MSPmentor

Scores of managed services providers (MSPs) have joined peer groups. The confidential gatherings allow MSPs from non-competing regions to share and compare confidential business and financial metrics. Many of the peer groups include small MSPs that average about 10 to 15 employees each. Now, larger MSPs seem to be looking for a unique home within peer groups. Here’s the update.

Read More >

Despite forays into cloud productivity, telephony, and even self-driving cars, search remains Google’s bread and butter. And for many enterprises, the go-to search solution is Google Site Search, which leverages the company’s search algorithm to search their own sites. And now Google has simplified the pricing of Google Site Search, with plans starting at just $100 a year. Here’s the scoop.

Read More >

How should you adjust your managed services pricing strategies for 2011? Find the answer during our next MSPmentor Live webcast, scheduled for this Wednesday, November 17 at 2:00 p.m. eastern. During the webcast, two top MSPs will share at least five managed services pricing tips. Here’s a closer look at our guest speakers and the what we’ll cover.

Read More >

Focus, focus, focus. That’s the word of the month here at MSPmentor and its parent company, Nine Lives Media Inc. We’re focused on some MSPmentor enhancements… and some new efforts… Juggling those priorities means some of our draft blogs never get edited and published. So, with those thoughts in mind, here are seven managed services blog entries the MSPmentor team didn’t have a chance to write for the week ending November 12, 2010.

Read More >

Chicago-based ServerCentral, a managead data center provider, has launched a Dedicated Private Cloud solution, or ServerCentral DPC for short. What does it offer? Well, cloud services, of course, but ServerCentral says that security, performance and scalability are paramount to their infrastructure. Read on for the cloudy details…

Read More >

Nine Lives Media Inc., publisher of MSPmentor, remains in growth mode and we have big aspirations for 2011. We are currently seeking talented freelance professionals to assist our sales, marketing, Webcast, blogging and video efforts. For a list of current freelance opportunities please visit our corporate careers page.

Read More >

What if I told you that there was a cloud storage model that hinged on MSPs storing blocks of customer data with just shy of a hundred randomly selected strangers? Now, what if I told you that at least 1,200 channel pros have already signed up? Enter Symform and their Cooperative Storage Cloud, which relies on a “share and share alike” model to provide cheap, rapidly-available off-site storage to managed service providers and their customers.

Read More >

So, you’re a managed services provider that needs a small business loan, a lease or some other financial assistance. What are your options? Our sister site, The VAR Guy, is putting together a research report just for you. The VAR Guy’s Channel Finance 25 — an annual report  — will help VARs and MSPs to find the key companies, organizations and financial lenders that can assist with short-term cash flow and long-term growth strategies. Here are the details.

Read More >

I’m trying to blog while seated in my local Starbucks. But I’m a little distracted because there’s a group of new Starbucks employees sitting next to me. The group is discussing customer service. The manager’s key statement: “Name one simple, brief step you can take to connect with every customer.” There’s no mention of upselling or cross selling. The training is all about looking customers in the eye, exceeding their current expectations, and connecting in some simple manner to ensure customers come back the next day. Now here’s my key question…

Read More >

When asked about a popular restaurant, Yogi Berra once uttered: “Nobody goes there anymore; it’s too crowded.” In some ways that’s the scenario facing the managed services market. Our ongoing MSPmentor 100 research suggests the best MSPs continue to grow rapidly. Anecdotal conversations with MSP software providers suggest sales are growing at a healthy pace this year. And more MSPs are entering the market. Now the twist: As more MSPs pop up it’s getting more difficult to stand out in the crowd. Hardly surprising, some MSPs are reworking their branding and company descriptions to emphasize cloud computing. But is that really a long-term strategy or a short-term gimmick? Here’s the update.

Read More >

There’s money in managed print services. How do I know? First, Photizo Group started organizing managed print services conferences — and the buzz tied to the events has been pretty positive. More recently, CompTIA organized a community for managed print services. The big question: Can Photizo Group, CompTIA and print manufacturers help to turn the sleepy managed print services industry into a big money maker for MSPs? Here are some perspectives.

