MSPmentor

Even as they worry about Dell taking business direct, resellers are flooding the PC giant with phone and email inquiries, according to company insiders. In fact, Dell insiders tell me there’s no shortage of resellers asking about the company’s recently acquired managed services platforms (Silverback and Everdream).

Apparently, Dell has even bigger MSP ambitions ahead. And a source close to Dell says the company is exploring additional MSP and on-site customer support acquisitions. My alter ego, The VAR Guy, recently blogged about two potential Dell acquisition targets.

During a chance meeting last week, a source at Dell told me his voice mail and email are filled with partner inquiries. Sure, some Silverback partners — including Do IT Smarter — have hedged their bets and embraced additional platforms since Dell acquired Silverback. But for all the skepticism about Dell in the channel, MSPs seem to know market consolidation is inevitable. So instead of ignoring Dell, they’re reaching out to the company for more information. Read More >

So, you’re thinking about offering managed hardware as part of a monthly service contract. Before you make the move, consider this: Perhaps it’s time to take a close look at open source desktops (particularly Ubuntu Linux running OpenOffice) as an option for your customers. Here’s why.

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Circle the date: Dell is inviting partners and MSPs to participate in a major channel briefing on December 5. During the teleconference, Greg Davis, VP and GM of Dell’s Americas Channel Group, will discuss Dell’s long-term vision for working with partners, and he’ll announce Dell’s latest channel plans. The call runs 1:15 to 2:15pm eastern. You can join in by visiting here. Read More >

Circle November 29 and December 5 on your calendars. During those days, respectively, Dell will announce quarterly results as well as its new channel initiatives. Both events should provide important clues about Dell’s managed services strategy. Read More >

As you likely heard, Dell is acquiring Everdream, the software-as-a-service and managed service platform provider. I firmly believe this will be part of a growing trend in 2008. Here are seven key lessons and considerations to keep in mind as Dell digests Everdream. Read More >

I may have underestimated the MSP industry’s disdain for Dell. On the one hand, I’ve personally been a Dell customer for about a decade. But as I speak with managed service providers across the industry, most of them simply don’t trust Dell. Does the PC giant deserve the benefit of the doubt? Or is Dell’s move into the managed service market doomed to fail? Read More >

MSP Alliance President Charles Weaver spent some time telling me about the organization’s new accreditation program during a conference last month. Sounds like the program is gaining some traction.

So far, eight vendors have received the accreditation, including Asigra, Dell/SilverBack, Do IT Smarter, Intel, LiveCargo, N-able, Untangle and XRoads Networks, according to Web Host Industry News. Roughly 50 vendors are on track to receive the accreditation by the close of 2007, Weaver told WHIN. So what’s the upside for managed service providers? The accreditation appears to offer four clear benefits to MSPs and their customers. Read More >

As a general rule, our team holds a lot of business meetings at Starbucks. But today the business chatter started in Kinkos — when I bumped into Todd McKendrick, VP of sales at Do IT Smarter. McKendrick shared several pieces of news about the company, which is working closely with Xerox, MXLogic, SonicWall, Silverback and other MSP platform providers. Read More >