MSPmentor

Anecdotal evidence suggests Microsoft Lync — the unified communications platform — continues to gain momentum. For instance, both Volkswagen Group of America and LA Fitness have rolled out Lync, the software giant says. Plus, the Microsoft Pinpoint partner locator tool now lists at least 100 Lync channel partners across the U.S. My bigger question: Can MSPs somehow generate recurring revenues from Lync?

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What’s proper social media etiquette? The unwritten rules always seem to be changing. But a recent survey from Intermedia and Harris Interactive offers some guidance. The survey involved nearly 2,400 working adults, who apparently stopped tweeting and friending long enough to participate in the survey.  Here are some of the findings…

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Yes, Microsoft launched Office 365 today. We’ve developed an extensive Office 365 FAQ to help MSPs understand Microsoft’s cloud strategy and the potential implications for channel partners. Overall, we think Office 365 divides channel partners into four camps. But what exactly are MSPs and MSPmentor readers saying about Office 365? Here’s a sampling of opinions from five managed services industry leaders, followed by an MSPmentor reality check.

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During Ingram Micro Cloud Summit last week, a few MSPs pulled me aside to ask a key question: Is Intermedia, the hosted Exchange specialist, still committed to managed services providers (MSPs) and channel partners? The question popped up because Oak Hill Capital Partners, an investment firm, acquired Intermedia in May 2011. The change in control has some MSPs wondering how Intermedia will evolve. Here’s the answer.

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The MSPmentor team is recharging a bit before heading off to multiple conferences over the next two weeks. Here’s a look at our next destinations. Plus, the seven managed services blogs we didn’t have time to write for the week ending May 27, 2011.

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Apptix , an MSPmentor 100 company, continues to pitch a familiar story with regular quarterly updates. The high-level pitch goes something like this: Apptix, a hosted Exchange specialist, began to refine and refocus its business when CEO Dave Ehrhardt arrived in 2008. At the time, Apptix was a hodgepodge of acquired brands and platforms. Today, Apptix seems to be keenly focused on key vertical markets that need hosted unified communications solutions. Here’s why.

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Intermedia, Automation Anywhere and Challenge.gov each are gaining some attention in the healthcare vertical. Here’s a look at each solution and the potential implications for managed services providers (MSPs) working within the healthcare sector.

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Lyrix Inc. is cultivating a service provider channel for its hosted speech-enabled auto attendant (SEAA) offering. The company’s Mobiso Speech Assistant uses speech recognition — instead dial-by-name lookup — to direct callers to the appropriate party. Lyrix is positioning Speech Assistant as an add-on sale for hosted IP PBX providers. VoIP services typically lack speech recognition as part of the offering, noted Stewart Hampton, marketing director at Lyrix. Hosted SEAA, however, lets service providers tap that technology as part of a broader solution.

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A new round of competition may be emerging in the managed services market. It goes something like this: Ingram Micro spent several years building its Seismic managed services business for VARs and MSPs. Now, Synnex — an Ingram rival — has launched its latest managed services initiative. So is Synnex chasing Ingram — or is Synnex truly innovating on its own? I’ve organized some thoughts based on this week’s Ingram Micro VTN (Chicago) and Synnex Varnex (Boston) channel gatherings.

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In the distribution market, rivals Ingram Micro and Synnex are preparing some cloud channel partner updates for VARs and managed services providers. The latest moves will likely surface at two separate conferences the week of April 10 in Boston (Synnex Varnex) and Chicago (Ingram Micro VTN). So what’s on tap? I expected plenty of updates from Ingram Micro VP of Managed Services and Cloud Computing Renee Bergeron (pictured) and Synnex Senior VP Robert Stegner. Here’s a preview.

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In recent weeks, numerous technology companies have promoted cloud PBX and hosted VoIP services. No doubt, some managed services providers (MSPs) are embracing those services. But a lengthy list of VARs and MSPs continue to promote on-premise unified communications systems. Why’s that? Jason Waldrop, CEO of Connected WorkPlace Solutions — an MSPmentor 100 company and Cisco partner — provided some insights in a recent MSPmentor FastChat Video.

