Problem solve
Get help with specific problems with your technologies, process and projects.
Problem solve
Get help with specific problems with your technologies, process and projects.
MSP retools bank IT systems with HPE Nimble Storage dHCI
Faced with a strained IT infrastructure, Central Pacific Bank upgraded to Nimble Storage dHCI. Learn how solution provider Pacxa played a critical role in the project. Continue Reading
HPE GreenLake partners to help Kern County take control of IT
Kern County, Calif., faced a daunting challenge of reigning in costs and a sprawling technology ecosystem. HPE GreenLake and MSP Nth Generation were brought in to help. Continue Reading
Multi-cloud services grow increasingly important for MSPs
As organizations expand their multi-cloud environments, they'll look to partners for support and expertise. It's time for the channel to board the multi-cloud train, experts say. Continue Reading
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3 key phishing prevention strategies for MSPs
MSPs need a solid phishing prevention strategy for protecting clients against evolving threats. Learn about the key pieces of anti-phishing arsenals: tools, policies and training. Continue Reading
Application rationalization strategy opens MSP opportunities
The rapid adoption of new technologies can lead to a slew of problems. Learn why MSPs should help clients develop an application rationalization strategy to cope with these issues. Continue Reading
4 tips for proper cyber hygiene during the remote workforce era
IT services firms have a responsibility to secure their clients' remote workforces. Here are four tips for maintaining cyber hygiene in the cloud, using AWS as an example.Continue Reading
Accenture cloud computing paves way for integration plan
Penelope Prett, CIO at Accenture, aims to provide employees a holistic user experience, taking advantage of cloud computing to integrate various technology tools.Continue Reading
Tips for successful virtual sales and consulting meetings
Channel partners should learn to make the most of virtual sales and consulting meetings. Scott Ford of Pronesis Technology Group offers advice on tactics that work.Continue Reading
Remote learning technology emerges as top ed market focus
MSPs and consultants say customers in the education vertical are ramping up distance learning systems as they prepare for the new school year amid the COVID-19 pandemic.Continue Reading
Which MSP marketing tactics have the best results?
Reaching prospects and converting them into clients is a process involving some trial and error. Here's advice on finding the right marketing tactics for your MSP.Continue Reading
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3 tips for marketing and selling MSP cybersecurity to SMBs
The growing demand for MSP cybersecurity services makes it more important to know how to effectively market and sell your offerings. Here are three ways to improve your approach.Continue Reading
MSP business model and financial lessons learned in pandemic
MSPs are facing financial uncertainty due to the pandemic. Industry experts offer advice on managing the pandemic's impact and preparing for hard times.Continue Reading
Remote workforce management strategies for MSPs
Channel partners have been rethinking employee productivity, collaboration and skills development. Learn how Ensono, SADA Systems and AllCloud have adjusted their approaches.Continue Reading
Healthcare IoT's next steps come into focus
Industry watchers believe healthcare IoT is approaching an inflection point. Channel partners can assist in the next step in developing a strategy for existing data.Continue Reading
Partners deploy phishing countermeasures as threats evolve
The pandemic and 2020 presidential election are giving criminals plenty of phishing opportunities. Learn about phishing countermeasures that partners can take to protect customers.Continue Reading
SD-WAN for home workers becomes partner opportunity
SD-WAN technology is seeing increased customer interest due to the sudden expansion of remote workforces. IT service providers are offering product advice and implementation help.Continue Reading
Customers expand IT capabilities for business in the new normal
The pandemic has sparked new directions for Insight Enterprises' project work. Clients are looking to build IT capabilities for unique types of business problems.Continue Reading
MSP staffing strategies change during a pandemic
The overall economic and employment impact of coronavirus is affecting service provider staffing -- some more than others, if at all. See why and gain tips to help with hiring.Continue Reading
How to prepare client companies for ransomware attacks
Ransomware is a constant aspect of the IT landscape but isn't always seen as a priority. IT service providers can help their clients mitigate the risk.Continue Reading
Partners donate technology, services to pandemic relief
IT services companies are contributing a mix of advice and cloud offerings to help research groups and other organizations battling the COVID-19 pandemic.Continue Reading
Tips for overcoming MSP patch management pain points
Software patch management is more difficult than it once was. Industry experts offer advice on how to best stay ahead of the patching curve and reduce risks to both MSPs and customers.Continue Reading
Accenture: Industrial digital transformation needs leaders
Leadership and execution are the keys to overcoming the potential pitfalls of industrial digitization, a process that redundant technology can hinder.Continue Reading
How managed service operations are adapting to a pandemic
IT service providers are deeply involved in curbing the pandemic's disruptions to U.S. businesses. Learn how companies have uncovered hidden strengths and new service offerings.Continue Reading
