Kerio Technologies said that it has launched the newest version of its Connect platform known as Connect 7.3. The release is the newest for the company’s messaging and collaboration server that provides email, contacts and calendar management to more than 50,000 organizations worldwide. With deployment options for Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, VMware and Parallels, Kerio Connect is ready to run in virtually any in-house or private cloud customer environment.
 
Kerio Connect 7.3 gives organizations everything they need for secure business communication. Not only does the product give employees the freedom to access their email via any smartphone or email program they want, but it allows businesses to choose where they are most comfortable storing their email.

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Channel vendors N-able Technologies and NetEnrich announced this morning that they have teamed up to make it easier for MSPs to offer a complete IT operations solution. Both companies are touting the “Get More” solution as one that will “say goodbye to low-end network operation centers and basic RMM tools, and hello to a complete IT operations solution that simply offers MSPs more.

The “Get More” business initiative includes a series of informative webinars and collaborative sales efforts that will help MSPs learn how to best-automate and operationalize both simple and complex IT tasks while establishing a remote operations center that easily scales and saves them hoards of money in the process.

As part of the Get More movement, N-able and NetEnrich will also provide MSPs with valuable insight on effective pricing methodologies that will help ease the pricing pressures many MSPs are facing and advance their IT services business. More information about the new webinar series, including registration and topics, can be found at http://www.n-able.com/company/events/ and www.netenrich.com/bebetter.

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By Regina Ciardiello, Editor, SMB Nation

Image: Michal Marcol / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Here we go again! As I do each week, I am really enjoying bringing our readers a quick round-up of the blog coverage I didn’t manage to get to during the busy week prior.

Here at SMB Nation, we were busy last week closing out production for our November/December issue, which goes to press today. It is hard to believe that we are getting ready to publish our last print publication for this year, before we move into the holiday season, and then 2012!

Also, stay tuned for additional information on what’s in store for our next live event, MVP Nation, to be held March 2-3, 2012, in Redmond, WA. For more information, and to register, go to: http://www.regonline.com/mvpnation2012.

Once again, here are a few snippets of information that we didn’t get a chance to bring you last week. Let us also know if there was something we might have missed, which is not mentioned in this entry…because as you know…we love news!

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Research In Motion last week said it has developed its own take on the cloud with its BlackBerry Business Cloud Services for Microsoft Office 365. The solution is a new RIM-hosted online service for midsized businesses and enterprises that extends Microsoft Exchange Online to BlackBerry smartphones, and allows organizations to self-manage their BlackBerry deployments in the cloud. An open beta for the service launched last week in over 30 countries.
 
“BlackBerry Business Cloud Services is an easy and cost-effective way for businesses and government agencies to extend Microsoft Office 365 to BlackBerry smartphones and manage the deployment in the cloud,” Alan Panezic, Vice President, Research In Motion, said in a media statement. “We have been working together with Microsoft and select customers through an early access program and we are pleased to now launch an open beta for the service.” (Note that Panezic also presented Harrybbb with his Small Business Influencers Award in NYC last month, which BlackBerry served as a sponsor).

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By Regina Ciardiello, Editor, SMB Nation

Image: Michal Marcol / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Here we go again! As I do each week, I am really enjoying bringing our readers a quick round-up of the blog coverage I didn’t manage to get to during the busy week prior.

Here at SMB Nation, we are gearing up for our November/December issue, which will be going to press this Friday. It is hard to believe that we are getting ready to publish our last print publication for this year, before we move into the holiday season, and then 2012! I also met last week with Harrybbb in person, during his whirlwind East Coast tour with stops in Boston, New York City and Northern NJ. Last Thursday also marked the last ASCII Success Summit event for 2011, which I attended in Woodbridge, NJ. For more information on the event, check out my blog post from Friday, October 28, by clicking here.

Also, stay tuned for additional information on what’s in store for our next live event, MVP Nation, to be held March 2-3, 2012, in Redmond, WA. Make sure to check www.SMBNation.com, for frequent updates.

Once again, here are a few snippets of information that we didn’t get a chance to bring you last week. Let us also know if there was something we might have missed, which is not mentioned in this entry…because as you know…we love news!

[Read the rest of this article...]

By Regina Ciardiello, Editor, SMB Nation

Yesterday marked the final stop for 2011 for ASCII Group’s Success Summit Series, and SMB Nation was there, at the Woodbridge Hilton in New Jersey to represent. Having been involved in the SMB IT channel since 2007, I had never attended an ASCII Summit, so being that the event was held a mere 15 minutes from my home office in Sayreville, NJ, I had planned a few months back to register and check it out. Little did I know, I would be asked by Jerry Koutavas, ASCII’s President, to moderate one of the panel sessions held during yesterday’s event.

