Evaluate

Evaluate

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

• Why 2020 may have changed the MSP industry forever

  Managed service providers will come to view 2020 as the year their industry finally received the recognition and legitimacy they have long sought. Continue Reading

• SD-WAN industry growth opens partner opportunities in 2021

  Channel partners can take advantage of SD-WAN industry expansion by addressing customers' interoperability and security concerns, according to Spirent Communications executives. Continue Reading

• Top tips for building a Microsoft Azure MSP practice

  As MSPs expand into cloud offerings, many are deciding to focus on Microsoft Azure. Lunavi, Synoptek and 1Path explain why and how they grew their Microsoft Azure MSP practices. Continue Reading

• What does data show regarding diversity in IT channel for 2020?

  Dave Sobel updates his look at diversity in IT, with a greater focus on solution providers and vendors in the industry, aiming to help highlight companies championing diversity efforts. Continue Reading

• Top 10 channel partner business articles of 2020

  Channel partner business trends of 2020 included the expansion of cloud computing, the acceleration of emerging technologies and the widespread adoption of remote work products. Continue Reading

• Evaluate tools to help improve cybersecurity for MSPs

  Learn what types of cybersecurity tools -- including those for email security, endpoint protection and DNS filtering -- MSPs can use to ensure safety of their clients' systems.Continue Reading

• Vertical marketing strategies shouldn't dismiss QSR, retail

  The pandemic has pummeled restaurants and retailers, but service providers could still find opportunities in areas ranging from contactless technology to virtual reality.Continue Reading

• MSP business planning for 2021: What you should consider

  From remote working to new security threats, 2020 introduced a range of new dynamics for MSPs. Here are four important considerations to address in your business planning for 2021.Continue Reading

• How leading SAP S/4HANA implementation partners compare

  Advisor firm UpperEdge attempts to pin down the differences between how SAP S/4HANA implementation partners Accenture, Deloitte and IBM approach client projects.Continue Reading

• Cisco partners back software push, EA acceleration

  Software development, simplicity and platforms are among the current channel watchwords at Cisco. Partners share their views on the vendor's latest initiatives.Continue Reading

• How the U.S. election may affect managed services providers

  Dave Sobel breaks down the tech issues MSPs need to be aware of following the federal and state elections, such as right to repair in Massachusetts and California's Prop 22.Continue Reading

• Top 5 MSP challenges in the 2021 business climate

  MSPs and IT consultancies anticipate several challenges in 2021, including developing growth strategies, broadening areas of expertise and cultivating talent.Continue Reading

• How would a K-shaped economic recovery affect MSPs?

  Dave Sobel explains how MSPs should be prepared economically and socially for a K-shaped recovery that economists see happening due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.Continue Reading

• When an SAP S/4HANA selective data transition makes sense

  An SAP S/4HANA selective data transition might be the best approach for a customer's ECC conversion. Learn how this approach differs from brownfield and greenfield implementations.Continue Reading

• How Louisiana MSP registration aims to curb cyberattacks

  Louisiana's MSP registration, which will take effect Feb. 1, 2021, has sparked many debates about regulating the managed services industry. At last week's IT Nation Secure virtual conference, ...Continue Reading

• Channel partners help solve retail industry challenges

  Retailers are exploring a range of IT strategies to overcome pressures caused by the pandemic and fierce online competition. Find out how channel partners can help.Continue Reading

• Accenture enables Enel's strategic digital transformation goals

  Enel Group's strategic digital transformation initiative provided the European energy behemoth with the flexibility it needed during the COVID-19 pandemic.Continue Reading

• Google Cloud growth fuels partner opportunities

  Amid solid Google Cloud growth, MSP partners such as SADA Systems, Onix and Pythian say their alliance with the public cloud provider gives them a competitive edge.Continue Reading

• Why MSPs should care about Microsoft 365 Lighthouse

  With Microsoft announcing its new RMM tool, Dave Sobel breaks down how this affects IT channel companies and how they could respond to ensure their business stays ahead of Microsoft.Continue Reading

• How MSP cloud services can help grow your business

  Channel firms needn't hesitate to develop cloud offerings. The CTO of Level5 Management discusses how MSP cloud services can benefit businesses and strengthen client relationships.Continue Reading

• MSP cloud investments put IaaS in the spotlight

  MSPs are building out their cloud businesses more decisively than ever before. Learn about the benefits of and considerations for investing in managed cloud infrastructure.Continue Reading

• 5 PSA software tools to help MSPs streamline business processes

  Professional services automation tools offer MSPs and IT consulting firms with a variety of integrated applications they can use to manage projects, billing, assets and inventory.Continue Reading

• Partners integrate thermal scanning into customer offerings

  Efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 have generated interest in thermal scanning systems. Find out how channel firms are incorporating the technology into their offerings.Continue Reading

• MSPs need state societies before governments regulate them

  Before more states follow Louisiana around regulating MSPs, providers need to band together and create an industry organization to ensure they have a voice in any future laws.Continue Reading

• Creating MSP solution stacks that don't have gaps or overlap

  Dave Sobel reviews four methods for how managed service providers can effectively integrate vendor products into their offerings, providing a more complete solution for their customers.Continue Reading

• Do brands managed service providers use matter to customers?

