Thrive Networks is proud to have been ranked #23 on MSPmentor’s Top 100 Managed Service Providers List for 2010-11. This is the third straight year that Thrive is being recognized as one of the most progressive Managed Service Providers (MSP) in the world.
Thrive improved on its 2009-2010 MSPmentor ranking by jumping 15 spots. This is one of the largest improvements of all MSPs that appeared on both lists.
The MSPmentor 100
The MSPmentor 100 is an annual research report from MSPmentor and its owner, Nine Lives Media Inc., MSPmentor is widely considered the ultimate guide to managed services and the leading global destination for managed service providers. Nominees were evaluated in a range of industry-specific categories including:
- Annual managed services revenue (2010)
- Annual managed services revenue growth (2010 vs. 2009, in U.S. dollars)
- Annual managed services revenue growth (2010 vs. 2009, percentage growth)
- Percentage of overall revenue from managed services (2010)
- Devices/seats managed (2010)
- Devices/seats managed, annual growth (2010 vs.2009) in raw numbers)
- Devices/seats managed, percentage growth (2010 vs. 2009)
- Recurring revenue per full-time employee (2010)
This methodology ensures small, midsize and large MSPs from around the world are recognized on the MSPmentor 100.
More
Choosing the right smartphone for both business and pleasure can be a daunting task. There are many choices these days that make the decision making process quite difficult when shopping for a new device.
Historically, BlackBerry has been the go-to device for business professionals. The iPhone has MS Exchange integration and loads of useful applications which makes it worthy of consideration as well. Finally, there is the most recent favorite, a group of smartphones running the Google Android operating system.
For the past three years, I have used a BlackBerry. My first Blackberry ever was the 8830 World Edition. I loved this phone and used it for a full year until the trackball stopped working properly. I immediately moved to the fresh new (at the time) “iPhone killer”, the Storm. With its sleek touch screen and BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) integration, this phone served me well. About 1 month ago, I was ready for a new phone. I have to admit, with the growing popularity of the Android OS and the huge selection of phones available, I knew I was it was only time before I switched over. I settled with the Motorola Droid X in August 2010.
My Droid X is the ultimate device. It serves my business needs (email, calendaring, organizing) and certainly serves the inner-geek in me with such apps as “Paper Toss”. It comes bundled with a 4.3-inch 854×480 screen, 1GHz processor, 512MB RAM, 24GB storage, 8-megapixel stills, 720p HD video, HDMI Micro out, three microphones for noise cancellation and wireless N with 3G hotspot powers. I have discovered a plethora of cool apps in the short time I have had the device.
If you are currently shopping for a replacement smartphone, here are a few worthwhile Android apps geared towards fulfilling your business needs.
More
As part of my job, I evaluate technologies and help businesses decide on what technology solution is right for them. Often times, this is done by evaluating an existing network infrastructure. By understanding what is currently in place, I am able to work with management to understand how the business needs compare to the capabilities of the current systems. In many cases, I find that businesses aren’t taking full advantage of the technology solutions they have already invested in. Therefore, they aren’t getting full value for their technology investment. By not using, or at least trying to use, the majority of the new features available in a product, you may not get full value for what you paid for.
This week I would like to list the Top Features in Windows Server operating systems that go overlooked or not fully utilized.
Most Overlooked/Underused Features in Windows Server Operating Systems
More
Everyone in IT has a horror story or two when it comes to office moves. From the 5 year old server not booting up at its new location to the missing keyboards/monitors/printers and no Internet access, many interruptions to businesses can be with eliminated with proper planning and a few of these…..
Tips for a Successful Office Move
1) Order your new Internet/phone lines YESTERDAY
The most common delay in moving into new office space are delays in delivery of your Internet and phone lines from your service providers. However, this can be avoided.
More
As I left the office tonight, an intense band of thunder storms was moving quickly across Northern Mass/ Southern NH. The handful of fat but lazy raindrops that were falling as I crossed the parking lot had, by the time I reached the highway, turned into sheets of rain which were punctuated periodically by the flashing of lightning. To make matters worse, I had to stop and run an errand. Getting soaked in the process, seemed inevitable.
The rain hadn’t slowed as I stepped out of my car. Upon entering the store, while I made my way towards the back of the store, there was a sudden brown out. Power was never fully lost, but the lights dimmed and flickered for 2 or 3 seconds. Upon making my selections and heading to the counter, it became very clear that I wasn’t going anywhere.
More
Does the Head of Cardiology at a Hospital also work in the Neurology department?……No!
Is the Quarterback ever asked to play in the Secondary?…… No!
How often does the Weatherman also double as the Cameraman on the news?….. Never!
Why is this?…. Well, because heart surgeons don’t operate on brains, Tom Brady isn’t tackling anyone, and Al Roker does not know the first thing about how to work a TV camera.
Enter the CFO. The poor CFO….
He or she does not understand technology. So why then, in a small business environment, does the IT department always seem to report up to the CFO? CFOs know dollars and cents, not bits and bytes. How does a CFO know whether or not the $100,000 Purchase Request that just came for a complete network overhaul is a good investment? To make matters worse, this Purchase Request seems to be written in some strange language that only uses acronyms.
Here is the conversation that inevitably ensues:
More
If you have a large number of computers in your business, you already know that there’s more to keeping them running effectively, legally, and safely than other assets your business may require. For instance, your inventory of desks don’t generally require patches as often as your inventory of laptops; and changing a light bulb at end of life is arguably simpler and less risky than replacing one of your application servers. In fact, if your business is run on more than a trivial number of IT devices, the business of managing the information about these devices may, at times, seem like it requires more effort than the actual running of your business.
Want to get the most out of your IT investments?
Here are a few suggestions that can make a big difference:
More
On a quarterly basis, we see a significant spike in the number of hours spent on spyware cleanups. It’s one of those sad but true facts that as a managed service provider we simply must deal with. This certainly is not a part of our business that is a pleasant topic for us, but inevitably we dive and tackle what the newest variant is. It’s a pain point for our clients and, more than you would believe, for our engineers.
From an application standpoint, we do everything we can to reduce our clients’ vulnerability. This includes pressing our vendors for improvements and finding additional solutions. However, there is one sure-fire method to decreasing these incidents….
More
Wondering what you can do to improve the performance and longevity of your computer? Jim Lippie, President of Thrive Networks, was one of several industry experts asked to contribute to a SecondAct.com Technology article, “Keep Your Computer in Tip-Top Shape”. This article written by Diana McCabe explores 10 easy ways to help keep your computer running smoothly and safely.
Jim Lippie suggests the following:
More
