CompTIA Blog

When building a managed IT services business, the technology and service options are almost as numerous as the number of MSPs currently in the market. From multiple RMM (remote monitoring and management) software alternatives to an ample supply of online data storage solutions, the possibilities available for MSPs are exponential. When you add email management, IT security, VoIP, and other technology services solutions, it can be very complicated selecting the proper portfolio for your customers ...

Note: This is the second of eight blog entries in which I examine the 2010 managed services best practices identified in CompTIA MSP Partners’ market research.Nature confirms what we all intuitively understand - living things need time to mature before they become fruitful. None of us plant a seed in the springtime and then stand over it with a fork in hand waiting for dinner. Those of us who have teenagers can also heartily attest to this fact - fruitfulness takes time and is often preceded by ...

During CompTIA’s inaugural Annual Member Meeting, April 7-8 in Chicago, leaders in the security world delved into what it really means to provide security services and how to determine which resellers are qualified to provide them. A panel of experts shared proven approaches to vertical and niche markets and provided insights on partnering with other organizations to deliver a larger suite of security services.Moderator:Larry Walsh, Vice President and Group Publisher, Channel InsiderPanelists:St ...

Information Technology (IT) has expanded business capabilities at a rapid pace. When the PC was introduced many years ago now, it came with a promise to increase the productivity of most businesses. The next advancement in technology allowed the networking of PCs, which further enhanced organizational productivity. The third milestone was the introduction of the Internet and its promise of global productivity, which has been proven and achieved.The services component of IT started with simple co ...

The CompTIA Security Trustmark is a key differentiator for its holders, giving those CompTIA members an edge over their competition. Should CompTIA create a similar credential for Managed Services? The answer isn't obvious - issues regarding scope, varying business models and consistent metrics are just some of the challenges - but the potential benefit for MSPs is huge. Join the debate and help define the future!Facilitators:Ted Roller, Vice President Business Development North America, itContr ...

Everyone’s talking about cloud computing, but what does it really mean to your customers and for your business. Jeff Kaplan, Managing Director of THINKstrategies and the founder of the SaaS Showplace, explains the meaning of cloud computing; how this concept has gained such widespread attention; why customers are curious about its capabilities; and what IT solution providers need to do to respond and capitalize on this historic shift in the technology industry.Download or listen to the podcast h ...

The Healthcare IT market opportunity is significant and not without its challenges.  It represents one of the fastest growing sectors of the US economy and is expected to be a $50 billion plus market by 2014.What solution provider/VAR would not want to be a part of a potential $50 billion market in the coming years? Jumping in to the HIT (healthcare IT) space can indeed prove challenging, given the hand that regulation plays in this space.When key acronyms like ARRA (American Recovery and Reinve ...

I went to the Apple Store on iPad Release Day ‘just to look’ and walked right in, thinking that an inevitable sellout would make a purchase decision moot. When I asked if any were left, they had plenty, and I broke down and bought one.  I’m normally not an early adopter, but figured I’d cave to the months of hype that culminated in the hilarious Modern Family ‘adisode’.After a week and a half, here are my first set of use cases, albeit after the fact.1.      Act as a babysitter for my child - do ...

The following is a guest post from Certiport's CEO Ray Kelly.Last week we finally heard some good news about U.S. unemployment rates.  The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that public and private industry created 162,000 jobs in March, offering signs a slow economic recovery may be on the horizon.  Notably, the report did not mention the IT labor market, which is receiving mixed reviews.Every time I hear news about the economy, I am concerned for both students and IT professionals seeking emp ...

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 ...

Nominate your student for the CompTIA Educational Foundation IT Merit Awards by May 1.Recognize your outstanding students who have trained for and received a CompTIA certification. Help them win at least $250 to further their pursuit of an IT career.The IT Merit Award Scholarship program recognizes outstanding accomplishments by students and adult learners in the CompTIA Education to Careers (E2C), CompTIA Authorized Delivery Partners and existing CompTIA Learning Alliance (CLA) programs who hav ...

Sitting in the Managed IT Services discussion during the CompTIA Annual Members Meeting last week, I got the feeling the group was at a critical crossroad on one of their key initiatives; how best to build an accreditation that accomplishes the goals of the members. The objectives for a certification or business endorsement aren’t numerous, but each is crucial to the success of the program and its participants, which those in attendance grasped very well.Let’s take a step back to Dec 17, 2008, w ...

The key to selling IT security is building trust between businesses and clients, panelists at an Annual Member Meeting presentation said today.That’s important for a product that succeeds when nothing happens.“Customers small, medium, large – they need this,” said Randy Cochran, Symantec vice president of channel sales. “You are their resource.”Explaining return on investment for security solutions is different because it is more about risk management and explaining what can be avoided, said mod ...

“It takes guts to lead with love and trust!”  So began Dr. Kevin Freiberg’s passionate and energetic luncheon keynote presentation at CompTIA’s Annual Member Meeting on Thursday, April 8th.  Based on his book entitled “GUTS! Companies that Blow the Doors Off Business-as-Usual” Freiberg’s presentation was an impassioned plea for attendees to decommoditize their businesses by thinking creatively and taking risks to stand out.To illustrate this point, Freiberg asked attendees to consider if clients ...

Tim Herbert, Vice President, Research, CompTIA and Cushing Anderson, Program Vice President, Project-Based Services, IDC shared their thoughts on current and future prospects for the IT training industry during their State of the Industry Address at CompTIA Colloquium 2010 on Thursday, April 8 in Chicago.Herbert kicked off the address with a brief presentation on the challenges faced by IT decision makers from a variety of verticals. “Productivity decisions intensify during difficult economic ti ...