MSPmentor

We realize you may not have time to track all conversations across our websites: MSPmentor, The VAR Guy and TalkinCloud. So, here are the 15 most read channel blog entries across our channel blog network for the week ending April 15, 2011.

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When Cisco killed the Flip video camera and repositioned the consumer Umi TelePresence product family earlier this week, I openly wondered if Umi would finally target the SMB TelePresence marketplace. So far, Cisco isn’t offering any firm answers — though a spokeswoman re-affirms Umi will ultimately be available through service providers. Here’s the update.

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ConnectWise and Kaseya appear to be fulfilling their promise to cooperate even if they compete in some sectors of the managed services software market. The two companies have issued a short-but-sweet announcement, disclosing that ConnectWise 2011.2 now integrates with Kaseya 2.

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Back in January, MSPmentor took a look at Alert Logic‘s growth strategy. Fast forward to the present, and the SaaS security company has secured $12.6 million Series E financing. The new funds will help to fund Alert Logics’ managed security service capabilities, according to a prepared statement.

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MSPs say they are keeping a close eye on the government sector amid uncertainty over the federal budget. The federal government has been operating under a series of temporary spending measures since last fall, when the September 30 deadline for FY 2011 budget came and went without an agreement. A shutdown of the government seemed imminent, but a budget deal last week will keep the lights on through September. The budget agreement involves about $39 billion in budget cuts. Still, the budget discussion is far from over. Here’s why.

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Sometimes I ask dumb questions… a lot of them. Such was the case this week during a meeting with NetEnrich Senior VP and GM Justin Crotty, and Corporate Marketing VP Jennifer Baier Anaya. NetEnrich has been pushing beyond its NOC (network operations center) stronghold to offer IT as a Service to VARs and MSPs. And now, NetEnrich is branding a Closet-to-Cloud IT services portfolio. So it was time for me to ask the obvious question: What exactly are Closet-to-Cloud services?

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A new round of competition may be emerging in the managed services market. It goes something like this: Ingram Micro spent several years building its Seismic managed services business for VARs and MSPs. Now, Synnex — an Ingram rival — has launched its latest managed services initiative. So is Synnex chasing Ingram — or is Synnex truly innovating on its own? I’ve organized some thoughts based on this week’s Ingram Micro VTN (Chicago) and Synnex Varnex (Boston) channel gatherings.

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Needless to say, Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync is a popular standard for keeping smartphones in constant touch with the enterprise’s network. And now, Microsoft has teamed up with handset manufacturers for the Exchange ActiveSync Logo Program, which certifies that smartphone mobile mail clients can integrate as fully and securely as you’d want them to. For MSPs, the logo program may offer some peace of mind. Here’s why.

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At the Ingram Micro VTN conference this week, VP of Managed Services and Cloud Computing Renee Bergeron (pictured) generated plenty of dialog around managed services and cloud computing. But sometimes you need to read between the lines and listen carefully to what wasn’t said. Sometimes, silence in certain areas can tell you a lot about what’s next for a company and its channel partners. So, based on my own educated guesses, here’s what’s next for the Ingram Micro Cloud and Ingram Micro Seismic initiatives.

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Sometimes I worry about the managed services market. Worldwide, I suspect roughly 1,500 MSPs are really executing well. Perhaps another 15,000 are moving right along — doing well but not exactly firing on all cylinders. And in North America alone, there are 70,000-plus VARs and resellers that are evaluating a range of options — managed services, cloud, IT project work, and so on. My key question: Is there still upside in the managed services market? Are more resellers still coming in? I found the answer earlier this week at the Synnex Varnex conference in Boston, Mass.

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When it comes to cloud computing and managed services, many MSPs have reached an inflection point. It’s either time to build out more data centers… or leverage cloud services from larger partners like Amazon Web Services, Rackspace Cloud and the like. So what’s it gonna be: Build on your own or plug into another cloud provider? For TekLinks — an MSPmentor 100 company — the answer was build, build, and build some more. Indeed, TekLinks has just opened its third data center. Here’s why.

