SonicWall's GMS Integrates With Autotask's PSA Platform
April 20, 2010 12:34 PM ET
SonicWall's Global Management System can now be integrated into Autotask's professional services automation platform, thanks to an API built by a third-party developer, according to the companies.
"Autotask is extremely important to the channel. It's a no-brainer for us to connect. We understand a well-run IT provider uses more than our Global Management System," said Jan Sijp, director of product management at SonicWall, at the Autotask Community Live conference in Miami this week. "Not one of these consoles rules them all. What you should do is make sure the consoles talk to each other. That's why we developed the Web service API. GMS is not being used in vacuum."
The integration between SonicWall and Autotask allows MSPs to automate what used to be a manual process to update SonicWall Unified Threat Management (UTM) device information in the Autotask System. It also can automatically generate a service ticket if an alert on a SonicWall device is created and streamlines the renewal process for subscription and support issues for SonicWall devices, according to the companies.
SonicWall expects to announce similar integration with other services companies, but Autotask drove the process to become the first, Sijp said.
"We're open to everybody. Web services APIs are a growing thing," Sijp said.
SonicWall released the Web services API last fall as part of version 6.0 of SonicWall GMS. MSPIntegrations, a La Habra-based MSP tool developer, quickly started to develop the integration framework for Autotask.
"This is an example of where we see third-parties rising up and building integration [for the Autotask platform]," said Mark Crall, executive director of community and business development at Autotask.
Integrations that bring multiple APIs together are powerful tools that will enhance operations for IT service providers, said Travis Austin, founder of MSPintegrations. "We are committed to helping companies leverage existing cloud-based solutions in more powerful ways, and this integration does just that," Austin said in a statement.
The two key pieces of SonicWall data imported into Autotask are asset information, including the serial number and type of device, and service expiration, Sijp said. After an initial association, device information is dynamically updated on an ongoing basis. Sales opportunities, service tickets and invoices are automatically generated based for each device.
"There are dozens of files in GMS that you can auto track," Sijp said. "We provide the device with signature updates just like a desktop
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