from competitors with new and unique solutions to important business problems. This often includes a knowledge of important new technologies like virtualization or green initiatives.Continue Reading

• What is your business and what are the data risks?

  To fully understand and appreciate the possible data threats and vulnerabilities that could impact business, it is important to develop an astute understanding of not only the customers' business, but the industry as well. Learn why it's important ...Continue Reading

• Have you created a map of the to-be architecture?

  Before implementing the remote platform management service, it is imperative to create a map of the architecture to-be, which includes creation of a network documentation that will foster better understanding of the security framework and needs. ...Continue Reading

• What are the criteria for successful network performance management?

  Network performance management must meet the client's goals, and every client is different. Solution providers must understand the client's definition of success and apply those criteria to the current project.Continue Reading

• What are the challenges of a network performance management project?

  Ultimately the solution provider is responsible for effective and efficient deployments, and verifying that the client's network performance management project meets their expectations. A solution provider should take the time to master a particular...Continue Reading

• What is the proper methodology for security site assessments?

  Over the years, security assessment methodology has changed. Learn the best practices and methodology for conducting a successful security site assessment.Continue Reading

• What type of security assessment does the client want?

  Security site assessments can vary based on what is required of the consultant or service provider. Learn about the different types of security assessments: black-, white- and gray-box.Continue Reading