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On the one hand, ConnectWise and Autotask are talking much less about each other and focusing more on their respective managed services partner opportunities. But on the other hand, it’s clear that ConnectWise and Autotask continue to counter each other in the market. The latest example: ConnectWise now integrates with CNet’s ChannelOnline IT product sourcing system — a clear counter-punch to the Autotask-VARStreet business combination. Here’s why.

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During a recent training engagement with a new customer, we received a somewhat frantic call from our IT contact. She sounded a bit stressed and said that our consultant would need to remain on-site one more day for a follow-on training session. The IT contact emphasized that this was not something she had planned for, nor foreseen, and it had come up quite suddenly.

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Our next MSPmentor Live webcast is today (Wednesday, April 13) at 2:00 p.m. ET. The topic: Maximizing Partnerships to Build a Better Business. We’ll explore how MSPs are working with one another, peer groups and associations to speed business decisions and win new customer engagements. We’ll answer attendee questions throughout the webcast. Here’s a look at our guest speakers and some more background on the event…

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This was a painful but necessary day at Cisco Systems, which shut down its Flip video camera business and apparently repositioned the Umi consumer telepresence solution for the SMB market. It sounds like Umi will now compete with Vu TelePresence, LifeSize and other SMB-type telepresence solutions for MSPs. We never like to hear about job losses in the IT industry, but here’s why Cisco’s moves made sense.

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OS33 President Jacob Kazakevich (pictured) has joined the Board of Directors of Technology Capital Investors (TCI). The move should help the New York-based investment group — and its portfolio of MSPs — map out cloud computing strategies. It’s a move that TCI Managing Partner Sam Attias called, “a natural progression.”

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Two currently unprofitable  communication providers will soon combine their efforts to survive in the marketplace. Specifically, Level 3 Communications acquires the IP solutions company Global Crossing. Level 3 is reportedly buying Global Crossing for $3 billion, minus the $1.2 billion in debt that Global Crossing has accumulated. It is the third largest acquisition of the 170 telecommunications-service space acquisitions in the last three years.

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How does a smaller or lesser-known MSP take on a big name like Oracle or SAP?  One way is to adapt to a changing world, carving out a niche that addresses a need that the bigger companies have failed to meet. Here’s a look at how some workforce management services have incorporated features that help customers better handle their sourcing and vendor management needs.

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I’ve spent the past 24 hours at Synnex Varnex, a channel partner gathering in Boston. Much of the talk here has focused on a Synnex managed services push for VARs and MSPs. But if you look around and listen closely, you’ll hear where Synnex and key technology partners — potentially Autotask , for one — could be heading next. Here’s the update.

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LabTech Software, known for its RMM and automation solutions, has released an updated iPhone app. The free update, which is available now, has an enhanced VNC client. It includes…

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A pending government directive may open new opportunities for managed services providers in healthcare. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced its proposed rule regarding Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs). The document was published a PDF on April 7 in the Federal Register. The 40-plus page proposed rule builds upon the federal “meaningful use” program, which provides financial incentives to physicians and hospitals that adopt electronic health records (EHRs).

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Little by little, the pieces of the IBM cloud computing puzzle are falling into place. Last May, IBM acquired Cast Iron Systems in order to help customers move from legacy systems to hybrid cloud model more easily. It was a move that signified how serious the company is in  undertaking a hybrid cloud model, and Big Blue got right to work in taking advantage of its new acquisitions. In early May 2010, IBM connected its hybrid cloud server to NetSuite and used Cast Iron to help users of NetSuite OneWorld control smaller business operations. So what’s next?

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Some MSPs make acquisitions to offer their clientele more services, some do so with the intention of expanding their service region, and still others do both. Case and point: The New York City-based Lloyd Group, a northeastern United States solutions provider, has acquired Greenhouse IT, a New York City technology service provider.

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