Brian Sherman Posts

Much like cloud computing and managed services, healthcare IT has become an attractive practice for many IT service providers. Attention is on the rise due to the passing of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), which provided incentives for the implementation of health information technology. In turn, the tech community is responding to meet the demand. IT providers with experience supporting physicians’ offices, clinics and hospitals are using these incentives to f ...

Some prominent industry executives have jumped into new organizations and roles the past few weeks and, based on the vacancies created by these defections, additional switches could be on the way. This news is a great sign for solution providers, as several vendors looking to enhance their IT channel programs entice the skilled (and admired) leaders from competitors and other technology companies. With expanded roles and the ability to revamp partnership plans for their new employers, it will be ...

After several years working in the IT channel, both as an industry writer and software company employee, I look forward to attending events where I can catch up with my peers and immerse myself in discussions on essential technology business issues. Conferences tend to energize and inspire those who attend, providing insight needed to make improvements in their business and encouraging additional research on products, services and other topics that could shape their company’s future. In ...

The channel is in a buying mood this week, from MSP business acquisitions to IBM stock, and a new distribution deal that should enhance the procurement process for ShoreTel partners. Is all this activity a sign the economy is back on solid ground, or could this be an indication of industry consolidation and a move to what many consider “safe investments”? You can be the judge, but several of this week’s topics provide fodder for that discussion.   Mergers and Acquisitions Ring in a Strong New Ye ...

Typically the week after the Consumer Electronics Show is rather mild for IT channel news, with the vendors and many VARs returning home and getting back to their day jobs. This year was different with a rather unusual timing for a consumer-oriented, but business-beneficial iPhone/Verizon announcement. While that news started a firestorm of blog and social media posts, several other notable topics hit the wires as well.   iPhone Rumors Come to an End (Finally!)It was the announcement many have b ...

“Who are the individuals that have made the most significant impact on the technology industry, or the IT channel?” I’ve asked this question of many of my IT channel friends over last several years, starting back in my days as an industry magazine editor and carrying through my current consultant role. While my reason was to highlight these individuals in blogs and articles, CompTIA intends to immortalize these “game changing individuals” permanently in their newly announced IT Hall of Fame.Off ...

Training and education are very similar to politics: pay attention to what’s happening close to home and you’ll do well in your career. Travel to remote event locations can require a significant investment of your company’s time and money; even more so when several employees are along for the trip. If it’s difficult (or impossible) for you to get away for the quality training you need and the industry networking opportunities you desire, check out events that are a short drive or flight away.In ...

There’s been a significant shift in the services business over the past few years. When customer contracts begin to approach their conclusion date, most providers are very proactive and engage these clients to continue to expand their support programs. You can’t expect to automatically extend existing contracts, even if it was a common practice before. Times have changed; perhaps this change is due to the negative shift in the economy or the continued drive for efficiency in many businesses. Eit ...

It was a busy day at the Canadian IT Services and Support Community meeting, with a host of educational sessions, followed by hands-on workshop sessions to advance group initiatives. The day started out with a keynote on social media for business, generating a day-long discussion among attendees, followed by interactive sessions on cloud business opportunities, print management and an overview on warranty fraud issues.Cloud computing is an attractive solution for businesses, whether small or lar ...

Is social media a boondoggle or a valuable marketing tool for your business? That’s the question many solution providers have asked since these sites, such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter came on the scene. The attitude of many business executives is, “If you can’t provide tangible results, what good is it?” Attendees of the CompTIA Canadian IT Services and Support Community in Toronto found several answers to that question with a deep dive discussion into the opportunities available with thes ...