MSPmentor

Not every MSP can leverage the Google Apps Marketplace, and not every solutions provider has cloud applications ready to go. Enter AppsOnCommand, a new white label solution that lets you host any application and deliver it as software as a service (SaaS).

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McAfee, Inc.’s Chief Executive David DeWalt made waves last Friday when he told Reuters that they were looking to acquire multiple technology companies this year. Here’s the scoop from the security sector.

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Google did it with Gmail and Buzz to a resounding silence. Now Microsoft is integrating the upcoming Outlook 2010 with the social network by way of the Outlook Social Connector, now available in beta. Rather than building their own social network, Microsoft is partnering with market leaders like LinkedIn. Here’s the scoop.

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Paessler AG, an old hand in the network monitoring game with more than a decade of experience, is taking a fresh look at the managed services market. I spoke to Ken Sanofsky, Paessler’s general manager for North America, about the company’s push into the managed services channel. Here’s a recap of the conversation.

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A few leading-edge managed service providers are starting to leverage Windows Azure, Microsoft’s cloud-based operating system. A case in point: West Monroe Partners, one of Chicago’s best-known MSPs, embraced Windows Azure and hosted Silverlight to get The City of Chicago up and running with a scalable, fast, user-friendly interactive map for all the events of the world-famous “Taste of Chicago” event. Here are some details from the project.

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RIM’s Blackberry remains the phone of choice for many corporate executives, but the iPhone’s App Store and Safari web browser make it worth a second look for business. And increasingly, MSPs are finding they can’t ignore the iPhone.

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The MSPAlliance and Microsoft are working together on a reciprocal relationship, reports Redmond Channel Partner. As part of the relationship, Microsoft will promote the MSPAlliance’s Accreditation exam to channel partners worldwide. Likewise, companies that hold a Microsoft IT certification will receive credit for that expertise if/when they take the MSPAlliance’s Accreditation exam, according to the report.

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When it comes to hosted email, why zig when you can zag? That explains the strategy at EtomicMail, a managed service provider that’s hosting Zimbra — an open source email platform — rather than Microsoft Exchange.

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The iPhone 3G goes on sale July 11, but Azaleos — a top managed service provider focused on Exchange Server — is already promoting a strategy for the new Apple device. Smart move. I wonder: Why aren’t more MSPs copying the Azaleos iPhone strategy?

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Is the party over for VMware and the virtualization market? Yes and no. In a surprise move, former Microsoft executive Paul Maritz has been named president and CEO of VMware, replacing ousted co-founder Diane Greene.

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If you believe the Microsoft bashers, open source and software as a service (SaaS) will ultimately destroy Microsoft’s traditional software markets and revenue streams. But while open source continues to gain serious momentum, we’re not seeing solutions providers and SaaS experts abandon Microsoft. On the contrary, a growing number of Microsoft partners are lining up to support Dynamics CRM, SharePoint and Exchange Server.

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As managed service providers push beyond the classic Wintel market, many are trying to get a better feel for software as a service (SaaS) and cloud computing. That’s where Google enters the picture.

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If you want to see how Microsoft and Google are competing in the software as a service (SaaS) market, head back to college. As I’ve written here a few times, Hofstra University, the University of Phoenix and several other large colleges have embraced Google Apps to manage student email, alumni email and collaboration. Now, Microsoft is taking steps to more actively promote its rival offering: Live@edu hosted applications.

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I’m a firm believer that managed service providers (MSPs) must offer “feet on the street” and face-to-face interaction with customers, otherwise you risk losing close, long-term relationships. Even if you offer software as a service (SaaS), you need to force yourself to visit customers regularly (once a month to once a quarter). That’s where the “software plus service” or “hybrid” business model comes into focus.

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Even as the world shifts from Windows to the Web, Microsoft partners remain highly coveted. The latest example: Autotask has announced a special offer for Microsoft Small Business Specialist Community (SBSC) partners. It reminds me (somewhat) of a free offer N-able made to Microsoft partners in April.

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If you’re a Microsoft partner that’s skeptical about software as a service (SaaS), consider this: Half of all Exchange email inboxes will involve hosted systems within five years, notes Mary Jo Foley’s All About Microsoft blog. I’ve been alerting readers in recent weeks about Microsoft’s SaaS strategy for Exchange, Dynamics CRM and SharePoint. Ultimately, Microsoft will need to compete and cooperate with managed service providers (MSPs) that host those applications. Here’s how some Microsoft partners intend to cope with the software giant’s SaaS moves.

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Anecdotal evidence suggests that managed service providers are pushing deeper into the Microsoft applications market. Most of the Microsoft-centric initiatives seem to involve hosted Exchange Server, Dynamics CRM and /or SharePoint applications.

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Mergers and acquisitions continue at a rapid pace in the managed services industry. The latest deal involves Alentus — a managed service provider with software as a service expertise — acquiring two Linux-centric hosting firms.

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Microsoft is preparing an “application streaming” initiative, in an effort to more effectively position Microsoft Office against Google Apps, according to ComputerWorld. Anyone who thinks this is nothing more than a commodity software war needs to think again.

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Microsoft is aggressively pursuing business relationships with cable companies as it strives to strengthen its software as a service (SaaS) strategy, MSPmentor has learned. If it secures partnerships with cable companies, Microsoft could wind up competing with some managed service providers that offer hosted Exchange Server systems to small businesses.

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The writing has been on the wall for several weeks. MSPmentor told Microsoft partners in March that managed service providers needed to master — or at least explore — hosted versions of Microsoft Exchange Server, Dynamics CRM and SharePoint. Now, Ingram Micro’s Seismic team is hoping to accelerate MSP moves to those hosted applications. Here’s the scoop.

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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.

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N-able Technologies wants to win the hearts and minds of Microsoft’s North American partners and managed service providers. Indeed, N-able is offering Microsoft partners a free one-year subscription to a new software as a service (SaaS) platform called N-central Express.

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