MSPmentor

Imagine a world where Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ) helps managed services providers (MSPs) to maintain entire hardware infrastructures — mobile devices, PCs, printers, servers and network infrastructure. That’s the opportunity awaiting both Mike Parrottino and Scott Dunsire, two executives who are shifting into key channel leadership roles within HP. Here’s what could be next.

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Our second-annual Top 50 Cloud Services Providers survey ends today (Friday, April 27). Complete the survey, available on Talkin’ Cloud (MSPmentor’s sister site), and perhaps your company could be ranked among the world’s top CSPs in the Talkin’ Cloud 50. Yes, the survey is open to MSPs and VARs that generate revenues from cloud-related projects and services. Survey participants also include cloud brokers, cloud aggregators and cloud consultants. Participate before time runs out today (April 27). We’ll unveil the Top 50 CSPs during a May 16 webcast, and we’ll honor all of the companies with cross-links and other surprises throughout 2012.

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If you check my resume I typically spend two to three years focusing on a specific job. Then I move on. Here at Nine Lives Media, I’ve pushed past the four-year mark and I’m rather enjoying the journey. But a lot of MSPmentor readers have moved onto new jobs — some within the managed services industry, some outside of it. Here’s an open letter to many of those people…

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Staples has launched managed print services and the big box retailer expects to help customers cut printing costs by up to 30 percent. Staples Advantage, the business-to-business division of Staples, is leading the managed print services (MPS) push. Although managed print services is considered a prime opportunity, only about 30 percent of MSPs offer managed print services, according to our annual MSPmentor 100 report.

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Apple’s record Q2 2012 results, announced today, contain these two stunning figures: Apple sold 35 million iPhones and nearly 12 million iPads during its Q2 ended March 31, 2012. That’s 47 million new mobile devices running Apple iOS — the latest wake-up call to MSPs that are still evaluating mobile device management (MDM) strategies. Here are some potential ways to get started with MDM.

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I’m terribly frustrated. And perhaps that’s Microsoft’s goal. The blogosphere is lit up this week as partners and customers analyze Microsoft’s Windows 8 licensing terms, and the potential implications for Apple iOS (iPad, iPhone) and Google Android users. MSPs and partners want to promote VDI (virtual desktop integration) as a way for iPad and Android users to access Windows and Office applications. But Microsoft is playing favorites with its own Windows RT tablet strategy. Here’s the update, along with some links that can further explain the situation.

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The Kaseya Connect 2012 User Conference (May 1-4, Las Vegas) is set to attract several hundred managed services providers (MSPs). Kaseya CEO Gerald Blackie (pictured), President Mark Sutherland and the rest of the leadership team will provide technology and business updates to roughly 700 attendees — from MSPs to corporate IT managers. So what questions will MSPmentor raise during the conference? Here are seven them.

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Large enterprises have spent the past decade deploying virtualization — mostly VMware — to consolidate data centers and improve server utilization rates. In some ways, the virtualization trend is old news. But is the story different in the small and midsize business market — especially for MSPs seeking to remotely manage and optimize customer systems?

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The Best Buy (NYSE: BBY) Geek Squad team could have some new competition soon from a new service called iYogi Business Nonstop. iYogi already offers on-demand remote tech and PC support services. But iYogi Business NonStop will offer on-site tech support, initially from 1,000 local IT support professionals across the United States. So how will iYogi recruit those IT professionals?

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All Covered, the managed services division of Konica Minolta, is beginning to gain momentum focusing on specific applications — such as virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) to extend Windows and Office application access onto iPads, as well as Microsoft SharePoint application development. All Covered, which expects to buy about six more MSPs this year, also is pushing deeper into the legal and education markets, said President Todd Croteau. Here’s how.

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More than 50,000 customers now use ManageEngine’s software to manage enterprise IT systems — including three out of five Fortune 500 companies. Zoho Corp., a privately held, self-funded company, has built both ManageEngine and Zoho — a SaaS rival to Google Apps. So how is ManageEngine engaging MSPs? And what are the potential synergies between ManageEngine and Zoho? Raj Sabhlok, president of Zoho Corp., offered some perspectives during a recent conversation at the company’s Pleasanton, Calif., offices.

