MSPmentor

Autotask continues to build out its online communities, and plans to launch an online store where VARs and managed service providers will be able to license the company’s software, according to Len DiCostanzo, senior VP of professional services at Autotask.

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Welcome to MSPmentor Live: Podcast edition.

• Episode #: 006 (May 19, 2008)
• Featured Guest: Mike Cooch, CEO, Everon Technology Services LLC, a regional solution provider that has transformed itself into a national MSP.
• Topics Covered: Key themes and trends Cooch expects to hear at the MSPAlliance’s Managed Services Summit near Boston; how to transform from a local break-fix VAR into a national MSP that has regional support partners; melding software as a service and hosting services with your MSP solutions; the economy.

And check the MSPmentor Live: Podcast Center for additional weekly podcasts.

MSPmentor Live: Podcast, Featuring Everon CEO Mike Cooch [ 7:06 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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At first glance, managed services platforms represent the perfect business opportunity for VARs. But take a closer look — and talk to companies like Kaseya and Nimsoft — and you’ll discover a completely different target customer for MSP-centric systems. Here’s the scoop.

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Even as some managed service providers begin to feel pressure from the economic slowdown, there are hints that the MSP market continues to generate healthy growth. A key example: Nimsoft, which develops IT performance and availability monitoring solutions, says it generated record Q1 results — including 83 percent recurring revenue growth.

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Tech Data has announced several new steps in its managed services efforts — including expanded initiatives with Advanced Technology Services and Zenith Infotech.

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Welcome to MSPmentor Live: Podcast edition.

• Episode #: 005 (May 15, 2008)
• Featured Guest: Cheryl Snapp Conner, managing partner, Snapp Conner PR.
• Topics Covered: Why small MSPs need PR strategies; how Web 2.0 technologies are impacting PR; when and why MSPs should launch their own PRs; the biggest PR mistakes small tech companies make; how to measure the effectiveness of your PR efforts.

And check the MSPmentor Live: Podcast Center for additional weekly podcasts.

MSPmentor Live: Podcast 005, Featuring PR Guru Cheryl Snapp Conner Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Tech Data, the big IT distributor, is particularly active today. The company is hitting the wires with three VAR- and MSP-related announcements. I hear more news related to managed service providers could be coming in the next few days.

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When it comes to automation, it may seem as though IT departments are like the barefooted cobbler’s children. Much time and effort has been spent automating Finance, HR, Manufacturing and services. But little has been spent on automating IT. That’s changing. Here’s how.

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The pace of mergers and acquisitions in the managed services market seems to be accelerating. Our MSPmentor M&A Tracker now lists 10 such deals this year — and we suspect there are dozens more that we’ve yet to hear about.

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Vertical market solutions providers are opening their wallets to acquire managed service providers. The latest example: PHNS, a solution provider to the healthcare vertical, has purchased AmeriVault — which specializes in online data backup and recovery services.

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Everyone is blogging endlessly about HP-EDS (okay, I’m guilty of it too). Valued at nearly $14 billion, HP’s buyout of EDS is big news. But IBM, ironically, may be making wiser moves with smaller, more targeted relationships in the managed services and software as a service (SaaS) markets.

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Jeff Kaplan, a SaaS and managed services thought leader at Think IT Services, has some pretty strong opinions about Hewlett-Packard’s buyout of Electronic Data Systems.

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It’s a question I get asked all the time: How much is a managed service provider (MSP) business worth, and what metrics should MSPs use to set their company valuations?

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Call it a technology paradox: Even as the managed services market grows rapidly, it also consolidates through mergers and acquisitions. The latest such deal involves two Cisco Systems partners — ePlus and Network Architects — getting together to better target commercial customers.

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If Hewlett-Packard buys Electronic Data Systems, as The Wall Street Journal is speculating, it could mean good news for managed service providers.

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When ConnectWise and Kaseya announced new cross-company efforts earlier today, it made me wonder: Which managed service platform providers are best positioned to sit at the middle of the MSP universe?

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Where is MSPmentor heading next? Glad you asked. On June 12, we’ll unveil MSPmentor Live: CEO Exchange — a fast-moving online event where you ask managed services experts your most pressing questions. Unlike a tired, traditional Webcast, this event will allow you to interact with top executives from MSPmentor 100 companies and the broader MSP industry.

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As I was scanning a few of my favorite blogs, I noticed CNet writing a bit about Untangle — the open source security gateway provider.

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I’ve been on the road all week, moderating events in New York, Minneapolis and Boston. Reliable WiFi connections have been critically important to me during this extended road trip. But unfortunately, a lot of big-name hotels and conference centers still don’t understand how to deploy and manage WiFi networks.

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I spotted a very interesting article on GigaOm today. It explores the factors you should weigh before launching your own storage cloud. It’s a particularly timely read for managed service providers that may own multiple companies, or may be seeking to get economies of scale for multiple customer settings.

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Do you know a true managed services guru? If so, nominate him or her (or multiple people) to appear on the MSPmentor 250 — the definitive, global guide to manged service provider industry leaders.

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Evidence is mounting that the software as a service (SaaS) industry is doing well — but not quite as well as financial analysts had expected. The latest anecdote comes from Blackboard Inc., a company that offers hosted applications to colleges and universities.

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First, let me clarify the headline: I’m not pressing a panic button. Cisco’s overall profits and revenues, announced May 6, were impressive. But if you’re a managed service provider, there’s a note of caution: Cisco’s sales to big U.S. service providers were weak this quarter. Here’s why managed service providers should care.

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