The Next Managed Services Battleground: APIs
What’s next in managed services? The VAR Guy thinks he has found the answer: New tools that tie together multiple third-party MSP platforms. The net result could be a single “business intelligence” window that allows VARs to remotely monitor storage, security, bandwidth and other issues from a single PC. But achieving this nirvana won’t be easy.
Many managed service platform providers are touting their wares this week at the MSPAlliance conference in Orlando. There’s no doubt that platform providers like Autotask, Kaseya and N-able have momentum. But VARs face numerous challenges as they strive to become MSPs. As an executive from a major distribution company told The VAR Guy: “It’s a highly fragmented market filled with point solutions.”
Consider the following variables: Cisco Systems is developing more managed services tools to remotely monitor and troubleshoot firewalls. Symantec has announced a managed services platform that initially offers storage services but by year’s end will likely include security services. And hosted application providers like Salesforce.com and RightNow continue to reach out to VARs and integrators.
Now, the problem: The average VAR doesn’t have the time or expertise to piece all of these managed services platforms and hosted applications together. That’s where distributors come into the picture. The VAR Guy is betting that distributors will work closely with MSP platform providers to promote application programming interfaces (APIs) that tie everything together.
Still, big distributors like Ingram Micro and Tech Data apparently have different views on the MSP market. One distribution executive notes that Ingram has hitched its strategy to Autotask. That’s not a bad idaea. To Autotask’s credit, the company has been developing APIs and integrating its system with solutions from N-able and LPI Level Platforms, among others.
Tech Data, by contrast, appears to be keeping its options open. Rather than betting its MSP strategy on Autotask, there are clear indications that Tech Data will work with a growing list of platform providers. The distributor’s most recent partner is ConnectWise. But Tech Data won’t stop there. Listen closely for more announcements in the months ahead.
And be sure to watch the evolving world of APIs, which could deliver one dashboard for all managed services. All it will take is a little luck–and a whole lot of partnering between MSP platform providers and distributors.
VAR Guy,
You have hit the nail on the head. The one distributor that seems to understand this is doing something about it, is ScanSource. We have teamed up with a local developer who has designed monitoring applications for BMW North America. The application ScanSource is marketing is called ScanSource VirtualTechnician®. It is currently focused on the Point-Of-Sale industry, but as we continue to grow we will be developing integrated monitoring or Telephony and Security (cameras and DVR’s). We currently monitor specific POS applications and we are working with IBM and other hardware manufactures to create the “one dashboard for all managed services”. We will have a new release in July with a lot of new features including the option of remote access and control of end-user systems. We would welcome the oppurtunity to show you what we have and because of your research in the market place we would like get your input. Thank you for your research, work and articles in TechIQ.
[…] 3. Managed Services: Microsoft has partnered with Level Platforms to help VARs remotely manage and monitor customer networks. eWeek offers some analysis of the relationship. The VAR Guy expects more MSP platform providers #8212; Autotask, N-able, Kaseya, etc. #8212; to ink partnerships with software companies and distributors throughout this year. […]
[…] Dell, then why don#8217;t they express the same concern about Tech Data and Ingram Micro working so closely with MSP platform providers? Surely, big distributors could hijack the MSP market if they so […]