Opinion

Opinion

• Things to consider before signing off on PR

  Are you an MSP or channel partner looking for a good PR and/or content agency? Gina Hough, managing director at MCC Int Ltd, reckons it’s all about being prepared  Continue Reading

• VMware was the crown jewel in the EMC deal

  As Dell announces plans to spin off VMware, Billy MacInnes casts an eye over the latest development  Continue Reading

• Spectrum could set new standards for broadband in the UK

  Local providers are shaking up the comms market and Nick Booth gets the chance to catch up with the head of one of those making waves  Continue Reading

• It’s time for the channel to stand up and be counted on sustainability

  With e-waste volumes growing, Tim Westbrook, director at Stone Group, argues that now is the time for the channel to show how it can help to tackle the sustainability problem  Continue Reading

• The evolution of the channel partner: control the narrative to increase your sales

  Johnny Carpenter, vice-president of EMEA sales at iland, shares some advice for partners looking to increase their sales in a post-pandemic world  Continue Reading

• If Levity creates an artificial intelligence DIY boom, we’ll all be laughing

  Low-code systems allow anyone to have a go at artificial intelligence, but will that allow any hacker to have a go at your insecurities?  Continue Reading

• Sustainability remains the real challenge of our times

  The coronavirus might have dominated a lot of the headlines, but climate change remains a real threat to mankind  Continue Reading

• How to address Covid-19 in the long run and maintain a healthy business

  Christian Alvarez, senior vice-president of worldwide channels at Nutanix, shares his advice around adapting to the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic  Continue Reading

• Is virtual learning the future of work?

  The way we all consume learning has changed significantly over the past year thanks to Covid-19, and it might never quite be the same again  Continue Reading

• Smart buildings: Shaping how we live and work in 2021

  Changes are coming in the way that people work, says Matthew Margetts, director of sales and marketing at Smarter Technologies  Continue Reading

• Hope for the best and prepare for the worst: An insight into the future of data protection

  A number of vendors operating in the data management space share their views on why it is so important to encourage customers to prepare for every eventuality  Continue Reading

• The cyber security channel – what’s in store for 2021?

  Ben Richardson, head of channel EMEA at Forcepoint, shares his thoughts about what cyber security could look like in the year ahead  Continue Reading

• Ransomware has MSPs in its sights

  Peter Geytenbeek, senior manager of channels EMEA at Thycotic, shares a warning about the need for managed service providers to take their own security seriously  Continue Reading

• The problems of brand association

  Billy MacInnes wonders whether SolarWinds MSP partners might have been asked some questions over the past few weeks  Continue Reading

• Fundamental principles for channel business success

  Steven Santini, UK&I channel director of Schneider Electric, shares his thoughts around just what underpins a winning approach  Continue Reading

• How has the cloud changed life? Let's ask a vendor and channel player

  The cloud has changed the way many of us operate, and Nick Booth has gone out to take a closer look via a couple of examples  Continue Reading

• Why consultation helps IT service providers keep customers for longer

  Managed service providers need to focus on the ‘partner’ aspect of their role, says Mav Turner, group vice-president of products for SolarWinds MSP  Continue Reading

• Covid-19 pandemic highlights a crisis of data

  Paul Evans, CEO of Redstor, shares his views about why he feels the ‘new normal’ offers unprecedented opportunities  Continue Reading

• The sustainability challenge

  Epson research indicates that users do care about sustainability, but it's not as easy as just tapping into that sentiment  Continue Reading

• There is no one-size-fits-all

  Vendors would like to think that they understand partners but as Billy MacInnes points out that is a hard challenge when so many are different from each other  Continue Reading

• It’s not personal

  Billy MacInnes shares a few thoughts on the industry’s love of the word ‘consumer’  Continue Reading

• Unravelling encryption

  Nigel Thorpe, technical director at SecureAge explores the myths and mis-selling of encryption and explains why it’s all about the data  Continue Reading

• How can technology businesses make a safe return to business?

  Miriam Murphy, senior vice-president at Tech Data Advanced Solutions, shares her thoughts about how we can start to get back to more normal working practices  Continue Reading

• How the GSI partner model has supported customers with distributed workforces

  Adam Tarbox, director of the global system integrator business for EMEA at Nutanix, shares his thoughts about the impact of the pandemic and the GSI partner model  Continue Reading

• Content is king, but context is queen

  Context is having a major impact on those making the buying decisions as artificial intelligence spreads its reach even further  Continue Reading

• Four disciplines for maintaining staff productivity to meet service level agreements in pandemic

  Datto’s vice-president of engineering for remote monitoring and management, Ian van Reenen, shares some views about productivity during the current crisis  Continue Reading

• Enhancing the conference call experience

  The use of collaborative tools has exploded – and so have efforts to make sure staff don’t fall asleep during the calls  Continue Reading

• Building the workplace of the future

  Technology has evolved in the office, but are companies prepared for the next step?  Continue Reading

• Providing more value to your customers over time

  Maintaining your client base means your technology offerings, services and reporting must evolve  Continue Reading

• All to gain: Unlocking the potential of a diverse and inclusive workforce

  We look at the business benefits of opening the doors to a diverse workforce  Continue Reading

• What if we could learn IT skills at the speed of hackers?

