MSPmentor

MSPs might be able to learn a thing or two from B2C marketing techniques and a recent report from hawkeye, a marketing agency, offers a few ideas to consider. The report, Ten Marketing Trends for 2012, points to content curation, “gamification” and authenticity as among the key developments unfolding this year. A B2B version of the report is due out soon. In the meantime, here’s a breakdown of a some of the report’s findings and how they could apply to service providers:

Read More >

As the federal government’s electronic health record (EHR) adoption program moves into its second year, MSPs can expect several key developments. But first, here’s the background: The government’s meaningful use program provides financial incentives to healthcare providers who deploy EHRs and meet certain objectives when using them. Last year (2011) marked year-one of the program. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which oversees the program, reported that more than $1.3 billion in Medicare EHR incentive payments were made between May and December 2011. And more than $1.1 billion in Medicaid EHR incentive funds were issued between January 2011 and the end of last year. So what’s next?

Read More >

There has been growing a concern over the security of industrial control systems, embedded systems that help run power utilities and wastewater treatment plants and other facilities. Managed security services providers could find a role in this space as companies look to shore up weaknesses. Here’s some background.

Read More >

Brazil’s growth among world economies continues to grab headlines. And as the country’s economy expands so does its market for managed services. Indeed, the London-based Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) in December 2011 ranked Brazil as the world’s sixth largest economy in the economic consultant’s annual World Economic League Table report. Brazil, with a gross domestic product of $2.5 trillion, passed the United Kingdom on its way to sixth place in the standings, CEBR noted.

Read More >

The housing market has been in the dumps for a while, but recently released government numbers offer some hope — and a suggestion of opportunities down the road for managed services providers (MSPs). Here’s why.

Read More >

Chances are, you use e-mail to market your services. And there’s a good chance you could be doing a better job of it. David Daniels, chief executive officer of The Relevancy Group, an e-mail marketing research and advisory firm, said many companies employ the “spray and pray” method of e-mail marketing: blast the same e-mail missive to everyone on the list and hope someone opens it. Most e-mail marketers don’t make the effort to segment their customers. And that oversight may result in leaving quite a bit of money on the table.

Read More >

Services providers in the government and retail sectors face compliance duties — the Federal Information Security Management Act and the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI), for example. The same holds true in healthcare, where the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) sets a data protection standard for healthcare providers and health plans (“covered entities” in HIPAA jargon) as well as their business associates. The business associate label applies to companies whose business with providers and plans involves working with protected health information (PHI). Data processing is one such business. This regulatory environment has created a niche for HIPAA-compliant hosting.

Read More >

It looks like the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard could use an awareness campaign. Could the apparent gap in PCI understanding create an opening for MSPs dealing with retailers or working in the security field?

Read More >

More evidence that e-discovery has entered a consolidation phase comes from Flex Discovery, an Austin, Texas MSP that recently completed an acquisition and has two more in the works. Here’s a look at the strategy.

Read More >

MSPs could find themselves with an emerging set of opportunities among telecom service providers, ISPs and cable companies: operations support systems and business support systems, which are collectively known as OSS/BSS. Here’s why.

Read More >

Many MSPs offer vulnerability scanning services to help customers meet their Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard duties. A newly released Verizon report suggests they may need to do more than run occasional checks. About one fifth of organizations studied were fully PCI compliant at the time of their Initial Report on Compliance, according to Verizon’s 2011 Payment Card Industry Compliance Report. But where do we go from here — especially if you’re a managed services provider (MSP) focused on corporate compliance issues?

Read More >

INX Inc., an infrastructure solutions integrator and MSP, recently landed a five-year managed services pact with a community health organization in Southern California. INX, based in Dallas, said the deal with Community Memorial Health System (CMHS), a not-for-profit in Ventura County, is worth $750,000. Here are some details and some key takeaways for peer MSPs.

