Just when you were set to lock down your travel schedule for 2010, Tigerpaw Software — the PSA (professional services automation) specialist — plans to host an inaugural partner conference Oct. 6-8 in Dallas, Texas. More details are expected to be announced April 1. Here are some observations for managed services providers (MSPs) in the meantime.
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Tigerpaw Software Launches Partner Conference
Posted February 24th, 2010 by Joe Panettieri
Everon Scores With Hardware as a Service
Posted December 23rd, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
Everon Technology Services, a managed service provider that lands regularly on the Inc. 5000 and MSPmentor 100 lists, is starting to target the hardware as a service (HaaS) market. Everon’s HaaS move is important for at least two reasons. First, it leverages a relationship with CharTec. Second, Everon is savvy when it comes to marketing and end-customer education. So Everon’s efforts and learnings could help accelerate the HaaS industry. Here’s a bit more background.
ConnectWise, CharTec: Something’s Cooking
Posted December 3rd, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
Sources say something is cooking between ConnectWise and CharTec — which specializes in Hardware as a Service. What could be brewing? At first glance, I don’t know much. At all. (Surprised?) But take a closer look and you might start to see the bigger picture. It involves PSA (professional services automation) and RMM (remote monitoring and management) software companies eventually cooperating and competing in the cloud. Here’s why.
Autotask, ConnectWise: Very Different, Both Growing
Posted November 9th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
Instead of trading blows with one another, the two leading PSA (professional services automation) are starting to take their cases directly to the people. During ConnectWise Partner Summit in Orlando (Nov. 4-6), I can’t recall a single mention of the competition. And from Nov. 4 to Nov. 6, rival Autotask offered multiple updates on its October business performance and year-end outlook. Here’s a look at the latest chatter.
Seven Blog Entries We Didn’t Have Time to Write: Nov. 7, 2009
Posted November 7th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
Our team is back home after attending the ConnectWise Partner Summit, HTG Peer Group meetings and Symantec Partner Engage this past week. Now I’m packing and leaving tonight for Cisco Partner Velocity in Paris. In between all that, here are seven managed services blog entries we didn’t have time to write for the week ending Nov. 7, 2009.
Will Wall Street Optimism Boost MSPs?
Posted October 29th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
Two promising anecdotes from Wall Street this week: The economy is growing again. And for the third quarter, two-thirds of publicly held companies have delivered earnings that beat Wall Street’s expectations, according to WCBS Radio in New York. Here are some quick observations for managed service providers.
HTG Peer Groups: 220 MSPs Set to Chat
Posted October 27th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
Roughly 220 managed service providers and VARs are set to converge in Orlando, Fla., at the HTG Peer Group meetings. Cloud computing will be a central theme for the meeting. But there will also be a big focus on so-called “legacy plans.” Here’s what to expect at the HTG gathering, and the clues it may offer about the MSP industry’s evolution.
Preview: Five Trends at ConnectWise Partner Summit
Posted October 26th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
The ConnectWise Partner Summit kicks off Nov. 4 in Orlando, Fla. Roughly 900 managed service providers — including HTG Peer Group members — are expected to converge on the event. Here are five trends we’ll be tracking at the conference.
Google Set to Accelerate Enterprise Push
Posted October 23rd, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
If you check in with enough sources close to Google, you start to get the feeling that the search giant is preparing to accelerate an enterprise-oriented SaaS (software as a service) push in Q4 2009 or early 2010. Here’s what apparently is coming — and the potential implications for managed service providers.
Windows 7 and Managed Services: Microsoft’s Emerging Strategy
Posted October 22nd, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
If the early reports are correct, Windows 7 is a dramatic improvement from Windows Vista (perhaps for these five reasons). Even so, I’m surprised Microsoft is doing so little to promote Windows 7 to managed service providers. Here’s what Microsoft is doing wrong — and right — with its MSP messaging so far.
