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Zenith Infotech: Moving Into Telepresence?
Posted January 13th, 2010 by The VAR Guy
Hmmm… The VAR Guy has noticed an apparent link between Zenith Infotech and a telepresence upstart called Vu Technologies. Is Zenith Infotech getting into the next-generation video conferencing market? Too soon to say. But here’s some chatter involving Zenith Infotech, Vu Technologies and the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.
ConnectWise, Symantec and Mickey Mouse: Oh My
Posted September 18th, 2009 by The VAR Guy
The VAR Guy will be in four places at once the week of Nov. 2. The reason: ConnectWise Partner Summit, the HTG Peer Group meeting and Symantec Partner Engage all are in Orlando, Fla., that week. Three events — right down the road from Walt Disney World. The VAR Guy couldn’t have planned the schedule better himself. Oh, except for one nagging problem…
Avaya and Nortel Enterprise: Now for the Hard Part
Posted September 14th, 2009 by The VAR Guy
Sure, Avaya has won the auction to acquire Nortel Networks’ enterprise business. But now the real fun starts. Here are the top three partner and customer questions Avaya needs to answer as soon as reasonably possible, according to The VAR Guy.
Trend Micro: Managed Services Moves Coming
Posted August 20th, 2009 by The VAR Guy
Say hello to Trend Micro in the managed services market. The VAR Guy hears Trend Micro is working to integrate with a range of remote monitoring and management (RMM) tools. In fact, this is more than high-tech gossip. The work is real. Here’s the scoop.
Intermedia: Staying Ahead of Microsoft BPOS?
Posted July 15th, 2009 by The VAR Guy
How’s this for ironic: As Microsoft pushes ahead with its Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS), some of Microsoft’s own SaaS partners say their hosted offerings are several steps ahead of Microsoft’s internal BPOS efforts. A case in point: Consider the situation at Intermedia, a major hosted application provider that’s working with nearly 5,000 channel partners.
Microsoft Hosting Partner Program: Comcast Wins Big?
Posted July 14th, 2009 by The VAR Guy
Plenty of managed service providers want to host Microsoft applications or push into software as a service (SaaS). Now, there’s a partner program — called Microsoft Communication Services — to help MSPs get started. The big question: Is the partner program designed for smaller MSPs? Or does it funnel more recurring revenue opportunities to Comcast? Here’s the scoop from The VAR Guy.
Can MSPs Host Microsoft Office?
Posted July 13th, 2009 by The VAR Guy
When Office 2010 ships, Microsoft will blur the lines between on-premise and Software as a Service (SaaS) productivity suites. A case in point: Office Web — the “lightweight Web browser versions of Word, PowerPoint, Excel and OneNote” — will be available for customers to host on their own. Smart move — but where do managed service providers fit in the picture?
Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference: 4 Names to Know
Posted July 10th, 2009 by The VAR Guy
As The VAR Guy heads to this year’s Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference in New Orleans, he looks forward to quizzing four key Microsoft executives about the company’s cloud, software as a service (SaaS), small business and netbook/OEM strategies. Take a look, and submit your own questions to The VAR Guy (if you have them) for Microsoft.
Top Nine Channel Stories From The VAR Guy: May 15, 2009
Posted May 15th, 2009 by The VAR Guy
MSPmentor’s sister site — The VAR Guy — reveals what’s next in the IT channel. Here’s a look at the top nine headlines on The VAR Guy’s blog this week.
- Google Android vs. Apple iPhone: Careful With Those Forecasts
- Microsoft Unplugging Response Point VoIP?
- Open Source Groupware Opens to Macs, iPhone
- Social Media In the Channel: Fad or Here to Stay?
- Cisco Partner Summit 2009: Small Biz Surprises
- Open Source Business Intelligence: Small Niche, Growing Channel
- Red Hat: The Fools Are Right
- Cisco to Partners: We’re All Ears
- Sophos: The George Costanza of Endpoint Security
- Sorry, this is a top nine list. Get to know The VAR Guy and you’ll realize he doesn’t play by the rules.
MSPmentor is updated multiple times daily. Follow us via RSS, Facebook and Twitter. And subscribe to our enewsletter, webcasts and Resource Center.
Symantec: Two Managed Services, One Company?
Posted May 1st, 2009 by The VAR Guy
Forgive The VAR Guy for being briefly confused. Symantec announced Managed Backup Services earlier this week. But the announcement made zero mention of Symantec Protection Network (SPN), a software as a service (SaaS) platform that offers managed backup and storage. So, what’s the difference between SPN and Managed Backup Services? The VAR Guy found the answer.
Top Nine Channel Stories From The VAR Guy: April 10, 2009
Posted April 10th, 2009 by The VAR Guy
MSPmentor’s sister site — The VAR Guy — reveals what’s next in the IT channel. Here’s a look at the top nine headlines on The VAR Guy’s blog this week.
