The Planet, the managed IT hosting company that works with MSPs and VARs, is bundling a free Plesk control panel, 10GB of cloud storage, and Symantec Endpoint Protection for free with any new server purchase. They’ve also revealed a new line of low-cost server offerings. The Planet says it’s striving to be the “hosting industry’s value leader.” We say it’s a move into the freemium arena. Here’s why.
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The Planet: Value Menu for Managed Hosting
Posted January 25th, 2010 by Matthew Weinberger
Dell Bets $450 Million On Cloud Moves
Posted December 8th, 2009 by Matthew Weinberger
Over the past few years, Dell has made multiple software acquisitions. You remember the names — Silverback, Everdream, etc. But now, Dell Cloud Evangelist Barton George is starting to tell people how those deals fit together into a $450 million cloud and SaaS (software as a service) push.
The Planet: Web Hosting Meets Managed Services
Posted December 17th, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
Imagine managing 14.1 million web sites, 57,000 Dell servers and the second largest number of Red Hat hosting licenses in the country.
Software as a Service Stocks Fall 11.86% for Week Ended Nov. 21
Posted November 22nd, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
Software as a service (SaaS) stocks remain on a losing streak. MSPmentor’s SaaS 20 stock index fell 11.86 percent for the week ended November 21. The index has fallen more than 55 percent since January 2008 — proving that SaaS companies are not immune to the economic turmoil around us.
Software as a Service Stocks Rise Nearly 4 Percent
Posted September 21st, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
While financial stocks were on a roller coaster ride, software as a service (SaaS) stocks delivered a strong showing for the week ended Sept. 19. In fact, MSPmentor’s SaaS 20 Stock Index rose 3.81% on the week. It was the first time the index rose since mid-August.
Dell Promotes MessageOne As Managed Service
Posted September 2nd, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
And so it begins: Dell has started promoting MessageOne as a cost-effective managed service for corporate email. But it’s unclear how, when or if managed service providers (MSPs) will be able to join Dell’s MessageOne party.
SaaS Stocks Fall 2.13% for Week Ended August 29
Posted August 31st, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
Disappointing quarterly results at Dell Inc. dragged down MSPmentor’s SaaS 20 Stock Index for the week ended August 29. The index, which tracks the software as a service industry, fell 2.13% during the week.
Dell’s Subtle Message to Managed Service Providers
Posted June 26th, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
Dell made a subtle but important move when the company announced storage management and data protection services on June 25.
Dell’s Next Move: A Master MSP Strategy
Posted June 23rd, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
As part of its ongoing managed services push, Dell hopes to launch a Master MSP strategy in late 2008 or early 2009, MSPmentor has learned. The move has potential implications for anyone involved in managed services. Here are some of the preliminary details, based on a conversation I had with Greg Davis, vice president and general manager of Dell’s Americas Channel Group.
SaaS 20 Stock Index Slides 1.75% for the Week
Posted June 21st, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
MSPmentor’s SaaS 20 Stock Index, which tracks the software as a service industry, slid 1.75 percent for the week ended June 20, 2008. But that’s not so bad, considering the Dow slipped 4 percent on the week and hit a 3-month low.
Updated: Dell and the MSPmentor 250
Posted June 4th, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
Apparently, managed service providers are developing a love-hate relationship with Dell. While some solutions providers worry about Dell’s intentions in the MSP market, other partners are pushing — aggressively — to have Dell executives included on our forthcoming MSPmentor 250 list.
Forbes Magazine Discovers Dell’s MSP Strategy
Posted May 27th, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
Although managed services coverage hasn’t quite pushed into the mainstream media, some business publications are starting to more effectively cover small business IT services.
HP Makes Managed Services Move — In India
Posted May 27th, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
I’ve been especially critical of Hewlett-Packard in recent months, openly wondering how the company has so badly missed the managed services market in the US. But a new partnership in India may provide some clues abou where HP is heading in the MSP space.
If Hewlett-Packard Buys EDS, Then MSPs Should Celebrate
Posted May 12th, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
If Hewlett-Packard buys Electronic Data Systems, as The Wall Street Journal is speculating, it could mean good news for managed service providers.
Dell Talks Up Managed Services With 75 Partners
Posted May 5th, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
Dell, in its latest bid to build trust and profitable relationships with managed service providers, hosted a Web seminar for about 75 partners on May 1. More Web seminars are planned, but something far more interesting caught my attention: It seems like some Dell managers truly do have the channel in their DNA.
Dell Prepares to Brief Managed Service Providers
Posted April 29th, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
Dell on May 1 is set to host a webinar for its certified managed service provider partners. The company is working overtime to brief press (including MSPmentor) about the webinar.
Fonality: Open Source VoIP Meets Managed Services
Posted April 15th, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
Chris Lyman is setting in the middle of a perfect storm. As CEO of Fonality, Lyman is building an IP-PBX company that leverages Asterisk (an open source platform) and embraces managed service providers. In other words, Fonality has converged three hot markets (unified communications, open source and managed services) into a single solution.
Cisco Vows Not to Become Service Provider
Posted April 15th, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
At a time when some managed service providers are worried about Dell, Microsoft and Google moving onto their turf, Cisco Systems is taking a stand and offering assurances to MSPs.
Memo to Dell: Include Partner Messaging in Everdream Webinars
Posted April 10th, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
My email inbox today had a Webinar invite from Dell. The company on April 22 plans to educate corporate customers about Everdream, a remote administration and asset management tool for PCs and mobile systems.
Dell Sends Letter to Managed Service Providers
Posted March 31st, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
Sorry for being so “Dell-centric” on our Web sites today, but a conversation I had with Dell’s Channel VP Greg Davis has triggered multiple posts. The latest: Davis and Michael Menegay, Global Director of Dell Managed Services, today sent a jointly signed letter to managed service providers. The letter provides MSPs with an update on:
- Dell’s Managed Services Partner Certification, with more details about plans for the Everdream platform
- Dell’s own Managed Services for small business plans, with more details on Dell’s intention to test managed services with selected small businesses
- Future communications. Dell is planning a Web seminar the week of April 21 to continue the conversation with partners.
Here is some analysis, along with a link to let you read the entire letter for yourself.
Dell Recruits 6,200 Channel Partners
Posted March 31st, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
Channel conflict. Trust. While some VARs and managed service providers continue to fret over those words, more than 6,200 solutions providers have joined Dell’s channel program since its official launch on December 5, according to Greg Davis, the company’s channel chief.
Update: Dell’s Managed Services Strategy
Posted March 27th, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
Dell is among the companies attending next week’s managed services conference in Atlanta. But I’ll get a jump on some of that Dell discussion by visiting the PC giant on March 28.
Dell’s Vista Strategy: Where Do Silverback Partners Fit In?
Posted March 25th, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
Windows Vista has sold more than 100 million licenses as of January 2008, but the operating system hasn’t exactly been a hit in business environments — where many companies are holding strong to Windows XP, and some firms are exploring Windows alternatives.
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