After multiple rumors tracked by ChannelE2E, Microsoft has acquired Cloudyn -- an MSP-friendly cloud-monitoring startup for Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud Platform workloads. The deal sets up potential competition between Microsoft and MSP-centric cloud cost management tools like ConnectWise CloudConsole and Kaseya Unigma, ChannelE2E believes.
Cloudyn, one of ChannelE2E's Top 50 Tools for Cloud Monitoring and Management, allows customers and service providers to continuously monitor, measure and analyze consumption, enable accountability, and forecast future cloud spending, the company asserts.
In a blog today, Cloudyn CEO Sharon Wagner confirmed:
"...Cloudyn will be joining Microsoft to continue our mission of optimizing cloud efficiencies and investments. The Cloudyn solution will be incorporated into Microsoft’s product portfolio – offering customers the industry’s broadest set of multi-cloud management, security and governance solutions."
Among the big questions facing Microsoft, Cloudyn, MSPs and various software providers:
- Will Microsoft continue Cloudyn's cross-platform heritage? In recent months Cloudyn promoted itself as a solution for Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud Platform, OpenStack and more. But will that commitment to cross-platform management and monitoring continue under Microsoft's ownership?
- Will Cloudyn compete against MSP-friendly cloud monitoring, management and cost control tools like ConnectWise CloudConsole and Kaseya Unigma?
I'm not suggesting that Microsoft is out to destroy MSP- and technology solutions provider-centric software companies. On the contrary, Microsoft and ConnectWise have been working closely on CloudConsole, a ConnectWise tool that's expanding from Office 365 management toward Azure services management.
Still, Microsoft's buyout of Cloudyn is a clear wakeup call for many MSPs and the software providers who serve them. Many of the players remain overly focused on PC and server monitoring -- at a time when millions of workloads are shifting to the cloud.
First movers in the MSP market include companies like 2nd Watch -- which has over 200,000 AWS instances under management, the company said this week. Microsoft's buyout of Cloudyn could allow additional MSPs to finally embrace cloud workload management -- assuming Microsoft keeps an open mind and doesn't somehow hardwire Cloudyn to Azure...
