MSPmentor

Each year I ask Kaseya CEO Gerald Blackie the same questions. And each year Blackie gives me essentially the same answers. But the questions are critical so I keep asking them. Our discussion, part of my annual pilgrimage to the Kaseya Connect User Conference, typically covers Kaseya’s growth strategies and managed services efforts. Plus, I always end the Q&A with the same question: Will Kaseya ever pursue an IPO (initial public offering)? This year, my conversation with Blackie also included Kaseya President Mark Sutherland and Chief Marketing Officer Bob Davis. Here’s what they had to say.

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Generally speaking, the best-run managed services providers use PSA (professional services automation) software. Within the MSP community, the best-known PSA platforms include Autotask, ConnectWise and Tigerpaw Software. But here’s an interesting twist: At the high-end of the market, NetSuite has been pitching OpenAir, a cloud-based PSA system that many large IT consulting firms have adopted. So how does the NetSuite strategy differ from more traditional PSA offerings in the channel? I gathered some thoughts from NetSuite CEO Zach Nelson during the SuiteWorld conference today in San Francisco.

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As some MSPmentor readers know, my hard drive failed on May 3. A few readers have asked me for an update. Specifically, was my cloud-based backup service able to restore my files? Unfortunately, it’s not a simple Yes or No answer. Here’s why… plus an important cloud sales lesson for managed services providers. In short, there’s a simple way to sell SMB online backup and disaster recovery (BDR) services vs. consumer cloud backup services.

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Fandotech LLC — an MSPmentor 100 company based in Connecticut — will wrap up its fiscal year on June 30. It’s a year that President and CEO John Boyd considers a “reemergence” — a sign that that U.S. economy is on the rebound and Fandotech is gaining steam, thanks to a RAIN cloud strategy and a continued managed services focus. The eight-year-old company has achieved double-digit growth each quarter of this fiscal year and has increased its customer base in the process. Here’s how.

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Kaavo has been pitching its cloud management software and automation services to SMB customers since the company was founded in 2007. Kavvo specializes in application-centric management and security for cloud computing, allowing customers to deploy and manage applications and workloads in the cloud. Now Kaavo Founder and CEO Jamal Mazhar says managed service providers can also benefit from Kaavo’s automation solutions. Here’s why.

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How can managed services providers (MSPs) develop their cloud computing strategies? Plenty of answers are emerging at this week’s Google I/O and NetSuite SuiteWorld conferences in San Francisco. A combined 7,000 customers, cloud integrators and software developers are attending each event. Dozens of channel partner success stories are emerging at both conferences. It makes me wonder: Why are so many MSPs still overwhelmed by cloud-related discussions with customers?

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There’s an old saying on Wall Street: Buy low, sell high. That’s the goal at Momentum Telecom, which has acquired CommPartners Connect — a VoIP services provider that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in June 2010. The deal potentially connects Momentum Telecom with more than 200 CommPartners resellers and over 27,000 hosted seats and SIP Trunks. The big question: Did those partners remain loyal during the CommPartners bankruptcy?

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Much like the online backup market, the email security market is getting pretty darn crowded. Among the latest moves: GFI Software today launches GFI MailEssentials Complete, an anti-spam, anti-phishing and email security solution that VARs and MSPs can offer to small and midsize business customers. MailEssentials Complete is available as an on-premise solution or as a hosted service.

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Yes, Kaseya sells its managed services software directly to midsize businesses with 100 or more seats. And now, Kaseya is accelerating that strategy in the education vertical. Indeed, Kaseya has launched an automation software bundle — with specific education pricing — designed for IT departments within K-12 school districts. At first glance the move has little to do with managed services providers (MSPs). But take a closer and you’ll get a better feel for (A) vertical market sales strategies and (B) channel program variants in the managed services market.

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Sometimes you need to look back to get ahead. A case in point: Clint Harder and Craig Carter — two managed services experts — recently offered some valuable insights to MSPs that are in the process of replacing their RMM (remote monitoring and management) software platforms. Here’s the insight from Harder and Carter, plus my open perspectives.

