LPI Level Platforms Introduces Managed Workplace 2009
According to Sandiford:
Instead of relaxing for the New Year holiday, LPI Level Platforms was busy launching Managed Workplace 2009. The new managed services platform debuts today (January 5). LPI Level Platforms CEO Peter Sandiford (pictured) sent me a note January 2 with some quick thoughts about the update.
According to Sandiford:
“Managed Workplace 2009 delivers lots of new features but also sets the stage for MSP 2.0 where solution providers will begin to include virtualization, SaaS, Cloud, etc. in their MSP offerings. We will be putting out a series of subsequent product and partnership announcements based on these core capabilities over the next few months that will reinforce all of these themes including a second pending major release Managed Workplace 2009 R2 planned for March.”
Six Items to Note
The Level Platforms press release highlights six major enhancements in Managed Workplace 2009. Here’s a look at some of the claims along with a few of my perspectives:
- MSP Branding: Enabling solution providers to develop customized materials and reports for end customers
- User Interface: Customization and multiple user views of the Service Center central dashboard
- Asset Tagging: To me, this sounds like one of the most critical enhancements. The tagging system, according to Level Platforms, offers automated serial number collection including Virtual Machine IDs from VMWare and HyperVisor, as well as Software Asset Change alerting and reporting allowing for asset management, warranty entitlement tracking and software license management. I’ve heard a lot about “virtualization sprawl” in recent months. And the asset tagging capability in Managed Workplace 2009 (assuming it works…) sounds like a way to bring virtualization back under control.
- Banner Advertising: This is an interesting twist but I wonder if MSPs will really be able to cash in from Banner Advertising. Designed for the hosted version only, Level Platforms says the banner ad system enables alternate revenue streams or enhanced marketing capabilities for hosting service providers of Managed Workplace 2009. If anyone tries this feature and cashes in I’d like to hear about it. Who advertised? Why? What was the benefit? What was the outcome?
- Policy Module Management Toolkit: Apparently, this streamlines the administration of Policy Modules including bulk imports, global changes, and tools to track and manage the deployment of Policy Modules across devices, groups and sites.
- Third-Party Support: Now here’s a smart move by LPI. Many MSP software companies continue to focus on remote PC and laptop management. Level Platforms (like some of its rivals) is expanding the managed services conversation to a range of networking and application platforms. LPI says new Policy Modules offer best practices management for products from Adtran, Cisco, Citrix, Dell, Foundry Networks, Gateway, HP ProCurve, LogMeIn, Microsoft, Oracle, Shavlik, Symantec and Zenith BDR. The system now has more than 300 best practices Policy Modules from more than 85 vendors, LPI claims.
Does Managed Workplace 2009 work as advertised? I will defer to readers and hope to hear from those who give the new platform a try.
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Will the March 2009 R2 release be free to those who purchase/license the current Managed Workplace 2009? Thank you in advance for an answer.
Frankie,
Level Platforms offers a subscription model with everything included for one price. Partners receive all software and upgrades, live support, full access to our extensive community partner portal, comprehensive live technical and business training and a dedicated senior Partner Development Manager to help them evolve their business based on the best practices of others and in line with their individual business objectives and strategies.
The reason we do this is because with a recurring revenue model the only way we can grow our revenues is if our partners grow their revenues, not by selling them add-ons that they discover they need as they learn the business. Our model is clearly a true partnership of shared goals and successes. This is very different from the traditional software vendor-customer relationship that is now thankfully in decline across the software industry.
So the short answer is yes – R2 will be free to all Partners.
Peter Sandiford
CEO Level Platforms
Peter: Thanks for clarifying things for our readers. Please keep us posted as R2 nears launch as well.
As a hosting partner I am excited about the Banner Advertising as it will give us another opportunity to communicate with our reseller channel. I will keep you updated on the benefits that we see as we deploy this feature.
Readers: Purely FYI, you can follow Lane Smith’s Master MSP business at http://www.doitsmarter.com.
Peter,
I was impressed to see your reply to my inquiry. I hope you can answer one additional question. Since Level Platforms is offered as a subscription model is your software deployed on premise or do you mainly host it (SAAS approach) for your MSP partners?
If it’s available either/or (SAAS or on premise), which approach is most popular among your most recent customers? Thank you for your attention to my questions.
Frankie,
Not to speak for Peter here but as we are a hosting partner I can answer some of your questions. LPI offers two models an on-premise solution as welll as a hosted (SaaS model). We, Do IT Smarter, along with several other companies offer the hosted model. With this model we host the main database and web server and provide you with a Virtual Service Center (management console) which gives you complete control of the product. Once you are provided with you login information you can then deploy the onsite manager at your customer locations.
LPI is not agent based, rather you install a single Onsite Manager at each customer and this handles the entire customer network. You can then manage all of your customers from within the Virtual Service Center.
For more information on the other hosting partners, you can go to http://www.levelplatforms.com/Hosted.
Lane Smith
Do IT Smarter
I’d like to build on Frankie’s question and offer a slightly different inquiry. Is there a fundamental shift under way with MSPs moving from on premise to hosted/SAAS offerings?
Roger: I do see a shift toward more and more MSPs leveraging hosted software — either from MSP software companies themselves or from so-called Master MSPs that offer multiple tool options. I don’t have hard data to share (yet). But we will unveil some specific SaaS-oriented stats when the new MSPmentor 100 research debuts in February 2009.
As a Master MSP in the midrange marketplace, our experience at ServiceKey is that leveraging a hosted option of software or tools, is overwhelmingly perferred over the upfront expense and outlay of resources required in order to implement in-house. Particularly when the hosted solution is branded on behalf of the MSP or the MSP’s clients.
Christine: Makes perfect sense… since customers are embracing a “monthly” approach to their IT service payments, it’s logical for MSPs to adopt a similar strategy as they seek remote management, monitoring, PSA and SaaS solutions. The days of lump-sum software purchases are limited.