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IBM’s X-force security report is out, and the news is alarming: the number of “exploitable options in computer programs,” according to VentureBeat, grew 36 percent this year. Web apps and cloud-computing security threats are the drivers, IBM says. The company says that the security vulnerabilities in web apps have grown 55 percent year-over-year, and threats via the PDF format increased by 37 percent. Phishing, however, fell 82 percent for the same period.

So, the question falls to you: how do you approach your clients about security exposures? As an IT solution provider, your role is to help your clients understand the risks they face and develop remedies that will help them move forward confidently in a secure, stable and reliable environment.

If you haven’t spoken with your clients about security yet, now is the time.

[via VentureBeat]

Right now, the buzz around cloud computing is endless. But, it’s just the latest trend. In the past, it’s been B2B marketplaces, best-of-breed solutions for targeted business challenges and even the internet as a whole. The hidden cost of innovation is that IT solution provider’s need to explain the value and viability of these emerging technologies to skeptical decision-makers who are heavily invested in the status quo. Eventually, you know, today’s innovation will become tomorrow’s legacy platform, but that doesn’t make getting over the hump any easier.

So, how do you approach a CIO or IT director with something new, like private cloud computing solution?

Well, cautiously.

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If you aren’t thinking about cloud computing yet, it’s time for you to start. Now. Seriously. Sure, there’s been a lot of buzz around this for a while, and IT buyers are starting to buy into cloud computing services (especially in the small and medium-sized business segment). Services are popping up from some of the strongest brands in the IT industry, including EMC’s cloud-optimized storage, VMWare’s vCloud and Cisco’s cloud computing overlay for unified service delivery. But, the most interesting indicator of cloud adoption is that IT departments are hiring for it.

Your clients are so committed to exploring cloud computing that they are adding to their departments – in a tough market. According to a report by InfoWorld, mentions of “cloud computing” in job posts on Indeed.com are up 350,000 percent since January 2008.

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