  Dave Sobel argues that the brands MSPs choose to use largely don't matter to their customers; what customers do care about are the results of the managed services.Continue Reading

• Innovation and the economy: Going digital key to enduring downturn

  A financial crisis tends to jar organizations out of established ways of thinking and usher in innovation. Channel partners are well positioned to help clients through this transition and introduce ...Continue Reading

• Channel business exit strategies during uncertain times

  The difficult economic climate wrought by the pandemic is making waves in the channel industry, with some MSPs having to decide whether to stay put or pursue an exit strategy.Continue Reading

• Colocation services provider firms tap partners

  Cyxtera, Equinix and Interxion are among the colocation firms forging relationships with partners that can bundle their data center services into digital transformation projects.Continue Reading

• Louisiana law suggests further regulation of MSPs

  In the wake of MSP security incidents, Louisiana enacted a law requiring firms that manage IT for public bodies to register with the state. Will other states follow suit?Continue Reading

• Unified communications consulting, implementation heat up

  Channel partners provide a range of offerings in the unified communications market, from workplace analytics to entire product suites. Cloud conferencing is driving growth.Continue Reading

• 5 RMM tools MSPs can use to bolster client IT infrastructure

  Learn what remote monitoring and management software features and functionality MSPs and internal IT departments should consider to support client IT infrastructure and endpoints.Continue Reading

• NTT Ltd. exec talks hybrid cloud, remote tech

  NTT Ltd.'s recently appointed Americas CEO talks about the $3 billion-plus business's opportunities one year after parent NTT Corp. created the operation in a sweeping merger.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

• MSPs expand into managed physical security services

  Companies such as Deep Sentinel and Viakoo are tapping partners to deliver physical security services. Learn how MSPs are incorporating physical security into their offerings.Continue Reading

• Datto MSP report points to evolving market

  COVID-19 has changed the cloud adoption game for managed service providers, according to Rob Rae, Datto's senior vice president of business development.Continue Reading

• Pandemic shapes RPA market trends

  This pandemic is influencing organizational structures and changing priorities for enterprises pursuing robotic process automation deployments. Here's what partners can expect.Continue Reading

• Will break/fix IT services play a role in the future?

  Charles Weaver sees diminished use for break/fix IT services by companies because reactive IT not providing better security, privacy or automation.Continue Reading

• New service lets partners research MSP technology stack

  MSP Navigator offers managed service providers a product and service catalog, updates on integrations and access to peer groups, among other features.Continue Reading

• Server demand continues for partners amid cloud growth

  Servers remain an important technology for service providers as hybrid IT takes hold. Industry executives see acceleration and disaggregation among the key trends.Continue Reading

• NetApp Cloud Data Services seek channel push

  NetApp is offering financial incentives to encourage channel firms to sell their cloud portfolios, which are available through the major public cloud platforms and their marketplaces.Continue Reading

• Digital transformation projects pick up pace under pressure

  IT service providers see accelerating demand for cloud, data analytics, AI and automation as organizations face the challenge of retooling their operations as the economy reopens.Continue Reading

• RPA adoption to expand amid business resiliency needs

  Leslie Joseph, principal analyst at Forrester, expects a surge in RPA demand, with financial services, manufacturing, energy and utilities, and logistics outpacing other verticals.Continue Reading

• How to evaluate MSP peer groups

  Peer groups can help MSPs improve in any number of business areas. Ed Mana, chief technologist at Technology on Demand, offers tips for finding the right peer group for you.Continue Reading

• Consulting travel, event cutbacks portend industry shift

  IT service firms, from consultancies to MSPs, all face travel restrictions due to COVID-19. The present limitations, however, might have lasting effects on how business gets done.Continue Reading

• Do IT service providers need MSP cybersecurity insurance?

