If you are a startup MSP it’s more likely that you are using different MSP tools from different vendors. Some of these would be freeware and the rest point products. But do you know that a poor collection of such un-integrated tools can pull you down and affect growth? Read this PDF to know the 7 problems you face with using multiple MSP tools.
MSP Center Plus offers you a truly integrated MSP platform that combines Remote monitoring + Remote Management + HelpDesk + Professional Service Automation into one neat package for as low as $25 per device per year. If you are evaluating MSP platforms download this checklist and compare MSP Center Plus with other tools in the market. Hopefully you will stop juggling soon.
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Being an MSP is no fun, especially if you are mid-sized. As you read this article, national players and biggies such as Dell might be talking to your customers with attractive offerings. Being a regional player with quick on-call service might no longer work out to your advantage. Now, how do you face this situation? What’s your MSP game plan?
The answer is simple. Strengthen your fortress, sharpen your arms, and fight back…because there is no plan B. You have to elevate yourself to match the breadth of services offered, at costs lower than the competition to survive this race. If you think it takes a fortune to build the capability to match their offerings, checkout the new MSP Center Plus. It gives you all the high-end features available in expensive frameworks at really lower costs. To download a BETA version of this product visit http://beta.mspcenterplus.com.
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First things First -
Following are the new features that have made an entry into this release:
- Monitoring VMware ESX Server as an add-on
- Discover devices by importing from a CSV file.
- Process monitoring on Windows Servers and Desktops.
- Web-alarm enabling users to be notified of a fault.
- Determining device availability using TCP Port checks.
- Provision to add a device directly into a category.
- Provision to add custom links to devices for ready reference.
- Provision to select a time-window for a notification to be sent.
- Exporting reports to XLS file format.
Kindly Note: This service pack can be applied over build number 7010 or higher and it is a consolidation of all the hotfixes released over OpManager 7 so far.
So don’t wait, start downloading the service packs, here is the link to the opmanager service pack 1 page.
The advent of Web 2.0 was to share and to learn faster and to be more productive. Here is a site which offers you to share your network diagrams and get rated.
What is the sole purpose of this site?
People in this team believe that sharing your work with other members, will help you to be more knowledgeable in the networks.
People in the networking field, from large to small have shared their works. Check the network diagrams and rate them. Here is the link for the site.
Site: Rate my network diagram
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We are glad to announce that we have updated OpManager OnDemand with more features, which includes..
* Support for WMI protocol
* Support for subdomains for MSPs
* Enhanced type identification of devices
* Enhanced support for Cisco, Foundry and Procurve
* Support for Ping & Traceroute
* Probe bandwidth usage trends
More details :
Support for WMI protocol :
Until now we had used SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) alone for discovery and data-collection from devices. With this upgrade we have added support for WMI (Windows Management Intrumentation) protocol.
We have used WMI for discovery and monitoring of Disks, Memory, Processor and Windows Services. The collected data for Disks, Memory and Processor will be tested against the configured threshold levels. Alarms will be generated when those levels are violated and you will get notified. All windows services will be discovered by default and services with Startup Type as “Automatic” will be monitored periodically. Other windows services will remain in unmanaged state, equivalent of an inventory data and you can start managing it at any time.
To use WMI, add WMI credentials from “Admin > Credentials” view and provide the same when adding the device to be monitored in “Admin > Add Device”
Support for subdomains for MSPs :
We have made initial steps towards full-fledged rebranding, with support for subdomains for MSPs.
During signup, you can now request for a preferred subdomain of the form http://mydomain.opmanager.com and provide it to your customers.
In case you are an existing beta customer, and want to enable this feature, please send us mail (opmod-support@adventnet.com) mentioning your preferred subdomain and we will enable it for you.
Next in line will be to options to specify your company logo, the support email-id and contact details for your customers to reach you.
Enhanced type identification of devices :
We have added a lot more SNMP sysOIDs as part of the default configuration, so now you can have better type identification, out-of-the-box.
Enhanced support for Cisco, Foundry and Procurve :
SNMP based memory usage monitoring added for Cisco, Foundry and Procurve devices.
Support for Ping & Traceroute :
Now you can troubleshoot problems using Ping and Traceroute tools directly from device snapshot page. This will forward the request from the Central to the Probe and the results will be available in your web-browser.
Probe bandwidth usage trends :
You can now see a graph in the Probe snapshot page showing the trend in data transfer from Probe to Central.
Check out our hosted network management software using the following demo account
User Name : demo
Password : public
If you want to try out OpManager OnDemand on your network, you can sign up for the beta account @ http://ondemand.opmanager.com .
Feel free to send in your feedback or queries to opmod-support@adventnet.com .
And we have a lot more cooking. Stay tuned.
Related Posts :
Introducing OpManager OnDemand for MSPs
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In his post on the “Seven Trends at CompTIA?s SMB Summit“, the VAR Guy notes that..