Read More >

NoSQL databases, largely open source software that parts ways with relational products, are getting more attention lately. But is it time for MSPs to look into this technology? The NoSQL technology is viewed by its users as simpler than relational and geared toward “Big Data” problems — large and unwieldy data sets, which MSPs can surely manage for end-customers.

Read More >

We’ve written about the e-discovery services market a few times, describing the software landscape and discussing alliances between MSPs and application vendors. MSPs carving a niche in the legal market wrap a range of services around e-discovery software products. Those services include consulting, remote management, hosting, and services specific to the e-discovery process. But the trends don’t end there.

Read More >

Cofio Software Inc. is targeting MSPs with the latest version of its data protection software and will soon roll out a channel program. The San Diego-based company this month is releasing AIMstor Version 2.5, which includes a Smart-Remote-Sync (SRS) feature. SRS, the company says, speeds transfer times when shuttling data over a wide-area network (WAN) for data protection, disaster recovery, or archiving purposes. SRS is geared toward MSPs that provide remote backup services.

Read More >

Managed services firms and e-discovery software companies continue to find common ground in the burgeoning legal market. We’ve written about D4’s work with e-discovery software houses and noted how some vendors derive more than half their revenue through service providers. Here’s another example: Falcon Discovery, which provides managed e-discovery services, has been solidifying its relations with a short list of software firms.

Read More >

When it comes to vertical market managed services, MSPmentor focuses considerable attention on health care and financial services. But perhaps it’s time for MSPs to focus some time on life sciences customers — which includes businesses focused on biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and biomedical equipment. The reason: The life sciences vertical is attracting investment money, which means life sciences companies have money to spend — though they don’t necessarily want a huge IT infrastructure.

Read More >

Backupify, a cloud data backup company, is launching a reseller program that includes managed services providers. The Cambridge, Mass.-based firm offers an archiving, search and restore service for Google Apps and social media accounts. Backupify targets both consumers and businesses and will enlist service providers to help with the latter market. MSPs already represent a Google Apps channel into small businesses. Backupify wants to equip MSPs with another service they can offer those customers.

Read More >

Microsoft and Parallels this week at Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference 2011 (WPC11) announced a two-year pact to offer a cloud automation bundle geared toward the health industry. Both companies contribute technology to the mix. Parallels Automation provides a system for delivering, managing and billing cloud services. Microsoft, meanwhile, will kick in Microsoft System Center, Exchange Server, SharePoint Server, Lync Server and Hyper-V. Here’s a closer look at the relationship.

Read More >

Gridstore, which makes an SMB-focused network attached storage product, has launched a formal channel effort as MSPs push its offering in new directions. Indeed, the company recently provided details on its Gridstore Partner Program, which offers MSPs and VARs deal registration, market development funding, and professional services. As for the latter, Gridstore provide pre-sales and implementation support to help partners land their first two deals.

Read More >

Cabinet NG, a software vendor pursuing document management and workflow management, is beginning to see a vertical focus among its VARs and managed services providers (MSPs). The legal market provides one example. The company recently reported a VAR agreement with Summit Global Services, which targets litigation support and e-discovery. Summit, a solution provider based in Richmond, Va., also pursues opportunities in the medical, insurance and financial sectors. Cabinet NG also partners with Maya Assurance in the insurance industry.

Read More >

Could the Supreme Court’s recent decision to toss out a huge class-action lawsuit against Wal-Mart have the consequence of spawning more rather than fewer suits? The answer could eventually filter down to MSPs and software vendors active in the e-discovery space.

Read More >

Can a vendor-agnostic tool propel printer dealers and VARs into the realm of managed print services? Oki Data Americas seems to think so. The company this week previewed its Total Managed Print Portal, which it says will help partners migrate to the services side. an official announcement is slated for June 27. The portal, which pulls together a number of managed print tools, already has helped one partner land two managed print deals in a 24 hour period, according to Tim Brien, director of Managed Print Service at OKI Data Americas. That partner hadn’t previously sold a printer or toner cartridge, he added.

Read More >