The managed services gold rush has created a cottage industry of consultants and organizations that are assisting MSPs with marketing, sales, mergers, acquisitions and other strategic business tasks. Three recent examples include MSPexcellence, MSPXchange and Ulistic’s MSP Marketing initiative. Here’s a closer look at each organization and its backers, plus a broader update on the coaches and pundits assisting MSPs with their business efforts.
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New Consulting Firms Help MSPs With Marketing, Sales and M&A
Posted September 21st, 2010 by Joe Panettieri
Seven Managed Services Blogs MSPmentor Didn’t Write: July 9
Posted July 10th, 2010 by Joe Panettieri
Vacation is over… time to get back on the road for Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC10), HostingCon and the Avnet Partner Summit. But before I head to the airport, here are seven managed services blog entries MSPmentor didn’t have time to write for the week ending July 9, 2010.
HP: Waking Up to Managed Services Opportunity?
Posted April 21st, 2010 by Joe Panettieri
I’ve taken a few shots at Hewlett-Packard over the years, openly wondering if the PC giant would ever take steps to more aggressively engage managed services providers (MSPs). Fast forward to the present, and I think there are three signs HP is finally ready to embrace MSPs. Here they are.
Dell, The IT Pros Partner On Managed Services Win
Posted February 25th, 2010 by Joe Panettieri
When Dell announced quarterly results last week, Channel Chief Greg Davis and other members of Dell’s channel team vowed to show some momentum with managed services partners. Fast forward one week, and Dell has scored a significant managed services customer win, and the deal involves The I.T. Pros, a well-known MSP. Here are the details.
Five Questions for Dell Managed Services
Posted January 28th, 2010 by Joe Panettieri
For about two months or so, I’ve been pursuing an update on Dell ProManage-Managed Services. How is the initiative performing? And have any new MSPs pursued Dell’s various certifications? No doubt, portions of the MSP community have dismissed Dell’s strategy. And some skeptical voices are growing louder. I’ve got plenty of questions — and observations. Here they are.
MSP Software: Targeted Markets Today, Shakeout Tomorrow
Posted January 14th, 2010 by Joe Panettieri
While discussing Managed Workplace 2010′s debut earlier today, Level Platforms CEO Peter Sandiford offered key views on how the managed services software market will segment. Read between the lines and you’ll begin to understand how Level Platforms intends to differentiate from such rivals as Kaseya, N-able and Nimsoft (among others). Here are my conclusions about current and emerging market trends, plus FastChat video interviews with Sandiford.
Dell: Managed Services Partnerships Holding Steady
Posted November 20th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
During a phone conversation with me this morning, Dell Channel Chief Greg Davis said the company has roughly 131 certified managed services partners. In my mind: That’s not exactly a huge number — especially for a company of Dell’s size. But I think Dell is putting a lot of channel emphasis on a slightly different MSP and VAR effort that involves Symantec. Here are the details.
Dell, Symantec: Partnering Up with MSPs?
Posted October 6th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
The Dell and Symantec channel teams are getting cozy, having launched a joint program for channel partners. The effort focuses on systems management software for VARs and MSPs. But for me, this new Dell-Symantec channel partner relationship raises as many questions as it answers. Here’s why.
Kaseya’s SaaS Cloud: Coming In October
Posted September 29th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
Kaseya continues to put the final polish on its next major software platform — which will include on-premise and SaaS (software as a service) components. But the company is rethinking whether to call a major new release Kaseya 6, according CEO Gerald Blackie. Here’s more on Kaseya’s branding and launch strategy.
N-able Launches Midmarket MSP Partner Program
Posted May 19th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
How can managed service providers (MSPs) successfully target midmarket customers that have internal IT departments? The answer to that question depends on whom you ask. I’m raising the issue today because N-able Technologies is the latest MSP software provider to launch a midmarket push. And unlike some rival moves, N-able’s strategy is all channel, all the time. Here’s where MSPs fit in the picture, along with several other midmarket MSP trends.
Kaseya Connect User Conference: Five Questions Worth Asking
Posted May 14th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
The Kaseya Connect User Conference kicks off May 26 in Las Vegas. I plan to blog live from the event. If you have questions for Kaseya’s management team, customers and partners, feel free to email them to me (joe [at] ninelivesmediainc.com) or post comments below. In the meantime, here are five key questions I hope to have answered at the event.
Managed Services Software Mergers: Who Will Fire the First Shot?
Posted April 10th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
Picture this: You compete in an emerging, fast-growth software market. The highly fragmented industry is filled with multiple, successful software companies. Most of the companies are relatively small and privately held. Suddenly, industry growth rates slow a bit amid the recession. So, what happens next? Mergers and acquisitions. That’s the scenario facing the managed services software market. Here’s where I think we’re heading next.
Last Call: Ask Dell Your Managed Services Questions
Posted March 18th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
Join Nine Lives Media Inc. for MSPmentor Live: Hot Seat edition on Wednesday, March 18 at 2:00 p.m. eastern. During the webcast, Dell will answer at least 30 attendee questions about the company’s managed services strategy. Feel free to pose questions about MSP certifications, training, sales, go-to-market strategies, and so on. Dell will also provide some clues about the company’s forthcoming managed print services initiative. Register now. Full disclosure: Dell is sponsoring the event but taking attendee questions throughout.
Dell: Watch for Global MSP Push?
Posted January 7th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
Greg Davis (pictured) is leaping from Dell’s North American channel chief slot into a new role as Dell’s global channel chief. As an advocate of Dell’s managed services strategy, it’s safe to expect Davis to focus on a global MSP-oriented push. For VARs and MSPs that remain sceptical of Dell, here are a few key points to keep in mind.
Zenoss: Open Source Meets Managed Services (Again)
Posted December 15th, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
I’m hearing a familiar trend in the managed services market: MSPs seem to be embracing more and more open source tools. The latest example involves Zenoss, a commercial open source company that specializes in applications, systems and network monitoring.
Network Depot Launches Hosted Kaseya Managed Services
Posted October 14th, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
Network Depot LLC, ranked No. 75 in last year’s MSPmentor 100 survey, is transforming itself into a Master MSP. The company has introduced a hosted Kaseya platform, known as Virtual Administrator, that small VARs can leverage.
Memo to HP: Get In the Managed Services Game
Posted October 9th, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
I’ve written roughly 600 blog entries about the managed services industry since January. Amazingly, I think I’ve mentioned Hewlett-Packard only once or twice along the way.
CompTIA Breakaway Recap: “What Do You Think About Dell?”
Posted August 7th, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
Amy Katz (my business partner) and I have completed our trip to the CompTIA Breakaway conference. Amy noticed a rather interesting trend that I had overlooked: During all of our Breakaway meetings, executives from across the managed services market asked us about our thoughts on Dell.
CompTIA Breakaway: Here Comes Dell
Posted July 31st, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
Anybody else notice that Dell is a silver sponsor for the big CompTIA Breakaway show in Orlando (August 4-7)? CompTIA Breakaway typically attracts more than 1,000 attendees, with a heavy emphasis on VARs and managed service providers.
Dell Forms FaceBook Group for Partners
Posted July 22nd, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
Dell continues to launch Web 2.0 sites to drive dialog with partners (managed service providers, VARs and ISVs). The latest is a Dell PartnerDirect Group on FaceBook. It joins the Dell Channel Blog (http://direct2dell.com/channel/) and several other discussion-oriented sites for Dell partners.