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| Instead of outright buying MSP platforms, some VARs are using hosted third-party services as a low-cost way to extend managed services to their customers. One prime example: More and more VARs seem to be signing up for hosted managed services.. |
We at AdventNet, had predicted such a trend some time back and had started work on a hosted MSP solution. And now, we are happy to announce the availability of OpManager OnDemand.
OpManager OnDemand is a hosted version of OpManager. The initial version of this Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), is targeted at MSPs who want to start out quick. It is currently in private beta, with a limited feature set. And with frequent upgrades done, it will eventually match the feature set of the current OpManager Premium / MSP editions.
Quote:
Business Benefits of Choosing OpManager OnDemand for MSPs
Secure : OpManager OnDemand follows the architecture similar to OpManager MSP Edition. The Central server is hosted in our secure IDC. Proper SSL certificates issued by a certifying authority is used for the probe-central communication and also for the web-client.
Scalable : You can now start adding more customers and stop worrying about your current Central server’s scalability. OpManager OnDemand, the grid-enabled Central server, is hosted in AdventNet’s secure data-centers. Be relieved from the pains of moving your setup between servers as your business grows. Just grow without the fear of investing either too high or too low. That is scalability on-demand, for you.
Reliable : Supported by a grid enabled architecture, the central server is designed to ensure high service availability and reduced downtime. Even with few devices in the central server grid failing or being taken down for hardware maintenance, the service will still be up and running, communicating with the probes and serving the clients. Database replication complemented by scheduled backup, ensures high availability in the event of any database failure.
Quicker to market : Eliminating the need of setting up a Central server and the inseparable overheads of making it secure, scalable and reliable, you, as an MSP can now simply proceed to deploy the probes in the customers’ sites and start managing right away.Affordable : As there is no major initial investment needed, and with a subscription based payment model, all that you need to do is signup for an MSP account and start managing your customer’s networks right away.
Automated upgrades : Upgrades to this service happens more frequently than conventional software. Client level upgrades have zero downtime, while probe upgrades will be less frequent with very minimal downtime. All upgrade processes are automated.
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Something of the Moore?s Law holds good for the MSP Market too. Doubling every two years, managed services in 2010 are estimated at 36.1 Billion, compared to a meager 9.2 Billion in 2005.
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| most of the MSP story is yet to be told. The majority of the MSP market is still up for grabs. While some MSPs have carved out their niches and are having success, there’s still a lot of opportunity for one or more emerging 800-pound gorillas to step in and succeed.-Oli Thordarson |
The best part is, there is enough gold for everyone, and that is just what has been unearthed so far!
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Its been a long wait from your side and an equally difficult concealment of all the excitement from ours. But well, finally we are out with OpManager 7.
Right from the drawing boards, OpManager 7 has incorporated within it a kind of ?Cool Factor?. Check out the site to see, feel and experience what?s new in OpManager 7.
If you are one of those ?I just need to know what?s up and what?s not? people, there is a whole new ocean of experience that OpManager 7 has to offer to you. If you are more on the lines of ?My IT is FOR my business- not the other way?, OpManager is your dream come true, and more.
From the designer?s table, OpManager 7 is sculpted to throw light on your business and the business impact of your IT, and not just give you device statistics- a decisive move from a device-centric approach to a business-centric one.
From the engineering side, OpManager 7 is powered with global device and interface templates- that means you can now configure more number of devices, in more ways, and in just one step!
The flash based map-maker ensures that you know the physical business-technology correlation, adding to an overall refreshing look and feel, complimenting the new and revamped UI.
To sum it up is simpler text, with business-centric management, service level capabilities, aggregate availability information, template driven configuration, intelligent alarm and trap processing, discovery of non-SNMP based devices, flash based map makers and a light weight spiraling into an instant start solution, OpManager 7 has truly reached the next level- Beyond Ping!
Oh, and did I forget- it ALSO MANAGES YOUR NETWORKS!
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Its great when someone from the industry shares his thoughts and views on a subject, rich with his experiences to quote, expanding your knowledge horizon. Its even better when that person happens to have crossed the same challenges and difficulties that most others would and shares them with enthusiasm.
That was probably why interviewing Edward Martinbor (EJM Solutions) was both fun and informative. I think it would benefit most readers to listen to the podcast as Edward discusses “The Challenges to being a Managed Service Provider”.
Moreover, listening is always easier than reading! 
(Listen to Podcast on http://manageengine.adventnet.com/products/opmanager/msp/podcast.html)
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Michael Vizard feels that the upgrades to vista and the windows server would naturally push an enterprise IT manager to think of managed services route. Its not about whether your IT team can or cannot handle the pressure, its about do you really want to do this? Outsourcing the work to a partner (an MSP) at a cost-effective rate, leaves you with enough time to pour your soul into running IT better than banging your head on server upgrades.
Link to Michael’s article (courtesy eweek channel insider):
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