A new Forrester Research report indicates that Microsoft, Google, Cisco, and IBM — which is to say, the major SaaS email players — have more-or-less reached price parity for cloud messaging at about $5 per user per month, confirming that the cloud is axiomatically cheaper than on-premise for most MSPs and the enterprises they serve. Here’s the scoop.
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Cloud Email: Has The Market Stabilized At $5 Mailboxes?
Posted August 17th, 2010 by Matthew Weinberger
Boomi Grows Cloud Integration in 2010
Posted August 12th, 2010 by Matthew Weinberger
Boomi, the self-described “Integration Cloud Company,” has announced record growth in the first six months of 2010, adding 150 new customers and tripling subscription revenues year over year. Here’s a closer look at the company.
Jitterbit Launches Cloud Integration Partner Program
Posted August 10th, 2010 by Matthew Weinberger
Data integration solution vendor Jitterbit has launched a partner program designed to give MSPs, VARs, systems integrators, and anyone else in the IT channel a way to easily and quickly migrate new customers to the cloud. Here’s the scoop.
India: IBM Provides Managed Services for ECS
Posted June 4th, 2010 by Dave Courbanou
In India, IBM has teamed up for the next 10 years with ElectraCard Services (ECS) to provide the backbone for ECS’s disaster recovery infrastructure. Here’s the quick rundown about the agreement.
Google Attacks Microsoft’s Cloud Initiatives
Posted May 17th, 2010 by Matthew Weinberger
Google continues its public relations assault on Microsoft. The latest move: Dave Girouard, president of Google’s enterprise division, has some harsh words as he derides their Redmond rivals for being slow to adapt to the cloud. But is Girouard correct? Here’s some perspective.
IBM Connects its Cloud to NetSuite
Posted May 6th, 2010 by Matthew Weinberger
IBM’s acquisition of Cast Iron Systems is already paying a dividend, as Big Blue announces a partnership with NetSuite to integrate their respective cloud solutions. The goal: ERP, delivered as a service, and fully integrated with on-premise systems.
IBM Acquires Cloud Integrator Cast Iron Systems
Posted May 4th, 2010 by Matthew Weinberger
IBM has expanded its SaaS portfolio even further with the acquisition of cloud integration service provider Cast Iron Systems. IBM’s goal is to make it easier for customers to move from legacy systems to a hybrid cloud model. Here are some perspectives.
Cloud Computing: When Will the Big Money Arrive?
Posted March 31st, 2010 by Matthew Weinberger
Despite all the hype, it’s still early in the cloud game — and big-time cloud revenues have yet to arrive. At least that’s the spin from Matt Asay, a CNet blogger and chief operating officer at Canonical. Asay notes that Amazon’s Elastic Compute Cloud (perhaps the best-known cloud environment out there) is believed to only generate about $220 million annually in annual revenues. That’s a rather small sum, considering Amazon’s annual corporate revenue was $24.5 billion in 2009. So, when will cloud revenues really kick in?
Qwest Rolls Out IBM-Powered Managed Services
Posted March 30th, 2010 by Matthew Weinberger
Qwest Communications — which already counts 95% of the Fortune 500 as their customers — is going after the midmarket with an IBM-powered line of managed services aimed at enterprises with 15,000 seats or less. Here’s the deal.
IBM LotusLive Cloud Gets 200 New Partners
Posted March 22nd, 2010 by Matthew Weinberger
IBM’s channel partners seem to be giving cloud-based collaboration platforms a boost. The latest example: IBM says it has added 200 reseller partners to LotusLive’s two-month old channel program. Here’s the scoop.
Morph Labs: Amazon Web Services Meets Private Clouds (Again)
Posted February 18th, 2010 by Matthew Weinberger
Lots of folks consider Amazon Web Services and their Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) platform a market-leading cloud platform. Now Morph Labs, developers of the Morph Application Platform, think they have a solution for MSPs to form private clouds that are EC2-compatible. Here’s the scoop.
IBM Making Managed Services Moves?
