Patrick Hubbard

We Can Work IT Out: The In-House IT and MSP Dynamic In-house IT professionals and managed service providers (MSPs) have had an interesting relationship over the course of IT history. Yes, they are vastly different, but if we drew a Venn diagram of IT and the MSP, the intersection of the two is worth exploring, particularly regarding how IT professionals can best manage their MSPs and work harmoniously to advance the common goal of IT performance. For IT professionals, the very utterance of the acronym "MSP" may conjure feelings of skepticism and fearing the reaper, which doesn't need to be the case. MSPs don't always equal outsourcing IT in its entirety. Let's explore common scenarios where in-house IT professionals and MSPs work together, because in these cases, in-house IT professionals need to understand how to get the most out of these relationships and up-level... (more)

IT-Cloud Services Providers | @CloudExpo @SolarWinds #API #CloudNative #AI #DX #Analytics

Who Do You Trust? Thoughts on the IT-Cloud Services Provider Relationship Trust is a fickle thing, and making the leap to fully trust someone or something isn't always easy, especially in new or unfamiliar circumstances. Take for example hybrid IT, where new cloud-based IT infrastructure has introduced a level of uncertainty, or at least less-proven technologies and processes, for IT professionals. In fact, the SolarWinds IT Trends Report 2017: Portrait of a Hybrid IT Organization explored this notion of trust in the hybrid IT era, particularly as it pertains to the IT profession... (more)

IoT Network Visibility | @ThingsExpo @SolarWinds #IoT #IIoT #M2M #API

Why Network Visibility Beyond the Firewall Is Critical in the IoT Era In the hybrid IT era, complexity is the name of the game. In fact, according to the recent SolarWinds IT Trends Report 2017, IT professionals report the number one challenge of hybrid IT is increased infrastructure complexity. Accelerating complexity is just one challenge in how hybrid IT is affecting IT departments. Internet of things (IoT) implementations are a great example of one more unexpected, emerging technology IT teams must address. In the report, IT professionals reported the second greatest challenge ... (more)

Why the C-Suite Should Look to IT to Stay Competitive By @FerventGeek | @CloudExpo #Cloud

With a Little Help from My Friends: Why the C-Suite Should Look to IT to Stay Competitive While the Beatles may not have been too concerned about cloud uptime or network security when they wrote their famous ballad, they had the right idea about turning to friends for a helping hand. It's a lesson CIOs should take to heart. After all, the IT department - including network, systems, applications and database administrators - is often the eyes, ears and hands of the CIO, providing front-line information and making recommendations on the latest technology and IT methods to ensure ... (more)