As we look forward to the 2010 ConnectWise Partner Summit November 4th to the 6th, I thought it time to reflect back on past events. I have had the privilege of attending the summit in 2008 and 2009. This event is unlike many “trade shows” due to both hosts and the participants. It is enjoyable for vendors and customers alike due to the friendly, open environment.
Idea sharing, new product introductions, catching up with friends made over the years make it such a good time that it is over before you know it. This is the show where laughter and fun happen while at the same time serious problems and serious solutions are being discussed. This is what makes Connectwise my favorite event of the year. Who said learning and problem solving have to be solemn, serious affairs?
Asigra has some fun and exciting things coming for ConnectWise 2010. Jacob Woods will be giving you a summary of what to expect this year in an upcoming blog post. Whether you are a customer, friend or stranger, please stop by booth 223 and say hello. We look forward to seeing you shortly.
Why are many small and medium businesses outsourcing some or all of their IT needs to Managed Service providers? There are many reasons and they are dependent on the needs of the SMB as well as the offerings of the MSP.
What does an SMB look for in a Managed Service Provider?
What are the benefits realized by the SMB who outsources to an MSP?
When considering outsourcing IT to a Managed Service provider, the SMB client needs to first do some internal evaluation. Measuring true costs of system administration, upgrades, patching, installation, asset management, system downtime, salaries and training are some areas that allow for a cost comparison. Can they save money, increase reliability and better allocate those freed up resources toward the future? If yes, than the SMB owes it to themselves, their customers and their bottom-line to explore the option of an outsourced IT model with a qualified, reputable and highly skilled Managed Service Provider.
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Image source: Flickr User: Hoyasmeg / James Emery
Why do so many MSPs choose Asigra? I get that question all the time. There are many reasons. Considering that this is a blog post, I will stick to highlighting just the top three.
Agentless Architecture- You may wonder how that can be a business reason, when it seems like a technical feature. Well it is both. Let us focus on the business side of the equation. Do you know what Agent licenses cost? Have you ever seen a CEO’s reaction when he is informed that there is a planned downtime for upgrading or patching agents? Time is money and when systems are down, planned or not, it costs big bucks. Never ending costs for buying, upgrading and patching agents becomes a business problem, even if traditionally one sees it as the IT group’s problem. It is a serious business driver. Asigra’s Agentless solution provides the antidote to these headaches. Asigra gives an MSP peace of mind, knowing that there will not be add-on costs, nor any costly downtimes to manage this solution!
Profitability- Again, time is money. One strength of Asigra’s backup and recovery solution is giving back time. Time savings for System Administrators to focus on new projects and reduce help desk incidents. Eliminating costly downtime is both a cost saving as well as an opportunity to increase customer satisfaction and foster customer loyalty. I tell people we truly offer a “set it and forget it” platform. I can sometimes hear eyes rolling when I say it, but then they try it and realize that it is true!
There is another cost saving thats easily realized- reductions in storage systems purchases. MSPs are able to decrease storage purchases with Asgira because our deduplication and compression ratios are such that an MSP does not have to constantly increase hardware to support ever growing data.
All in one solution- I hear many times from MSPs who are looking to change backup and recovery platforms because historically they have two, three or more solutions patched together. When they find out Asigra can offer local storage as well as offsite data protection and disaster recovery, deduplication, encryption, compression ,reporting and billing all in one product, they can hardly believe their ears. The cost savings are huge. They no longer have to have multiple products to purchase, license and pay maintenance agreements on. Combined with no longer needing the technical teams trained on several different solutions, they are thrilled at the cost and complexity reductions.
The three reasons here are a sample of why MSPs choose Asigra as their backup, recovery and disaster recovery solution. There are a host of other real life scenarios we hear and see each day. I could list many more, however unfortunately or fortunately(however you see it), this isn’t a book I’m writing. I welcome the opportunity to listen to the needs and challenges of business leaders and provide real solutions with Asigra. Give us the chance to show you how you can reduce costs, increase revenue and find the time to pursue other business endeavors. Asigra has your back!
Is the future cloud-y?
Before you can answer that question, you might first want to figure out what the “cloud” means. This phrase, as many before it in the technology industry, has been altered and redefined many times. According to the NIST definition of cloud computing, it is the basic premise of a computing model. Specifically, the “cloud” allows for servers, networks, applications and other data center products to be made available via the internet.
You may have noticed, there’s a lot of buzz lately about cloud computing. I just did a quick search for “cloud computing” on socialmention.com and found that on average, someone talks about “cloud computing” once every 3 minutes!
Likewise, Managed Service Providers have actually been Cloud-y long before the catch phrase caught on. As businesses that are growing embrace the “pay as you grow” model, cloud services, specifically backup and recovery, are growing fast and furious.
So why provide cloud backup services?
As companies try to manage data while complying with a vast array of federal, state and industry regulations, it has become a nightmare. IT managers lose sleep wondering if they are going to pass a DR readiness test; SOX compliance, secure data from loss, theft, and destruction. As well as trying to manage storage growth, servers and infrastructure. For example, if you are in the medical field there is HIPPA to contend with. Incidentally, if you are in a state such as Massachusetts, are you prepared to protect all personal, credit card and customer data in an encrypted format? Furthermore, if you are in the legal field, data’s life expectancy is eternal. Where does a business place data safely for long term retention? All the answers to these questions lie in the Cloud ready environment!
What triggers adoption?
Having been in the industry as long as I have and having heard hundreds of stories around disastrous recoveries, it pains me to see yet another company go through the same cycle. It’s sad but it’s true. For most companies, when the sleep is lost, the budget is cut, or a breach occurs, cloud backup services become a lot more lucrative. Many turn to Managed Service Providers who can offer protection, security, DR and Business Continuity. All things considered it gives business and technology users a peace of mind. This is why the answer to Cloud is yes! Low cost and highly secure managed service that allows companies to “pay as they grow” while reducing costs, headaches and increasing productivity. Overall, working in the Cloud allows companies to focus resources on projects that truly matter. Cloud backup and DR will only continue to develop as the concept becomes a commonality.
Nancy is a technology junkie. Having cut her teeth at Digital Equipment Co. some 23 years ago, her passion was ignited. Nancy loves to talk solutions, enjoying helping real people with real business solutions. Backup and Recovery is her current passion. If you have the time, she welcomes the chance to talk.
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