ConnectWise, Symantec and Mickey Mouse: Oh My
Posted September 18th, 2009 by The VAR Guy
The VAR Guy will be in four places at once the week of Nov. 2. The reason: ConnectWise Partner Summit, the HTG Peer Group meeting and Symantec Partner Engage all are in Orlando, Fla., that week. Three events — right down the road from Walt Disney World. The VAR Guy couldn’t have planned the schedule better himself. Oh, except for one nagging problem…
Tigerpaw Software Hits the Road
Posted September 16th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
Tigerpaw Software, which competes with Autotask and ConnectWise in the PSA (professional services automation) market, is taking its training efforts on the road. Admittedly, we rarely blog about vendor-led road shows on MSPmentor. But Tigerpaw’s decision to hit the road caught my attention. Here’s why.
Seven Managed Services Blog Entries I Didn’t Have Time to Write
Posted September 11th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
Admittedly, I’ve been a little distracted with the MSPmentor 250 this week. So once again my inbox is filled with a backlog of tips, rumors and news. Here are seven quick managed services headlines I didn’t have a chance to write during the week ending Sept. 11.
CompTIA, MSP Services Network Launch Regional Events
Posted August 25th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
MSP Services Network (MSPSN), an Omaha-based Master MSP that also promotes industry collaboration, is partnering with CompTIA to develop content for three regional managed services workshops. The effort emphasizes business and financial education rather than technology talk. Here’s a look at the MSPSN-CompTIA relationship, plus a broader look at conferences and educational efforts across the managed services industry.
Australia and New Zealand: Race for MSP Market Share
Posted July 29th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
The race to gain managed services mind share and market share in Australia and New Zealand continues to accelerate. The latest examples: Autotask is planning an August 2009 road show in Australia, and Kaseya has opened an office in New Zealand. The moves come only a few days after ConnectWise confirmed plans to offer hosted ConnectWise in Europe and Australia. Here’s some more perspective about the global managed services market.
Kaseya Connect 2009 User Conference: Sold Out
Posted April 24th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
Despite the recession, managed services conferences hosted by vendors seem to be maintaining their momentum. The latest case in point: The upcoming Kaseya Connect user conference — which typically attracts more than 250 MSPs and corporate IT managers — is sold out for 2009, according to Kevin McGuirk, executive VP of corporate marketing for Kaseya.
PSA Software: Standard Operating Procedure?
Posted April 23rd, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
The stat of the day: During the HTG 2009 Summit and Q2 peer group meeting in Dallas, virtually all of the 300-plus attending solutions providers indicated that they’re using PSA (professional services automation) software.
Autotask: Go Big, Go Global, And Tweet All the Way
Posted March 23rd, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
I’ll be at the Autotask Community Live conference starting March 29, but news slated for the event is starting to leak out on Autotask’s Twitter feed. Here are three Autotask tweets that caught my ears (actually, my eyes).
Top Eight Managed Services Summits for 2009
Posted December 16th, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
Yes, travel budgets are under extreme pressure for 2009. But if you plan carefully and book early, you can stretch your dollar and attend some worthwhile managed services summits.
Autotask Plans First Global Customer Conference
Posted September 30th, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
Autotask has confirmed plans to host its first worldwide customer conference, March 29-31, 2009 at the Nashville Gaylord Opryland (pictured) in Tennessee. According to a press release, the event — titled Autoask Community Live! — will be open to all Autotask Customers and technology partners.
Hosted Solutions Scores MSP Deal With Atlanta Falcons
Posted September 26th, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
Hosted Solutions, a data center provider and managed services provider, has won an far-reaching business deal with the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons.
Intermedia Launches SaaS Partner Program for Managed Service Providers
Posted September 25th, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
Intermedia, which specializes in software as a service (SaaS) and collaboration solutions, has launched a managed service provider (MSP) partner program. The program was announced at the MSPAlliance’s Managed Services Summit in Chicago, hosted by organization president Charles Weaver (pictured).
Xerox Gives Hardware as a Service A Boost
Posted September 22nd, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
At last, Xerox is paying serious attention to hardware as a service (HaaS). The multi-function printer giant plans to support a growing list of managed services platforms, MSPmentor has learned.
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