Presidio Launches Managed Unified Communications Services

Instead of betting the house on managed services, Presidio Network Solutions is setting up a business unit to specialize on network management services.

The strategy, first reported by NetworkWorld, goes far beyond the traditional remote administration services that some small VARs now offer. Instead, the Presidio Managed Networks unit will focus on unified communications, VOIP, web conferencing, firewall and VPN management.

Presidio isn't alone. Some of Cisco Systems' top channel partners are melding unified communications with managed services.

Bob Cagnazzi, CEO of BlueWater Communications Group -- Cisco's fastest-growing North American partner -- told me in April that he was exploring a NOC (network operation center) project to support unified communications and managed services. (You can hear about Cagnazzi's strategy in this podcast.)

Although the unified communications market is growing fast, it also introduces some challenges to MSPs. In particular, recent anecdotal reports suggest that small business owners are not familiar with unified communications, notes InformationWeek (my very first tech media employer, by the way).