As I’ve suggested multiple times, the major hardware and software vendors are aggressively pursuing the tremendous business opportunities in the managed services market.

Now, the key questions are how will they bring these offerings to market and what role will their channel partners play in provisioning these new services?

The two most recent examples are IBM’s new Express Advantage security-as-a-service offerings and Dell’s April 24 closing of its MessageOne acquisition.

IBM’s security-as-a-service solutions are its first on-demand offerings based on its acquisition of Internet Security Systems in August 2006. The new solutions will primarily serve small and midsize businesses (SMBs). They include Express Penetration Testing Services; Express PCI Assessments; Express Multi-Function Security Bundle, which includes protection against worms, spyware, anti-virus and spam in a unified threat management offering; and Express Managed Protection Services for Servers.

These solutions have been historically been offered as on-premises … Read More »

Since Michael Dell returned to the helm of his company, he has been dramatically reshaping its channel and services strategies. He is also putting the IT industry on notice that the way hardware companies define and deliver services is changing.

The old guard of the IT industry recognized in the 1980s and 1990s that tech support, professional services and outsourcing could generate lucrative revenues and create greater lock-in opportunities in an increasingly commoditized hardware business. Lou Gerstner saved IBM by turning it into a services company.

Dell bucked this trend by investing in sophisticated supply-chain, fulfillment and customer service processes which enabled it to succeed as a low-cost, high-margin manufacturer.

HP stole a page from Dell’s book and usurped its price advantage. Without a strong services story to serve as a safety-net, Dell was vulnerable to customer defections. It is now seeking to … Read More »

Since the holidays are traditionally a time for people to take stock of the year past and offer their new year forecasts, here are my top ten predictions why the shift from packaged products to Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), utility computing and managed services will accelerate in 2008:

1. Services are Recession Proof: Escalating oil prices, the uncertain political landscape and faltering financial institutions beset with the aftereffects of the sub-prime lending debacle could mean a tough year for the economy. In this tenuous climate, consumer and executive confidence could decline, leading to an economic slowdown. As a result, many companies could hold back on their capital investments to mitigate their risks. The ability to adopt on-demand services on a pay-as-you-go basis will be a perfect sourcing strategy for businesses seeking greater cost-controls and flexibility.

2. … Read More »

Last week, Dell made its second acquisition of a remote management services company in less than six months. After buying into the remote server management business with its acquisition of SilverBack Technologies in June, Dell expanded its remote management capabilities to encompass the desktop and mobile devices with last week’s acquisition of Everdream.

(A recent THINKstrategies whitepaper sponsored by Everdream gives some indication of how Dell will leverage the Everdream acquisition.)Both transactions are a part of Dell’s larger strategy to expand its product and service portfolio with a variety of automated solutions. The biggest of Dell’s recent acquisitions with this goal in mind was its EqualLogic purchase for $1.4 billion in cash, which will give Dell automated iSCSI storage area network (SAN) solutions optimized for virtualization environments.

While the EqualLogic acquisition dwarfs the SilverBack and Everdream buys, and has garnered far more … Read More »

Dell announced today it plans to acquire privately-held SilverBack Technologies, Inc., one of the original managed service providers (MSPs) who has transitioned its business to offer a service delivery platform that enables MSPs to deliver remote monitoring and management services.

This acquisition is important because it clearly shows that Dell is serious about strengthening its service delivery capabilities as part of its overall effort to regain its momentum in the market. It also adds further validation to the importance of managed services as a key component of today’s vendor and channel strategies.

I expect Dell to leverage SilverBack’s capabilities to add a new layer of managed services to its product portfolio. I believe Dell is in a unique position to capitalize on SilverBack’s capabilities because it has a strong relationship with customers as a result of its direct sales heritage. This relationship … Read More »