Comments on: Beware the Hosting Hype Cycle http://www.mspmentor.net/2009/05/21/beware-the-hosting-hype-cycle/ Managed Services & Cloud Services Blog for VARs & MSPs Tue, 14 Feb 2012 04:20:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Joe Panettieri http://www.mspmentor.net/2009/05/21/beware-the-hosting-hype-cycle/comment-page-1/#comment-48157 Joe Panettieri Fri, 22 May 2009 21:07:41 +0000 http://www.mspmentor.net/?p=2134#comment-48157 Steve@6: Thanks for clarifying your role and company focus. Appreciate you looping back with us. We thrive on reader comments and value them. But I always push participants to say where they're from, who they represent, etc. It helps readers make more informed decisions, etc. -jp Steve@6: Thanks for clarifying your role and company focus. Appreciate you looping back with us. We thrive on reader comments and value them. But I always push participants to say where they’re from, who they represent, etc. It helps readers make more informed decisions, etc.
-jp

]]> By: Steve Lesem http://www.mspmentor.net/2009/05/21/beware-the-hosting-hype-cycle/comment-page-1/#comment-48156 Steve Lesem Fri, 22 May 2009 20:59:32 +0000 http://www.mspmentor.net/?p=2134#comment-48156 Joe - First, so your readers know, I work for Mezeo. Also, I mean that Mezeo gets it in two ways: (1) Mezeo's leadership team is from the Hosting space (VeriCenter, sold to SunGard in 2007) and (2) our offering is designed for hosters to deploy the infrastructure and take the cloud storage solution to market themselves and/or as a while label offering that MSP's can take to market in partnership with the infrastructure provider. We strongly believe that MSPs will play a significant role in taking cloud storage to their customers, and have designed our solution accordingly. Thanks for continuing this important discussion. Joe – First, so your readers know, I work for Mezeo. Also, I mean that Mezeo gets it in two ways: (1) Mezeo’s leadership team is from the Hosting space (VeriCenter, sold to SunGard in 2007) and (2) our offering is designed for hosters to deploy the infrastructure and take the cloud storage solution to market themselves and/or as a while label offering that MSP’s can take to market in partnership with the infrastructure provider. We strongly believe that MSPs will play a significant role in taking cloud storage to their customers, and have designed our solution accordingly. Thanks for continuing this important discussion.

]]> By: Joe Panettieri http://www.mspmentor.net/2009/05/21/beware-the-hosting-hype-cycle/comment-page-1/#comment-48154 Joe Panettieri Fri, 22 May 2009 18:53:15 +0000 http://www.mspmentor.net/?p=2134#comment-48154 John: Good to hear from you again. Thanks for the perspectives. Readers: John's company is involved in a federated data center/cloud service of sorts, which extends a range of services across multiple third-party data centers. MSPs plug into the system (a grid of sorts, I believe) and pay for only the selected resources they use. I learned a bit about 6Fusion st the Ingram Micro Seismic Partner Summit and I still have the notes from the discussion. Now, I just need to find time to transform the notes into a blog ;-) John: Good to hear from you again. Thanks for the perspectives.

Readers: John’s company is involved in a federated data center/cloud service of sorts, which extends a range of services across multiple third-party data centers. MSPs plug into the system (a grid of sorts, I believe) and pay for only the selected resources they use. I learned a bit about 6Fusion st the Ingram Micro Seismic Partner Summit and I still have the notes from the discussion. Now, I just need to find time to transform the notes into a blog ;-)

]]> By: John Cowan http://www.mspmentor.net/2009/05/21/beware-the-hosting-hype-cycle/comment-page-1/#comment-48145 John Cowan Fri, 22 May 2009 13:51:00 +0000 http://www.mspmentor.net/?p=2134#comment-48145 Joe - I think you probably know where we stand on the issue at 6fusion. We couldn't agree more. One of the reasons why we created our demarcation point at the utility infrastructure level was because MSPs, big or small, need to have a blank canvass of sorts. The ability to customize and tailor the suite of applications you go to market with is critical, which leads to piece of advice I tried to convey during my keynote at the Ingram show in Dallas a few weeks ago: Maintain control over your customer and avoid the silos or buckets of service that can fragment your vision of delivering on the "Managed Services" vision. In order for the cloud or utility based computing to really succeed in the channel it must have multi-industry relevance and vertical-application integration. If there is no possible way that the same partner you choose can also (even if it isn't today) foresee helping you run your client's vertical Line of Business application (particularly the legacy ones) in the cloud too, chances are they are one (maybe two) trick pony. This is a tell-tale sign that you should look elsewhere to partner. In my opinion, the *only* way for an MSP to deliver a consistent IT service offering is by achieving a state where on premise and 'in the cloud' is truly transparent. On a more macro level, this is also why we see such disparity in market predictions for cloud computing versus net SMB spending. Check out our blog post regarding The Long Tail of Cloud Computing here: http://6fusion.wordpress.com/2009/05/16/the-long-tail-of-cloud-computing/ Joe – I think you probably know where we stand on the issue at 6fusion. We couldn’t agree more. One of the reasons why we created our demarcation point at the utility infrastructure level was because MSPs, big or small, need to have a blank canvass of sorts. The ability to customize and tailor the suite of applications you go to market with is critical, which leads to piece of advice I tried to convey during my keynote at the Ingram show in Dallas a few weeks ago: Maintain control over your customer and avoid the silos or buckets of service that can fragment your vision of delivering on the “Managed Services” vision. In order for the cloud or utility based computing to really succeed in the channel it must have multi-industry relevance and vertical-application integration. If there is no possible way that the same partner you choose can also (even if it isn’t today) foresee helping you run your client’s vertical Line of Business application (particularly the legacy ones) in the cloud too, chances are they are one (maybe two) trick pony. This is a tell-tale sign that you should look elsewhere to partner. In my opinion, the *only* way for an MSP to deliver a consistent IT service offering is by achieving a state where on premise and ‘in the cloud’ is truly transparent. On a more macro level, this is also why we see such disparity in market predictions for cloud computing versus net SMB spending. Check out our blog post regarding The Long Tail of Cloud Computing here: http://6fusion.wordpress.com/2009/05/16/the-long-tail-of-cloud-computing/

