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Reminder: Hardware as a Service (HaaS) Webcast
Posted March 19th, 2010 by Joe Panettieri
A friendly (and timely) reminder. Our next MSPmentor Live webcast, focused on Hardware as a Service (HaaS) and Technology as a Service (TaaS), is scheduled for this Wednesday, March 24 at 2:00 p.m. eastern. Two fast-growing MSPs — Everon Technology Services and Black’s Support Services — will describe how they promote, sell and profit from HaaS. Executives from both MSPs and CharTec (a HaaS specialist and the event’s sponsor) will answer questions throughout the webcast. We look forward to your participation and questions.
Where Are Tomorrow’s MSPs Hiding?
Posted March 18th, 2010 by Joe Panettieri
A quiet race to recruit managed service providers into associations and user groups continues. The latest example: CompTIA MSP Partners has announced a relationship with PartnerConduit Network, an online community that helps solutions providers to manage collaborative opportunities. Here’s a look at the relationship. Plus, a broader look at the effort to find and recruit MSPs into associations, organizations and user groups.
Seven Managed Services Blog Entries We Didn’t Write: Feb. 12
Posted February 12th, 2010 by Joe Panettieri
The MSPmentor 100 consumed most of our team’s efforts this week. There were numerous MSP-oriented blog entries we would have written — if only there were more hours in the day. Here are seven managed services blog posts we didn’t have a chance to write for the week ending Feb. 12, 2010.
MSPmentor 100: The International Story
Posted February 10th, 2010 by Joe Panettieri
When the third-annual MSPmentor 100 report debuts later today, you’ll notice that the list includes numerous managed services providers outside of North America. More than 25 percent of survey participants represented MSPs from Europe and Australia, among other regions. So, how will we put the spotlight on MSPs outside of North America? Here are some quick thoughts.
Coming Today: The MSPmentor 100
Posted February 10th, 2010 by Joe Panettieri
Two things are competing for my time and attention today: A blizzard here in New York, and the launch of the third-annual MSPmentor 100 — which debuts at 2:00 p.m. eastern today during our special webcast. How will I escape from the blizzard to moderate the webcast? Here’s the answer…
Microsoft, Orange Partner on European SaaS
Posted February 10th, 2010 by Matthew Weinberger
A heads up to European VARs and MSPs looking to get into the SaaS (software as a service) market. You’ve got new competition from Orange Business Services, the managed communication services arm of European communication giant France Telecom. Orange has been granted “approved reseller” status for Microsoft Online Services. It’s a significant move from two huge companies. Here’s some perspective.
MSPmentor 100: Coming February 10
Posted February 9th, 2010 by Joe Panettieri
Our third-annual MSPmentor 100 list and report — tracking 100 of the world’s most successful managed service providers — will debut February 10. Check our MSPmentor 100 center for details, or join our special webcast at 2:00 p.m. eastern on February 10. The MSPmentor 100 is a global survey, and we’ll be putting an extra-bright spotlight on international markets such as Europe and Australia this year.
HTG: European and Australian MSPs Network Up
Posted February 2nd, 2010 by Joe Panettieri
Even as the managed services market expands, the world shrinks. A case in point: MSPs located in Europe and Australia are beginning to network with one another through HTG Peer Groups. Here are some perspectives, including views from HTG President Scott Scrogin, who recently returned from a series of MSP-related meetings in Australia.
Tata Looks to Expand Among SMBs
Posted January 29th, 2010 by John Moore
In a tough economy, the largest IT service providers — outsourcing firms and systems integrators — have been known to move downstream, seeking smaller deals with smaller customers. Cloud computing — and the ability to reduce the vendors’ cost of service — may also tempt the multi-billion-dollar, multinational IT firms to journey downmarket. Whatever the motivation, $6 billion Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is making moves in the small and medium business (SMB) arena. Here’s how.
Top 100 MSPs: Three Trends to Note
Posted January 28th, 2010 by Joe Panettieri
We’re set to unveil the third-annual MSPmentor 100 results during our February 10 MSPmentor live webcast. The research identifies 100 of the most progressive, most successful MSPs across the globe. What are some key business trends among those companies? Here are three quick trends culled from the research data.