Rookie MSP marketing mistakes and how to fix them
Marketing is a stumbling block for most MSPs. Use these tips to resolve a range of problems involving company websites, marketing plans and advertising investments.Continue Reading
ServiceNow implementation upgrades reinsurer's finance unit
In 2017, Accenture embarked on an unconventional ServiceNow deployment on behalf of global reinsurer Scor. Learn how the implementation helped modernize Scor's finance department.Continue Reading
Top tips for providing co-managed IT services
Co-managed IT services give MSPs an opportunity to partner with the internal IT staff of their clients. Get insight into how to successfully implement a CoMITS offering.Continue Reading
FedRAMP authorization and the quest for a better process
Service providers and consultancies are among the organizations attempting to build a better way to get cloud-authorized under the government's FedRAMP program.Continue Reading
MSP software vendors play catch-up with security threats
Hackers have exploited MSP software tools such as remote monitoring and management as a conduit for cyberattacks, leading some vendors to issue new security measures and resources.Continue Reading
Addressing the data problem in a DevOps world
There's a data problem underlying the shift to the cloud, cloud-native applications and the demands of the DevOps world. Insight's Jeff Bozic discusses the issues.Continue Reading
Business-driven security: Consultants help clients play catch-up
Digital transformation projects and other sophisticated tech initiatives call for integrated security. IT service firms are addressing the gap between security and business teams.Continue Reading
Robotic process automation market needs provider boost to accelerate
RPA vendors, service providers and their customers must find ways to overcome time-consuming tasks and bottlenecks to accelerate the technology's enterprise adoption.Continue Reading
Hackers target MSPs, but not all are prepared
Managed service provider security is being put to the test as hackers target MSPs with increasing frequency. Even a relatively simple attack can compromise a service provider.Continue Reading
5 Microsoft Azure managed services to grow your channel business
Andy Syrewicze, a former MSP engineer and current Microsoft MVP, detailed five Azure solutions that service providers can offer their clients. The packages run from the simple to the visionary.Continue Reading
How the channel can help fight bias in AI applications
Customers' AI applications pose the risk of producing prejudiced results. Channel firms, however, can step in to educate organizations and reduce harmful biases within AI systems.Continue Reading
How to succeed at managed services marketing
The marketing formula at service provider DynTek includes executive briefings, messaging around innovation and transformation, and a blend of traditional and digital techniques.Continue Reading
How to manage Windows 7 user accounts and groups
Whether your customers operate in a workgroup or a domain/Active Directory environment, user account setup and group memberships control their rights, permissions and roles.Continue Reading
Cloud migration planning: Assess workloads now to avoid trouble later
Organizations that take the time to assess workloads, identify dependencies and educate themselves on cloud security tools can set a smooth path for a public cloud deployment.Continue Reading
Applying AI: Accenture exec cites customer opportunities
Mike Sutcliff, group chief executive at Accenture Digital, talks about the challenges of applying AI, digital thread and augmented reality to real-world business issues.Continue Reading
Ease the MSP talent acquisition process with these tips
For Eric Hobbs, the key to the talent acquisition process is to recruit prospective employees early and often. Hobbs is CEO at Technology Associates, a managed service provider (MSP) in Cary, North ...Continue Reading
Channel execs grapple with IT security staffing challenges
Channel firms say security talent is hard to find and expensive to acquire. Learn how executives are overcoming the cybersecurity skills gap.Continue Reading
Why TIC Gums chose a cloud computing disaster recovery plan
After a manufacturer recognized the risks in having its systems and data located onsite, the company implemented a cloud computing disaster recovery plan with the help of a channel partner.Continue Reading
Video game industry: A hyper-converged infrastructure market
InData, a virtual and physical IT infrastructure partner, has discovered a hyper-converged infrastructure market in the video game industry.Continue Reading
Channel partners help SaaS provider enter overseas markets
OneLogin needed a way to enter overseas markets. The company decided cultivating relationships with channel partners was the best method.Continue Reading
Flawed channel data management may result in partner overpayments
Erroneous sales data may pose potential conflicts between some vendors and their partners; however, most vendors seem more interested in keeping the peace.Continue Reading
Three tips for dealing with the IT labor shortage
IT companies should seek out motivated workers, commit to continuous learning and invest in employee well-being to minimize the effects of the IT labor shortfall.Continue Reading
SD-WAN: Providers could see strong growth, but face hurdles
The SD-WAN market beckons with high-growth potential, but channel partners must confront incomplete feature sets, training requirements and market consolidation.Continue Reading
Ransomware infections: Channel toils to defend besieged customers
Channel partners are working with customers on ransomware defense strategies and risk mitigation amid a rising tide of costly and disruptive infections.Continue Reading
