Managed Services, Backup And Recovery, And Networking News From August 2015
By The Business Solutions Network
Each month, Business Solutions reports news on business in the channel. This month in managed services, backup and recovery, and networking news, D&H offers training and support for Windows 10, SolarWinds N-able adds a new IT services platform, CharTec creates a division for distribution of services, ASCII provides a national sales tax helpdesk for managed services providers (MSPs), Unitrends unveils Release 9.0 Beta, and CompTIA offers MSPs a new sales toolkit.
D&H Offering Training, Support For Windows 10
D&H Distributing is offering programs and training opportunities to support resellers throughout the launch of Microsoft’s new Windows 10 operating system. Windows 10-oriented content includes an on-demand Solutions Lab webcast. D&H has also developed a Windows 10 Partner Services marketing template, outlining messages to help resellers reiterate the benefits of the system. D&H also maintains a dedicated team of Microsoft experts on its Solutions Team.
Microsoft is offering a no-cost upgrade to Windows 10 for a range of legacy machines in the marketplace. This opens the door for resellers to initiate new dialogs with their customers, which often lead to other upgrades and/or service opportunities.
SolarWinds N-able Adds New IT Services Management Platform
SolarWinds N-able introduced a new IT service management platform, SolarWinds N-able MSP Manager, designed to help SMB MSPs run a more efficient, effective, and profitable IT service organization. The company acquired the MSP Manager cloud-based service management technology as part of its recent purchase of Capzure technology.
MSP Manager is developed in the cloud and will offer centralized customer knowledge management along with ticketing, time-tracking, and billing. Additional features include mobile applications for use across Android, iOS, and Windows devices; a customer portal; scheduling; contract management; and integrated billing.
CharTec Creates Division For Distribution Services
CharTec recently announced the launch of a new division, Relyenz, offering security-focused, value-added distribution services that deliver unified control of multi-vendor security products to MSPs. Relyenz will leverage CharTec’s industry relationships to introduce its new CentralPoint platform. With CentralPoint, Relyenz partners will be able to provision and monitor endpoint security, password management, and disaster recovery protocols in a fully managed environment.
ASCII Announces National Sales Tax Helpdesk For MSPs
The ASCII Group has launched a new service aimed at helping MSPs navigate the complexities surrounding sales tax and how it pertains to IT services. The ASCII Group identified a need within its community because of numerous sales tax questions that were continually being raised on member discussion boards. With no simple answers being found, ASCII formed a committee of members to organize and categorize a comprehensive list of sales tax questions asked by fellow members that covered a broad range of sales scenarios related to managed and cloud related services.
In addition, ASCII will automatically get updates that it will immediately push out to the membership whenever a state changes or re-interprets a sales tax law. This will ensure that members always have the most up-to-date answers on sales tax issues for every state they are doing business in.
Unitrends Unveils Release 9.0 Beta
Unitrends recently announced Release 9.0 Beta, the data protection software powering its physical and virtual backup appliances as well as Unitrends Cloud. Release 9.0 Beta features a redesigned user interface and dashboard aimed at increased efficiency. According to Unitrends, a backup is able to be performed in 64 percent fewer clicks than competing solutions.
Whether using Recovery-Series physical appliances or Unitrends Enterprise Backup and Unitrends Free virtual appliances, the interface is the same across all products. As a result, customers gain a single, consistent approach to managing heterogeneous environments.
Additionally, Unitrends 9.0 Beta leverages predictive analytics to provide the company with continuous feedback on how customers are interacting with the software. This insight will help Unitrends continually improve the customer experience, evolving and adapting its solutions based on user preferences.
CompTIA Offers MSPs New Sales Toolkit
CompTIA announced that its new sales toolkit is now available exclusively to CompTIA Premier Members. Valued at $5,000, the CompTIA sales toolkit provides information that business owners and sales professionals can use to improve their sales organization.
In addition to advice tailored for these two groups, the sales toolkit includes templates and tools to help owners and operators of technology solutions provider companies successfully plan, run, improve, and maintain their sales operations.
The CompTIA sales toolkit is an HTML-based tool, making it easy for users to navigate through. The toolkit is also available in a downloadable PDF version.