Cloupia, Doyenz Each Expand U.S. Cloud Services to U.K.

A growing number of U.S.-based cloud services providers are making moves in the United Kingdom. The latest examples include Cloupia and Doyenz, each of which announced UK-centric cloud services initiatives today.

Cloupia, which works closely with VARs, makes cloud and data center automation and management software. Doyenz, which partners with managed services providers (MSPs), promotes cloud-based recovery services for SMB customers.

Cloupia Explained

Cloupia claims its software can help IT administrators and CSPs to provision physical and virtual infrastructure consistently and automatically from pools of shared resources using a self-service portal.

Cloupia, based in Santa Clara, Calif., launched a London office and is attending the NetApp Insight Conference (Nov. 14-17, Rome, Italy) to evangelize the Cloupia European strategy.

At the same time, Cloupia is seeking more VARs and cloud services providers (CSPs) to promote FlexPod, a cloud management solution.

Doyenz rCloud Lands In Europe

Meanwhile, Doyenz this week launched its rCloud service in the UK. It sounds like the Doyenz UK effort involves an ongoing relationship with StorageCraft and a new relationship with Interxion.

According to Doyenz’s press release:

“IT service providers can use rCloud to protect both VMware based virtualised environments as well as traditional Microsoft Windows servers running directly on bare metal. Using a ShadowProtect backup solution from StorageCraft, an entire application server can be replicated into the local UK rCloud data centre, hosted by Interxion.”

Translation: Doyenz wants to push the traditional cloud backup market beyond on-premise Windows servers. The company continues to evangelize rapid cloud restore and business continuity services. Plus, Doyenz has pushed the conversation beyond physical servers to virtualized assets — whether on premise or in the cloud.

Pushing into Europe wasn’t an overnight move. Chief Revenue Officer Eric Webster has been spotted in Europe mapping out the European strategy several times this year.

Also of note: Doyenz will likely raise its first round of venture capital funding in the next few months, CEO Ashutosh Tiwary told Talkin’ Cloud at the IT Nation conference last week. In the meantime, Doyenz is on firm financial footing, Tiwary added. The company originally raised about $10 million from angel investors.

This All Sounds Familiar

Many — but certainly not all — MSP-centric software companies are pursuing the UK market. Plus, U.S.-based peer group organizations for VARs and MSPs are pushing into Europe. A few examples:

• Autotask, the SaaS-centric provider of PSA software, recently expanded its UK presence among a global push.
• ConnectWise has a UK user group, and sister company LabTech Software is developing distribution relationships in Europe.
• Most of the major RMM (remote monitoring and management) software companies now have European initiatives underway — though they will face local competition from such companies as GFI Software and CentraStage, among others.
• HTG Peer Groups, which got its start building VAR and MSP peer groups in the US, now has a UK group led by Dave Sobel, CEO of Evolve Technologies near Washington, D.C. I don’t have exact performance numbers at my fingertips, but last I heard the UK peer group members had significantly accelerated their performance in recent months.

Still, leaping from U.S. soil into the Europe invites a range of scalability, localization and support issues for MSP software providers and cloud services providers. And in some cases, U.S.-based cloud companies are maintaining a laser-like focus on the North American market instead of pursuing international gold.

One prime example: Intronis, the cloud backup provider, sees plenty of upside working primarily with North American MSPs, CEO Kent Plunkett recently told MSPmentor.

Translation: Cloud services providers are pursuing a range of strategies to engage MSPs across the globe. And no two strategies are identical.