MSP ticketing system: Autotask's new UI draws round of applause
Autotask's new ticketing system user interface ranked among the top developments at the company's annual partner conference. Channel companies tell why.Continue Reading
Ask the expert: How to navigate a law firm's IT committee
Pitching your services to a law firm's IT committee can be challenging, but there are ways to get your message across, according to Andrew Harrover of Matrix Computer Consulting.Continue Reading
Software robots transforming IT services industry
IT service providers, particularly large, global outsourcing firms, are helping customers deploy robotic process automation and also using the technology internally.Continue Reading
Vology's transition toward an integrator business model
Vology has used a combination of acquisitions and organic growth as it transitions from a product-oriented approach to an IT services provider business model.Continue Reading
Tech OEMs: Gray market goods are a growing concern
The gray market revisited: A KPMG report explores whether the sale of gray market products has decreased since 2008 when economic conditions proved conducive to unauthorized sales channels.Continue Reading
Cisco wants channel partners to Engage with digital marketing
Marketing may not be a channel strength, but Cisco hopes to help partners adopt digital marketing practices.Continue Reading
IT migration case study: Partner helps downsize data center
HighVail, an IT consulting and professional services firm, helped Empire Life downsize its data center, migrate business applications and create a new disaster recovery site.Continue Reading
Integrating legacy systems, hybrid clouds: Channel partner tips
Channel partners need not flinch at legacy systems and cloud integration. An application audit, attention to latency issues and a solid connectivity model can help ease the task.Continue Reading
IT security tutorial: Channel partner tips for new tech
In this IT security tutorial, we outline security concerns and mitigation strategies for software-defined networking, hyper-converged infrastructure and the Internet of Things.Continue Reading
MDF funds: How MSPs can get their cut of the marketing money
Market development funds are there for the asking. Learning the details of individual programs -- and demonstrating sales and technical strength -- can help you get your shareContinue Reading
Partners avoid liability issues with channel customer contracts
Channel partners must ensure they make customer contracts they can abide by. The managing attorney of InfoTech Law Advocates outlines a number of common liability issues.Continue Reading
Outdated technology: A channel partner challenge
Channel companies find no shortage of out-of-date technologies -- from Windows Server 2003 machines to aging Unix systems -- in their customer's data centers.Continue Reading
How to overcome resistance to change: Four tips for channel partners
Resistance to change is only natural, but channel partners can look for early adopters and clearly state a new technology's benefits to sway clients.Continue Reading
Healthcare vertical market: How partners can help clients master BI
Healthcare providers are awash in data in light of electronic health records. Partners, however, can help clients leverage their information with BI tools.Continue Reading
Channel partners see customers uncloud: Reverse cloud migration strategy
Channel partners report that a small but increasing number of customers are moving some or all of their applications off the cloud.Continue Reading
Five tips to mitigate the risk of a cloud outage
Selling cloud-based services? These five tips can help service providers mitigate the risk of a cloud outage.Continue Reading
Ten mistakes to avoid in cloud or MSP business model transitions
The process of transitioning to the cloud or MSP business model can run smoother if channel partners avoid these 10 missteps.Continue Reading
How to explain managed services pricing to customers
The managed services model is better -- and more lucrative -- than the break/fix model because it represents an alignment between your goals and your customers' goals.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
Big data consulting services top analytics opportunities for channel
There's a lot of untapped potential around big data consulting services and hardware. The trick is uncovering the business problems big data solves.Continue Reading
How to become a Microsoft partner, and Microsoft Partner Network details
Find out how to become a Microsoft partner in this description of the MPN, which includes changes to the program effective in January 2014.Continue Reading
Cloud demands new IT organizational structure: How providers can help
Enterprises don't build true private clouds because most IT organizations aren't structured for them. Cloud providers can help customers get there.Continue Reading
End-user experience monitoring is key to SaaS provider success
As customers expect the SaaS model to deliver equal performance to local apps, end-user experience monitoring becomes a core capability for providers.Continue Reading
Are customers happy? How SaaS providers can use Apdex to find out
Application response time is key to the user experience, but what's a 'good' response time? SaaS providers can use the Apdex formula to find out.Continue Reading
VAR marketing strategy: Focus on customer outcomes
VAR marketing professionals must stay focused on the success of customers. Get advice for keeping that tenet top of mind.Continue Reading
What are the main challenges associated with DRaaS SLAs?
Cloud providers must cover security, access control and restoration time when negotiating DRaaS SLAs with customers, says cloud expert Mooney Sherman.Continue Reading
Disaster recovery in the cloud: What do customers expect in an SLA?
