D-day is nearly here. Microsoft is expected to launch a range of Software as a Service (SaaS) applications — known as the Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS) — in October. The BPOS offering could wind up competing head-on against some managed service providers. Here’s why.
The BPOS suite will include Microsoft Exchange Online, Microsoft SharePoint Online, Microsoft Office Live Meeting conferencing, Microsoft Office Communications Online and Microsoft Online Administration Center, reports All About Microsoft.
The Google Factor
This is a tricky time for Microsoft and the company’s channel partners. Although Microsoft has been fiercely loyal to VARs and solutions providers for more than two decades, the software giant must now deal with the realities of cloud computing and SaaS — where successful vendors from Google to Salesforce.com often deal directly with customers.
MSP industry leaders have mixed feelings about Microsoft’s strategy. “Microsoft is in a bad situation,” notes ConnectWise CEO Arnie Bellini. “Google is forcing their hand. I think they [Microsoft] are still trying to respect the channel but are also trying to fend off Google. I have them on my watch list [for competition], but think they will end up being a big ally of the IT Solution provider channel.”
Marching Forward
Instead of watching Microsoft’s strategy unfold, many MSPs are expanding their own hosted Microsoft solutions. At the MSPAlliance’s Managed Services Summit in Chicago, Intermedia announced a SaaS partner program. The program for MSPs focused on such hosted applications as Microsoft Dynamics CRM, SharePoint, Exchange Server and Office Communications Server 2007.
Also at the Managed Services Summit, the MSPAlliance and Microsoft announced a relationship that allows the MSPAlliance Accreditation test to recognize Microsoft certified professionals, and vice versa. (Here’s the official release from MSPAlliance.)
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Posted In: Software as a Service and Hardware as a Service
Tags: ConnectWise CEO Arnie Bellini | Intermedia | Managed Service Provider | Managed Services | Microsoft BPOS | Microsoft Business Productivity Online Suite | MSPAlliance Accreditation Program
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I was just at a session about this program at the MSFT Across America Tech Days taking place in Atlanta. This was a session on Wednesday. This session was just for the partners and the entire conversation was framed from a perspective of bundling these services or hosting for a $15/user/month charge wholesale to the partners. There was an emphasis both on the BPOS suite and on the additional services, managed or data migration, etc etc as the additional opportunities to make $$. I have a copy of the presentation and a link on my other computer that I’d be glad to post about it if you guys haven’t seen (or can’t access) it.
I was there just to learn and network of course with the partners. I don’t sell anything from MSFT or any other tech co…
Stu: Sure, we’d love to see the content and the links. Please send them along. And thanks for posting the comment. I do believe MSFT is trying its best to include partners in this process. But you know they’ve also got to be frustrated by the direct-sales success of many SaaS companies.
Joe,
How long do you think we have in till M$ launches expands the product line up to include Office and data storage?
We are days away from our own public launch, we’ll be offering a complete hosted solution including; Office, Exchange, OCS, Unified Messaging, VOIP Integration, Sharepoint, and client custom applications. Interest from our client base has been much higher than we anticipated, with several customer signing up in advance.
Nick: Sounds like you’re ahead of MSFT’s own efforts
Ultimately, all software will be a hybrid of local (on hard drive) and SaaS. A prime example: I just got an EeePC sub-notebook (Netbook) from Asus. It makes heavy use of online Google Apps, but some of the files can be stored locally.
Also of note: Novell and Wyse just launched Linux thin clients that make use of SaaS apps. They feel and look like notebook PCs, but are designed to leverage the cloud and servers.
I don’t know when Microsoft will “get there” but we’ve got a clear picture of where they’re heading… Into the clouds.