When it comes to managed services partnerships, Tech Data’s strategy can be summed up in four words: The more the merrier. The big distributor has inked an MSP platform partnership with Zenith Infotech. The deal comes only a few weeks after Tech Data partnered to offer managed print services.

So far, 2008 is shaping up to be the year that distributors solidified key partnerships and programs across the managed services market. All of the major players — Arrow, Avnet, Ingram Micro, Tech Data, Synnex, etc. — are making MSP-related moves.

And for good reason. While some skeptics worry about managed services becoming a commodity, MSPmentor anticipates a different market scenario: As VARs continue to embrace managed services platforms, they will begin to layer on new, higher-margin services such as video surveillance and unified communications. For a peek at these emerging services, check out MSPmentor’s Managed Services Hype Cycle, which is based on Gartner’s classic technology hype cycle curve.

Or, continue along with this blog post for more on the Tech Data-Zenith Infotech relationship.

Instead of betting on a single MSP partner or technology, some distributors are placing multiple bets. Tech Data, for instance, in January 2008 launched a managed print service with FMAudit, and earlier partnered with N-able Technologies to offer remote monitoring and management tools. The distributor’s managed services efforts are branded as the TDOnCall program.

Tech Data’s latest move involves a relationship with Zenith Infotech. (See current and ongoing guest blogs from Zenith Infotech VP Maurice Saluan here.) Under terms of the relationship, the following Zenith solutions are available to Tech Data’s partner network:

Much in the way that distributors offer multiple competing operating systems, it’s a safe bet that some distributors will continue to introduce additional MSP platforms to their customers.