]]> By: Joe Panettieri http://www.mspmentor.net/2009/05/21/beware-the-hosting-hype-cycle/comment-page-1/#comment-48138 Joe Panettieri Fri, 22 May 2009 03:37:51 +0000 http://www.mspmentor.net/?p=2134#comment-48138 Jim@1: Thanks for the perspectives. I think Microsoft's SaaS strategy is going to upset some MSPs and VARs for the short term. But the company is insanely loyal to the channel and I suspect trial and error will allow Microsoft SaaS to gradually connect with MSPs. Steve@2: All comments are welcome. But can you (A) disclose if you're working with Mezeo and (B) tell us why you think Mezeo "gets it"? I recognize your name. But for MSPmentor readers who aren't familiar with Mezeo and your role at the company, please feel free to give them the proper context for your comments. Thanks. Jim@1: Thanks for the perspectives. I think Microsoft’s SaaS strategy is going to upset some MSPs and VARs for the short term. But the company is insanely loyal to the channel and I suspect trial and error will allow Microsoft SaaS to gradually connect with MSPs.

Steve@2: All comments are welcome. But can you (A) disclose if you’re working with Mezeo and (B) tell us why you think Mezeo “gets it”? I recognize your name. But for MSPmentor readers who aren’t familiar with Mezeo and your role at the company, please feel free to give them the proper context for your comments. Thanks.

]]> By: Steve Lesem http://www.mspmentor.net/2009/05/21/beware-the-hosting-hype-cycle/comment-page-1/#comment-48136 Steve Lesem Fri, 22 May 2009 03:06:47 +0000 http://www.mspmentor.net/?p=2134#comment-48136 Mezeo sells a deployable platform that allows hosters to stand up a cloud storage solution, like Rackspace CloudFiles or Amazon S3. Further, Mezeo encourages hosters to develop a distribution channel of MSPs for their Cloud Stoarage services. Mezeo gets it! Mezeo sells a deployable platform that allows hosters to stand up a cloud storage solution, like Rackspace CloudFiles or Amazon S3. Further, Mezeo encourages hosters to develop a distribution channel of MSPs for their Cloud Stoarage services. Mezeo gets it!

]]> By: Jim Van http://www.mspmentor.net/2009/05/21/beware-the-hosting-hype-cycle/comment-page-1/#comment-48133 Jim Van Thu, 21 May 2009 23:21:32 +0000 http://www.mspmentor.net/?p=2134#comment-48133 Great insight, Joe! There are many small and/or aspiring MSPs who have the knowledge, but not the financial wherewithall to invest in their own fully hosted solutions, or, the money could be better spent somewhere else. My partner Deb and I view ourselves in more of a consultant role than just pure service delivery. And to that point, we've been outsourcing our hosting solutions for some time. It's made it possible for us to grow at a steady clip, even in this economic environment, and to provide our clients with best in class services and solutions. I particularly appreciate your heads up regarding Microsoft. I also think they are going to take a big leap into this environment, and, in their typical fashion, will ultimately need to look to the channel to gain marketshare.... Jim Van Logicomm, Inc. http://www.logicomm-inc.com Great insight, Joe! There are many small and/or aspiring MSPs who have the knowledge, but not the financial wherewithall to invest in their own fully hosted solutions, or, the money could be better spent somewhere else.

My partner Deb and I view ourselves in more of a consultant role than just pure service delivery. And to that point, we’ve been outsourcing our hosting solutions for some time. It’s made it possible for us to grow at a steady clip, even in this economic environment, and to provide our clients with best in class services and solutions.

I particularly appreciate your heads up regarding Microsoft. I also think they are going to take a big leap into this environment, and, in their typical fashion, will ultimately need to look to the channel to gain marketshare….

Jim Van
Logicomm, Inc.
http://www.logicomm-inc.com

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