MSPmentor

There’s a new twist to certification in the managed services market. N-able Technologies and the MSPAlliance are jointly promoting certification and accreditation for managed service providers.

If you’re looking to save money while getting certified, this may be an option: All N-able partners will receive a 33 percent discount on the standard fee associated with MSPAlliance’s Managed Services Accreditation exam, according to a joint statement from the duo.

Further, partners that obtain MSPA accreditation and are in “good standing” with N-able will be automatically enrolled in N-able’s new MSP certification program, the duo says.

This joint announcement comes as many MSPs are weighing their options and considering the potential benefits and challenges associated with certification, as reported by MSPmentor on March 30.

Here’s some more background on the joint certification work between the MSPAlliance and N-able.

Standing Out

Basically, there’s now a clear bridge between N-able’s new MSP certification program and MSPAlliance’s Managed Services Accreditation exam. The ultimate goal, according to both firms, is to help partners more easily brand and differentiate their companies and technicians in the MSP market.

Charles Weaver, president of the MSPAlliance, has warned that the MSP market is “overwhelmed with marketing hype and false promises.” In fact, he estimates that only 5 percent of MSPs are really good at running their businesses, according to a recent article in Inc. magazine.

In a prepared statement, N-able CEO Gavin Garbutt said: “Together with MSPA, we are setting a benchmark for services excellence and enabling our partners to earn two distinct, yet complementary seals of approval that will help them differentiate their businesses, demonstrate value and build a stronger reputation of success in the eyes of their clients and manufacturer partners.”

In his personal blog, Garbutt clearly stated on March 18 that N-able was pushing forward with strategic business collaboration and technical collaboration efforts. Recent deals have involved Microsoft, Iron Mountain, and now the MSPAlliance.

Next Moves?

The MSPAlliance’s partnership with N-able begs the question: Can we expect the association to announce similar certification and discount programs with other platform providers?

In recent months, the alliance has been working more closely with key MSP platform executives. The MSPAlliance’s Vendor Advisory Board, launched in December 2007, includes N-able’s Garbutt as well as:

• Adtran VP Tim Saunders
• Asigra Executive VP Eran Farajun
• Autotask CEO Bob Godgart
• Nimsoft CEO Gary Read

We’re on deadline with a few items today. But we’re poking around to see if additional certification-type partnerships between the MSPAlliance and platform providers are in the works.

Related Coverage

• March 30, 2008: The Pros and Cons of MSP Certification
• March 12, 2008: How to Promote Your Managed Services Milestones
• February 12, 2008: More Partners Embrace Cisco’s Managed Services Program