Jamcracker Makes Managed Service Pitch
Some skeptics left Jamcracker for dead during the dot-com implosion. That may have been a mistake. In recent months, Jamcracker has re-invented itself as an on-demand services company. And a new relationship with XO Communications could bolster Jamcracker’s push into the hosted applications market for small business customers.
Together, Jamcracker and XO Communications plan to offer on-demand collaboration, mobility and security applications to small and midsize businesses (SMBs). XO reseller channel partners will be able to offer the Jamcracker on-demand software as well. The initial push will include desktop backup, hosted BlackBerry services, McAfee’s total protection for small business, Microsoft Exchange and Microsoft SharePoint.
The question for VARs: Should you host managed services on your own, or somehow partner with a third-party like Jamcracker and XO? Frankly, it’s quite clear that no single managed services model fits all VARs. In recent weeks, companies such as Symantec, IBM, Tech Data and Ingram have all announced a range of managed services that VARs can offer to their customers.
Ultimately, VARs will need APIs to weave together all of these services into a single, easy-to-manage dashboard, The VAR Guy believes.