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The VAR Guy’s Channel Finance 25 debuted today. The report, from MSPmentor’ sister site, includes 25 financial companies, lending experts, leasing professionals and other financial resources that can potentially help VARs and MSPs. Some of the companies even offer hardware as a service (HaaS) financial guidance to MSPs. You can find online details and a PDF report here. The report is based on a Q4 2010 survey from The VAR Guy, coupled with Q1 2011 editorial research. We look forward to publishing the report annually.

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Intermedia, Automation Anywhere and Challenge.gov each are gaining some attention in the healthcare vertical. Here’s a look at each solution and the potential implications for managed services providers (MSPs) working within the healthcare sector.

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Roaring Penguin Software Inc. is pushing beyond its anti-spam heritage to introduce Canlt Archiver –an e-mail archiving and continuity platform. Canlt Archiver, available as on-premises software or as a hosted offering, integrates with running  Kaseya, N-Able and/or LPI Level Platforms. Here’s a look at the strategy, and potential implications for managed services providers.

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At the recent Managed Print Services Conference in Orlando, Fla., I had a quick chat with Tim Brien, director of MPS at OKI Data Americas. Brien said VARs and managed services providers (MSPs) need infrastructure tools to succeed in the managed print services market. Not by coincidence, OKI is standing by to assist channel partners moving into the MPS market.

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It was a busy week at the Kaseya Connect User Conference (Las Vegas), the Managed Print Services Conference (Orlando, Fla.) and HTG Peer Groups Spring Conference (Dallas). There were numerous managed services stories and news tips that we have yet to cover. In fact, here are seven managed services blogs and news leads for the week ending May 6, 2011.

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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 May 6, 2011.

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Pronto Marketing and Ulistic Inc. have formed a partnership that both sides say will help them more fully meet the needs of their clientele. Pronto is an international IT marketing company. Ulistic is a social media consulting firm focused on managed services providers. Here’s what each company brings to the table for MSPs that need marketing and SEO assistance.

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At the Managed Print Services Conference this week, I spoke to Photizo Group Senior Client Advisor David Cameron, who focuses on managed print channels and programs. He’s also president and CEO of Cameron Consulting Group. I asked Cameron to fill me in on the evolving managed print market. We also discussed how VARs and MSPs can overcome barriers to entry in the managed print market, while owning customer relationships for the long haul.

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There are roughly 45,000 accounting firms in the United States, and about 40,000 of those firms have 10 employees or less. Xcentric, an MSPmentor 100 company, likes those numbers. Until now, Xcentric focused on larger accounting firms. But within two months or so, the company will more aggressively engage small business accounting firms.

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At the 2011 Brocade Technology Summit this week, WIRED Magazine Co-Founder and “Senior Maverick” Kevin Kelly outlined six trends in the technology industry that are expected to gain steam in the coming years. Here’s a breakdown of those trends and the potential implications for managed services providers.

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Paessler AG has launched version 8.4 of its PRTG Network Monitoring software. The updated version has a new Drag & Drop Maps Editor. Paessler says the editor allows managed services providers to arrange their monitoring data on a map of their IT network. The company, with primary offices in Germany and Los Angeles, has been making considerable noise lately. But we’re curious to see if Paessler catches on with MSPs serving SMB customers.

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Scores of managed services providers (MSPs) participate in HTG Peer Groups to discuss business, financial and personal development strategies. The typical MSP within HTG has about 15 employees, I believe. But now, HTG has launched a new peer group — called IT Nation 50 Group 1 HTG50+ powered by IT Nation. It’s designed for MSPs with 50 employees or more. Take a closer look and you might spot the next evolution of the SMB managed services market.

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At the Managed Print Services Conference in Orlando, Fla., this week, GreenPrint promoted three core pieces of software that may allow VARs and managed services providers to more effectively offer managed print services. Here’s the background.

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