In some ways, SolarWinds' mid-2016 buyout of LogicNow is triggering executive changes faster than I expected. But a new SolarWinds MSP organization structure, confirmed today, may also trigger better communications and a clearer software roadmap across the LogicNow and N-able product lines for MSPs.
First, the breaking news:
- SolarWinds CEO Kevin Thompson has named John Pagliuca (formerly the CFO of LOGICnow) to lead the SolarWinds MSP team. SolarWinds MSP includes both the LogicNow and N-able portfolios.
- Executives from the N-able team will now lead all of sales across the SolarWinds MSP business.
- LogicNow leader Alistair Forbes and Senior VP of Engineering Steve Garland are exiting the company.
Now, the Background
To understand where SolarWinds MSP could be heading you've got to retrace where the company has been in recent months.
SolarWinds acquired LogicNow in June. The result was SolarWinds MSP -- which houses LogicNow and SolarWinds' other managed services business, N-able. The combined org chart initially looked like this:
- LogicNow CEO Walter Scott was positioned to run the SolarWinds MSP.
- JP Jauvin (N-able) and Alistair Forbes (LogicNow) were his direct reports.
Then, the personnel changes started faster than I had expected. Walter Scott exited the business in August -- which wasn't a shocker since he's a hardcore entrepreneur. But now, Forbes also is exiting. Rumors about his resignation surfaced a few days ago and SolarWinds confirmed Forbes' departure (on good terms) today. LogicNow's Steve Garland also is exiting.
On the one hand, MSPs shouldn't panic as executives come and go -- especially amid an M&A deal. It happens. But amid the changes, SolarWinds has got to do a better job developing and communicating an overall MSP product roadmap for the company's LogicNow and N-able businesses.
The lack of a publicly announced unified roadmap is particularly surprising since SolarWinds did such a solid job communicating and coordinating the earlier N-able buyout in 2013.
SolarWinds MSP: The Next Chapter
Still, change can trigger opportunities. And it sounds like SolarWinds has rapidly decided how to organize the MSP business going forward.
Among the leaders to track: SolarWinds insiders deeply respect LogicNow veteran John Pagliuca, the MSP business's new leader. Pagliuca is deeply familiar with all of the businesses and tools LogicNow has either acquired or integrated over the years.
Also of note: Sources indicate the forthcoming SolarWinds MSP roadmap will include technologies from SolarWinds' midmarket IT management business. This is particularly important in such areas as database and application performance monitoring/optimization.
Bottom line: I thought Forbes was in for the long haul. But the executive changes could provide clarity in terms of leadership, product roadmaps, sales synergies and plenty more.
We'll be back with more thoughts later today.
