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Seven Managed Services Blog Entries I Didn’t Have Time to Write: Oct. 16
Posted October 16th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
What a week. Our bloggers have been on the road at N-able Partner Summit, Astricon, Oracle OpenWorld and Avaya’s partner conference. Lots of fantastic blogs still to be written. Here are the seven managed services blog entries I didn’t have time to write for the week ending Oct. 16.
14 Business and Financial Tips for MSPs
Posted October 15th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
Which financial and business metrics are most important for a managed service provider to track? Larry Schulze, co-founder and principal consultant at Taylor Business Group, offered up key thoughts during the N-able Partner Summit. Here are 14 key business and financial metrics he mentioned.
N-able Launches Free Endpoint Security
Posted October 15th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
I considered multiple headlines for this blog entry. But ultimately, the story comes down to this: N-able says it’s offering roughly $75 million worth of free software — including monitoring software and endpoint security software — to help managed service providers accelerate their growth and engage more customers. Is this a publicity stunt or a game-changing move by CEO Gavin Garbutt? Here’s some analysis.
Vembu: Corporate Cloud and Consumer Cloud Storage
Posted October 15th, 2009 by Matthew Weinberger
Vembu, best known among managed service providers for their rebrandable StoreGrid, a network storage product that backs up drives locally and to Amazon’s cloud, is making a move into consumer territory. The twist is, they don’t really expect to make much money from it.
Avaya to MSPs: Have It Your Way
Posted October 14th, 2009 by Charlene OHanlon
Avaya is embracing a less-is-more philosophy regarding its managed services program for the channel. At its 2010 Global Sales and Americas Partner Conference this week in Nashville, Avaya unveiled a retooling of its managed services program. Here are the details.
MSPs Not Falling for Apple — Yet
Posted October 14th, 2009 by Dave Courbanou
As Apple marches forward in the consumer market, we decided to check in with MSPs to see if they’re increasingly specializing in Apple products and/or Apple-related services. So far, major MSP and VAR peer groups — like HTG Peer Groups — say they aren’t seeing an uptick in demand for Apple-oriented solutions. But if you look hard enough there is a small Apple MSP niche. Here’s some perspective.
MSP Cloud Forecast: Varies By Region
Posted October 14th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
As I travel from one MSP-oriented conference to the next, I’m reminded that there’s more than one way to attack the managed services market. A prime example: As the N-able Partner Summit kicks off here in Arizona, I’m hearing a healthy reality check on cloud computing. Here’s some background.
LabTech Software: Not Acquired
Posted October 14th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
The rumors are false. LabTech Software, an IT management tool provider in Ohio, has not been acquired. Here’s what I know — or what I think I know.
MSPs: Is Drupal Right for Your Site?
Posted October 13th, 2009 by Matthew Weinberger
Drupal is catching on as a platform for building Web sites that have social networking capabilities. And since it’s a free and open source content management system, Drupal can be easy on your wallet when launching a Web site. But the big question: Is Drupal really an option for managed service providers that want to overhaul their own web sites?
Five Questions for N-able CEO Gavin Garbutt
Posted October 13th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
The N-able Partner Summit kicks off Oct. 14 in Scottsdale, Ariz. More than 350 managed service providers and partners are expected to attend. I hope to sit down with N-able CEO Gavin Garbutt (pictured) and pose these five questions about the state of the managed services market.
The MSP Software Industry: Following In Larry Ellison’s Footsteps?
Posted October 12th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
This is going to be a strange week. I’m leaving a massive IT event (Oracle OpenWorld) and heading toward a smaller, highly targeted managed services conference (N-able Partner Summit). I can’t help but wonder: Is the next Larry Ellison (pictured) or Scott McNealy competing somewhere — right now — in the managed services software market? Here’s why I ask.
MSP Apps Increasingly Dial the iPhone
Posted October 12th, 2009 by Matthew Weinberger
RIM’s Blackberry remains the phone of choice for many corporate executives, but the iPhone’s App Store and Safari web browser make it worth a second look for business. And increasingly, MSPs are finding they can’t ignore the iPhone.
