Microsoft unveiled the latest chapter in its cloud strategy today, as Channel Chief Allison Watson outlined potential cloud opportunities for VARs and MSPs. Watson held a webcast for channel partners earlier today. And she sat down for a FastChat video with The VAR Guy to answer additional cloud-centric channel questions. In the FastChat videos, Watson discusses opportunities involving Windows Azure and BPOS (Business Productivity Online Suite), competition with Google, first cloud steps for VARs, and the SaaS pricing questions that sometimes pop up within Microsoft’s channel ecosystem. Here are the videos.
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Microsoft Takes Cloud Message to Channel Partners
Posted March 10th, 2010 by Joe Panettieri
Microsoft, Orange Partner on European SaaS
Posted February 10th, 2010 by Matthew Weinberger
A heads up to European VARs and MSPs looking to get into the SaaS (software as a service) market. You’ve got new competition from Orange Business Services, the managed communication services arm of European communication giant France Telecom. Orange has been granted “approved reseller” status for Microsoft Online Services. It’s a significant move from two huge companies. Here’s some perspective.
Seven Managed Services Blogs We Didn’t Write: Feb. 5
Posted February 5th, 2010 by Joe Panettieri
Forgive me for being distracted (again). Our team is busy polishing and posting the MSPmentor 100 report onto a hidden section of our website. The complete report debuts Feb. 10, shortly after a webcast on the topic. In the meantime, here are seven managed services blog entries our team didn’t have the time to write for the week ending Feb. 5, 2010.
SaaS: Microsoft Bolsters BPOS Partner Sales Support
Posted January 11th, 2010 by Joe Panettieri
Microsoft’s BPOS (Business Productivity Online Suite) team is bolstering its SaaS training options for channel partners. The effort includes learning tools, delivery support and technical support options for VARs and managed services providers. Here’s a look.
Ingram, Intermedia Promote Hosted Exchange 2010 to MSPs
Posted December 4th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
Intermedia and Ingram Micro Seismic are marching forward with their plans to offer Hosted Exchange 2010 to managed service providers. The move comes as many VARs and MSPs continue to sort out their SaaS (software as a service) strategies for Microsoft applications.
Microsoft Wins Huge European Cloud Deal
Posted November 24th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
It’s one small step for Microsoft’s cloud software strategy, and one giant leap for UK’s Royal Mail Group. Specifically, Royal Mail Group’s 30,000 employees will leverage Microsoft’s Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS). Computer Sciences Corp., a massive integrator, won the SaaS and cloud deal for Microsoft. Here are some details and early perspectives for smaller managed service providers (MSPs) and integrators.
Confirmed: Microsoft Cuts SaaS Prices 33 Percent
Posted November 2nd, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
Microsoft is slashing some SaaS prices by 33 percent, confirming a scoop from TheVARGuy.com earlier today. Sources close to Microsoft say this is the start of a SaaS price war with Google Apps, with VARs and MSPs potentially getting squeezed. But Microsoft is reminding reporters that more than 7,000 partners are building SaaS practices around Microsoft Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS), Exchange Online and SharePoint Online, among other offerings. Here’s the updated report from The VAR Guy.
Microsoft Preparing SaaS Price Cuts?
Posted November 2nd, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
Two sources tell our sister site, The VAR Guy, that Microsoft plans to make SaaS (software as a service) price cuts amid a cloud war with Google Apps. Check out The VAR Guy’s blog for a look at potential implications for VARs and managed service providers.
HTG Peer Groups: 220 MSPs Set to Chat
Posted October 27th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
Roughly 220 managed service providers and VARs are set to converge in Orlando, Fla., at the HTG Peer Group meetings. Cloud computing will be a central theme for the meeting. But there will also be a big focus on so-called “legacy plans.” Here’s what to expect at the HTG gathering, and the clues it may offer about the MSP industry’s evolution.
Microsoft’s Cloud: Windows Azure Explained
Posted July 17th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
Most managed service providers and VARs are still getting familiar with Windows Azure, Microsoft’s cloud-based operating system. How does Windows Azure work? And what’s the potential value of Windows Azure to managed service providers and their customers? The following video attempts to offer some answers.
Microsoft’s SaaS Strategy In 450 Words or Less
Posted July 16th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
During the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference 2009 (WPC09), multiple briefings and interviews gave me a clearer — though certainly not perfect — view of the software giant’s SaaS (software as a service) and cloud strategies. Plus, I began to see the implications for VARs and managed service providers. Here are some thoughts.
Microsoft: Waking Up to Managed Services?
Posted June 12th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
Another sleeping giant is waking up to the managed services opportunity. Microsoft has launched a managed services landing page on its partner web site, and is beginning to connect the dots between managed services, software as a service (SaaS) and the Microsoft Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS).
Microsoft’s BPOS: Partner Opportunities Ahead
Posted April 29th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
When it comes to understanding Microsoft’s SaaS (software as a service) strategy, there are only four letters managed service providers need to know: BPOS, short for Business Productivity Online Suite. Most of Microsoft’s major SaaS applications fit under the BPOS umbrella, and the software giant has started evangelizing BPOS opportunities to MSPs. Now, the big question: Is BPOS a real opportunity for channel partners?
SaaS: Service Providers Predict Google Will Beat Microsoft
Posted January 30th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
Five years from now, Google — rather than Microsoft — will dominate the software as a service (SaaS) market, according to 48 percent of managed service providers who participated in MSPmentor’s reader poll for the week ended January 30, 2009. Here’s a closer look at the poll stats — and a surprising snub involving Oracle.
Will Managed Service Providers Back Microsoft Exchange Online, SharePoint Online?
Posted November 17th, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
Microsoft says Exchange Online and SharePoint Online are now ready for deployment, with 100 new partners and managed service providers signing up to offer the hosted systems ever week.
Four Managed Services Stories Worth Noting
Posted October 24th, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
I’ve been tied up at the N-able Partner Summit and CompTIA Managed Services Summit. They are great events, but that also means I’ve overlooked a few things going on elsewhere in the managed services world this week. Here four other managed services stories I wish I had spent more time covering:
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