TheBDEvent, a networking mixer to be held January 25-27 (2011) in Palo Alto, Calif., could offer educational — and financial — opportunities for MSPs seeking funding. Here are some preliminary details about the gathering.
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Funding: Will Venture Capital Event Connect MSPs With Money?
Posted October 29th, 2010 by Matthew Weinberger
MSPmentor 100: Thrive Networks Grows on Customer Service
Posted October 6th, 2010 by Matthew Weinberger
Sure, Thrive Networks, the IT services arm of Staples Advantage is planning on enhancing its virtualization play over the next several months. But President of Thrive Networks Jim Lippie (pictured) says that what’s really led them to the kind of growth that let them claim spot 38 on the MSPmentor 100 2010 list is a focus on the customer, not so much the technology. Here’s the scoop.
Do We Need a New Cloud Vocabulary?
Posted October 4th, 2010 by Matthew Weinberger
Between hosted services, hosted servers, web-based applications, virtualization, and any number of other technologies, it’s hard to know what we’re talking about when we’re talking about “the cloud.” That’s a problem highlighted by managed hosting provider The Planet in a recent blog entry that asks: What’s in a name when it comes to cloud computing?
Massive Service Provider Backs Cisco, EMC and VMware Cloud Push
Posted September 30th, 2010 by Dave Courbanou
The growing cloud and data center relationship between Cisco, EMC and VMware just got another big vote of confidence. Specifically, Orange Business Services is working with the three technology giants on a “global business alliance” to meet customers’ cloud computing needs. The move signals another big win for Vblock within the service provider community. Here’s why.
VMworld and Virtualization: Seven Considerations for MSPs
Posted August 31st, 2010 by Joe Panettieri
I just got a call from Autotask’s Mark Crall, live from the VMworld conference in San Francisco. Crall and dozens of other MSP industry executives are checking out the massive conference to see how the worlds of virtualization and managed services will collide. I certainly have a few thoughts on the subject (surprised?). Here are seven random observations.
QuorumLabs Updates onQ Business Continuity Appliance
Posted August 30th, 2010 by Matthew Weinberger
QuorumLabs has announced a new release of their onQ Business Continuity Appliance, giving MSPs with SMB customers one-click server recovery when disaster strikes, the company claims. Here’s the lowdown.
KEMP Technologies to MSPs: Load Balancing for $99/Month
Posted August 26th, 2010 by Dave Courbanou
Generally speaking, many load balancer companies target large enterprises and big service providers. But KEMP Technologies is striving to engage MSPs and even SMBs with cost-effective load balancing solutions. Here are the details.
Intel Hybrid Cloud: Ready for MSPs?
Posted July 8th, 2010 by Dave Courbanou
When the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference kicks off July 11, Intel will spend considerable time speaking about a Hybrid Cloud Pilot Program. If it works as advertised, the Intel Hybrid Cloud will allow MSPs to provide on-premises servers to end-customers on a pay-as-you-go basis. In some ways, the Intel effort reminds us of Hardware as a Service (HaaS) options promoted by companies like CharTec. Here’s a look at the Intel Hybrid Cloud strategy.
Crossbeam and Sophos Partner For E-mail Security
Posted June 28th, 2010 by Dave Courbanou
Crossbeam and Sophos are teaming up for real-time email security. The partnership targets enterprise customers and service providers. Crossbeam now has relationships with roughly half-a-dozen well-known security companies. Here’s a closer look at the Crossbeam-Sophos relationship and potential implications for managed services providers…
Ipswitch Bolsters Virtualization Management Offering
Posted June 21st, 2010 by Dave Courbanou
Ipswitch Inc, known for their IT network management software, has launched WhatsVirtual 2.0 with a slew of new features. It’s available now. If virtualization management is your game, read on for the details…
iPad Business Apps: LogMeIn Nearly Tops the List
Posted May 14th, 2010 by Dave Courbanou
The iPad is gaining momentum as a viable platform in the enterprise workplace. And it’s also emerging as a platform for remote systems and PC management. Case in point: LogMeIn Ignition — even at a whopping $29.99 (expensive for an iPad app) — is now one of the top selling apps in the Apple App Store. Is the iPad destined to be a remote desktop management wonder?
