We’ve written quite a bit about open APIs and management dashboards for MSPs. But Autotask and ExchangeDefender say they’ve partnered to deliver something that’s new and different in the managed security services market. Here’s a look at the relationship and the march toward a “single dashboard” for MSPs.
First the hard news: Autotask says ExchangeDefender is its first-ever “Command Center” partner. According to a joint press release:
“Customers can use their single Autotask “Command Center” dashboard to manage and track all network security services. A real-time, secure API connection ties Autotask’s central knowledge base directly into ExchangeDefender’s online management tool, generating a seamless data exchange. As a result, customers can immediately report and respond to service tickets, track critical security data, and enjoy accurate tracking and billing of licenses on all installed products from one source.”
There’s a bit of a back story here. ExchangeDefender is owned by Vlad Mazek’s Own Web Now (OWN). Mazek is one of the MSP industry’s most outspoken evangelists. And on some fronts he competes with folks like Reflexion Networks Inc. Take a closer look and you’ll notice a close working relationship between Reflexion and ConnectWise (Autotask’s primary rival). So is this story about ExchangeDefender/Autoask vs. Reflexion/ConnectWise? Not really. Reflexion has some development work under way with Autotask as well. And Mazek had a booth at the ConnectWise Partner Summit. But if you check a range of Facebook pages and managed services discussion boards, you’ll see some ExchangeDefender-Reflexion competitive chatter from time to time.
Perhaps the bigger story here involves the growing emphasis on management dashboards for MSPs. Most of the MSP-oriented software companies I hear from have been pitching single user interfaces for quite some time. The loudest pitches of late have involved Nimsoft (Unified Monitoring) and Trend Micro (Worry Free Remote Manager).
I haven’t spoken directly with Autotask or ExchangeDefender about today’s announcement. But I plan to follow-up once I hit some other deadlines today. I’d like to hear more about where Autotask is taking the Command Center. I’m equally curious about a range of projects Mazek is pursuing — particularly an effort called ShockeyMonkey.
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Take a look at our 
Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait a minute
Don’t put me between the crips and the bloods here, ExchangeDefender and Own Web Now Corp partner and integrate with both ConnectWise and Autotask, as well as over a dozen third party PSA, RMM and technology companies such as Microsoft, Managed Services Partner University, Chartec (from whose conference room I’m typing this mesage), and so on. And I’m already married so please don’t put me into any other committments Joe
The Autotask partnership is awesome and it really supports our message to the market – that all the components that are used to deliver services must integrate together, produce reports, sync billing and accounts and create a centralized management interface. This is Autotask’s vision, one that we share, and one that we pursue with every partner and vendor we work with.
As far as our competitors are concerned, VARs and MSPs do not make purchase decisions on alliances, they evaluate them around the fit for their clients and profitability. We feel that with the ExchangeDefender 5 release there is simply no comparison on price or features, and our committment to being open and driven by what our clients request. It’s all about who pays the bill at the end of the day, right?
-Vlad
P.S. We still need to chat about Shockey Monkey, it is not a competitive offering to Autotask or ConnectWise, but it will certainly grow their opportunities in the market. Look for more info on it around Christmas or if Joe answers his Facebook requests timely, sooner on mspmentor.net
Vlad: FaceBook? What’s that? I will send you an email to set up a call. Looking forward to talking Shockey Monkey.
-jp