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Our editorial team spent much of this week at Cisco Partner Summit, Oracle Industry Analyst World, an OpenStack Conference … and in a private meeting with [hush, hush for now]. Now that we’re back at our desks, here are seven managed services blogs and MSP news stories the MSPmentor team didn’t have a chance to write for the week ending April 20, 2012.

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Hewlett-Packard’s top cloud computing executive opened his arms to MSPs (managed services providers) today, predicting that cloud computing will “usher in a complete renaissance in MSP land.” Zorawar ‘Biri’ Singh, senior VP and GM of HP Cloud Services, also said mobile devices on the front-end are driving the massive cloud trends on the back-end.

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Within the managed services market, MSP mergers and acquisitions still occur on a weekly basis. But I think it’s increasingly difficult for quality buyers to find quality sellers. And even when two quality companies enter M&A discussions, challenges like valuation, earn-out parameters and non-compete agreements can destroy the deal.

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If you missed today’s webcast — on RMM Software First Steps — you can still view it on-demand starting Monday, April 23. Simply register at that time. The webcast focused on RMM (remote monitoring and management) software tips and guidance from two well-known managed services providers (Liberty Technology CEO Ben Johnson and White Glove VP Dave Bartelli). LabTech Software CEO Matt Nachtrab also discussed the new LabTech 2012 software release, which debuted April 16.

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Microsoft, as MSPmentor suspected, is extending Windows Intune (a cloud-based PC management platform) to mobile device management (MDM) for Windows Phone 7, Apple iPhones, iPads, and Android devices. Microsoft deserves applause for the apparent move. But MSPmentor believes Windows Intune needs to take two more logical steps: Change the Windows Intune name, and extend support out to Linux and Mac OS X systems. Here’s why.

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Most MSPs know how to protect physical devices and traditional operating systems like Windows Server. But have you got a disaster recovery (DR) strategy for virtualized systems — particularly VMware vSphere? I ask the question because virtualization is marching down into the SMB market. And cloud companies like Doyenz are gearing up to help MSPs protect those virtual machines.

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All Covered, the division of Konica Minolta, has acquired two more managed services providers (Thinsolutions and PC Solutions) in a quest to become the U.S.’s largest IT services provider to small businesses. To achieve that goal, All Covered will need to combine organic growth and targeted M&A success while leapfrogging the likes of Best Buy’s mindSHIFT business.

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After checking in with multiple managed services software executives, I think it’s safe to say that the managed services market continues to enjoy double-digit growth. But instead of resting on your laurels, top MSPs need to rethink the market right now — while the going is still good. Here’s why.

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LabTech 2012, debuting today, features mobile device management and native Mac and Linux agents for managed services providers. But the two LabTech Software developments that caught my attention involve LabTech’s headcount (now 131 employees) and LabTech’s Ignite software strategy — which involves LabTech experts like Kevin Gibson and Vernon Southmayd. LabTech CEO Matt Nachtrab (pictured) offered MSPmentor some background on April 13.

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ConnectWise has started to promote “The IT Office Bundle” — featuring ConnectWise, LabTech and Quosal applications – to VARs, MSPs and IT service providers. News of The IT Office Bundle is not surprising, based on CEO Arnie Bellini’s keynote at the IT Nation conference in November 2011. The bundle seeks to help MSPs with professional services automation, remote monitoring and management, and quoting and sales proposal processes.

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ConnectWise is expanding its consulting team to work more closely with VARs and MSPs that are seeking to further automate their businesses. The growing ConnectWise Consulting department has made several hires in North America, with more expansion planned for the United Kingdom and Australia.

The effort goes something like this: Thousands of VARs and MSPs use ConnectWise’s software to manage sales, marketing, customer trouble tickets and other business processes. But small business owners sometimes overlook ConnectWise capabilities that can further automate business processes and improved profit margins.

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The MSPmentor team is preparing to cover six technology conferences next week. Five of them are listed here… plus we’ve also got our eyes on the Microsoft Management Summit. But before our team runs to the airport, here are seven managed services blogs and MSP news stories that MSPmentor didn’t have a chance to write for the week ending April 13, 2012.

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