Explore Opportunity In Cloud Computing Solutions

By Gennifer Biggs, security, storage, and managed services editor

‘Tis the season for industry events, and cloud computing and its impact on the IT channel has been a popular topic at several different gatherings. With so much buzz around cloud computing and the technologies that work well to support cloud solutions, the flow of information from vendors and solutions providers can be overwhelming for MSPs trying to wrap their minds around the cloud and its impact on their IT business.

Among the messages I've heard is a reassurance that cloud doesn't spell the end to the IT channel; rather it holds tremendous opportunity for those MSPs ready and willing to strategize with customers about leveraging the cloud to improve operations while also freeing up capital for other IT projects. Other advice includes this nugget from Lew Moorman, president of Rackspace Hosting: Remember that cloud is for everyone, but not necessarily for everything. He suggests MPSs understand when cloud is the right tool for the job. For example, perhaps a customer is better off leaving legacy apps on-premise but pushing standard applications to the cloud for more efficiencies. Your job as MSPs, he adds, is understanding the technology and more importantly, the places in your customer's business where the cloud can have an impact, and then lead your customer there.

So how do you do that? Embrace the cloud so you are aligning your business to how customers will consume IT in the future; don't waste time building these solutions but rather find a partner; and then continue to delivery traditional solutions as a service. Want more insight? Check out advice from Peter Coffee, director of platform research at Salesforce.com; Patrick Ciccarelli, CEO, Varsity Technologies; and Jason Beal, director of services sales at Ingram Micro.