Brian Sherman Posts

Remote monitoring and management tools have been available to channel companies for quite some time. Just last week, a friend of mine sent me a link to the first article I ever wrote on managed services — from almost a decade ago — to congratulate me on 10 years of covering this industry-changing topic. Though it was just a brief mention from the former Gartner System Builders’ Summit and VARVision show, the Business Solutions magazine piece reminded me just how much the channe ...

Society and technology are evolving faster than our ability to adapt. That point was strongly emphasized by Bob Humphreys in his presentation that helped kick off the recent CompTIA IT Services and Support Community meeting in Woodbridge, Ontario, just north of Toronto. The leader of Demand Programs and Digital Strategy for IBM Canada underscored how technology has become the most important external force that impacts today’s businesses. Back in the day, most businesses used IT for process ...

New technology doesn’t always translate to a fantastic business opportunity when a new idea is first introduced. It often takes months — if not years — for solution providers and vendors to evaluate innovative new portfolio options. Due diligence is imperative for anyone trying to build a viable technology business practice, but the vetting process for a mobility specialization can be particularly long and arduous. Some attribute it to the complexity of the devices and applicat ...

All CompTIA members are encouraged to participate in one or more of the nine CompTIA communities, sharing ideas and providing feedback on the initiatives that are the most interesting to members and their businesses. The lesser-known — but just as critical — advisory councils (Partner, Vendor and Telecom) are literally the think tanks of the association, though they’ve taken on many other responsibilities in the past few years. Each group is made up of senior channel executives ...

It’s that time of year when a literal who’s who of channel professionals gather to take on some of the industry’s biggest opportunities and concerns. CompTIA’s Annual Member Meeting convenes April 1 in sunny San Diego with a full slate of interactive group discussions, thought-provoking presentations and numerous networking opportunities. Attendees will also get to partake in this year’s IT Hall of Fame and Lifetime Achievement Awards Dinner, as Robert Faletra and S ...

Can your business be truly successful if revenue remains steady — or even suffers a slight decline? Can your company be in top form when you haven’t hired a new employee in years? Achievement is best judged by those whose blood, sweat and tears went into building the organization, plus of course the stakeholders who’ve helped support the operation along the way. As any business owner knows, revenue declines coupled with cost reduction might actually lead to profit, so if client ...

Robert (Bob) Faletra, an active and influential member of the IT channel and 25-year advocate for the industry will be inducted during CompTIA’s Annual Member Meeting into the 2014 class of the IT Hall of Fame. Faletra influenced and supported our industry through a variety of publishing and executive management roles with the former CMP media group. Considered one of the top experts in the indirect technology field, he has advised solution providers, vendors and distribution professionals ...

In the IT channel, the term reseller may still be alive and well, but it has undergone significant transformations in the past five years. While many providers still count on PC and other infrequent hardware sales to top off their coffers, many industry experts believe the bulk of new channel revenue now comes from the cyber world. When mobility solutions are factored into the mix, it’s hard to see how companies that rely heavily on the traditional reseller model will remain competitive. T ...

In the managed service space of the IT channel, there’s been a touch of health-care fever. With the U.S. government’s electronic medical records (EMR) and electronic health records (EHR) initiatives and directives in place, doctors’ offices and medical facilities have looked like goldmines for value-added resellers and managed service providers. Health care was said to be primed, willing and ready for the IT channel to upgrade and support their thriving practices. Like the fort ...

Add Neiman Marcus to the growing list of retailers that have announced information systems breaches over the past few weeks: In a company statement, the Dallas-based department store chain reported compromised servers, a hack that gave outside access to customer payment information. On the heels of Target’s holiday debacle, the news fueled the IT security discussion and elevated consumer angst. This should be a call to arms for solution providers, vendors and distributors. No business will ...