MSPmentor

Environmental and energy conservation issues are popular topics in the business world — and in the managed services world. Increasing energy costs and their impact on international affairs combined with increased concern about global warming and other environmental issues have shifted the social and economic consciousness of the business community.

Last year the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a study that revealed that within the last five years, the total amount of energy utilized by all domestic US Data Centers has doubled. Yet, data centers are only a part of the total business power utilization. A recent EMA survey found that workstations account for over 90% of business power consumption.

So, what is “green computing”? Very simply, it’s the practice of implementing policies and procedures that improve the efficiency of computing resources in order to reduce the environmental impact.

But unless there is an easy way to “be green” it is likely not to be done. IT has a critical role to play in contributing to the “green initiative.” Here’s how managed service providers can assist the effort. Read More >

According to Ziff Davis Enterprise (Bright Future for Managed Service Providers, 2007), the top three issues facing MSPs today include: determining SLAs, pricing and transitioning customers to managed service.

Fortunately, MSPs can turn to key resources to help hone their skills, keep abreast of industry trends and learn from the experts. The unique needs of Managed Service Providers require access to strategic business insight for issues like business transformation, growth management, lead generation, sales training and positioning.

They also need to keep their finger on the pulse of the industry with immediate access to tools and resources that can help them to establish and maintain that competitive edge. Read More >

It’s no secret that economic indicators point to a possible US recession in 2008. Financial markets have recently declined, driving key stock indexes to their lowest levels in more than a year. In an economic downturn, some businesses are more vulnerable to recession than others.

When times get tough, people tend to tighten their belts and look for ways to fix or cut expenses and increase revenue. There are a variety of ways that businesses can leverage & better managed their IT assets to accomplish both. Read More >