Posted January 8th, 2010 by Matthew Weinberger
We spend quite a bit of time on MSPmentor covering small but fast-growing software companies that cater to the managed services market. But occasionally an industry titan will catch our attention. A case in point: IBM made a key move this week, and it involved small and midsized communication service providers (CSPs). Does this mean the Big 4 systems management companies (BMC, CA, HP, IBM) are finally waking up to managed services? Here’s some perspective and speculation.
Azaleos: Keeping the Cloud In Perspective
Posted December 11th, 2009 by Matthew Weinberger
To listen to some of the cloud computing vendors tell it, all data has to be delivered remotely from a data center and on-premise installations are evaporating. So when I find out that Azaleos, which provides managed Microsoft Exchange services (among others), isn’t betting the company on a cloud strategy, it gives me pause. Here’s the scoop.
Should MSPs Embrace iPhone 3G?
Posted June 10th, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
Now that Apple has finally announced the next-generation iPhone (known as iPhone 3G0, it’s time for managed service providers to formulate a support strategy for the Apple device.
Avnet, HP Partner on Managed Storage Services
Posted June 9th, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
Avnet Technology Solutions and Hewlett-Packard are promoting managed storage services into midsize businesses. The partnership, expected to be announced later today, involves HP’s Electronic Vaulting Services — which feature off-site data backup and recovery services for a monthly fee.
IBM’s Pop Gun Beats HP’s Bombshell
Posted May 14th, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
Everyone is blogging endlessly about HP-EDS (okay, I’m guilty of it too). Valued at nearly $14 billion, HP’s buyout of EDS is big news. But IBM, ironically, may be making wiser moves with smaller, more targeted relationships in the managed services and software as a service (SaaS) markets.
Where Are The Managed Services IPOs?
Posted April 8th, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
If the managed service market is so darn hot, when can we expect MSP platform providers to begin launching initial public offerings?
Nimsoft: Small Acquisition, Big IT Management Aspirations
Posted April 8th, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
How do you attract managed service providers and disrupt a traditional software market dominated by CA, BMC, Hewlett-Packard and IBM-Tivoli? For Nimsoft, the answer to that riddle involves organic growth coupled with acquisitions.
Trend Watch: Managed ERP Services
Posted March 26th, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
Managed services aren’t just for small business. In fact, the managed service providers see ample opportunity in mid-size businesses. But targeting the mid-market often means competing with well-funded, profitable consulting firms that specialize in host ERP (enterprise resource planning) applications.
Tech Data Cautiously Optimistic About Economy
Posted March 4th, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
The same day that Intel delivered disappointing financial results, Tech Data reassured investors and managed service providers that worldwide IT spending remains reasonably healthy. In fact, the big distributor announced strong quarterly financial results and also expressed cautious optimism about its current fiscal year. That’s welcome news for MSPs.
IBM, Seagate Push Deeper Into Managed Services
Posted December 7th, 2007 by Joe Panettieri
Byte and Switch, a web site that covers storage and networking, offers interesting perspective on recent acquisitions at IBM and Seagate. The IBM deal (acquiring Arsenal Digital) and Seagate’s move (buying MetaLINCS) both have strong managed services angles, according to the site. Surprised? You shouldn’t be.
Software as a Service: Two Options Worth Noting
Posted November 13th, 2007 by Joe Panettieri
For many managed service providers, hosted email represents a first foray into software as a service (SaaS). But email is a commodity these days — a nice, basic offering that pays decent dividends but won’t make you rich. If you’re looking for growing SaaS opportunities, it might be time to embrace hosted CRM (customer relationship management) or business intelligence. Here’s why.
Pushing Managed Services Into An Enterprise
Posted November 8th, 2007 by Joe Panettieri
When we launched this site in late September, we assumed that the bulk of our content would focus on managed services for small and mid-size businesses. But as we listen to the MSP marketplace, it’s clear that the managed services movement is pushing deep into large enterprises. And companies like ComBrio and Third Brigade are more than happy to answer the call for enterprise help. Here’s a closer look at the enterprise MSP trend.
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