Virtualization
Virtualization simplifies and complicates your life. On servers, it helps you to consolidate your hardware and network operation centers (NOCs). And on desktops, it helps to lock down PCs by moving software intelligence up to the server. But managing all of those virtualized assets can be challenging. Get Started: Register to enter our Resource Center, where you’ll be able to download guides to managed services platforms that support virtualization. And check back often. We post new guides to the Resource Center every week.
Back in September 2009, 
Forgive me for being distracted (again). Our team is busy polishing and posting the 
The 
I have a confession. I’ve struggled to write this blog entry for about six months. The folks at 6fusion have briefed me several times about their strategy for linking multiple third-party data centers into a federated cloud for MSPs, VARs and ISVs. Here’s a bit about the strategy and its implications for MSPs.
First, let me be clear (hopefully before I get tarred and feathered): this isn’t intended as any kind of attack on open source, whether the concept, the technology, or the business model. To do so would be to discount one of the most meaningful trends in IT over the past decade. What I’m discussing is open source within a very specific context: Managed service providers (MSPs) using open source products to monitor their clients’ and their internally hosted IT infrastructures. That’s a very different proposition than, say, using open source as part of a Web development service or adopting a LAMP stack in a hosting environment. Here’s why.
Today as technology providers grapple with a weak economy, anything less than an all-out effort to increase sales — either by attracting new customers or earning additional business from existing clients — is short-sighted. IT Solution Providers need to refocus on becoming sales-driven organizations. You can start by resetting your in-house priorities. Delegate non-demand generating activities to external support specialists by using a virtual help desk. If you don’t offer this service, this is a good time to do so as long as any added cost is tied to added revenue.
Terremark Worldwide Inc. has been busy of late, generating strong managed services revenue and also getting cozy with VMware. Here’s a closer look at the provider of colocation and managed services.
During the Autotask Community Live conference, Ubuntu Linux made a surprise appearance and a surprise encore. Twice during the event, managed service providers (MSPs) told me how they were building their businesses on top of Ubuntu. The two prime examples involve Rezitech and Network Depot. Here’s the scoop.
In recent weeks, I’ve been promoting the concept of hybrid services — where part of a solution remains on-premise and another portion is hosted in a cloud. But Doyenz is putting a slightly different spin on the situation. The Seattle-based start-up, which appears to have a quiet relationship with Kaseya, wants to shift virtualized Microsoft Small Business Server (SBS) and other Microsoft applications into the clouds. Here’s how.
Instead of relaxing for the New Year holiday, 
Virtualization was supposed to simplify IT. But as companies consolidate their physical servers, virtualize their applications and push some services into the cloud, it’s getting more difficult to track and manage all of those virtual assets.
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