Archive for the ‘Managed Services’ Category

How Can Somebody So Smart Do Such Stupid Things?

Thursday, August 28th, 2008

Yes, stupid is a naughty word in the Crall household as is "shut up" and "I know" but in this case I think it fits.  Vlad has posted some incredibly stupid things (as he would be the first to admit) and then he posts stuff like this and just amazes ...

SMB Nation 2008 Fall Conference News

Friday, August 22nd, 2008

This just in on the wire (OK, it's not a wire but it sounds cool!) PRESS RELEASE SMB Nation 2008 Fall Conference to Hold Launch Party: Small Business Server 2008 and Essential Business Server 2008. MarketPlace Expo SOLD OUT! Seattle, WA – August 22, 2008 - Boasting a completely sold out tradeshow hall ...

MSP Revolution - September 4-7 in Chicago

Friday, August 22nd, 2008

You won't want to miss this.  Each speaker has built multimillion dollar Managed Services companies and they are going to share their knowledge & experience with you! Joe Panettieri, MSP Mentor: Joe will kick us off Thursday evening with an interactive discussion on the State of the Industry presentation and Q&A Ron ...

Microsoft to Offer an MSP Platform? Count on it!

Sunday, August 17th, 2008

Pay attention folks!  Keep your eye on the ball!  The managed service industry is changing as fast as technology itself.  Do you hear any changes coming your way?  To quote my favorite movie, "Hear that Mr. Anderson?  That is the sound of inevitability." Next thing you know, Microsoft will be displacing ...

Autotask on a Mac?

Wednesday, August 13th, 2008

I can assure you that multi-browser compatibility has been the hottest topic on the Autotask User CommunITy feature request forum.  Leave it to the brainyacks at Calyptix Security to find a possible solution using a third party software that allows you to run IE on a Mac or Linux.  While ...

Software + Services

Wednesday, July 23rd, 2008

So after much thought, discussion with others, comments on Vlad's blog and rewriting countless blogs of my own on the topic of Microsoft's Online Service offering that I've never posted, I have finally found something that puts my opinion into a communicable format.  Enjoy...

Virus Warning From UPS

Tuesday, July 15th, 2008

What might Brown do to you?  Sorry, I couldn’t resist that cheap shot.  Here is a legitimate email from UPS.  We had two customers hit by this one yesterday so take the appropriate action now. Attention Virus Warning We have become aware there is a fraudulent e-mail being sent that says ...

Vendor/Partners - Who Can You Trust? Not Symantec?

Tuesday, July 15th, 2008

As you know, I’ve been a big proponent of partnering with Vendors that are VAR friendly such as Microsoft and CA but when I read CRN today even this one caught me by suprise.  I appears Symantec is doing a Partner End-Run to the Customer goal zone.  Calyptix Security in ...

MS Partners, do you want to get paid for what you sell?

Thursday, July 10th, 2008

As Microsoft plans it continued rollout of Software + Services (S+S) there are some details that still need to be clarified.  An important one to MS Partners is how we get paid.  While the standard comp structure for Microsoft’s Online Services (SaaS) has been settled upon, they have not made ...

SBS Support Goes to Call-Back Support

Wednesday, July 2nd, 2008

Take a number and wait patiently by the phone please.   That's the new plan for Microsoft's Call-Back SBS Support plan.  It's not going to be cheap either.  So if I sign a monthly retainer instead of paying the standard 4 hour call back fee will I get priority response?  ODG, ...