(At right): Scott Barlow of Reflexion accepts his company's award for "Best of Show" at yesterday's ASCII Summit held yesterday in Woodbridge, NJ.

My panel topic was “Managed Services Revenue Strategies that Most Providers Miss.” This was an obvious interest to the audience comprising SMB VARs and MSPs. After all, you can never have too much money, which is the first question I asked the audience, before launching into the main portion of the panel. I asked: “I bet there isn’t anyone in this audience, who doesn’t want to learn how they can make more money, unless of course you are independently wealthy!” Obviously, no one disputed my claim, and that’s what the panelists discussed for the next 45 minutes during the session – basically how MSPs can look for additional strategies to bring in revenue.

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By Regina Ciardiello, Editor, SMB Nation

Axcient announced this morning that it has launched its newly branded cloud solution known as Axcient Cloud Continuity. The Mountain View, Calif.-based provider of data backup/disaster recovery and business continuity services said the new product will allow SMBs to launch all of their services in Axcient’s cloud with “just a couple of clicks.

According to the company, its Cloud Continuity solution will provide SMBs with total business continuity for the first time. When local servers fail, users can easily run a virtual office on Axcient’s cloud platform enabling employees to continue working on their data and applications, and from any Internet-enabled device at any location -- no matter what happens.

(At right): Justin Moore, CEO, Axcient

The Cloud Continuity product can be set up in minutes and doesn’t require users to make any changes to their network environment, install any software, or make any up-front investments –it is offered as a simple monthly service.

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Just one month after launching at SMB Nation’s Fall Conference in Las Vegas, ChannelEyes LLC announced yesterday new Industry Trending data from its early access website.  The newly developed company announced at the event last month that its aim is to create the first free and secure social network to aggregate Channel Program information, transforming communication between suppliers and Channel Partners. 

Since that time, thousands of industry members have signed up, thus revealing market trends and insight.  “It was interesting to see the sharp demand from the vendor side,” said Bob Godgart, Founder of ChannelEyes, as 35% of initial signups come from the supplier community. 

Proving how broad the supplier community is, a significant number of sign-ups have come from manufacturers, distributors, associations, consultants, franchises and master MSPs.

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Based on innovation, ultrabooks and education, D&H Distributing’s Mid-Atlantic Fall 2011 Technology Show will be held November 2 at the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center, Hershey, PA. With SMB Nation’s own Harrybbb hosting a session on SMB telepresence, this year’s fall show will feature eight seminars from powerhouse D&H vendor partners—the largest amount of educational opportunities featured at a D&H Show in recent years. 

Sessions at the event include two separate Microsoft presentations, a cloud seminar from Cisco, and SMB sessions from Lenovo, HP, Intel, Symantec (on the SEP.cloud security offering) and SMB Nation.  Additional participating vendors are Acer, ASUS, D-Link, Plantronics, Ricoh, SonicWALL, Samsung, Toshiba, TRENDnet, ViewSonic, Western Digital and many more.  Newcomers to the D&H Mid-Atlantic Show include Roku (streaming media), Blackhawk Labs (secure rackmounts), NetClarity (security appliances) and Storageflex (data storage).

Approximately 1,000 resellers are expected, along with more than 150 participating vendors.  Registration begins at 11:30 a.m., seminars start at 12:00 p.m., the exhibit floor opens at 3:00 p.m., and the event runs until 8:30 p.m.  D&H will again feature its Emerging Technology Pavilion, showcasing a new selection of innovations such as Looxcie’s “wear and share” video cameras, Newo Corporation/Amped Wireless’ WiFi products, Noetic’s Bluetooth accessories, and Rocstor’s high capacity drives and encryption products.

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By Regina Ciardiello, Editor, SMB Nation

Image: Michal Marcol / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Here we go again! As I do each week, I am really enjoying bringing our readers a quick round-up of the blog coverage I didn’t manage to get to during the busy week prior.

Here at SMB Nation, we are gearing up for our November/December issue, which will be going to press in a couple of weeks. It is hard to believe that we are getting ready to publish our last print publication for this year, before we move into 2012! I also will be meeting with Harrybbb this week in person, since he is on a whirlwind East Coast tour with stops in Boston, New York City and Northern NJ.

Also, stay tuned for additional information on what’s in store for our next live event, MVP Nation, to be held in the Seattle area during the first half of March 2012. Make sure to check www.SMBNation.com, for frequent updates.

Once again, here are a few snippets of information that we didn’t get a chance to bring you last week. Let us also know if there was something we might have missed, which is not mentioned in this entry…because as you know…we love news!

[Read the rest of this article...]