Preview: Managed Services At CompTIA Breakaway

When CompTIA’s Breakaway conference opens August 5 in Orlando, I’ll be mingling with attendees to see how their managed services strategies are coming together. This year’s Breakaway arrives at key moment in the managed services market. Here’s why.

A critical mass of MSP platform providers now markets its wares to VARs and corporate IT pros. Despite the ongoing economic turbulence in North America, anecdotal financial data — from companies like Kaseya and Nimsoft — suggests that the managed services market is maintaining its momentum.

But Nick Vossburg, a managed service provider in Washington, D.C., raises some interesting questions about MSP sales in this extended commentary to our readers. His key question: How are MSPs — the buyers and adopters of managed services software — performing this year?

Our research suggests that the most successful MSPs can continue to generate double- and triple-digit revenue growth, though growth rates certainly vary based on your established revenue base, region and market focus.

Still, I have to admit: It’s nearly time to refresh our data, which was culled in Q4 2007. In September, we’ll begin gathering new data for our next MSPmentor 100 research report. (Here’s how to participate.)

In the meantime, I’ll be at next week’s Breakaway getting a feel for MSP growth rates, opportunities and challenges facing today’s manged service providers.

I expect to attend additional MSP-oriented conferences throughout August and September — digging for news, but mostly trying to keep my finger on the pulse of the managed services market.