Brian Sherman Posts

It seems like we’ve reached a critical point in the advancement of cloud technology, with significant announcements this week from a major distributor and the company that made ‘i’ a fashionable prefix. Perhaps more significant than the players in the news is that two device-centric organizations are making major investments in the virtual world. Perhaps hell hasn’t frozen over, but it may be defrosting a bit on the edges. With the wealth of cloud offerings for business consumers to choose from, ...

It seems like we’ve reached a critical point in the advancement of cloud technology, with significant announcements this week from a major distributor and the company that made ‘i’ a fashionable prefix. Perhaps more significant than the players in the news is that two device-centric organizations are making major investments in the virtual world. Perhaps hell hasn’t frozen over, but it may be defrosting a bit on the edges. With the wealth of cloud offerings for business consumers to choose from, ...

Despite the news highlighting how much debt the federal, state and local governments have racked up, the outlook for solution providers that support this sector is still promising. While the politicians debate budget priorities, a great opportunity exists for savvy channel partners who can address a myriad of issues facing municipalities, regional agencies and other public sector groups. The technology needs for government organizations don’t differ much from business customers, although the pro ...

Remember the famous Henry Ford quote on his Model T car, “You can have it in any color, as long as it’s black?” The early days of mass production were all about making a lot of things, but none of them were complicated. Options were minimal and design wasn’t a major focus for most manufacturers, but as consumers started to demand variety, companies started to offer a larger selection of products.That’s the same transition that technology is taking today, and solution providers get to be the guid ...

While today’s the day many people are especially careful to avoid black cats, walking under ladders or spilling salt, for the rest of us, it’s just another Friday. Okay, I admit to being a little superstitious, but I am also a firm believer that we make our own luck in life and our careers. When someone works hard and focuses on accomplishing a goal, their fortunes tend to be positive. Whether that is luck or old fashioned effort is your call. The news this week concerns the fortune of the IT ...

While today’s the day many people are especially careful to avoid black cats, walking under ladders or spilling salt, for the rest of us, it’s just another Friday. Okay, I admit to being a little superstitious, but I am also a firm believer that we make our own luck in life and our careers. When someone works hard and focuses on accomplishing a goal, their fortunes tend to be positive. Whether that is luck or old fashioned effort is your call. The news this week concerns the fortune of the IT wo ...

Cloud computing, unified communications and virtualization technologies are red hot these days, capturing the attention of solution providers and the media with a number of initiatives and technology releases. Each creates new revenue and practice opportunities for channel partners, with a host of vendors and distributors jumping on the bandwagon. CompTIA has two of these covered with the Cloud and UC communities, as well as business education and tools to build successful practices in these are ...

The change of seasons may be upon us finally, with a cold and snowy winter breaking into a warm and turbulent spring. No, I’m not revisiting my Earth Day column from last Friday, but the change of seasons seems to revitalize the business community, from solution providers and their customers to the vendors and distributors. A legion of new product and service offerings are rolled out at a number of conferences and events, while many companies put their business expansion plans into action.It is ...

Today we celebrate the 42nd annual Earth Day, intended to highlight the need for global ecological consciousness and inspire people to think of new ways to preserve our planet. Quite a hefty goal, but most everyone agrees we need to do all we can to safeguard our valuable resources.In recent years, the tech community has gotten in the act with the advent of green IT, driven by a number of federal, state and local initiatives to reduce energy use and the waste associated with computing systems. T ...

I often wonder if the old spring phrase should be amended to “April tradeshows bring May flowers.” That one word substitution makes the adage quite true, as this month typically signals the kickoff to the IT channel events season. After attending an industry conference, solution providers typically come home charged and ready to make changes in their business, from new technology and service offerings to training and business development programs.Going back to the old phrase, attendance at April ...