  IT training is not a marathon, but maybe it is a Skill Sprint, writes Nick Booth  Continue Reading

• HDD’s big comeback

  Hard disk drives are going to remain a key part of a reseller’s portfolio, especially as larger capacity drives come to market  Continue Reading

• Channel relationships really matter

  The chief executive and founder of security distributor e92plus, Mukesh Gupta, shares his thoughts about the help his firm can deliver right now  Continue Reading

• What will the next phase of working look like due to Covid-19?

  Andy Jane, CTO at Olive Communications, looks back at the past couple of weeks as the UK has been on lockdown to see how businesses have coped during the initial stage of the Covid-19 coronavirus crisis  Continue Reading

• Coronavirus: Tech to the rescue

  It has largely been technology that has kept workers productive and the kids entertained during the Covid-19 coronavirus lockdown, says Billy MacInnes  Continue Reading

• Tech Data has a taste for Apple

  Company’s recent results got Billy MacInnes wondering about the importance of the relationship between the distributor and its key vendor  Continue Reading

• Intelligent data management

  We look at artificial intelligence for data management – what it means, what it does and why businesses need it  Continue Reading

• Covid-19: Let's get through this together

  The channel has always been about people at its heart, and as we all struggle to get through the coronavirus crisis, let's not forget to look out for each other  Continue Reading

• Building customer trust with an open approach

  In the final piece of our three-part series, Barracuda’s director International talks of the importance of delivering promises and being honest about services to build customer trust  Continue Reading

• Maximising manpower for business customers

  With IT teams struggling with a lack of manpower and skills to cope with the increase security demands on networks, MSPs can provide a welcome relief. In the second of a three-part series, we look at the growing need for managed security service ...  Continue Reading

• How managed services can help SME security teams take back their time

  For those uncertain about investing in managed services in 2020, doing so could be the answer to freeing up your IT team to turn its attention to areas where it’s needed most. In the first of a three-part series, we look at the services you will need  Continue Reading

• Cancellation of MWC will leave a gap

  For those who wanted trade shows to die, the unexpected cancellation of Mobile World Congress could highlight the weakness of their argument  Continue Reading

• Voice is never going away, says Natterbox CEO

  Neil Hammerton at Natterbox tells Nick Booth how some of the issues he experienced with the NHS recently might have been eased with technology  Continue Reading

• Zero clients: The future of mobile security for the channel?

  As cyber attacks and security breaches continue to grow, IT managers are seeking new ways to secure their critical business data. While thin clients have been a good option in the past, they have limited benefits for remote working. That is where ...  Continue Reading

• Digital transformation for print: Four traps to avoid

  In the final part of her series on the world of print, Nicola Narey looks at how print providers can keep on the straight and narrow  Continue Reading

• Moving with the times – how PSPs can adapt their skills for the digital age

  In the first part of her two-part series on the world of print, Quadient’s Nicola Narey shares her views on why print service providers need to evolve their businesses  Continue Reading

• Distribution – the new queen of reinvention

  The IT world is all too aware of the increasing speed of reinvention, says Jonathan Wagstaff, Exertis Group, business intelligence manager  Continue Reading

• The catch-22 of cyber security

  The cyber security industry is booming, which is good news for the channel – but that means the cyber threat is increasing too  Continue Reading

• IT security is broken: Six ways partners can help fix it

  Many organisations have numerous non-integrated security point products installed across their enterprise, the management of which is a huge challenge. Here, we discuss how partners can help their customers to adopt a more holistic approach to ...  Continue Reading

• Beware of falling for the hype machine

  With more companies resorting to hyperbole to sell products, Billy MacInnes warns of the necessity to see past exaggeration and look at the true effectiveness of products and technology  Continue Reading

• Distribution model is alive and well

  Warren Buffett’s interest in Tech Data represents a very strong endorsement of distribution and the channel’s role  Continue Reading

• Why are software development houses switching to no-code?

