Managed Services: 7 Blogs MSPmentor Didn't Write, Feb. 3

The Super Bowl kicks off in 52 hours. But I'm a bit distracted, plugging away on the fifth-annual MSPmentor 100 report -- which debuts Feb. 15. In the meantime, here are seven managed services blogs and MSP news stories the MSPmentor team didn't have a chance to write for February 3, 2012.

7. Capturing Mobile Dollars: Level Platforms, as expected, says it plans to build mobile device management (MDM) into its next major software release -- Managed Workplace 2012. The software will support Apple iOS (iPhone, iPad), Google Android, Microsoft Windows Phone and RIM platforms. In addition to the code, Level Platforms plans to educate MSPs on how to price, promote and sell mobile device management. Most of the major MSP software companies are introducing MDM capabilities this year, though dozens of third-party options area already on the market from cloud upstarts and enterprise veterans.

6. Getting Educated: ConnectWise has launched new certification prep courses to help VARs and MSPs recruit, retain, train and develop employees.

5. Getting Ready: HP Global Partner Conference, VMware Partner Exchange and Parallels Summit each are the week of February 13. I'm particularly curious to see how HP CEO Meg Whitman addresses channel partners -- especially after 2011 turbulence involving the death of WebOS hardware and confusion about HP's hardware commitments.

4. Bonus Content: Did I mention the fifth-annual MSPmentor 100 report will go deeper than a global list? We'll also pinpoint the top 200 MSPs in North America, top 50 in EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa) and top 25 in AANZ (Asia, Australia, New Zealand). Check it out February 15.

3. Big Growth: CentraStage, a remote monitoring and management (RMM) provider in Europe, says revenues are up 300 percent in the past 12 months, and the company's customer base has grown nearly 150 percent to 350 organizations. We'll be watching to see how CentraStage extends its footprint in the U.S., among other regions.

2. More Growth Numbers: How much did Axcient, the cloud backup and disaster recovery specialist, grow in 2011? Potential insights emerging soon...

1. Watching Ziff Davis Enterprise: Rumors across Twitter suggest Ziff Davis Enterprise (publisher of Channel Insider) has been acquired. Desktop Linux, a Ziff Davis Enterprise website, seems to confirm the company sale. Multiple sources point to QuinStreet as the potential buyer. Whatever the case, best wishes to my friends and former colleagues at Ziff Davis Enterprise -- where I worked from 2002 to 2004. NOTE: Ziff Davis Enterprise is not to be confused with such separate companies as Ziff Davis (owner of PCMag.com) and ZDnet (the popular blog destination).

UPDATED, Feb. 3, 2012, 5:39 p.m. ET: The VAR Guy now has perspectives on the Ziff Davis Enterprise company sale.

That's all for now. Thanks for reading.