MSPmentor Managed Services News & Blog

Vacation is over… time to get back on the road for Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC10), HostingCon and the Avnet Partner Summit. But before I head to the airport, here are seven managed services blog entries MSPmentor didn’t have time to write for the week ending July 9, 2010.

7. Financial Dashboard: CompTIA and CoreConnex have launched a Corelytics Financial Dashboard: CompTIA Edition for VARs and MSPs. You may recall that CoreConnex already integrates with a range of MSP and PSA software platforms. Plus,

6. Milestone: ConnectWise says it now has more than 40,000 users. But new competition could be emerging in the PSA (professional services automation) software market. Aside from established rivals like Autotask and Tigerpaw Software, keep an eye on NetSuite’s OpenAir, a SaaS-based PSA platform that’s now available in the UK and European marketplace.

5. Taking On Dell: Nimsoft continues to tout MSP wins involving former Dell/Silverback customers. The latest is American Integration, a Richland Hills, Texas-based solutions provider that recently migrated to Nimsoft (now owned by CA Technologies). Dell’s PartnerDirect channel program continues to enjoy partner momentum, but Channel Chief Greg Davis concedes the Dell Managed Services is only seeing small momentum with partners.

4. High-Tech Addicts?: During my vacation I stopped checking email, Twitter, FaceBook, text messages… I nearly went radio silent. But my kids — members of Generation Z — remained glued to their smart phones, iPod Touches and Nintendo DSes. About three days into our trip I finally convinced them to look up from their touch-screens and look around at the mountains and lakes of Pennsylvania.

I’m certainly addicted to high-tech, but the vacation was a friendly reminder that I’ve got to unplug my kids from the IT grid as well…

3. Career Move: A former channel leader at a major RMM software provider seems set to move into the online backup industry. We expect firm details sometime within the next few days. For a look at additional MSP-centric career opportunities, check out the MSPmentor job board and career center.

2. Deadline Approaches: The third-annual MSPmentor 250 survey concludes on July 23, 2010. We’ll use the survey results to identify the world’s top managed services experts, entrepreneurs, executives, coaches, community leaders, etc. Complete the survey to help us find the MSP industry’s top pundits from across the globe.

1. Up to the Task?: As Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference 2010 (WPC10) kicks off (July 11, 2010), I can’t help but wonder if the company will take some new steps to get VARs and MSPs more excited about Microsoft Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS), Exchange Online, SharePoint Online and other Microsoft-hosted offerings.

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