Intel Capital Invests In Managed Services Firm
Posted May 3rd, 2010 by Joe Panettieri
Intel Capital, the chip giant’s global investment organization, is pumping money into the managed services market. Specifically, Intel Capital has invested in Virtustream, an infrastructure services firm that specializes in cloud strategy, integration, virtualization and managed services. Here are some quick details.
Microsoft Management Summit 2010 Kicks Off in Vegas
Posted April 21st, 2010 by Matthew Weinberger
Systems managers and other IT pros have made their way to Las Vegas for the Microsoft Management Summit (MMS) 2010, which kicked off this week. This year’s theme is “Manage the Future: Desktop to Cloud,” and Bob Muglia, president of the Microsoft Server and Tools Business, was on hand to discuss how the focus of the IT industry is shifting from servers to managed services — and to announce Microsoft’s new cloud and datacenter management products. Here’s the scoop.
Unisys: MSPs Need to Go to the Cloud or Die
Posted April 21st, 2010 by Matthew Weinberger
In a Cloud Computing Expo presentation evocatively titled “Storm Clouds: Disruptive Technologies Create the New Normal,” Unisys VP of Global Outsourcing Solutions Sam Gross explained how users have come to expect constant streams of data on demand — an expectation that’s completely shifting the market towards SaaS. Gross criticized the whole industry for being slow to adopt the cloud, but saved his harshest observations for MSPs. I was on the scene to hear him out.
Veeam Launches Virtualization Management Partner Program
Posted March 30th, 2010 by Matthew Weinberger
Veeam, providers of solutions for VMware data center environments, has launched a partner program to help MSPs and cloud services providers manage, protect, and, yes, monetize virtualized systems. Here are some details.
Spiceworks Adds Free Virtualization Management
Posted March 24th, 2010 by Matthew Weinberger
Spiceworks, the totally free IT management software provider, has released a new version of their namesake product that brings, among other things, virtualization management capabilities. Here’s some analysis.
NetQoS: Powering CA’s Network Assurance Solution
Posted February 17th, 2010 by Matthew Weinberger
Back in September 2009, we mentioned that CA, Inc. had acquired network monitoring solution provider NetQoS, but we didn’t hear much after that. Seeking answers, I spoke with NetQoS and CA about the acquisition, what NetQoS brought to the table, and what they can offer a managed services provider.
Dell Bets $450 Million On Cloud Moves
Posted December 8th, 2009 by Matthew Weinberger
Over the past few years, Dell has made multiple software acquisitions. You remember the names — Silverback, Everdream, etc. But now, Dell Cloud Evangelist Barton George is starting to tell people how those deals fit together into a $450 million cloud and SaaS (software as a service) push.
VMware Go: Small Business Virtualization?
Posted August 31st, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
Virtualization isn’t just for big businesses. That’s the message from the VMworld conference, where VMware is launching VMware Go — a web-based service that strives to help small and midsize businesses more rapidly embrace virtualization. Here are some perspectives.
Survey: Managed Service Providers Profit From Virtualization
Posted September 16th, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
Here’s an interesting statistic: Managed service providers that have virtualization expertise say their new business revenues have grown 34 percent over the past 18 months, according to a recent survey sponsored by Nimsoft.
VMware: Microsoft Veteran Crashes the Party
Posted July 8th, 2008 by The VAR Guy
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.
Five Disruptive Technologies for MSPs
Posted September 25th, 2007 by Joe Panettieri
I lifted the headline for this blog entry from a presentation David Strom delivered this morning at the MSP Alliance conference in San Jose. So, what were the five disruptive technologies? Three of them were obvious, but David caught my ear with his analysis of the other two — and some timely perspective on Microsoft Small Business Server.
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