Over on the official Google Enterprise Blog, the search giant announced Google Apps Migration for Microsoft Exchange, a server-side tool that migrates contacts, messages, and calendars from Microsoft Exchange to Google Apps. The migration tool is similar to offerings from Open-Xchange, Zimbra and other email upstarts. What comes next for VARs and MSPs? Here are some thoughts.
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Google’s Microsoft Exchange Migration Tool: What Comes Next?
Posted March 18th, 2010 by Matthew Weinberger
SaaS for MSPs: It’s About Effeciency, Not Big Profits
Posted March 17th, 2010 by Joe Panettieri
I concede: I often blog about the fact that many SaaS applications like Microsoft BPOS (Business Productivity Online Suite) don’t offer VARs and MSPs enough profit margin opportunity. But I had a rather enlightening conversation yesterday with Next Level Cafe, a managed services provider based in Minnesota. CEO Richard Anderson offered some timely perspective on the true SaaS opportunity. Here it is.
McAfee Launches Cloud Secure
Posted March 16th, 2010 by Matthew Weinberger
In an effort to allay fears about the security and privacy of the cloud, McAfee today launches Cloud Secure, an auditing and certification program to help software-as-a-service (SaaS) providers promote their commitment to secure computing. Interested? Amazon Web Services is.
Trend Micro Launches Hosted Email Security Service
Posted March 15th, 2010 by Matthew Weinberger
Security software vendor Trend Micro has announced that it’s retiring its InterScan Messaging Hosted Security (IMHS) platform in favor of the all-new Hosted Email Security product starting in April. Here’s what service providers should know.
The Cloud As Strategic Imperative
Posted March 14th, 2010 by Matthew Weinberger
When I wrote about the wait-and-see attitude managed Exchange provider Azaleos was taking to the cloud back in December 2009, I got a lot of feedback from MSPs on both sides of the argument. I recently caught up with Azaleos VP of Marketing and Product Management Scott Gode, and he says that while the company’s not giving up on on-premises messaging by a long shot, they’ve seen a rise in demand for their managed hybrid Microsoft Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS) services. Here’s why services providers should care.
AppsOnCommand: Windows Apps Meet SaaS
Posted March 10th, 2010 by Matthew Weinberger
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).
Google Touts Disaster Recovery Readiness
Posted March 9th, 2010 by Matthew Weinberger
In a blog post, Google has announced that Google Apps — the software-as-a-service collaborative productivity suite — is now fully disaster-proof and ready to instantly restore data lost in the event of a catastrophe. Here’s why their braggadocio has some IT pros seeing red.
Asigra, NetApp Team for Backup Recovery as a Service
Posted March 3rd, 2010 by Matthew Weinberger
Asigra, the channel-focused cloud backup and recovery software provider that works with a who’s who of cloud service providers, is partnering with NetApp. The duo is promoting a so-called backup and recovery as a service (BRaaS) to solutions providers. Here are some details.
McAfee: We’re In Acquisition Mode
Posted March 1st, 2010 by Matthew Weinberger
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.
VMware’s Cloud Strategy Explained In 4 Sentences
Posted February 8th, 2010 by Joe Panettieri
At first glance, VMware’s cloud strategy can be difficult for MSPs and VARs to get their arms around. And this week’s VMware Partner Exchange conference will generate a lot of noise from scores of VMware cloud partners. But what do aspiring partners really need to know? I think I can sum-up VMware’s cloud strategy in roughly four sentences…
Google Apps: Saving Schools Big Money?
Posted January 29th, 2010 by Matthew Weinberger
Yes, you likely know the City of Los Angeles is making a big move to Google Apps. But week after week, Google also seems to be promoting school district wins, too. For MSPs serving the education vertical, studying up on Google Apps is now a requirement. Here’s why.
Dell: Managed Services Partnerships Holding Steady
Posted November 20th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
During a phone conversation with me this morning, Dell Channel Chief Greg Davis said the company has roughly 131 certified managed services partners. In my mind: That’s not exactly a huge number — especially for a company of Dell’s size. But I think Dell is putting a lot of channel emphasis on a slightly different MSP and VAR effort that involves Symantec. Here are the details.
