MSP software veteran Walter Scott, formerly CEO of LogicNow and GFI Software, is getting back into the service provider game. Indeed, Scott now runs LiveAction, a provider of IT network management, visualization, and analytics software. To round out its portfolio, LiveAction just acquired LivingObjects -- which develops service provider network monitoring technology. The result: LiveAction will launch a service provider business, and the aptly named LiveSP (Service Provider) software platform.
Scott has extensive experience in the service provider sector. He previously built and sold LogicNow to SolarWinds, and that software platform lives on within the SolarWinds MSP code base.
Meanwhile, LiveAction has an extensive software portfolio of its own. The company's existing LiveNX software supports routers, switches,and firewalls. An agent is also installed on any appropriate end devices, in VMs and containers. Network metadata is then sent back to LiveNX, which stores and analyzes the entire environment. In November the software was updated to LiveNX 7, which added new capabilities like advanced management and monitoring of SD-WAN environments, event-driven insights, greater visibility and reporting across the network for on-premise and cloud environments, and tighter integration with IT service management.
The LivingObjects acquisition extends LiveAction into the service provider market -- but does note replace LiveAction’s LiveNX network management and diagnostics platform for large enterprises. LiveAction claims that teams in the US and Europe are being cross-trained on both the LiveNX and LiveSP platforms.
LiveAction's Service Provider Strategy
“Service providers must differentiate their product offerings to retain and acquire new customers,” said Bertrand Le Marec, LivingObjects’ founder and CEO, in a prepared statement. “Our joining LiveAction enables us to take the LiveSP platform to the next level with more resources. Together LiveSP and LiveNX deliver a more powerful and compelling platform for all enterprises.”
The company claims that LiveSP is a cloud-first, multi-tenant, highly scalable network performance monitoring platform specifically built to meet the demands of Service Providers. LiveSP features customized reports on network KPIs while supporting application visibility and SD-WAN monitoring for IWAN, Viptela, Nuage, and others.
The entire LivingObjects Network Monitoring team will join LiveAction as part of its new Service Provider business unit. Le Marec will join LiveAction’s executive leadership as the Head of the Service Provider team reporting to Darren Kimura, executive chairman at LiveAction. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Network Monitoring for MSPs, Service Providers
We'll be curious to see if or how LiveSP appeals to service providers across the large, midsize and small business markets. The company could face competition from multiple rivals. SolarWinds has been preparing to extend its corporate-focused network monitoring platform to the SolarWinds MSP partner base. Kaseya has renewed its focus on Traverse, a network and infrastructure monitoring platform. Auvik Networks has caught on with many MSPs in the SMB sector. And IT Glue recently acquired some network management capabilities for the company's MSP-centric documentation platform.
Additional insights from Joe Panettieri.
