CloudBlue, owned by Ingram Micro, has launched CloudBlue Rev in the North America market. The move further blurs the line between PSA (professional services automation) software, online storefront and cloud distribution platforms that MSPs leverage.
CloudBlue Rev is "designed to empower Ingram Micro partners to deliver a single billing experience to their customers across Ingram Micro’s e-commerce site, Ingram Micro Cloud Marketplace and partners’ own solutions," the company said in a statement about the product launch.
CloudBlue Rev for Ingram Micro is now available via the Ingram Micro Cloud Marketplace in the United States and Canada. The system previously launched in the UK, Germany, and Benelux.
Full-Blown PSA Software Capabilities for MSPs
For partners seeking a full PSA solution, CloudBlue also offers CloudBlue PSA—which is based on Ingram Micro's long-rumored HarmonyPSA acquisition. The PSA software offers CRM, quoting, service ordering and provisioning, ticketing system/service desk, timesheets, project profitability, billing and reconciliation capabilities.
Before acquiring HarmonyPSA, Ingram had spent roughly a decade contemplating a move into the PSA software market. At some points, the distributor casually eyed both Autotask and ConnectWise. But Datto ultimately acquired Autotask in 2017, and ConnectWise made multiple acquisitions over the past decade.
Fast forward to present day, and the MSP-focused PSA software market is further maturing and transforming again around such players as:
- Entrenched players such as ConnectWise, Datto, Kaseya and N-able;
- emerging upstarts such as Atera, HaloPSA, SuperOps.ai and Syncro; and
- regional players such as Naverisk, ChannelE2E believes.
PSA Software, Cloud Marketplaces & Online MSP Storefronts Converge
Among the latest launches and investments involving PSA software and MSPs:
1. July 2021: Remote IT management, PSA and MSP software provider Atera raised $77 million in Series B funding at a $500 million valuation. General Atlantic led the round with participation from K1 Investment Management.
2. June 2021: Cloud marketplace provider Sherweb launched an early adoption program for an IT service management (ITSM) software platform called C2 MSP. The cloud-based ITSM software includes a ticketing system and self-service portal to centralize customer requests. Translation: Sherweb will compete
3. May 2021: SuperOps.ai raised $3 million in seed funding for a cloud-based MSP software platform that features remote monitoring and management (RMM) and PSA capabilities.
4. April 2021: Datto Commerce for MSPs launched in North America. That platform, based on the $4.4 million Gluh acquisition, is a real-time sales and e-commerce platform that’s designed to accelerate how MSPs quote, sell and procure various products and services. Datto Commerce could potentially automate and speed sales pipelines from Datto and distributors through MSPs to end-customers. Along the way, Datto may end up competing in some ways against Pax8, ConnectWise Marketplace, ConnectWise Sell (formerly Quosal), and Quotewerks, ChannelE2E believes.
