If you could provide Microsoft Office as a managed subscription service, would you do it? Before you answer, check out a new development from AllenPort Co. Apparently, the New Jersey-based company is working closely with Microsoft to connect the dots between Microsoft Office, Software as a Service (SaaS) and managed services.
AllenPort‘s flagship offering is the Virtual File Cabinet, which allows small businesses to:
“replace the office network by providing backup, remote access to files from any location, synchronization of any number of computers, file sharing, disaster recovery, and public and private directories … all the while maintaining high security.”
Building on that vision, AllenPort today announced a “strategic alliance with Microsoft” to:
“provide access to Microsoft Office as a subscription service through the AllenPort Virtual File Cabinet, reducing the upfront cost of acquiring these most essential software applications. By using AllenPort, businesses now have the ability to subscribe to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Exchange, and Access on any PC. AllenPort’s hybrid Software as a Service “SaaS” model makes these applications and all the user’s data available even when the user is offline.”
In some ways, AllenPort’s approach sounds similar to Google Apps and Zoho. Yes, Google and Zoho are aggressively reaching out to resellers. But I was impressed to see AllenPort reaching out directly to MSPs. In the AllenPort press release the company wrote:
“An MSP can now setup the IT for a small office: assign users, choose the software each member will need, and remotely deploy the applications in a structured file management system for an entire office, all in less than 15 minutes.”
But Does It Work?
Ah, the wonder of marketing: Two hours ago, I had never heard of AllenPort. Now, news about their apparent relationship with Microsoft is going viral.
So, I’ll offer up my usual words of caution: I haven’t tested AllenPort’s software. I don’t know if they’re a profitable, growing entity. And I find it curious that Microsoft wasn’t quoted in the AllenPort press release.
When companies announce “strategic alliances” with Microsoft, press materials typically require close scrutiny by Microsoft’s legal team. In this case, it looks like AllenPort went ahead and promoted the messaging solo.
Still, AllenPort has my attention. Office has a massive installed base. And the blending of Office with managed services and SaaS sounds like a legitimate opportunity for MSPs — assuming the solution is viable, technically and financially.
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Tags: AllenPort Co. | Google Apps | Managed Microsoft Office Services | Microsoft Office | Microsoft Office SaaS | Office Software as a Service | Zoho
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Did you say writers block a few weeks ago? Thanks for all of the great content.
Joe,
I took a look at their web site and the demos and it looks like the solution is just centralized file sharing. It does state that they can serve MS application from their file cabinet but I’d have to see how they were delivering the applications to the desktops to comment on the integration aspects. Thanks for the interesting post.
Rob
Todd: Thanks for the note. No shortage of content now. Especially as event season kicks into overdrive.
Rob: Thanks for taking a closer look. I’d love to hear from MSPs that try the service, or from MSPs that already leverage Virtual File Cabinet.
Of course, MSFT will continue to enhance its own on-demand Office options. But it’s interesting to see smaller MSPs and service providers adding their own spin on MSFT SaaS.
As the Marketing Manager for AllenPort, I was delighted to see Joe’s entry regarding our service. There were a couple of points raised that we wanted to make sure were clarified. First, even though our contact at Microsoft did not give us a quote for the press release, their legal team definitely reviewed and approved this press release.
To Rob Leon’s comment that AllenPort is just centralized file sharing… AllenPort is actually a proprietary, distributed file system that has file sharing as one of its many features. At its core, AllenPort authenticates each transaction as well as the originating user. This means we know who has the rights to access any file, and we know when a file needs to be mirrored to our servers or updated locally, and a great deal more. For example, we know when a file is being edited by two people simultaneously, and we make sure both versions of the file will be preserved. It also means that in addition to managing files, we know who has rights to open an application distributed through AllenPort. This gives AllenPort the ability to provide access to applications virtually anywhere and still protect the publishers’ rights so only licensed users can access their software.
Jocelyn: please keep us posted as you sign up customers and thx for confirming MSFT legal’s review of the of materials.