Traditionally, of all managed services options, IT was likely to first consider managed network solutions (MNS). It was a natural evolution, partnering with other outside experts who could manage the day-to-day operations of the corporate network while IT in turn could reduce costs and focus resources toward initiatives driving business value for the organization. Then, as network security threats became a growing issue, more enterprises began adopting managed security services. Yet security has been inherent within managed networks all along, beginning even in the network design phase. More...

We are familiar with the traditional drivers of managed services, the quest for ways to lower costs and outsource routine network management so IT can divert resources to strategic initiatives. Yet companies are considering the talent within the managed services provider (MSP) partnership to be one of the determining gauges as to whether a managed services relationship is fruitful.  

Consider these elements: More...

In the old days, IT professionals were reluctant to outsource or seek a partner to help manage company networks. One of the main reasons was the perception of losing control. Today, managed services are much more pervasive across companies of all sizes and that has a lot to do with transparency and trust.

Interestingly, an online customer portal can help ease the concerns of the biggest companies. IT professionals need to know their networks are secure and in good hands. They need to know when threats arise and when they are abated. They need to know how their networks are performing and how they can be optimized. Essentially, IT needs to know they are benefitting from the expertise and assets of its managed service provider. More...

Besides the dawn of tablets and other Internet-related sensations, what else is poised to grow exponentially in the short term? The answer, says Gartner, is Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), expected to grow more than 40 percent in the next four years, reaching more than $72 billion in revenue (from less than $10 billion in 2012).

IaaS is one of three general pillars making up cloud computing services. The other two include Software-as-a-Service and Platform-as-a-Service. Says Techtarget, IaaS is a “provision model in which an organization outsources the equipment used to support operations, including storage, hardware, servers and networking components. The service provider owns the equipment and is responsible for housing, running and maintaining it.”  More...

As networks and new technology transform how business is done, the reach of what can be managed (infrastructure, applications, CPE, mobile devices, etc.) has grown, as well as what management really means (outsourcing, hosting, cloud, as-a-service, etc.). Depending on the source, anywhere between 60 and 90 percent of businesses already have a managed solution, with plans to integrate more. And the market continues to expand with a compound annual growth rate of almost 18 percent over the next four years. Why are managed solutions so popular? More...

Mobile and digital technology is becoming entrenched within the retail market. Its footprint can be seen throughout the customer lifecycle: awareness, consideration, intent, purchase, support, retention, and advocacy.

When it comes to educating and enticing the shopper - with advances in technology, including social media, mobile applications, and big data, retail is making giant strides driving awareness and influencing prospective customers.More...

While many swoon over the latest consumer technology, it is interesting to assess and consider how technology affects the customer or user experience, especially relating to the intersection of technology and privacy.

Many of today’s advancements include location-based technology, and data mining and analysis of personal and public information. Here is a look at some industries that use technology for good, and at the same time prompt the question of whether society’s acceptance of new technology is changing the notion of privacy. More...

What do the Truman Show, Face Off, and The Terminator have in common? Besides being hit movies, these films portrayed a fantasy for their time that in many ways is now becoming reality. In a recent Wall Street Journal interview between a father and son, two technologists separated by a generation, these men discussed the future of technology and how the wonders of sci-fi may not be far off.

Their comments leave you feeling that the human race is on a precipice of enormous change. They call it the “Law of Accelerating Returns,” in which technology advances exponentially. Think about that. Because of technology, more digital content is being created, consumed, shared, and stored in a single day around the world, than in all of an entire year just several years ago. That may make some of us uncomfortable,  but like so many new advancements, the initial resistance wears down to acceptance, and then finally wide-scale adoption. More...

Recently the President issued an Executive Order on cybersecurity, and it’s drawing a lot of attention. This order presents a framework for reducing cyber risks to critical infrastructure in the United States and encourages collaboration between the public and private sector. Some believe the order overreaches; others think it is not enough. Regardless of where one stands on the issue, at least it is getting people and organizations talking and problem-solving.More...

Every so often it's useful to take a pulse on privacy – what that means in our personal lives and among businesses today. It’s not just technology that is changing at a rapid pace, but data availability and information sharing as well. This brand new world, the new normal, is blurring the lines of what, if anything, is considered private. More...