Opinion

Opinion

• Salesforce consulting services consolidation: Round 2

  Salesforce partners have, once again, become popular acquisition targets for large, international IT services firms hoping to capitalize on the demand for SaaS consulting services.  Continue Reading

• Accenture: How to tackle cloud service management issues

  An Accenture study found that many organizations have yet to reach their cloud computing objectives. Here are tips for tackling cloud sprawl and other management challenges.  Continue Reading

• Alibaba Cloud taps channel partners for growth

  Alibaba Cloud is outpacing AWS, Azure and Google Cloud Platform when it comes to worldwide revenue growth. And it has its eye on MSPs and other channel partners.  Continue Reading

• Post-digital world calls for collaborative security

  As the post-digital era dawns, organizations will need to rethink cybersecurity as they confront threats that span entire ecosystems, Accenture's Michael Biltz contends.  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

• How to thrive in the platform economy

  Leading companies need to build dynamic ecosystems and deploy next-generation platforms to gain a competitive edge, says Ramadurai Ramalingam, managing director at Accenture.  Continue Reading

• CDO role: What's keeping chief data officers up at night?

  Get to know your clients' CDOs: Their challenges include building a strong data foundation, getting the most out of data investments, transforming talent and migrating legacy data.  Continue Reading

• Security questionnaires: How to prepare your SMB clients

  SMBs working with regulated clients may need to complete detailed security assessment questionnaires. Managed service providers can help with data security tools and capabilities.  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

• A cybersecurity self-assessment helps IT teams, partners flag risks

  IT teams, partners and vendors can benefit from an internal checkup when it comes to reducing the risk of a cybersecurity breach. This approach can help document security efforts.  Continue Reading

• Enterprise network market: Key trends partners should monitor

  Key networking trends channel partners can expect to navigate include a shift in WAN design, developments in network microprocessor tech and rising demand for automation.  Continue Reading

• Hyper-converged infrastructure solutions to set 2018 pace

  In 2018, channel partners can expect to see continued demand for hyper-converged infrastructure solutions and greater traction in the flash storage market.  Continue Reading

• A retrospective on IT: Technology 'trends' of 2016 revisited

  Contributor Stanley Louissaint revisits the predictions he made last year regarding tablets, the internet of things, cloud computing and near field communication.  Continue Reading

• RPA technology is ready to change how companies manage operations

  RPA tools are poised to spread their influence in the enterprise as cognitive automation finds its way into back-office, front-office and rule-driven IT operations.  Continue Reading

• IT security strategy: Help clients build these three pillars

  User education, access management and data backup are the three pillars of a sound security strategy that partners should build and reinforce for their customers.  Continue Reading

• IT industry certifications boost morale, grow partner revenue

  IT services companies that follow an industry certification plan can create a positive work environment and offer clients a greater number of valuable services, writes Amy Kardel.  Continue Reading

• State CIOs may call on channel partners for cloud advice

  As the role of the state CIO evolves, IT service providers have an opportunity to provide assistance as government agencies consider their cloud computing options.  Continue Reading

• New tech trends could lose ground in 2016: A contrarian view

  Technologies often launch with great expectation, only to see limited uptake. Stanley Louissaint highlights a few tech trends that may see reversals or fail to fully emerge in 2016.  Continue Reading

• The CISA bill and the implications for channel partners

  Security expert Kevin McDonald critiques the Senate-passed CISA bill, urging channel partners to think carefully about the proposed real-time sharing of their clients' data.  Continue Reading

• SDN benefits obscured by misconceptions: How to beat the myths

  Software-defined networking can benefit customer organizations, but lingering misconceptions hamper broader adoption. Greg Stemberger of Force 3 debunks five common SDN myths.  Continue Reading

• Cloud transition echoes client-server technology shift

  Looking back at the shift to client-server technology offers insight into recent activity among large systems integrators and small born-in-the-cloud consulting firms.  Continue Reading

• The true IT MSP model: Why are you still doing break/fix?

  The managed services business model has been around for years. So why can't some IT services firms break their reliance on break/fix work?  Continue Reading

• Three principles for successfully selling cloud services

  Jason Bystrak, senior director for the Americas at Ingram Micro Cloud, explains three important principles for IT services companies that are looking to boost their cloud sales revenue.  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

• What the Skype translator can't do for Microsoft global partners

  The Skype translator demoed at Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Conference promises to break new ground in multilingual communication, but Microsoft global partners still have trouble understanding the keynote speech.  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

• HIPAA consulting and the channel's ethical responsibility

  The channel seems to be in denial about its ethical responsibility pertaining to HIPAA consulting around business associate agreements, said technology and security consultant Kevin McDonald.  Continue Reading

• HIPAA business associate agreement consultations could be unlawful

  Non-legal professionals providing advice on HIPAA BAAs might be practicing law without a license.  Continue Reading

• Ransomware first person: Dealing with the Cryptolocker virus

  Hear how one IT services professional resolved a Cryptolocker infection for a customer and why the virus is evidence customers need managed services.  Continue Reading

• Partner: Vendor monitoring of websites is a concern

  Vendor monitoring of partner websites to discover which ones are most aligned with a particular technology is problematic, says one solution provider.  Continue Reading

• Exploring the risky business of cyber insurance and IT services contracts

  Cyber insurance and services contracts typically provide limited protection against breach of data and can't take the place of prudent action.  Continue Reading

• Selling to the LOB manager: Reseller, beware

  The fact that line of business managers are avoiding IT seems, at first blush, like a good thing for solution providers. But it carries many risks.  Continue Reading

• Market development funds challenge: The content marketing plan

  Marketing development funds aimed at content marketing could open the door to new leads, but vendors need to get throw their support behind the idea.  Continue Reading

• Three tips for becoming your customers' virtual CIO

  Among IT solution providers, virtual CIOs are often invited to their customers' management and business review meetings. Find out how to become one.  Continue Reading

• 'Fake' cloud partners jeopardize managed services model in 2013

  MSPAlliance CEO Charles Weaver outlines some challenges the managed services model faces in 2013, including regulation and deceptive cloud marketing.  Continue Reading

• It's time for a real accreditation process for cloud storage services

  Columnist Kevin McDonald calls for a cloud storage accreditation process, one that overcomes shortcomings in vendor certifications and IT audits.  Continue Reading

• Honest VARs and MSPs face problems with cloud storage services

  Cloud computing problems abound for VARs and MSPs looking to compete, says columnist Kevin McDonald. Find out what the problems with cloud storage are and what needs to be done to make things better.  Continue Reading