MSPmentor

Life’s good for Computer Service Partners, an MSPmentor 100 organization. The nearly 20-year-old custom IT solutions company based in Raleigh, N.C., has grown into a roughly 50-person company targeting small and midsized business (SMB) throughout the United States focused on data center initiatives, virtualization, unified communications and ruggedized computing. So what’s new? Here’s some perspective from CSP Director of Managed Services John Kilgore (pictured).

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When the Kaseya 2 managed services platform debuted in 2010, Executive VP Jim Alves described the offering as a platform that would ultimately gain numerous plug-ins and modules. It’s a familiar strategy, since most RMM (remote monitoring and management) software platforms offer integration with third-party storage and security solutions. But I sense something different is going on at Kaseya, since a growing number of modules seem to be home-grown and/or Kaseya-branded. Here’s the update.

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As Level Platforms prepares to host managed service provider (MSP) gatherings in 19 cities, two software giants — Microsoft and Symantec — will hitch a ride to more closely monitor and learn about the MSP sector. It’s the latest sign that both Microsoft and Symantec are finally waking up to the next-generation channel. Here’s why.

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Here’s an ironic twist: Labtech Software, the remote monitoring and management (RMM) platform provider, has embraced AVG’s anti-virus offerings. The move comes several months after Labtech rival Kaseya differentiated beyond AVG to promote Kaspersky Lab’s anti-virus. Here’s the update on how anti-virus companies are trying to work more closely with MSPs and RMM software providers.

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Like peanut butter and jelly, disaster recovery and cloud computing seem destined to stick together. Two prime examples: Disaster recovery in the cloud saw more action this week with announcements stemming from Axcient Inc. and Symantec Corp. Here’s the update.

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Disk protection solution provider SEPATON has announced the expansion of sales operations into the Central European market, looking for reseller partners and enterprise customers alike. Here’s the scoop.

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It’s starting to feel like Groundhog Day in the managed services market. Indeed, each day I get ready to blog I hear about yet another software vendor launching a managed services provider partner program. The latest example involves Quest Software, owner of PacketTrap Networks and other administration tools. Here’s how Quest plans to engage MSPs and hosting companies, plus a look at rival service provider partner programs launched in recent days.

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Symantec is introducing an Archiving and eDiscovery specialization for partners. Storage, management and unstructured information are the name of the game, of course. Here’s a high-level overview of the Symantec strategy.

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Sophos is adding “Live” protection technology to their suite of security software. This cloud end-point security, like some rival options, is designed to deliver rapid, zero-day protection against threats and provide low overhead on systems. Here’s the story…

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More than 1 million IT professionals and managed services providers now leverage Spiceworks, a free advertising-driven remote management platform, according to the latest company news release. But instead of promoting “Managed IT,” Spiceworks is taking up “Social IT.” Here’s why.

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Symantec is taking another look at the managed services software market, and mulling a potential acquisition in the area of remote monitoring and management (RMM) software, according to three separate sources close to Symantec. Here are the potential implications for MSPs.

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As the RSA Conference kicks off today in San Francisco, much of the buzz involves security as a service. But here’s the challenge: Nearly 80 percent of top managed services providers already offer some form of managed security to their customers, according to our third-annual MSPmentor 100 results. So where can MSPs go next with managed security? Here are some clues.

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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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A potential headache has emerged for managed security service providers: Symantec has revealed the existence of a seriously embarrassing bug in their Endpoint Security products: any definition file dated later than 11:59 PM on 12/31/2009 is regarded as out of date. Symantec has a workaround, but weren’t we supposed to have learned our lesson ten years ago?

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Kaspersky Lab, the fast-growing anti-virus software provider, is planning a managed services partner strategy that will likely surface within 30 to 60 days, according to Senior VP of Corporate Sales Nancy Reynolds. Kaspersky’s move is part of a larger trend: Multiple anti-virus companies — McAfee, Panda Security, Sophos, Symantec and Trend Micro — are polishing their managed services strategies. Here’s a sampling of where we’re heading.

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Symantec and the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) have released the results of their survey of the cyber security practices and habits of about 1,500 small businesses in the United States. Not surprisingly, it shows many companies are lax in their policing of the network. Some of the more interesting data points include…

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Symantec has acquired MessageLabs as part of a strategy to strengthen the company’s software as a service strategy. Ironically, I think the global economic crisis will accelerate — rather than slow down — deals like this. Fast-growing companies might be more inclined to sell out at more reasonable prices rather than flying solo during these challenging economic times.

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Symantec has made another move in the managed storage market, acquiring Swapdrive. The deal pushes Symantec deeper into online storage, where the company already offers the Symantec Protection Network (SPN).

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Microsoft is spending considerable time this week talking up Forefront “Stirling,” a suite of integrated security products for desktop, server and network management. Although Stirling won’t arrive until the first half of 2009, I wonder if it will evolve to become a managed security service platform. 

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Byte and Switch, a web site that covers storage and networking, offers interesting perspective on recent acquisitions at IBM and Seagate. The IBM deal (acquiring Arsenal Digital) and Seagate’s move (buying MetaLINCS) both have strong managed services angles, according to the site. Surprised? You shouldn’t be.

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As you likely heard, Dell is acquiring Everdream, the software-as-a-service and managed service platform provider. I firmly believe this will be part of a growing trend in 2008. Here are seven key lessons and considerations to keep in mind as Dell digests Everdream.

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October is shaping up to be a busy month for Symantec’s various online software efforts. While the company prepares to launch Symantec Protection Network (a software as a service platform for partners), Symantec is also promoting its Managed Security Services (MSS) to customers. Here’s what Symantec’s strategy means to managed service providers.

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The buzz is loud here at the MSP Alliance conference in San Jose. Up-and-coming MSP platform providers are inking partnerships with each other, and networking with more than 200 VARs and integrators. Clearly, the MSP ecosystem is maturing rapidly. Still, big vendors like Cisco Systems and Symantec are noticeably absent from this small but growing event. Looking ahead, those big players would be wise to follow the leads of Dell and Intel into the MSP market.

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