UK: Intermedia Launches Hosted Exchange 2010
Posted January 26th, 2010 by Joe Panettieri
Intermedia, which specializes in hosted Exchange solutions for VARs and their end-customers, has launched hosted Exchange 2010 service in the United Kingdom. Here’s some background. Plus, some chatter about where Intermedia may be heading next.
UK Universities Consider Shared Managed Services
Posted January 4th, 2010 by Joe Panettieri
What if dozens or hundreds of separate businesses could unite and gain economies of scale through shared managed services? That’s the potential scenario in the United Kingdom, where universities are considering shared managed services and cloud services. Here’s why managed service providers should care.
Managed Services User Groups: Joining In?
Posted December 7th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
Rewind a decade or two, and it was commonplace for IT administrators to join user groups — especially since we were all trying to learn the ins and outs of Windows, Mac OS and even OS/2. Fast forward to the present and MSP user groups seem to be popping up across the globe. But will MSPs keep sharing information as competition heats up?
Microsoft Wins Huge European Cloud Deal
Posted November 24th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
It’s one small step for Microsoft’s cloud software strategy, and one giant leap for UK’s Royal Mail Group. Specifically, Royal Mail Group’s 30,000 employees will leverage Microsoft’s Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS). Computer Sciences Corp., a massive integrator, won the SaaS and cloud deal for Microsoft. Here are some details and early perspectives for smaller managed service providers (MSPs) and integrators.
Seven Managed Services Blog Entries We Didn’t Have Time to Write: Oct. 23
Posted October 23rd, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
For the first time in about three months, our blogger team was off the road this week. In theory that means we kept up with our email and managed services news tips. But in reality, there’s still plenty of chatter we didn’t have time to cover. Here are the seven managed services blog entries we didn’t have time to write for the week ending Oct. 23.
MSPmentor 100 Survey Attracts Global Response
Posted October 22nd, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
More proof that the managed services market has gone global: 44 percent of the initial MSPmentor 100 survey participants reside outside the United States. We launched the third-annual MSPmentor 100 survey earlier this week. The survey is free, and managed service providers worldwide can participate. Using the survey results, we will produce the annual MSPmentor 100 report, which tracks the world’s most progressive managed service providers — using a range of financial and business metrics. Here are some more details about the survey.
NTRglobal: Five Moves Worth Watching
Posted September 18th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
I spent some time on the phone Sept. 17 with Andrew Harsch, VP of marketing for NTRglobal. The company, which specializes in remote support and remote control software, announced a major move in the government vertical this week. But I wanted to ask Harsch a range of questions about NTRglobal’s partner strategy — both with MSPs and with peer software providers. Here are five takeaways from the discussion.
Intel Transitions European MSPs to N-able
Posted August 10th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
Intel no longer plans to build a managed services cloud across Europe. Instead, the chip giant has transitioned Intel Multi-Site Director SaaS customers (roughly 400 to 425 of them) to N-able. Here’s the scoop.
PSA: Global Managed Services Moves Continue
Posted July 22nd, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
The battle for U.S. managed services dominance is old news. Autotask and ConnectWise, two leading providers of professional services automation (PSA) software, have expanded their attention to international opportunities. You can almost see ConnectWise CEO Arnie Bellini and Autotask CEO Bob Godgart locked in a personal, global game of Risk.
Managed Print Services: Going Global?
Posted July 20th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
As Hewlett-Packard, Oki Data and other IT vendors push deeper into the managed print services (MPS) market, some managed service providers are making plans for a managed print conference in Europe. Here are some quick details and bigger-picture perspectives.
Dell: ProManage Managed Services In Europe?
Posted June 28th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
A report suggests that Dell is about to launch ProManage Managed Services in Europe. If true, the move would represent the latest in a growing list of managed services moves across Europe. Plus, I think Dell will extend the ProManage brand into new technology markets. Here’s the early buzz.
European PSA Company Planning U.S. Move
Posted June 16th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
Severa, a European company that specializes in Professional Services Automation (PSA) software for managed service providers (MSPs), is considering plans to launch a U.S. partner program. Here are some preliminary details on Severa’s PSA plans.
HoundDog Doubles MSP Customer Base
Posted June 9th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
As some MSP software companies leap from North America into Europe and beyond, HoundDog Technology has done the opposite. Headquartered in Dundee, Scotland, HoundDog is exporting its software as a service (SaaS) business model to MSPs across North America (and beyond).
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