- Canonical vs. Microsoft: Netbook Cat Flight
- PlumChoice: Remote Tech Services for MSPs
- The Open Source Channel Nears Tipping Point
- Amazon’s Cloud Plus Open Source: One VAR’s Model
- Which Windows Server Is Best for Your Small Business
- Windows Server Foundation: Big Opportunity for Small Biz VARs?
- Channel Marketing: Viral Video Generates DroboPro Storage Buzz
- Novell SUSE Linux, PlateSpin: So Happy Together
- Sorry, this is a top nine list. Get to know The VAR Guy and you’ll realize he doesn’t play by the rules.
MSPmentor is updated multiple times daily. Don’t miss a single post. Subscribe to our Enewsletter, RSS and Twitter feeds.
Managed Service Providers: Driving In Style?
Posted March 26th, 2009 by The VAR Guy
Want to generate some buzz for an upcoming conference? Steal a page from Robin Robins. Some pundits give away iPods at conferences. Other marketing leaders give away netbooks. But Robins is driving in a different direction and going viral to promote a managed services event. Hint: Somebody’s going to win a Jaguar. Here’s the scoop and the viral video to prove it.
How I Learned to Stop Worrying And Love the Recession
Posted December 2nd, 2008 by The VAR Guy
Special from MSPmentor’ sister site, TheVARguy.com: The VAR Guy is touring Silicon Valley this week. He met Netscape veterans launching a new company. He visited Trend Micro insiders. He spoke with the CEO of Nimsoft. During more than six hours of meetings, the recession was discussed for about 15 minutes. Fact is, savvy IT businesses aren’t bombing. And they aren’t bogged down in recession talk. Here’s a recap of Day 1 in Silicon Valley.
How to Build Your Managed Services Rolodex Fast
Posted October 8th, 2008 by The VAR Guy
Who runs the top managed services software companies? Who oversees Software as a Service (SaaS) at Amazon.com? Where can I find a partner involved in hosted Microsoft applications?
ITIL: Part of Your 2009 Managed Services Strategy?
Posted October 8th, 2008 by The VAR Guy
When we launched MSPmentor (in beta form) in 2007, some managed service providers were talking about ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library), a collection of best practices for IT activities and processes. Now as we all march toward 2009, the ITIL buzz is growing across the managed services market. Here’s why.
Sparxent Start-up Begins Managed Service Provider and VAR Acquisitions
Posted August 25th, 2008 by The VAR Guy
Sparxent, a start-up company based in Salt Lake City, Utah, is seeking to acquire managed service providers and VARs that generate roughly $5 million to $20 million in annual revenues.
Start-up Company Plans to Acquire Managed Service Providers and VARs
Posted August 21st, 2008 by The VAR Guy
This just in from MSPmentor’s sister site, The VAR Guy: A start-up company, currently working in stealth mode, intends to acquire multiple VARs, integrators and managed service providers. Total combined revenues for the acquired companies will be about $100 million to $120 million.
VMware: Microsoft Veteran Crashes the Party
Posted July 8th, 2008 by The VAR Guy
Is the party over for VMware and the virtualization market? Yes and no. In a surprise move, former Microsoft executive Paul Maritz has been named president and CEO of VMware, replacing ousted co-founder Diane Greene.
Five Reasons Microsoft Will Get SaaS Right
Posted July 8th, 2008 by The VAR Guy
Is software as a service (SaaS) killing Microsoft? Hardly. Stephen Elop, president of the Microsoft Business Division, is expected to discuss SaaS during his July 8 keynote at the company’s Worldwide Partner Conference in Houston. But even before Elop takes the stage, here are five reasons why Microsoft won’t lose the SaaS wars.
Understanding Google Apps for Managed Service Providers
Posted June 16th, 2008 by The VAR Guy
So, you’re a managed service provider or VAR who’s striving to understand Google Apps — the search giant’s on-demand software development platform.
Dell Misses Mark On MessageOne Announcement
Posted April 25th, 2008 by The VAR Guy
When it comes to Dell’s partner communications, subtle statements — and non-statements — count for a lot. On the one hand, Dell has worked overtime to tell VARs and managed service providers how to participate in the company’s growing partner program. Kudos. But on the other hand, Dell is potentially sabotaging its own partner program with some of its software as a service (SaaS) press materials.
Upscale Hotels Embrace Managed TelePresence Services
Posted March 18th, 2008 by The VAR Guy
TelePresence, that next-generation video conferencing technology, has yet to gain critical mass. But The VAR Guy, our resident blogger over at www.thevarguy.com, has been telling readers to expect TelePresence and the managed services market to converge on the hotel vertical.
Watching Dell 24×7
Posted January 3rd, 2008 by The VAR Guy
The VAR Guy just awoke from an extended nap, which started sometime before Christmas. While he waits for his new Web site to launch — at www.thevarguy.com (update: it’s live now) — he decided to jump onto MSPmentor.net.
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