  No-code platforms for application development offer the advantages of speed and ease of use, and help firms escape developer skills shortages. Will the UK follow the Netherlands’ lead in taking up this approach?  Continue Reading

• Opportunities and threats with Microsoft 365 Business Voice

  The latest announcement from Microsoft brings significant business benefits and increased revenue to its resellers  Continue Reading

• IoT security: A winning strategy for MSSPs

  Don’t let your clients’ IoT initiatives make them vulnerable to cyber attacks  Continue Reading

• AI: The smart side of surveillance

  Surveillance combined with artificial intelligence allows fast and superior levels of data analysis and reaction to make smart, informed decisions  Continue Reading

• What’s in a name? Inside sales versus telesales

  Inside sales seems much the same as telesales, only dressed up for the modern age. What's brought the change about and is it really so different from what we already know?  Continue Reading

• What resellers want: Countering customer frustrations

  Alex Tatham, managing director of Westcoast, discusses his conclusions from the results of the company’s recent survey  Continue Reading

• Changing of the guard: Will technology leaders soon set business strategy?

  IT must increasingly align with the business to keep up with modern customer demands, leading to a change of how the technology leadership role is performed  Continue Reading

• Digital transformation: How far are we really in the journey?

  Are customers really in as much of a hurry to digitally transform as the shrillest advocates of the technology would like us to believe?  Continue Reading

• Will IAM make you more secure in a less secure world?

  There are growing opportunities for the channel with identity and access management, as migration to hybrid environments gains pace  Continue Reading

• The five challenges SMEs face due to poor internet connectivity

  What are the leading problems for small to medium-sized enterprises when it comes to internet connectivity?  Continue Reading

• Westcoast and iland present a tale of two disties

  Talking to just a couple of distributors reveals the evolution and determination from those firms to remain ahead of the market  Continue Reading

• What can IT providers learn from the Tortoiseshell Group attack

  Following recent news around the Tortoiseshell Group attack targeting IT providers in Saudi Arabia, Alex Bransome discusses what IT providers can learn from the attack and advises on ways to reduce the risk of supply chain attacks  Continue Reading

• Supporting intelligent workspaces

  As new technology continues to drive new ways of working, IT departments need support in facilitating the flexibility and connectivity demanded by today’s tech-savvy workforce  Continue Reading

• Commercial PC growth better for channel than consumer PC growth

  The commercial PC segment experienced a 15% sales increase in July, while consumer sales dropped by 2% – but that’s better than the other way round  Continue Reading

• Are you ready to trade with the world on Brexit day?

  While some claim there are no freight management systems in place to help businesses trade after Brexit, the vendors of such systems – both traditional and newer, more user-friendly versions – would disagree  Continue Reading

• The hybrid cloud and clearing technical debt

  When done properly, hybrid infrastructure can deliver efficiency, cost savings and performance, but with so many options available, good advice from a channel partner is key to achieving these benefits  Continue Reading

• What makes a great managed security service provider?

  With an increasingly challenging threat landscape, being a successful MSSP can be a struggle. Making sure customers stay safe is critical to the success of your business, which is why understanding what makes a great MSSP is crucial for you to be ...  Continue Reading

• Brexit: the demo and the reality

  IT industry should make it clear whether the “technological solutions” being bandied about by politicians to solve the Irish border problem are realistic  Continue Reading

• Friction between management and employees exacerbates insider threat

  Research revealing disparity between workers’ and bosses’ views on data security could shed more light on insider threat  Continue Reading

• How to block DDoS attacks using automation

  Automation can significantly improve response times during a distributed denial of service attack, reducing the potential damage to targeted organisations  Continue Reading

• Securing SD-WAN – beyond the base level

  Software-defined networks has sophisticated security features built in, but additional layers of security are required to ensure robust protection against increasingly advanced cyber threats  Continue Reading

• What are the risks of not responding to a critical alarm in time?

  When selling management tools, managed service providers need to educate users about the importance of acting on the alarms generated by such equipment  Continue Reading

• Apstra stops the cyber criminals from loitering with intent

  Intent-based networking fine-tunes all the complicated variables that influence the performance of a network infrastructure and can head off any potential cock-ups  Continue Reading

• Why organisations cannot afford to get carried away with contact centre success

  To build sustainable success in the contact centre world, you need a strong focus on business goals, incremental business gains, teamwork and a culture based on trust  Continue Reading

• Shifting business model to benefit from the rise in cloud

  Channel partners will need to undergo their own version of digital transformation to take full advantage of the shift to cloud  Continue Reading

• How to train channel staff

  Having trained staff leads to better growth for your business and is something the channel needs to focus on – but how to go about it?  Continue Reading

