Managed Services Software Companies Prep for Cloud Computing Expo

Nimsoft and Zenith Infotech are familiar names in the managed services industry. Both companies develop remote monitoring and management (RMM) software for managed services providers (MSPs). And they also serve specialized market segments — Nimsoft has been gaining traction within larger data centers and Zenith Infotech promotes disaster recovery and telepresence services to VARs and MSPs serving SMB customers.

So where are the two companies heading next? Like most of the MSP software industry, Nimsoft and Zenith Infotech are increasing their focus on cloud computing. One prime example: Both companies are scheduled to have a major presence at Cloud Computing Expo (June 6-9, New York).

That’s hardly surprising. When CA Technologies acquired Nimsoft in March 2010, Nimsoft had successfully positioned itself to CA’s board as a cloud monitoring solution for data center providers. Fast forward to the present, and many of the largest MSPs from the fourth-annual MSPmentor 100 list run Nimsoft’s software in their data centers. (Complete MSPmentor 100 results will be unveiled Feb. 16).

Meanwhile, Zenith Infotech continues to push beyond the traditional managed services software market. The company’s SmartSytyle Office is a private cloud solution that allows SMBs to leverage virtual servers and desktops. SmartStyle Office suffered from multiple products delays in early 2010, but Zenith Infotech now seems quite confident that the solution is ready for MSPs to promote and manage.

Also of note: Zenith Infotech’s sister company Vu Telepresence promotes high-def video conferencing solutions into SMBs. The Vu Telepresence sales pitch to MSPs sounds pretty simple, according to a briefing we heard at the Tigerpaw User Conference in October 2010. But we’re checking in with Zenith Infotech and Vu Telepresence to see if the solution is catching on with MSPs and their SMB end-customers.

No doubt, most of the MSP software industry players have cloud strategies in place. The trend started with PSA (professional services automation) and RMM software companies offering SaaS-based business management tools to MSPs. But over the past year or two, dozens of online backup and SaaS security companies have also pitched their wares to MSPs and VARs.

Talkin Cloud expects the trend to accelerate at Cloud Computing Expo in June 2011.

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