MSPmentor

Cloud vendors, at least the publicly held ones, have been disclosing cloud-centric revenue for a few quarters now. The top line revenue results are helpful, since they chronicle demand for emerging cloud services. But, obviously, it doesn’t say much about the underlying business fundamentals. With that in mind, what metrics should cloud companies use to track financial performance and operational efficiency? How should they keep score? Here are some clues — and some similarity between cloud success metrics, and MSP success metrics.

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The deadlines kept coming this week. We met most (but not all) of them. Plus, we’re still busy chasing some rather strategic news that will break within days. Here are some clues, plus seven managed services blog entries we didn’t write for the week ending February 19.

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Blink an eye and you may miss the latest managed services merger and acquisition news. This one involves Waypoint Solutions Group and Carolina Computer Network Solutions merging their businesses. And more deals are coming. Here’s an update.

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Jason Evans has big plans. As president and CEO of PEQ Services + Solutions, Evans is developing a long-term plan to grow the managed service provider’s revenues to $100 million, up from an anticipated $60 million in 2010. Evans shared some of PEQ’s strategy in a FastChat video with MSPmentor.

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mindSHIFT, which landed atop our third-annual MSPmentor 100 survey, appears to be considering another acquisition. A potential deal could be announced by mid-year. mindSHIFT CEO Paul Chisholm shares some clues about where the company is heading in this FastChat video with MSPmentor…

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Consider the following scenario: Your company participated in the MSPmentor 100 survey, but didn’t appear in the final MSPmentor 100 list. Is there still a way to find out your ranking compared to other MSPs surveyed? Absolutely. Here’s how.

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Roughly four or five managed service providers are merging to form a national MSP in Australia. I’ve got quite a few of the details, including a FastChat video with one of the executives involved in the deal. At least two of the companies are on our MSPmentor 100 list. I’m about to catch a flight, but when I land I’ll be back with more details — including that MSPmentor FastChat video.

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When the third-annual MSPmentor 100 report debuts later today, you’ll notice that the list includes numerous managed services providers outside of North America. More than 25 percent of survey participants represented MSPs from Europe and Australia, among other regions. So, how will we put the spotlight on MSPs outside of North America? Here are some quick thoughts.

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The third-annual MSPmentor 100 list is now live at www.MSPmentor.net/top-100-msps. A complete PDF report will debut at 9:00 p.m. eastern today. You’ll notice plenty of changes to the top 100 list this year vs. previous editions. No doubt, 2009 was a challenging year for many managed services providers. But there was plenty of good news, too. Here are some quick stats and items to consider from this year’s MSPmentor 100.

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Two things are competing for my time and attention today: A blizzard here in New York, and the launch of the third-annual MSPmentor 100 — which debuts at 2:00 p.m. eastern today during our special webcast. How will I escape from the blizzard to moderate the webcast? Here’s the answer…

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Our third-annual MSPmentor 100 list and report — tracking 100 of the world’s most successful managed service providers — will debut February 10. Check our MSPmentor 100 center for details, or join our special webcast at 2:00 p.m. eastern on February 10. The MSPmentor 100 is a global survey, and we’ll be putting an extra-bright spotlight on international markets such as Europe and Australia this year.

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How can managed services providers formulate merger and acquisition strategies? We’ll find some answers during our next MSPmentor Live webcast, scheduled for February 10. Two CEOs representing top MSPs will discuss their M&A objectives during the webcast. Plus, we’ll unveil the third-annual MSPmentor 100 list during the discussion. Here’s what else we’ll cover.

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Talk about timing: BlueLock, which will land on our third annual MSPmentor 100 list later this week, has unveiled a CloudSuite platform at the VMware Partner Exchange conference. Here are some preliminary details, and the implications for managed services providers.

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In preparation for next week’s third-annual MSPmentor 100 report, I reached out to PEQ Services + Solutions President and CEO Jason Evans for an update on the company’s 2010 strategy. When we spoke earlier today about PEQ’s managed services growth, Evans offered several key insights — including three anecdotes that surprised me.

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Merger mania continues in the managed services market. The latest example involves PEQ Services + Solutions of Miamisburg, Ohio, merging with Buchanan Technologies of Dallas, Texas. The resulting MSP will have $60 million in annual revenue and 500 employees worldwide. Here’s a closer look.

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Where did the top managed services providers find new customers in 2009? The surprising answer: Many of the best performing MSPs secured revenue in 2009 from target customers that had previously said no in 2008. Want more sales and business tips? Join our next MSPmentor live webcast, scheduled for February 10 at 2:00 p.m. eastern. Here’s what we’ll cover.

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We’re set to unveil the third-annual MSPmentor 100 results during our February 10 MSPmentor live webcast. The research identifies 100 of the most progressive, most successful MSPs across the globe. What are some key business trends among those companies? Here are three quick trends culled from the research data.

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The lines between managed service providers, telecom companies and hosting providers continue to blur. The latest example involves Cavalier — a telecommunications specialist — acquiring NET Telcos, which specializes in data centers, managed services and business continuity. Here are some quick details about the deal.

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I’m driving to a conference and blogging  (poorly…) at the same time. Work would be a lot easier if I could somehow blog, drive and sip coffee at the same time. But I digress… Here are seven managed services blog entries our team didn’t have a chance to write for the week ending January 22.

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FusionStorm, an MSP 100 company, has purchased CentriServ, a consulting company that focuses on client-side virtualization. This is the latest in a flurry of mergers and acquisitions across the managed services market. And it’s the second acquisition for FusionStorm in recent months.

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Everon Technology Services, a managed service provider that lands regularly on the Inc. 5000 and MSPmentor 100 lists, is starting to target the hardware as a service (HaaS) market. Everon’s HaaS move is important for at least two reasons. First, it leverages a relationship with CharTec. Second, Everon is savvy when it comes to marketing and end-customer education. So Everon’s efforts and learnings could help accelerate the HaaS industry. Here’s a bit more background.

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Where is SaaS (software as a service) heading next? Go visit a local college campus — where more and more universities and education centers are embracing Google Apps. The latest example involves the University of Southern Mississippi. For MSPs that are still studying the SaaS game, Google’s moves in the education market are worth noting. Here’s why.

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For the third time in less than three weeks, a managed services-centric company has been acquired. This time the deal involves 7ticks, an MSPmentor 100 company that serves the financial services vertical. Here’s a look at the deal — and yes, the financial multiple — plus chatter about a big IT company that may also be looking to make a buy.

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