  Today's fraught threat landscape puts MSPs and customers at risk. Purchasing liability insurance reassures subscribers while protecting providers in case of a malware incident.Continue Reading

• Partners weigh in on enterprise flash advances

  Enterprise flash is on a trajectory for performance, capacity and price improvements, but partners believe factors beyond technology drive storage infrastructure buys.Continue Reading

• How MSPs can overcome clients' cybersecurity fatigue

  Cybersecurity fatigue can cause SMBs to avoid discussions about protecting their businesses. Net Sciences' Joshua Liberman explains how he changed his approach to selling security.Continue Reading

• RPA market's next step? It's complicated

  Some RPA vendors seek ease of use, while others pursue higher intelligence. Some customers pause RPA projects, while others are getting started. Consultants navigate the tangle.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

• MSPAlliance on a quest to change the managed services industry

  In part one of this two-part interview, MSPAlliance CEO Charles Weaver discusses his organization's evolution and its ongoing efforts to professionalize managed services.Continue Reading

• HPE channel partners grapple with shift to consultative sales

  Hewlett Packard Enterprise seeks to align its channel partners with consultative sales strategies as the vendor looks to expand sales for GreenLake consumption-based offerings.Continue Reading

• 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

• Ended support for Windows Server 2008 leaves clients circumspect

  The conclusion of support for Windows Server 2008 has Microsoft partners helping clients decide what to do next. A wholesale transition to Azure is one option under consideration.Continue Reading

• AV as a service emerges as opportunity for MSPs

  The as-a-service consumption model is now making its way into the audio-visual market, opening doors for managed service providers and other IT channel partners.Continue Reading

• What CCPA requirements mean for channel partners

  Channel firms have an important role to play under the California Consumer Privacy Act, which many believe is a sign of nationwide data privacy laws to come.Continue Reading

• MNJ Technologies finds growth at the edge

  MNJ Technologies, a managed services provider based in Buffalo Grove, Ill., is expanding its business organically at a time when growth through acquisition makes weekly headlines. The company ...Continue Reading

• 5G opportunities for channel partners yet to take shape

  At the beginning of 2020, many aspects of 5G technology remain abstract, but channel partners can benefit by preparing their customers for future deployments.Continue Reading

• How NWN enabled an N.C. town's digital initiatives

  Since 2007, technology services provider NWN has been helping the town of Cary realize its digital aspirations and modernize its IT. Get insight into their enduring partnership.Continue Reading

• RPA software, partner program updates top 2019 blog posts

  As 2019 draws to a close, we've rounded up our 10 most-read Channel Marker blog posts from the year. The articles below highlight several technology areas, including robotic process automation ...Continue Reading

• 2020 cybersecurity services: Predictions for MSPs

  The 2020 cybersecurity landscape presents new challenges and opportunities for managed service providers, according to predictions from security firm WatchGuard.Continue Reading

• Corporate IT training gets high profile in 2020

  The pace of technology change will make training an important service provider theme in 2020, as companies look to boost IT education for employees and clients.Continue Reading

• IoT security services emerge as channel partner offering

  IoT adoption is rapidly expanding the attack surface of customer organizations, creating an opportunity for channel firms to provide consulting and security services.Continue Reading

• Computer vision technology, chatbot reboot on tap for 2020

  Look for retailers to emerge in 2020 as a key adopter of AI in vision applications. Other anticipated developments include chatbot integration and a boost for cloud-native apps.Continue Reading

• Why partners shouldn't lose faith in blockchain technology

  Keep blockchain on your radar. Despite setbacks in adoption, blockchain endures as relevant technology for channel partners, according to CompTIA and other channel industry watchers.Continue Reading

• LucidLink taps partners to boost file access service

  The San Francisco company targets managed service providers as a channel for its file streaming offering, which aims to address rising data volumes.Continue Reading

• PowerShell automation helps MSPs, but with some caveats

  PowerShell scripting can help MSPs automate mundane and time-consuming chores, but service providers need to test their scripts and look to security first.Continue Reading

• CPaaS market could boost partners with the right skills

  Channel companies that want to become CPaaS partners should expect to encounter a new set of buyers, a rapidly changing technology and the need for coding skills.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

• Media and entertainment cloud use poised to shake up industry

  The media and entertainment industry is moving workflows to the cloud in a dramatic cultural shift. InterVision's Ray Panahon sheds light on this development.Continue Reading

• Nerdio for Azure arrives in Ingram Micro Cloud Marketplace

  Nerdio's cloud transition continues with its distribution agreement with Ingram Micro, which offers Nerdio's Azure automation product for MSPs on Ingram Micro Cloud Marketplace.Continue Reading

• DigitalOcean partner program aims for SMB expansion

  A DigitalOcean partner program is arming MSPs and other channel firms to pursue customers in the SMB space. The program also facilitates partner-to-partner collaborations.Continue Reading

• MSP business expansion driven by cybersecurity, consulting

  MSPs are under pressure to expand their businesses beyond their traditional offerings. Cybersecurity and consulting services are two directions they can take their businesses.Continue Reading

• Managed services model takes evolutionary twists and turns

  The evolution of managed service providers began at the apex of the dot-com era and now continues with developments including cloud computing and industry consolidation.Continue Reading

• Microsoft-Oracle cloud alliance boosts partner opportunities

  The Microsoft-Oracle cloud interoperability pact has unlocked new customer segments in the channel, according to managed cloud service provider Ensono.Continue Reading

