The Planet is the largest privately-held dedicated web server company in North America. But bigger doesn’t always mean better. That’s why The Planet is positioning itself around “value.” I spoke to Doug Erwin, CEO of The Planet, about how they’re getting there and what MSPs stand to gain. Here are some perspectives.
MSP Acquisition: Cavalier Buys Disaster Recovery Specialist
Posted January 25th, 2010 by Joe Panettieri
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.
Mark Logic Brings XML to Amazon EC2
Posted January 20th, 2010 by Matthew Weinberger
Yet another software firm is stepping into Amazon’s cloud. The latest example: Mark Logic, best known as developers of information infrastructure technology, has announced its intentions to bring their XML server solution to the cloud, starting with MarkLogic Server for Amazon EC2. Here’s the scoop.
Worth Watching: RackSpace Puts Databases in the Cloud
Posted December 21st, 2009 by Matthew Weinberger
Most managed service providers (MSPs) know Rackspace as a potential hosting partner. But the Rackspace Cloud effort (formerly called Mosso) is worth watching, especially as MSPs evaluate their own SaaS and cloud strategies. The latest Rackspace move involves a partnership with FathomDB. And it could provide an alternative to Microsoft’s emerging Azure cloud. Here’s a look.
Rackspace Cloud Business: A Closer Look
Posted November 13th, 2009 by MSPMentor
Rackspace is seeing growth in its cloud computing business at the same time the company’s traditional managed hosting operation acquires more of an up-market tone. But exactly how much has RackSpace’s cloud grown? And where is it going next? Here’s a look at the company’s strategy.
The Planet: We’re In Growth Mode
Posted October 28th, 2009 by Matthew Weinberger
The third quarter of 2009 was kind to The Planet, the Texas-based web hosting provider. At least, that’s what their momentum statement, issued Oct. 28, indicates. The really big deal, though, is The Planet’s biggest customers are spending more money — which may well be a sign of a recovering economy.
MSPs Prepare for VMworld 2009
Posted August 13th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
Managed services and virtualization. The two have been converging for several years. But even I’m surprised by all of the MSP-oriented activity that will likely occur at VMworld 2009 (Aug. 31-Sept. 3, San Francisco). Here are some initial thoughts.
Do Small Businesses Understand Cloud Computing?
Posted February 4th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
Roughly two-thirds of small businesses have never heard of cloud hosting, according to a survey conducted by Rackspace. Frankly, I think the data is a bit misleading. And James Urquhart, market manager for Cisco’s Data Center 3.0 strategy, has a few opinions on the survey as well. Here are some perspectives.
Zenoss: Open Source Meets Managed Services (Again)
Posted December 15th, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
I’m hearing a familiar trend in the managed services market: MSPs seem to be embracing more and more open source tools. The latest example involves Zenoss, a commercial open source company that specializes in applications, systems and network monitoring.
Open Source and Managed Services: Coming Together?
Posted November 5th, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
Open source is starting to influence portions of the managed services market. But can MSPs really trust open source?
Consonus, Major Managed Service Provider, Cancels IPO
Posted October 20th, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
Consonus Technologies Inc., a data center expert and managed service provider, has cancelled its initial public offering (IPO). The Cary, N.C.-based company originally filed to launch an IPO in May 2007, notes the Web Host Industry News.
Mosso Launches Managed Storage at 15 Cents Per Gigabyte
Posted May 6th, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
Two Rackspace veterans are launching a cloud-based storage service that could give Amazon.com’s Simple Storage Service (S3) a run for its money. The new service, known as Mosso CloudFS, is in private beta and may be of interest to managed service providers (MSPs) that are formulating storage stategies. Here are some quick details.
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