• Save your tiers – Infosec 2019 could be the start of a common-sense revolution, says Becrypt

  There are changes afoot in the infosecurity market, with Deep Secure seeking partners’ help in fighting the curse of steganography, Ignition Technology’s identity offering creating appeal beyond the IT department, and Becrypt taking its disk ...  Continue Reading

• Scaling new heights

  In the third and final part in his series, Predatar’s Alistair Mackenzie considers the top four technological challenges businesses are likely to face when they’re looking to scale their recurring revenue model  Continue Reading

• Security chiefs: don’t ignore the 5G future, it’s coming fast

  The benefits of 5G are numerous, but so are its challenges. Greg Day, vice-president and CSO, EMEA, at Palo Alto Networks, discusses what security executives need to know  Continue Reading

• How to make channel sales work

  To be effective in channel sales, you have to be a great project manager, able to influence without formal organisational power and operate effectively at every level in an organisation. Read on for advice on how to succeed  Continue Reading

• A bridge too VAR

  The expedition from VAR to MSP is not short of challenges but, equipped with the right map, ambitious companies can feel more confident in getting past first base. In the second part of his series, Predatar CEO Alistair Mackenzie takes a closer look...  Continue Reading

• A private matter for Zuckerberg

  Has Facebook boss seen the light on user privacy?  Continue Reading

• Ransomware and the danger of MSP lock-out

  Recent attacks on managed service providers have highlighted remote monitoring and management vulnerabilities, reinforcing the need for a security-centric approach in MSPs’ foundational practices  Continue Reading

• Continuum says there’s money in cyber crime, but SignIn pulls us back from the brink

  Cyber crime looks like child’s play in TV dramas – and could the visitor’s book at datacentres be a weak link in security?  Continue Reading

• VAR from the madding crowd

  Predatar’s CEO reflects on the transformation from VAR to MSP, highlighting some of the key milestones and the obvious pitfalls to avoid  Continue Reading

• Why software patch management matters

  When building a business case for software patch management, focus on its ability to protect against malware, ransomware, phishing and other security threats, thereby reducing the risk of downtime  Continue Reading

• Why insider threat is like a travel-sick dog

  Asking employees to follow best security practices is rather like having a travel-sick dog – you can hope for best behaviour, but sometimes all you can do is clean up the mess  Continue Reading

• How resellers can cash in by making their clients Siccura

  Security should be the most exciting sector in IT, yet the marketing is dull and unimaginative. We need stories of cops and robbers, not another set of meaningless statistics  Continue Reading

• The security challenges of OT and how the IT department can help

  Operational technology comes with its own unique challenges and benefits, but the IT department can shine a light on how to tackle its security issues  Continue Reading

• Making the business case to create a successful IoT initiative

  The internet of things has the potential to address multiple business objectives, but it is not a miracle technology that will provide business benefit in isolation – true value comes only when the wider challenges are considered across all ...  Continue Reading

• Help us to help you – how the customer-first model helps you empower your business

  We are in the middle of the fourth industrial revolution, with technologies such as the internet of things, data analytics, artificial intelligence and cloud-based business management tools a regular talking point. But technology alone won’t solve ...  Continue Reading

• Nand, flash, SSDs and HDDs – what’s happening?

  It is estimated that the world creates 2.5 quintillion bytes of data every day. How will storage technology cope?  Continue Reading

• Eight tips to lead your prospect from discovery to purchase

  With stronger competition than ever, it can be difficult for the channel to help their teams succeed in their sales proposals – here are eight tips to help you on your way  Continue Reading

• The channel is really big business

  Channel revenues at Dell have gained the attention of quite a few industry watchers, Billy MacInnes included  Continue Reading

• What do crystals, glass and DNA have in common?

  DNA, glass and crystal have an unexpected common link – they are all innovative new ways to meet the growing demand to store vast amounts of data  Continue Reading

• What has the channel ever done for digital transformation?

  How the channel can play an important role in the drive for digital transformation  Continue Reading

• Botnets and machine learning: A story of hide and seek

  As security practitioners develop new ways to keep cyber threats at bay, so malware authors continue to update their software and evolve their techniques to take advantage of new technologies and bypass security measures. Machine learning has proved...  Continue Reading

• Drive that growth through the channel

  Avaya’s comments about increasing revenues via partners have got the thumbs-up from Billy MacInnes, who hopes it will act as an example to others  Continue Reading

• Channelling the cloud – building healthy CSP relationships

  Creating a successful relationship with cloud service providers is essential for channel partners looking to increase their cloud portfolio. iLand 's director of channel sales has five tips to make the most of the opportunity  Continue Reading