Seven Managed Services Blog Entries I Didn’t Have Time to Write: Oct. 9
Posted October 9th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
As I pack for Oracle OpenWorld and N-able Partner Summit, I’m getting pulled away from my keyboard. Alas, here are the seven managed services blog entries I didn’t have time to write for the week ending Oct. 9.
Verizon Business, McAfee Team on Managed Services
Posted October 8th, 2009 by John Moore
Managed services and cloud computing surface as part of the strategic alliance Verizon Business and McAfee unveiled today. On one level the global pact resembles a traditional channel distribution arrangement: Verizon Business will offer the entirety of McAfee security solutions through its customer premises equipment catalog. But the deal doesn’t end there.
CA Takes Closer Look At MSP Partner Strategy
Posted October 8th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
CA Inc. continues to accelerate its managed services partnership with Ingram Micro Seismic. And CA Senior VP and GM Adam Famularo confirms more moves are coming — including a version of XOsoft business continuity software that MSPs can host on their own. Here’s a bit more on CA’s emerging disaster recovery strategy for MSPs and VARs, including a FastChat Video with Famularo.
Preview: Five Trends At N-able Partner Summit
Posted October 7th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
N-able and more than 350 managed services providers and partners are set to converge on Scottsdale, Ariz., for the N-able Partner Summit. The event, which starts Oct. 14, could shed some more light on several managed services trends. Here are five topics I intend to explore.
Carpathia Launches Federal Cloud Initiative
Posted October 7th, 2009 by John Moore
Here’s yet another move in the emerging government market for managed services and cloud computing: Carpathia Hosting is rolling out a line of managed hosting solutions for federal agencies and launching a business unit to focus on those customers. Here are the details and some moves worth watching.
MSPs: One Way to Overhaul Your Website
Posted October 7th, 2009 by Matthew Weinberger
You’re a talented MSP — but your company has a lame Web site. That’s where Squarespace comes in. Founded in 2003, Squarespace is a very powerful and simple to use web design editor and hosting service that requires zero knowledge of HTML or CSS to create professional-grade websites and blogs — just a mouse and a dream.
Dell, Symantec: Partnering Up with MSPs?
Posted October 6th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
The Dell and Symantec channel teams are getting cozy, having launched a joint program for channel partners. The effort focuses on systems management software for VARs and MSPs. But for me, this new Dell-Symantec channel partner relationship raises as many questions as it answers. Here’s why.
Webcast: Six Managed Security Sales Tips
Posted October 6th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
Our next MSPmentor Live webcast, scheduled for Oct. 21, has a blockbuster speaker lineup featuring two of the world’s top MSPs — Corporate Technologies LLC General Manager Dan Rosedahl and mindSHIFT CEO Paul Chisholm — and Trend Micro’s TJ Alldridge. During the event we’ll discuss six managed security sales techniques and tips, plus some emerging market opportunities — including secure hosted desktops.
MSPs: Membership has its Privileges
Posted October 6th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
If you’re running for president, you work hard to get major organizations and unions to back your platform. The same strategy is unfolding in the managed services market, where software providers increasingly are working with peer groups and associations to gain a critical mass of interest. The efforts involve everyone from the ASCII Group to HTG Peer Groups to the SMB Technology Network. I believe two things are driving these new relationships…
Microsoft Exploring Managed Services Market (Again)?
Posted October 6th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
Just a quick but important tidbit from the SMB Nation show. At the Las Vegas conference, a managed service provider running Kaseya and ConnectWise told me he has participated in focus groups held by Microsoft. The discussion involved Microsoft’s potential entry into the managed services software market. Here’s some analysis of what might be happening…
Autotask Go! Now Has Single User License Option
Posted October 5th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
It’s not a per-user price cut. But Autotask has found a way to lower the barrier of entry for Autotask Go!, the company’s cloud-based professional services automation (PSA) software. Specifically, Autotask Go! is now available in a single user license of $29. Here are some details above the move, plus some thoughts on the cloud competition between Autotask and ConnectWise.
