Brian Sherman Posts

 “May the dreams of your past be the reality of your future,” remains one of my favorite quotes of all time. The author is unknown, but it truly summarizes the wishes of most 12 year olds. While I’m still waiting for my own personal jet pack to be delivered, new and  innovative technologies are introduced to the masses each and every day. Imagine running into a time traveler from 1970, visiting  the local electronics store for the first time in 2010. There are a host of things he wouldn’t recogn ...

Despite the occasional news report of a major cloud outage, there is no shortage of demand for SaaS offerings these days. If you pay attention to social media sites and other online communities/message boards, you likely think the majority of technology users are logged into a cloud solution on their iPad or netbook. Truthfully, there is a great deal of progress to make before we reach that point in web-application delivery (although Apple would surely want it now), but what’s fueling all this g ...

What if a construction company decided to repeatedly add new floors to a building without reviewing the strength of the current structure? The potential for a major catastrophe (collapse) will escalate exponentially with each new block or board added to the infrastructure. That’s why they test and evaluate the current situation (building) before designing the next steps. The same philosophy should be applied to a business’ financial situation; get a full evaluation of the organization’s fiscal m ...

Healthcare IT (HIT) ostensibly is moving from a vertical market to a business segment of its own. As medical practices of all sizes strive to automate their processes, digitize their records and streamline their overall operations, solution providers have a tremendous opportunity that can transform their business as well. This is not simply a “flash in the pan” occurrence, but a market changing transformation if solution providers follow the right steps.  We're developing a se ...

Cloud and SaaS computing are all the rage these days, with a steady stream of articles, forums and vendors discussing the pros and cons of this thriving software application delivery model. The basics are pretty well understood, but there are many questions around true business opportunities and challenges for solution providers and vendors. Cloud computing is more than accessing a program through the internet; it requires a different support structure than the typical software application. Deve ...

Our new member forums, such as the IT Security Community, are generating some great discussions. In the most recent web meeting/conference call, the group of industry thought leaders (IT vendors, solution providers and tech security experts), moved the needle on some major topics. By joining a CompTIA community, members can engage with others with similar business needs, tacking projects that will advance the industry. The IT Security Community is focusing its efforts on a few key initiatives, i ...

It’s much more than a new name for an old technologyI chuckle every time I listen to a debate centered on cloud computing and SaaS being just new terms for an older application delivery system. People will go on for hours discussing the topic, and dismiss the real issue: The revolution is here, whether you like it or not, and solution providers and vendors need to understand how to make it work for their sales models.Many of you will remember the earlier versions of SaaS, either application serv ...

I’ve had the opportunity to work with many innovative business owners over the years and, while their technological and service knowledge is vast, most are quick to acknowledge their understanding of business law is limited. Recognizing this problem is the first step, with a call to a reputable lawyer the typical response when a need arises. But what about the companies that have limited resources or those that wish to learn more about legal best practices on their own? While there are websites ...

Every serious IT channel event should have some fun activities where attendees can unwind and socialize in a less formal environment, to clear out the cobwebs and enjoy some camaraderie. When combined with a charitable cause, could it get any better? At the CompTIA Annual Member Meeting in Chicago, the Creating Futures Charity Miniature Golf Classic was added to the welcome reception, producing an interactive evening of excitement and amusement.The CompTIA Educational Foundation hosted the event ...

The morning session of the Small Business Owners Community meeting, at the CompTIA Annual Members Meeting in Chicago, concluded with two members stepping forward to highlight the development of the programs they are leading. Each of the initiatives the group is working on was listed as a priority in previous meetings, and significant advances are coming from the collaborative efforts of each project team.Norbert Doeberlein, President and CEO of Netzbahn is leading the discussion on the MicroVAR, ...