Read More >

In the Australia managed services market, anecdotal evidence suggests first mover advantage is over — especially as MSP software vendors begin to turn their attention to larger growth opportunities in Asia. Yes, the Australia managed services market continues to grow, both organically and through mergers and acquisitions. But recent moves by Kaseya and Level Platforms, among others, suggest the biggest managed services opportunities ahead are in Asia. Here’s why.

Read More >

Thieves are pretty well-known for their craftiness. Case in point, the just-issued Websense 2010 Threat Report indicates that data thieves are getting more creative, deploying a combination of phishing, phony social networking messages, and compromised websites to make increasingly elaborate efforts to steal personal information. Here’s the scoop.

Read More >

As the managed services market continues to evolve, how should you adjust your pricing strategies for 2011? Before you answer be sure to join us for our next MSPmentor Live webcast, scheduled for Wednesday, November 17 at 2:00 p.m. eastern. During the webcast, two top MSPs will share at least five managed services pricing tips. Here’s a closer look at our guest speakers and the what we’ll cover.

Read More >

Business decision makers considering a cloud migration are often confronted with a dilemma: While they welcome the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of cloud computing, they are uncomfortable with keeping their data outside of their networks. Here’s a closer look at the challenges and the solutions.

Read More >

During a managed services panel discussion at the recent SMB Nation conference in Las Vegas, ClearCenter CEO Michael Proper stood up and asked attendees if open source was part of their managed services framework. One attendee’s reply: “What does open source have to do with a managed services conversation?” Let me take a second stab at the discussion: To be sure, most MSPs within the SMB market seem to leverage traditional closed-source solutions. But there are pockets of opportunity for open source. Here’s where.

Read More >

More than a month after FalconStor Software’s CEO resigned amid a financial probe, the storage company is marching forward with its managed services strategy. The latest move involves a FalconStor partnership with Hewlett-Packard. Here are the details and the potential implications for MSPs.

Read More >

Microsoft continues to beta test Windows Intune, a SaaS-based platform for remotely managing Windows desktops and servers. I suspect Windows Intune won’t be generally available until mid-2011 or so. But in the meantime here’s a refreshing twist: Microsoft is out in the market, meeting privately with analysts, coaches and MSPs — soliciting ideas and feedback on how to shape Windows Intune for MSPs. The big question: Will Microsoft listen to the constructive criticism?

Read More >

Zoho, the SaaS-based software specialist, has launched Zoho Support, a web-based help desk ticketing application with a customer-facing self-service portal. It’s an interesting move — especially when you consider Zoho’s sister company is ManageEngine, which develops MSP Center Lite, a network and systems management platform. Here’s a look at Zoho’s strategy.

Read More >

Generally speaking, LabTech Software is an on-premise RMM (remote monitoring and management) tool. But that’s gradually changing thanks to partners like The IT Answer, which has launched LabtechCloud.com. More SaaS-centric partnerships from LabTech could be coming. But it’s important to note: LabTech and partners like LabtechCloud are essentially in catch-up mode, since most of the major RMM providers already offer hosted and SaaS versions of their software. Here’s the update.

Read More >

MSPs may purchase a number of products to help them manage a customer’s on premise gear, but there’s another type of tool now on offer: an emerging set of technologies designed to manage the cloud-based resources MSPs provide. Among the newcomers is OS33, a New York start up that spun out of an MSP. OS33 this week announced public availability of its SaaS-based automation platform, which aims to help MSPs deliver multi-tenant cloud IT services.

Read More >

When the ConnectWise IT Nation conference wrapped up on November 7 with a golf tournament, I began to think about key themes, trends and takeaways for managed services providers (MSPs) that missed the event. So what did you miss, and where is ConnectWise CEO Arnie Bellini taking “IT Nation” (his term for SMB solutions providers) next? Here are 13 key wrap-up observations from MSPmentor.

Read More >

Question: What are Autotask, ClearCenter, ConnectWise, CMIT Solutions, Rackspace, Trend Micro and Zenith Infotech all talking about? Nine Lives Media Inc. — the team that brought you MSPmentor — invites you to find the answer here…

Read More >