MSPmentor

Call it a technology paradox: Even as the managed services market grows rapidly, it also consolidates through mergers and acquisitions. The latest such deal involves two Cisco Systems partners — ePlus and Network Architects — getting together to better target commercial customers.

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If Hewlett-Packard buys Electronic Data Systems, as The Wall Street Journal is speculating, it could mean good news for managed service providers.

Think about it for a minute: Dell has already moved into the managed services market. And Microsoft is sizing up the MSP space. Likewise, Hewlett-Packard could be developing software or buying platform providers to better manage the company’s own servers and desktops — especially in small and midsize businesses.

But an EDS buyout could distract HP for years to come, leaving MSPs plenty of opportunity to manage small and midsize businesses that deploy HP gear.

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When ConnectWise and Kaseya announced new cross-company efforts earlier today, it made me wonder: Which managed service platform providers are best positioned to sit at the middle of the MSP universe?

First, let me tell you a little about the ConnectWise-Kaseya relationship. Then, I’ll share a few theories about how the MSP platform universe is evolving.

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Where is MSPmentor heading next? Glad you asked. On June 12, we’ll unveil MSPmentor Live: CEO Exchange — a fast-moving online event where you ask managed services experts your most pressing questions. Unlike a tired, traditional Webcast, this event will allow you to interact with top executives from MSPmentor 100 companies and the broader MSP industry.

Register now for this one-hour June 12 event, which starts at 2pm eastern. The Webcast will help MSPs to understand pricing strategies — and how to avoid some of the commodity pricing battles occurring in the managed services market right now.

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As I was scanning a few of my favorite blogs, I noticed CNet writing a bit about Untangle — the open source security gateway provider.

Untangle, as MSPmentor readers know, has gained some momentum with managed service providers. But CNet’s blog, The Open Road, takes a closer look and tracks Untangle’s successful transformation from a proprietary software provider into an open source specialist. Here’s what CNet had to say.

This is the latest indication that open source truly has penetrated the managed services and SaaS (software as a service) markets. Here’s an earlier piece I wrote about open source converging with managed services. I think the trend continues to accelerate because savvy MSPs can “get under the hood” and truly customize open source to fit their needs.

I’ve been on the road all week, moderating events in New York, Minneapolis and Boston. Reliable WiFi connections have been critically important to me during this extended road trip. But unfortunately, a lot of big-name hotels and conference centers still don’t understand how to deploy and manage WiFi networks.

Instead of offering WiFi on their own, hotels should leverage managed service providers to set up, maintain and troubleshoot WiFi systems.

The situation is particularly shocking when you consider how many homes now have super-fast, highly reliable WiFi networks. Upscale hotels are supposed to offer all the comforts of home — and more. Yet when I visited the Millennium Hotel Minneapolis, the Hilton New York and the Park Plaza Boston, I was greeted by weak or non-existent WiFi networks.

Here’s why and how things have to change.

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I spotted a very interesting article on GigaOm today. It explores the factors you should weigh before launching your own storage cloud. It’s a particularly timely read for managed service providers that may own multiple companies, or may be seeking to get economies of scale for multiple customer settings.

Do you know a true managed services guru? If so, nominate him or her (or multiple people) to appear on the MSPmentor 250 — the definitive, global guide to manged service provider industry leaders.

That final MSPmentor 250, to be unveiled in July, will likely include CEOs, senior executives, entrepreneurs, consultants and other MSP experts from around the world. To nominate someone for the MSPmentor 250 and for complete details about the forthcoming list, check out our MSPmentor 250 center.

In the meantime, we’re plotting MSPmentor 250 nominees on a global Google map. Here’s a quick look at the updated nomination map:
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