Data Centers

SMB Technology Network, Virtual Administrator: Let’s Partner

• August 21, 2009

The dance between user groups, IT franchises and MSP software specialists continues. The latest example involves SMB Technology Network — an organization representing roughly 650 solutions providers — stepping onto the dance floor with Virtual Administrator. Here’s the news, plus some bigger-picture trends. Virtual Administrator is a Master MSP that offers Hosted Kaseya, SonicWALL GMS, […]

New MSPs: Do You Want SaaS or On-premise?

• August 21, 2009

Let’s pretend you’re launching a managed services business from scratch. You have no legacy infrastructure. You’re able to choose the PSA (professional services automation) and RMM (remote monitoring and management) tools that best fit your vision. Now, my question: Would those PSA and RMM tools live on premise (in your business) or would they be […]

Which Managed Services Platform Should I Buy?

• August 20, 2009

Update: Kaseya 6 and SaaS Meet Managed Services

• August 4, 2009

Kaseya is launching a white label SaaS (software as a service) offering for ASCII Group members. Plus, the company is polishing the Kaseya 6 framework for both SaaS and on-premise deployments. Here’s where Kaseya is heading next, according to CEO Gerald Blackie (pictured).

Managed Service Providers Demand Firefox Support

• August 4, 2009

While the managed services market continues to converge with SaaS (software as a service) and cloud computing, I’m increasingly hearing from readers who have a far more basic request: They want all of their managed services platforms to support the three major browsers: Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox and Apple Safari — with Google Chrome also p

Open Source Monitoring: 4 Key Questions You Need to Ask

• July 30, 2009

First, let me be clear (hopefully before I get tarred and feathered): this isn’t intended as any kind of at

Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference: Where are the MSPs?

• July 14, 2009

The Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC09) remains among the largest vendor-driven IT gatherings in the world. But there’s surprisingly little conversation about managed services here. I suspect that could change today (Tuesday) and Wednesday as Microsoft begins to talk even more about Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS) and Windows Azure (the Windows-driven cloud service). But […]

Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference: 4 Names to Know

• July 10, 2009

As The VAR Guy heads to this year’s Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference in New Orleans, he looks forward to quizzing four key Microsoft executives about the company’s cloud, software as a service (SaaS), small business and netbook/OEM strategies. Take a look, and submit your own questions to The VAR Guy (if you have them) for […]

Microsoft Still Attracts Managed Services Crowd

• July 9, 2009

Windows no longer sits at the center of the IT universe. But Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC09) still knows how to attract a big crowd — including most of the major managed service software providers and MSPs themselves. Here are five MSP-centric topics MSPmentor will track at the event.

MSPs Push Beyond SaaS, Hosted Exchange

• July 7, 2009

What comes after hosted Exchange and software as a service? Managed service providers like Azaleos Corp. and Intermedia Inc. continue to offer new answers to those questions. Here’s what to expect from both companies heading into Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference 2009 (WPC09) in New Orleans. Azaleos this week launched Azaleos Managed Hybrid Services — which […]

SMC Networks Ramps Up Managed Services Platform

• June 23, 2009

Managed Services APIs: Six Questions You Need to Ask

• June 18, 2009

Consider the following scenario. You’re a managed service provider that leverages a mix of RMM (remote monitoring and management), PSA (professional services automation), storage and security services software. Now, you want to tie all of those applications together.

Kaseya 6: Blending On-premise with SaaS

• May 27, 2009

Azaleos Expands to Managed SharePoint Services

• April 23, 2009

Azaleos made its name managing Microsoft Exchange environments. Now, the managed service provider is taking a similar path with Microsoft SharePoint. Here are the details. The company’s newly available SharePoint Services offering keeps tabs on SharePoint Server, Internet Information Server, and SQL Server along with associated storage and network infrastructure. Azaleos collects more than 2,000 […]

Asigra Launches Hybrid Storage Partner Program

• April 15, 2009

What’s the best model for managed storage: On premise solutions or in the cloud/software as a service (SaaS)? Instead of forcing managed service providers and customers to choose one model or the other, many technology companies are offering up both options or hybrid options. The latest example comes from Asigra. According to a release issued […]