I just returned home from Red Hat Summit. Great event, but it consumed a lot of my week. Once again my inbox is filled with tips, rumors and news. Here are seven quick managed services headlines I didn’t have a chance to write during the week ending August 28.

7. The Other Email SaaS: More than 450 channel partners are now hosting Zimbra, the open source email system. More details next week.

6. HP Discovering MSPs?: Apparently, Hewlett-Packard is now offering software licensing options to VARs selling managed services.

5. More Mergers: Just when I said the MSP merger and acquisition market appeared slow along comes this news: VoIP Logic acquired Sundail Network Systems and Fastech Investment Group acquired Transcend Communications. But I’m willing to bet the multiples were low.

4. Gateway to Europe: Gateway and Level Platforms continue their managed services efforts in Europe. I have some timely details from Level Platforms. But I still need to speak with Gateway to get the complete picture.

3. Nimsoft Makes Managed Services Hire: Phil LaForge, a CDW Berbee veteran, joined Nimsoft as VP and GM of the company’s managed services business.

2. CompTIA Cancels Managed IT Services Summit: Multiple factors, according to Channel Insider, triggered the decision. No doubt, VARs and MSPs are being pulled in multiple directions this fall. ConnectWise expects to attract roughly 900 MSPs to the ConnectWise Partner Summit; registration has opened for the N-able Partner Summit; MSPWorld is in November; and Cisco is about to announce a marketing-centric event for VARs and MSPs (stay tuned for details).

1. Health Care Costs Killing Entrepreneurs?: My 10-year-old son received six stitches during a 29-minute emergency room visit in August. Total cost: $10,000 ($4,000 from the hospital, $6,000 from the surgeon who stitched up my son). That’s nearly $2,000 per stitch or $5,000 per hour. The system is broken. I wish I had a solution…

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