MSPmentor

As the New Year approaches, we’re looking back at the most read managed services stories of 2011. Yesterday, we recapped the 10 most read MSP news stories from Q1, 2011. Now, let’s look at the most read MSP stories from Q2, 2011 and their implications for managed services providers.

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When Google announced Chromebook price cuts a few hours ago, it was the latest inflection point for MSPs trying to figure out hardware as a service (HaaS). Yes, the HaaS market has had its share of hits. But HaaS has also had its share of setbacks in recent years.

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Several hundred managed services providers (MSPs) are set to attend this week’s N-able Partner Summit (Oct. 12-14, Scottsdale, Ariz.). What surprises will N-able CEO Gavin Garbutt and his executive team have in store for MSPs? Here are seven questions worth asking.

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Navitas Lease Corp., a Channel Finance 25 company, has introduced hardware as a service (HaaS) offerings for managed services providers (MSPs) and channel partners. The move caught MSPmentor’s attention because Navitas financial team members have worked with N-able customers and partners for more than five years. Here’s the update.

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So long. Farewell. It’s time to spend some quality time with our families. But before we log off here are seven managed services blog entries the MSPmentor team didn’t have time to write for the week ending June 17, 2011.

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Google Chromebooks officially debut today (June 15). Google is preparing some sort of partner program to help promote Chromebooks for Business into the channel. But in the meantime, MSPmentor sees at least four potential ways MSPs can indirectly profit from Chromebooks. Here they are…

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Google Chromebooks remain set for launch on June 15. The low-cost notebook and netbook devices run Google’s Chrome OS, working closely with Google Apps. But here’s the really interesting part: Google is also preparing to launch Chromebook for Business — which essentially is a hardware as a service (HaaS) plan for enterprise customers. Here are the details, plus the potential implications for managed services providers (MSPs).

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It has been roughly a year since ConnectWise Capital invested in CharTec, the hardware as a service (HaaS) specialist. Since that time, CharTec has pushed deeper into additional markets like backup and disaster recovery (BDR). The latest example: CharTec has now integrated its backup and disaster recovery (BDR) appliance with ConnectWise‘s PSA (professional services automation) software, according to Corporate Administration Director Monique Rogers (pictured). Here’s the update.

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CA Technologies appears to be preparing a SaaS channel push that may be called MSP on Demand. MSPmentor stumbled onto the effort while researching a separate hardware as a service (HaaS) story on February 10. Here’s the update and potential implications for MSPs.

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It has been roughly a year since Arnie Bellini (pictured) and David Bellini launched ConnectWise Capital, an investment fund that seeks to incubate channel-centric IT solutions for managed services providers (MSPs) and VARs. So, how are the first two investments — CharTec and LabTech Software performing? And can we expect ConnectWise Capital to make new investments? Both Arnie Bellini and David Bellini share some insights in an MSPmentor FastChat Video.

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I spent most of January 20 at ConnectWise’s headquarters in Tampa, Fla. Frequent MSPmentor readers know the basics — how CEO Arnie Bellini and President David Bellini pushed beyond local IT services to build a PSA (professional services automation) software company. And the more recent IT Nation channel community efforts. But what’s going on behind the curtains down at ConnectWise? Here are six clues that may indicate where the company is heading next…

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MSP on Demand, a hardware as a service (HaaS) specialist, may have had a majority ownership change, according to a recent SEC filing reviewed by MSPmentor. The potential ownership change comes as MSP on Demand continues to face a lawsuit filed by N-able Technologies, the RMM (remote monitoring and management) software specialist. Here’s the update.

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So, you’re a managed services provider that needs a small business loan, a lease or some other financial assistance. What are your options? Our sister site, The VAR Guy, is putting together a research report just for you. The VAR Guy’s Channel Finance 25 — an annual report — will help VARs and MSPs to find the key companies, organizations and financial lenders that can assist with short-term cash flow and long-term growth strategies. Here are the details.

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Focus, focus, focus. That’s the word of the month here at MSPmentor and its parent company, Nine Lives Media Inc. We’re focused on some MSPmentor enhancements… and some new efforts… Juggling those priorities means some of our draft blogs never get edited and published. So, with those thoughts in mind, here are seven managed services blog entries the MSPmentor team didn’t have a chance to write for the week ending November 12, 2010.

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So, you’re a managed services provider that needs a small business loan, a lease or some other financial assistance. What are your options? Our sister site, The VAR Guy, is putting together a research report just for you. The VAR Guy’s Channel Finance 25 — an annual report  — will help VARs and MSPs to find the key companies, organizations and financial lenders that can assist with short-term cash flow and long-term growth strategies. Here are the details.

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There’s money in managed print services. How do I know? First, Photizo Group started organizing managed print services conferences — and the buzz tied to the events has been pretty positive. More recently, CompTIA organized a community for managed print services. The big question: Can Photizo Group, CompTIA and print manufacturers help to turn the sleepy managed print services industry into a big money maker for MSPs? Here are some perspectives.

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At the ConnectWise IT Nation conference in Orlando, CEO Arnie Bellini outlined a vision to help MSPs, VARs and IT service providers succeed as cloud computing hype grows. Bellini’s key points focused on defending your business from major SaaS and cloud companies that plan to sell direct to SMBs. Plus, Bellini described how solutions providers can build closer SMB customer relationships that generate new revenue opportunities. Here are 15 highlights from the keynote — including key thoughts on coopetition (cooperating and competing) in the MSP software market.

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Kaseya, which specializes in IT systems management software, has acquired ObjAcct Inc., a developer of XML-based accounting software. The deal, expected to be announced November 4, could arm MSPs and corporate IT managers with an emerging type of financial management software. Here’s the scoop.

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Roughly 1,100 MSPs and VARs will gather later this week at ConnectWise IT Nation (formerly ConnectWise Partner Summit). The conference (Nov. 4-6, Orlando) also serves as a magnet for several related events hosted by CharTec, HTG Peer Groups, LabTech Software, Level Platforms and TruMethods. No doubt, attendees will hear a lot of themes related to cloud computing, the last mile of IT and managing the modern office for SMBs. Here are 35 key questions MSPmentor plans to raise during the conference.

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As the economy continues to sputter, companies of all sizes are looking for ways to cut costs, but no one wants to look cheap doing so. When it comes to travel, which can run up fairly sizeable budgets for some companies, one elegant way to curtail expenses is to embrace telepresence. Here’s why.

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Call it some friendly coopetition. Earlier this week, several Florida-based managed services providers — located in Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties — sat down at a bar together to share a few beers, smoke a few cigars, and compare business notes. Among those who pulled up a chair for the meeting: Eric Dosal, chief operating officer for Compuquip Technologies, Inc. Here’s a recap.

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At the Channel Partners Conference & Expo, it’s safe to expect IP phones to converge with hardware as a service (HaaS). The reason: Alteva, a hosted unified communications company, has confirmed plans to offer an IP phone rental program to SMBs that require 10 or more handsets. Alteva’s strategy includes a close working relationship with Microsoft in the UC market, plus a channel program for MSPs and VARs. Here are the preliminary details.

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When it comes to hardware as a service (HaaS), many MSPs see revenue opportunities involving servers, desktops, laptops and printers. But the next HaaS opportunity will likely involve IP phones, according to vendors that are set to attend the Channel Partners Conference and Expo (Sept. 20-22, Washington, D.C.). One particular company to watch: Alteva, a hosted unified communications specialist. Here’s why.

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