• SD-WAN demo lab lets partner's clients try before they buy

  As the SD-WAN market heats up, MNJ Technologies has launched a demo lab that includes technology from vendors such as Cisco, Fortinet, Oracle and Silver Peak.Continue Reading

• How to vet vendors' cybersecurity tools for MSP practices

  Building a cybersecurity stack can mean assessing dozens of vendors. An effective vetting process can help partners avoid missteps in their search for security products.Continue Reading

• RPA marketplace trend has bots in store

  RPA marketplaces are beginning to make their mark as vendors cultivate bot component contributors, including systems integrators and consulting firms.Continue Reading

• Rethinking channel partner programs in 2019 and beyond

  As IT vendors struggle to modernize their channel partner programs, partner firms of all types should be actively weighing in. That's according to speakers at CompTIA Inc.'s ChannelCon conference, ...Continue Reading

• Green House Data adds patching automation to its software segue

  Green House Data's Beekeeper patch automation product is a component of the managed IT and advisory services company's differentiation-via-software approach.Continue Reading

• RMM software vendors pursue full managed services functionality

  MSP software vendors have been busy building ecosystems of third-party integrations around their remote monitoring and management tools. Are these integrations benefiting MSPs?Continue Reading

• Google Cloud Partners hopeful on new program, but seek advances

  Google's bid to sort its partner initiative is viewed as a positive development among the company's partners, some of which are heavily focusing on the cloud provider's platform.Continue Reading

• Skype-to-Teams migration revs Microsoft partner services

  Microsoft partners believe organizations will be in the market for migration planning, change management and governance services as they migrate from Skype to Teams.Continue Reading

• Workplace by Facebook partners evolve as demand grows

  The Workplace by Facebook partner ecosystem has expanded to include more channel partners, as well as technology providers covering everything from analytics to security.Continue Reading

• ChannelCon explores strategies for emerging technologies

  At CompTIA ChannelCon 2019, attendees explained why channel business strategies for emerging technologies require both a thirst for knowledge and a healthy dose of skepticism.Continue Reading

• Accenture Labs explores quantum computing applications

  Accenture Labs has patented a method for identifying workloads suitable for quantum computing applications, which the company believes will span scientific and business use cases.Continue Reading

• Intelligent operations guidance from Accenture, Ahead, Orion

  The nascent intelligent operations field promises to shake up how companies do business. But customers need not start from scratch to get the benefits, IT consultants noted.Continue Reading

• AI applications in government: Virtual assistants could see uptick

  Conversational AI in the form of intelligent virtual assistants and chatbots could player a bigger role in government agencies' citizen service initiatives.Continue Reading

• Asigra calls out the perils of cloud brokerage model

  Cloud backup vendor Asigra shed light on the negative aspects of brokering cloud services. Find out about three potential business issues inherent in the brokerage model.Continue Reading

• Partners seek to elucidate intelligent operations vs. AIOps

  Consultants and integrators have differing views on intelligent operations and AIOps, but partner executives agree that the approaches require a well-defined customer journey.Continue Reading

• MDR services evolve into distinct security service offering

  MDR services are developing into a new category of cybersecurity offering for channel partners. Learn how MDR providers take a different approach from traditional MSSPs.Continue Reading

• Data center infrastructure spending gets AI boost

  IT solutions providers are finding a role in helping clients create the artificial intelligence infrastructure they need to handle emerging technology requirements.Continue Reading

• Machine learning consultants explore use cases

  Machine learning consultants and developers are among the IT channel partners discovering AI-driven business opportunities across a range of vertical markets.Continue Reading

• Digital inheritance project unites startup, consultant

  The second phase of a project to create an ecosystem for transferring blockchain assets is getting underway as Synechron contributes technical resources to Swiss startup PassOn.Continue Reading

• Why SOAR platforms are gaining attention from the channel

  The cybersecurity skills gap and demand for process automation are powering the growth of the SOAR market. Learn how partners can benefit from these multifaceted platforms.Continue Reading

• ITSM software market: Insight for channel partners

  Need advice on how to approach the IT service management market? This article aims to help channel firms refine their strategies around ITSM technology.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

• Logicalis highlights IT trends in education vertical

  Logicalis' work in the education vertical market is shedding light on emerging IT trends in K-12 and higher education. The New York-based IT solution and managed services provider runs a government ...Continue Reading

• Manufacturing AI projects open partner opportunities

  IT consultants and integrators could see increased business in manufacturing AI, but they will need to overcome data quality problems and cultural issues along the way.Continue Reading

• AI applications: Cloud vs. on-premises deployment options

  Should clients build on-premises infrastructures for their AI needs or turn to cloud-based AI? Insight Enterprises' Brandon Ebken and Juan Orlandini discuss these options.Continue Reading