What You Don't Know

A couple of months ago, I blogged about MaintenanceNet, a service provider that helps solution providers keep track of service contracts or warranties associated with certain technology assets. The company has since signed a deal with distributor Ingram Micro.

As is usual when I write about one company while neglecting to mention its competitors, this entry prompted some outreach from ServTrax, which likewise is an application service provider that helps resellers create a more formal approach to asset management.

Karl Pontius, founder of the company, says his service (which he’s been operating on a beta basis) lets a solution provider build out entries that associate contracts and leases to specific solutions rather than just one particular piece of hardware. A SAN, for example, could be accounted for as one block or entry along with its associated service level agreements. You can use human logic to get beyond the serial numbers.

The reseller is charged based on the assets under management, and according to Pontius, an average monthly per-asset price is about $3. The VAR, in turn, can provide the customer with access to this information. Carotek Information Technologies, a Platinum partner for Hewlett-Packard in Matthews, N.C., is managing approximately 100 services and maintenance contracts via ServTrax.

Bobby Thomas, vice president and division manager, said his ability to automate the asset management has become a differentiator in his value proposition. It’s also a step forward into a future ruled by managed services.