Intel Hybrid Cloud Server: Dead or Alive?
Rumors are swirling that Intel Hybrid Cloud (a small business server that has cloud and managed services capabilities) has been discontinued. If true, this is the latest setback for resellers that are seeking on-premises alternatives to Windows Small Business Server (SBS), which Microsoft killed in 2012. Still, there are cloud-based alternatives — including Microsoft’s increasingly popular Office 365.
Intel Hybrid Cloud combines on-premises hardware (from Lenovo or Dell) and software with cloud-enabled services for MSPs. Resellers can choose from a range of Windows Server options or Linux.
- On the one hand, Intel Hybrid Cloud (running Linux) could have emerged as a Microsoft SBS alternative, filling the void for Microsoft’s defunct small business operating system.
- But on the other hand, SBS’s demise may have hurt Intel Hybrid Cloud, since the Microsoft operating system was a logical foundation for the Intel offering.
Dead End Platform?
So what’s the upshot? Intel has informed multiple channel partners that Intel Hybrid Cloud is no more, according to sources close to the microprocessor giant. The VAR Guy has reached out to Intel for comment but had not heard back as of 9:50am ET on Tuesday, May 14, 2013.
Intel Hybrid Cloud also offered a range MSP-enabled software. Key partners have included Level Platforms, Intuit, Asigra and StorageCraft (among others).
Microsoft Office 365 to the Rescue?
For channel partners, the increasingly logical alternative to Intel Hybrid Cloud and the former Windows SBS is Microsoft’s Office 365 — a cloud-based suite that includes Exchange, SharePoint and Lync. (Yammer, Microsoft’s business social platform, is coming soon to Office 365, too.)
Microsoft says Office 365 sales are growing fast; the cloud-based suite’s annual revenue run rate has now topped $1 billion. Numerous channel partners are embracing Office 365, but some VARs continue to point out that the cloud suite is not an option for customers who (A) want to keep their data on premises or (B) lack reliable broadband for cloud services.
Yes it is true – the Intel
Yes it is true – the Intel Hybrid Cloud is no more – I just got my letter in the mail via Certified Snail Mail. As you stated, there are still lots of small businesses that don’t want their data in the cloud and it’s really not feasible (medical/dental/cpa/attorneys) – so an on premise solution is the only way these businesses will go.
Anonymous: Thanks for the
Anonymous: Thanks for the additional info. We’ve heard from a few resellers who say the same thing. No official word from Intel to The VAR Guy’s team. But the reseller evidence looks overwhelming.
-jp
This just in: Here’s a
This just in: Here’s a partial look at the letter Intel sent to resellers about Intel Hybrid Cloud and AppUp both being killed off.
-jp
Interesting times at the
Interesting times at the Intel IHC program!
Orchard Parc technology for virtualizing the Mac was recently tested, certified and launched on the Intel Hybrid Cloud. OPUS is a virtual appliance that runs on Citrix XEN. It makes it easy to integrate, secure and manage both corporate and employee owned Macs, even when the user has local Admin rights.
We have been asked by many Managed Service Providers if we have a direct program offering more flexible terms and conditions than the IHC.
And we do!
Orchard Parc offers a direct reseller program that delivers tangible benefits for MSPs and their clients. The direct Orchard Parc program offers:
* significantly lower per user costs than offered by Intel and the IHC program
* higher partner profit margins
* flexible term licence model
* option to deliver services on and off premise
* support for all versions of the Citrix XEN Server enterprise virtualization tools (single server instance to high availability platform)
* support for a wide range of hardware on the full Citrix Hardware Compatibility List
* direct support from Orchard Parc
We look forward to hearing from you.
Just Wait to the first big
Just Wait to the first big outage and see how fast these customer move from the cloud back On-Premise again. I call it the Cloud turns to FOG event. Can you say look what happen to BlackBerry event?.
I believe the Cloud works for some service’s, but more of a hybrid solution is what will see or used in the future, after the first major disruption and business can’t function due to it. they’ll say, Bring my data back on-premise please… Or begins to see there is no real ROI for IT costs and models don’t save or work as thought.
Anonymous: For customers that
Anonymous: For customers that prefer on-premises servers and applications, what SMB solutions are you recommending?
-jp
IHC actually had nothing to
IHC actually had nothing to do with the cloud on the server side. it just used some hosted administrative functions for the reseller to administer the equpment . What Intel did really sucks for resellers but it was clear during the sales shows that they had for this. It’s a big experiment and the money simply idd not make sense for what it offered.