Crafting an SLA for DR in the cloud requires providers to address several issues up front with customers, according to cloud expert Mooney Sherman.Continue Reading
How to build a vertical market cloud practice
Building a vertical market cloud practice requires an understanding of industry needs, compliance regulations and technical skills for core services.Continue Reading
Five best practices for developing a successful cloud partner program
Developing an effective channel program requires taking a look at policies around recruiting, incentivizing and communicating with cloud partners.Continue Reading
Cloud broker skills in higher demand as cloud adoption gains momentum
The cloud broker becomes more crucial as enterprise cloud adoption grows, giving providers, integrators and partners an opening to fill that role.Continue Reading
Data as a Service opportunities for solution providers
Learn about Data as a Service, how it works, its benefits and drawbacks for customers, and the opportunities it presents to IT solution providers.Continue Reading
Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V cluster: Basic points for customers
Learn about the most important factors for a Server 2012 Hyper-V cluster, including Failover Clustering, Cluster Shared Volumes and more.Continue Reading
Building targeted cloud services with software developers as partners
Operators entering the cloud market need to target business customer needs and consider software developer partners for higher revenue SaaS offerings.Continue Reading
How transparent should a provider be with its cloud security policy?
Cloud security policy should make procedures clear without revealing all the technology at work, says cloud expert Mooney Sherman.Continue Reading
DBaaS pros and cons for solution providers
A DBaaS has feature and other limitations, but it brings shorter sales cycles, reduced startup costs, recurring revenue streams and more customers.Continue Reading
VoIP phone services for customers with on-premises and remote VDI
Adding VoIP phone services for customers with on-premises and remote VDI can lessen reliance on cell phones, improve service integration and more.Continue Reading
Cloud computing cost savings: Fact or fiction?
When articulating cloud computing cost savings to customers, most providers don't realize that they're focusing on the wrong angle.Continue Reading
HP Enterprise Data Warehouse Appliance addresses massive data needs
The HP Enterprise Data Warehouse Appliance can manage from 30 TB to 600 TB of data in a preconfigured bundle.Continue Reading
Biometric authentication methods: Comparing smartphone biometrics
Biometric authentication helps ensure only authorized smartphone users can access a network. David Jacobs weighs the pros and cons of three methods.Continue Reading
Unified storage architecture approaches: Modular vs. integrated
Find out what the considerations are for VARs with customers looking for both file and block storage in a single device.Continue Reading
Active archive software: Not just for the enterprise anymore
Active archives, once thought of as practical just for big companies, are becoming more useful for SMB customers in a variety of vertical industries.Continue Reading
The risk of using Windows kernel-mode drivers in systems management
Windows kernel-mode drivers can pose risks if used in IT efficiency systems management tools.Continue Reading
All-flash storage systems: Types and use cases
Learn about all-flash appliances and all-flash storage arrays, as well as the scenarios they're best suited for.Continue Reading
Tips to explain Windows 8 upgrade rationale to customers
Expert advice for VARs looking to explain Windows 8 upgrade options to customers and combat objections to the new Windows OS.Continue Reading
Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) terms you need to know
Providers planning to offer DRaaS should brush up on their disaster recovery vocab and understand what works best in the cloud.Continue Reading
Planning cloud disaster recovery services and avoiding the pain points
Providers looking at cloud disaster recovery services should examine the potential customer base, the challenges and partnership opportunities.Continue Reading
Using VMM 2012 to add Hyper-V servers to trusted and untrusted domains
Learn how to add Hyper-V servers to trusted and untrusted domains using Microsoft Virtual Machine Manager 2012 in this chapter excerpt.Continue Reading
Microsoft Sync Framework services for mobile device data management
Solutions providers can find success using the Microsoft Sync Framework to help SMBs with mobile workers that aren't constantly connected to a network.Continue Reading
Cloud computing trends: Three reasons skeptics aren't adopting cloud
The hype around cloud computing trends doesn't match adoption rates. Learn three reasons skeptics are resisting the cloud and how you can win them over.Continue Reading
Selling government IT solutions: Challenges and opportunities
Partners are finding business opportunities in selling government IT solutions despite tight budgets and learning curves in the government sector.Continue Reading
What is the cloud's role in machine-to-machine (M2M) services?
The cloud can play a vital role in bringing M2M services to market more quickly for service providers, says TM Forum CEO Martin Creaner.Continue Reading
Guiding customers through cloud automation platform selection
Cloud-shopping customers need help with cloud selection, and IT solution providers can guide them in the selection of a cloud automation platform.Continue Reading
Creating a virtual machine template in vCenter Server
Learn how to create a virtual machine template, update the template and deploy a VM from a template in vCenter Server.Continue Reading