MSPmentor

And you thought managed services were just for business. Guess again. Several companies are promoting managed IT services at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, paving the way for MSPs to push beyond their corporate heritage. Here are two prime examples: Read More >

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 >

OnForce Senior VP Nadjarian

OnForce, the online marketplace for VARs, has a rather interesting spin on the managed services market. During a visit to the company’s headquarters near Boston today, I heard how OnForce “turbo charges” managed services. That sounded a bit like marketing hype. But a conversation with OnForce Senior VP Paul Nadjarian helped to clarify how the OnForce marketplace helps VARs to extend their own managed services. Read More >