10 Coolest Managed Services Offerings Of 2012 (So Far)

Helping Your MSP Business

As managed services have moved beyond simple remote monitoring and started to overlap with cloud offerings, MSPs need to be on their toes to ensure they're providing the latest and greatest services to their customers. With that in mind, here's a look at some of the coolest MSP offerings so far in 2012.

N-able's N-central 9.0 Adds Automation, Remote Control Tools

Earlier this month, N-able Technologies launched N-central 9.0, the latest version of its RMM and service automation platform. The release aims to automate common tasks and free up resources for MSPs. The platform also includes the new Automation Manager, a drag-and-drop tool that automates best practices captured in N-able's MSP Technician Runbook. "It's wildly sophisticated but simple. We used the 'Keep it simple, stupid' philosophy. We've had techs using, and they've been so excited," said Gavin Garbutt (left), N-able's CEO.

TruMethods Develops Process Standardization Tool

At its recent Schnizzfest conference, TruMethods announced myITprocess, a secure, multitenant tool to help managed service providers design, implement and manage customers in a standardized fashion. The tool collects and analyzes data based on what technology customers have in place, how that technology fits into an MSPs offerings and whether that legacy technology has a negative impact on their customers' business and should be replaced, said Bob Penland (left), CTO at TruMethods. "We're calling it an IT provider template,’ he said, adding that they are the "standards you have for you clients."

Autotask Launches Certified Consulting Partner Program

Earlier this year, Autotask launched a new Certified Consulting Partner program that connects Autotask users with new and existing customers looking to better maximize the value of their Autotask implementation, according to the East Greenbush, N.Y.-based company. The program enables MSPs with limited expertise in a certain area to engage with other partners. To become a Certified Consulting Partner for Autotask, service providers must complete a training and testing program and are required to participate in ongoing product and business process training during their tenure, according to Autotask CEO Mark Cattini (left).

ConnectWise 2012.1 Launches With New Financial Features

ConnectWise 2012.1 launched in March, the first of a series of four updates scheduled for the year for its Professional Services Automation (PSA) platform. The first round of new functionality includes enhancements to the Financial Dashboard, integration between invoicing and accounting, more Web client screens, LDAP integration, updated SLA information to the Service Board and more.

"The release of ConnectWise 2012.1, our first major release this year, introduces many new and improved features for managing and acting on business intelligence data," said Arnie Bellini (left), ConnectWise CEO, in a press release.

Continuum Adds Mac Support For MSPs

RMM and business continuity platform company Continuum said that support for Apple Mac devices and support for virtual environments, including both Microsoft Hyper V and Citrix XenServer, became available in June. In addition, Continuum continues development around Apple's iOS devices, which are becoming more prevalent in the workplace, said CEO Michael George (left). Continuum plans to allow MSPs to remotely monitor and manage "anything that is plugged into the wall in an SMB environment," including VoIP phones, the network hub itself and print management.

Kaseya Offers Industry Experts Program

Kaseya created its Industry Experts program to match MSPs with third-party business and technology executives. Currently, resources from eight companies and organizations are included: AntFarm, ClikCloud, Juran Institute, MSP University, MSP Sales Pro, The Taylor Business Group, Technology Marketing Toolkit and Transmentum. Free monthly Webinars and introductory discounts from vendors for their own products and services are included. Playing matchmaker between the parties, Kaseya hopes to help MSPs improve their businesses. Beyond the introduction and an initial discount from one of the Industry Expert firms, Kaseya will stay out of the picture, meaning that the relationship will be developed between the MSP and the firm, said Liz Lederer (left), vice president of global field marketing at Kaseya.

Nimsoft Adds Support For Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization

Nimsoft has added support for Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization to its Nimsoft Monitor platform, providing MSPs with unified and end-to-end visibility into their Red Hat and non-Red Hat resources. The key capabilities include auto-discovery of Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization hypervisors, views of Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization and the underlying physical systems, real-time performance and availability of data, proactive alerts based on customer-defined thresholds, and automation of common configuration and data collection tasks.

The company's COO is Gordon Daugherty (left).

Axcient, NetEnrich Team On Monitoring And Management

Axcient and NetEnrich are teaming up to give MSPs access to fully monitored and managed data, application and system uptime as a service, according to both companies. The Axcient/NetEnrich Managed Data Uptime Solution leverages Net-Enrich's managed monitoring, escalation and remediation services to VARs and MSPs deploying Axcient's backup and virtualization technologies. "The alliance alleviates many time-consuming tasks for resellers, MSPs and service providers," according to Axcient CEO Justin Moore (left).

GFI Launches OEM Partner Program

Earlier this year, GFI Software, founded by Michael Gooch (left), launched an OEM Partner Program that lets other technology vendors integrate GFI's security and network management solutions into their own products or rebrand them as stand-alone offerings, according to the company.

The program is available for GFI Software's malware defense, remote management and collaboration, Web security, email security, patch management, vulnerability management, remote monitoring, device management, advanced threat detection and application management, according to Clearwater, Fla.-based GFI. Vendors initially participating in the OEM Partner Program include Avanquest Software, Faronics Corp., FixMeStick, Impero, LabTech Software, Lavasoft and RSA.

Level Platforms Adds NOC, Help Desk Services To Managed Workplace

Level Platforms launched a portfolio of NOC and help desk services with the release of its Managed Workplace 2012 platform upgrade earlier this year. The new services can augment MSPs' existing remote monitoring, remediation and support offerings and help them become more valuable partners to customers, said Peter Sandiford (left), CEO. The help desk is staffed by Level Platform employees, who for a flat fee will handle unlimited end-user inquiries, he said.