MSPmentor

When it comes to managed services partnerships, Tech Data’s strategy can be summed up in four words: The more the merrier. The big distributor has inked an MSP platform partnership with Zenith Infotech. The deal comes only a few weeks after Tech Data partnered to offer managed print services.

So far, 2008 is shaping up to be the year that distributors solidified key partnerships and programs across the managed services market. All of the major players — Arrow, Avnet, Ingram Micro, Tech Data, Synnex, etc. — are making MSP-related moves.

And for good reason. While some skeptics worry about managed services becoming a commodity, MSPmentor anticipates a different market scenario: As VARs continue to embrace managed services platforms, they will begin to layer on new, higher-margin services such as video surveillance and unified communications. For a peek at these emerging services, check out MSPmentor’s Managed Services Hype Cycle, which is based on Gartner’s classic technology hype cycle curve.

Or, continue along with this blog post for more on the Tech Data-Zenith Infotech relationship. Read More >

Some pundits say managed services will become a commodity. I disagree. Managed services are not a single technology. Rather, managed service provider (MSP) platforms are a way to continually deliver new solutions to customers.

Think of it this way: As one managed service matures (for instance, managed storage) a new managed service will emerge (for instance, video surveillance). In order to show this visually, let’s take a look at Gartner’s famed Hype Cycle chart.

Now stick with me, and I’l quickly explain how I see the MSP market evolving.

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Venture capital firms are opening their wallets for managed service providers. The two latest examples: NetMagic Solutions has raised $20 million and Voxify has raised $15 million. Both companies specialize in managed services — though their target markets are vastly different. Read More >

As video moves onto IP networks, managed service providers are exploring new opportunities in TelePresence — the next-generation video conferencing systems that bring distant parties together into a single virtual conference room. Here’s how TelePresence and managed services will converge in 2008 and beyond. Read More >

During a recent stop at Dunkin’ Donuts (my daily coffee run), I noticed new digital signage promoting local businesses and special offers for coffee. It dawned on me that digital signage is a great opportunity for managed service providers. Sure, you can sell Plasma TVs and large LCD screens to businesses, but the real money is in monthly content management services for those screens.

Skeptical? Consider this piece of news from BroadSign International Inc., which specializes in hosted software for digital signage networks. Read More >

Chances are, plenty of managed service providers are popping up in your neighborhood. In addition to worrying about local competition, you better keep an eye on global competition. A case in point: Sify Technologies Ltd. of India is launching managed security services that have global reach. Here’s why you should care. Read More >

Back in December, I blogged a bit about video surveillance as a managed service, and the rise of Managed Video Service Providers. Readers sent me plenty of emails and questions about both posts. But it wasn’t until last week, when I spoke with Envysion CEO Matt Steinfort, that I began to realize some of the new video opportunities awaiting managed service providers.

At first glance, most people think video surveillance is nothing more than traffic cameras mounted at intersections or video cameras monitoring retail cash registers. That’s only part of the story. The real opportunity for managed service providers is to marry video surveillance with business intelligence, point of sale, customer relationship management and other applications. Read More >

The retail sector is converging with the managed services sector this week. At the National Retail Federation show in New York, a savvy solutions provider has launched a managed broadband service that promises to modernize retail IT infrastructure. Here’s a look at the solution, and the managed service provider (MSP) behind it. Read More >