MSPmentor

And now for something completely different. Autotask has acquired VARStreet. The move potentially allows VARs and MSPs to have a single dashboard for managing distributor relationships and product sourcing (VARStreet) and IT services automation (Autotask). Here’s some analysis of the deal, the potential implications, and a FastChat video conversation with Autotask CEO Bob Godgart.

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Latisys, a colocation and managed services provider, is back on the acquisition track, purchasing a Washington, D.C. area firm that provides a similar set of services. Here are the details.

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I’ve been promising this story for a few weeks. Here it is, at long last: An Australia managed services provider is acquiring four peer MSPs to form a national managed services provider. One of the MSPs involved in the deal — Tim Brewer from Accord — sat down for a FastChat video interview to explain the deal. Here’s the discussion plus some quick details about the five companies involved.

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CA’s Chris O’Malley (pictured) and Nimsoft’s Gary Read dialed me about an hour ago to offer additional insights on CA’s $350 million buyout of Nimsoft. When did the negotiations start, how did Nimsoft initially react — and why is CA so intrigued by the managed services market? O’Malley and Read provide the answers. Here they are.

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In recent months, I’ve blogged quite a bit about MSPs moving up the stack from from managed infrastructure to managed applications. In fact, I’ve advocated an increased applications focus. But a recent move by NaviSite, Inc. has me rethinking the managed applications market. Here’s why.

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A hedge fund has offered to acquire Novell, developer of SUSE Linux and a range of systems management and security tools. Moments ago, Novell confirmed that it plans to review the buyout offer. But our sister site, The VAR Guy, wonders if another software company will step in to buy Novell. Here’s the speculation.

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While meeting with an MSP in Miami this week, I had the tables turned on me. The CEO of major managed service provider pushing into the cloud market asked me the following question: “What’s your exit strategy?” Here’s my response, along with thoughts on MSP exit strategies.

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Blink an eye and you may miss the latest managed services merger and acquisition news. This one involves Waypoint Solutions Group and Carolina Computer Network Solutions merging their businesses. And more deals are coming. Here’s an update.

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Jason Evans has big plans. As president and CEO of PEQ Services + Solutions, Evans is developing a long-term plan to grow the managed service provider’s revenues to $100 million, up from an anticipated $60 million in 2010. Evans shared some of PEQ’s strategy in a FastChat video with MSPmentor.

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When we compiled our latest MSPmentor 100 survey results, I was surprised to see 18.2 percent of survey participants consider their companies Master MSPs. I must concede: I’m skeptical of that figure. It sounds somewhat inflated to me… like a stretch goal that many MSPs have yet to fulfill. Here’s an update on the Master MSP market, including a FastChat video conversation with Do IT Smarter President Lane Smith.

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Roughly four or five managed service providers are merging to form a national MSP in Australia. I’ve got quite a few of the details, including a FastChat video with one of the executives involved in the deal. At least two of the companies are on our MSPmentor 100 list. I’m about to catch a flight, but when I land I’ll be back with more details — including that MSPmentor FastChat video.

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Merger mania continues in the managed services market. The latest example involves PEQ Services + Solutions of Miamisburg, Ohio, merging with Buchanan Technologies of Dallas, Texas. The resulting MSP will have $60 million in annual revenue and 500 employees worldwide. Here’s a closer look.

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By now, you’ve likely read the top managed services blog entries from Q1, Q2 and Q3 of 2009. Now, let’s look at the stories and chatter that generated the most MSPmentor readership in Q4 2009…

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We’ve already covered the most widely read managed services blog entries from Q1 and Q2. Now, let’s take a look at what MSPmentor’s visitors were busy reading in Q3 2009…

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MSPAlliance President Charles Weaver (pictured) has offered up his thoughts regarding CompTIA’s acquisition of MSP Partners (the deal was announced earlier today). Here’s a recap of Weaver’s perspectives, plus my two cents.

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CompTIA CEO Todd Thibodeaux (pictured) is calling for ‘coopetition’ in the managed services education market. Even as CompTIA acquires MSP Partners today, the organization plans to continue working closely with MSP University, MSP Services Network and other industry leaders. Plus, Thibodeaux says he’ll continue to “extend a hand” to the MSPAlliance to seek out common ground for potential work together. Here are more thoughts from Thibodeaux plus observations from industry executives.

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After several months of quiet discussions, CompTIA has acquired MSP Partners. The deal could have broad implications for managed services providers, vendors, VARs and rival associations like the MSPAlliance. But there’s a bigger story here: CompTIA plans to connect the dots between managed service providers and end-customers. Here’s why MSPs should care.

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Xerox’s pending acquisition of Affiliated Computer Services, announced earlier today, has an deja vu quality to it, coming as it does a week after Dell’s move to purchase Perot Systems. Will the Xerox-ACS deal potentially impact the managed print services market? Here’s some analysis.

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As Dell moves to acquire Perot Systems for $3.9 billion, the deal has several potential implications for solutions providers and managed services providers (MSPs). Here are three pieces of information worth noting.

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ConnectWise CEO Arnie Bellini and Autotask CEO Bob Godgart are scouring the software market for potential acquisitions. And each CEO says they’d consider buying the other company. To be clear: I think this is more talk than action. But the talk provides clues about where the MSP and PSA (professional services automation) markets are heading. Here’s the scoop and some analysis for managed service providers.

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A managed service provider in Southern Texas apparently has retained Sarlex Partners to help sell the company. Sarlex positions itself as a strategic consulting firm specializing in mergers and acquisitions. I wonder: Will more and more MSPs turn to advisors and deal brokers to accelerate their M&A activity?

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In the software market, vendors have spent 2009 buying up one another at somewhat deflated valuations. But in the managed services market, I sense that the pace of MSP mergers and acquisitions deals has slowed a bit in 2009 compared to 2008. My key thought: Are there too many sellers and too few buyers?

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In this MSPmentor Live: Podcast, GFI Software CEO Walter Scott and HoundDog Technology Founder Doug Wilson discuss GFI’s buyout of HoundDog, and its implications for VARs and managed service providers.

 

 Podcast: GFI Software CEO Discusses HoundDog Acquisition [10:38m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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