SaaS: Here Come 100 Percent Guarantees
Posted November 16th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
Intermedia, which specializes in hosted Exchange, has unveiled a 100 percent data protection guarantee. But what exactly does the guarantee mean and will rival SaaS (software as a service) providers follow suit? Here are some fast facts and potential implications for managed service providers.
SaaS Heads for Home-based Businesses
Posted November 16th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
Here’s an obvious market opportunity that I suspect many managed service providers are overlooking: The number of home-based businesses (HBB) in the U.S. using Software as a Service (SaaS) nearly doubled in 2008, growing 92 percent to 2.3 million HBBs, according to AMI Partners Inc. Why should MSPs care?
RightNow Blends CRM, SaaS and Social Media
Posted November 4th, 2009 by Matthew Weinberger
Plenty of MSPs are mulling CRM strategies. You know the major names — Salesforce.com, Microsoft Dynamics, Siebel Systems, SugarCRM, and plenty more. But this week RightNow has caught our attention with its CX software-as-a-service customer service platform, which blends CRM with SaaS and social media. Here’s the scoop.
MSP Cloud Forecast: Varies By Region
Posted October 14th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
As I travel from one MSP-oriented conference to the next, I’m reminded that there’s more than one way to attack the managed services market. A prime example: As the N-able Partner Summit kicks off here in Arizona, I’m hearing a healthy reality check on cloud computing. Here’s some background.
Kaseya’s SaaS Cloud: Coming In October
Posted September 29th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
Kaseya continues to put the final polish on its next major software platform — which will include on-premise and SaaS (software as a service) components. But the company is rethinking whether to call a major new release Kaseya 6, according CEO Gerald Blackie. Here’s more on Kaseya’s branding and launch strategy.
Cloud Computing Explained In Four Paragraphs
Posted September 21st, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
Cloud computing. The definition for that two-word term varies greatly depending on who’s doing the talking. But during Atlanta Linux Fest, held Sept. 19, Canonical’s John Pugh offered a simple definition that brings order to cloud computing, SaaS (software as as service), platform as a service (PaaS) and some other hot terms in IT. Here’s the scoop.
New MSPs: Do You Want SaaS or On-premise?
Posted August 21st, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
Let’s pretend you’re launching a managed services business from scratch. You have no legacy infrastructure. You’re able to choose the PSA (professional services automation) and RMM (remote monitoring and management) tools that best fit your vision. Now, my question: Would those PSA and RMM tools live on premise (in your business) or would they be SaaS/hosted?
SaaS: Only Three Public Companies Are Consistently Profitable
Posted August 20th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
Here’s a stunning observation about the SaaS (software as a service) market: Only three publicly traded pure play SaaS companies generate sustained GAAP profits, according to Gartner Inc. Does that mean SaaS isn’t living up to expectations?
Level Platforms: SaaS Business Growing 200% Annually
Posted August 6th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
The majority (about 85 percent) of Level Platforms’ business involves on-premise managed services software deployments. But in terms of raw growth, Level Platforms’ SaaS business has been rising about 200 percent year-over-year, estimates CEO Peter Sandiford. But that’s not all.
Update: Kaseya 6 and SaaS Meet Managed Services
Posted August 5th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
Kaseya is launching a white label SaaS (software as a service) offering for ASCII Group members. Plus, the company is polishing the Kaseya 6 framework for both SaaS and on-premise deployments. Here’s where Kaseya is heading next, according to CEO Gerald Blackie (pictured).
NetSuite Financial Results: SaaS Reality Check
Posted July 31st, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
I still believe — strongly — in software as a service (SaaS). But it’s critically important to keep SaaS market realities in perspective. Is SaaS really that hot? Or is the market lukewarm? The answer varies from company to company. But here are some important clues from NetSuite, one of the most successful publicly held SaaS software providers.
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