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Greetings from my second home — better known as the JetBlue terminal at JFK International Airport in New York. My inbox is filled with tips and chatter, including some managed services news that the MSPmentor team didn’t have a chance to write for the week ending March 25. Take a look at these seven MSP news-related items worth noting…

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There’s nothing like procrastinating — just a little longer than usual. Here are seven managed services blogs the MSPmentor team didn’t have a chance to write for the week ending March 18, 2011.

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Multiple sources say Microsoft has circled July 1 as a potential launch date for Office 365, the forthcoming successor to Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS). The potential target date would allow Microsoft to heavily promote Office 365 at the annual Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC, July 10-15, Los Angeles). No doubt, Microsoft is betting its cloud strategy on Office 365 and its sister cloud site, Windows Azure. But will MSPs warm up to Office 365 when it arrives?

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I moderated a cloud computing panel at the Intermedia Partner Summit yesterday in New York. But here’s the interesting part: For the most part, the panelists referred to themselves as managed services providers. Not cloud integrators. Not cloud service providers. But established, growing MSPs. Here’s why.

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What’s the single best way for managed services providers (MSPs) to find new sales leads? Before I answer the question let me start with a news hook: This morning, MSP Leads, a new company, launched lead generation services for U.S.-based managed services providers. Another company, called MSP Telemarketing, has been offering lead generation services to MSPs for quite some time. So what makes MSP Leads different? And where, ultimately, can MSPs find qualified leads?

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For many managed services providers (MSPs), proactively monitoring PCs and servers is old news. Looking ahead, it seems like a growing number of MSPs are expanding their focus to managed unified communications and maybe even hosted PBX services. And companies like Cisco Systems, Intermedia, N-able, NetEnrich, Parallels and Tigerpaw Software are more than happy to accelerate the trend. Here’s the update — including the latest move by NetEnrich CEO Raju Chekuri (pictured).

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An interesting debate has emerged at Cisco Partner Summit. On the one hand, some large managed services providers here are preparing to launch their own hosted PBX services. But on the other hand, some MSPs attending the summit say they haven’t white labeled hosted PBX services yet because current services don’t offer the right mix of features, price and performance. The debate emerges as companies like Intermedia and Parallels prepare to more aggressively promote hosted PBX services to MSPs and other channel partners.

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Own Web Now has launched three brand extensions to the ExchangeDefender managed email security platform. The moves, according to Own Web Now CEO Vlad Mazek, are designed to drive MSPs and VARs toward cloud solutions. Here’s the update.

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The looming SaaS battle between Google Apps and Microsoft Office 365 (the forthcoming successor to Business Productivity Online Suite) just got a bit more interesting. Indeed, Oracle has launched Oracle Cloud Office — a SaaS platform that VARs and MSPs can host on their own. Also, Oracle launched Open Office 3.3, the latest version of the desktop productivity suite. Here are five quick points for MSPs to keep in mind as they mull desktop and mobile productivity strategies for their customers.

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It sounds like a simple, lucrative business model: MSPs should sell IP phone handsets and then profit from recurring back-end revenues from hosted VoIP, unified communications and more. The challenge: Where can managed services providers find partners for the back-end hosted services? I’m sure there are numerous answers to that question. But here are three potential options that come to mind — from such companies as Telcentris, Intermedia and Fonality.

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Ingram Micro continues to accelerate its cloud strategy, today launching Ingram Micro Cloud and a related marketplace for VARs and MSPs that are seeking a range of SaaS and cloud solutions. In an MSPmentor FastChat Video, Ingram Micro VP Renee Bergeron says the distributor’s cloud strategy is a natural extension of Ingram’s services strategy for partners. Here’s the update plus some perspective from MSPmentor.

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Intermedia claims to be the world’s largest independent Microsoft Exchange hosting service provider — so it’s no wonder that they’re looking to streamline self-service management for their SMB customers. The new release of the Intermedia HostPilot Control panel for gives their hosted services customers the ability to change their own passwords, enable call forwarding, and get SMS service status updates. Here’s the scoop.

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