It has been roughly four months since Kaseya Powered Services launched. The effort seeks to promote additional SaaS- and subscription-based services for MSPs. Key focus areas initially include AuthAnvil (password management & multifactor authentication) and Traverse (data center and infrastructure monitoring), with Unigma (cloud monitoring and management) Powered Services expected thereafter.
The Powered Services effort, led by Cloud Computing GM Jim Lippie, serves several roles for both Kaseya and MSPs. While Kaseya VSA is the company's flagship monitoring platform, the AuthAnvil and Traverse offerings were tuck-in acquisitions. In some ways, they were somewhat overshadowed during ownership changes and leadership changes in the 2014 and 2015 timeframe, ChannelE2E believes. Fast forward to present day, and Kaseya Powered Services gives both AuthAnvil and Traverse a fresh start of sorts -- and this time, leveraging subscription models that MSPs and their end-customers increasingly value.
But how are the so-called "Powered Services" performing in the market? We checked in with Lippie earlier this month for some thoughts. Here's the update...
ChannelE2E: How has the Kaseya Powered Services effort been going since launching in July?
Lippie: We’ve had an overwhelmingly positive response to Kaseya Powered Services. Our MSPs not only like the concept of being able to quickly deploy new service lines that increase monthly recurring revenues, but they love the fact that we can help them with their go-to-market strategy. With Powered Services, we’ve done all the homework for our MSPs to drastically reduce their time to market and allow them to deliver leading-edge security and network monitoring technologies that their customers want.
ChannelE2E: The effort initially supports AuthAnvil & Traverse. Any milestones or stats/thoughts on how partners reacted?
Lippie: MSPs recognize a major market opportunity. So since our rollout at Kaseya Connect in May, we’ve closed hundreds of deals. With regards to security as a service (SECaaS), only 20% of MSPs in EMEA and 25% of MSPs in North America actively sell this kind of solution. So there’s a huge opportunity to gain market share and we’re enabling our MSPs to capitalize on this market opportunity.
As the saying goes, the proof is in the pudding. Within 45 days of completing their Kaseya Powered Services certification, over 60% of our Powered Services customers have sold security and network monitoring solutions to four or more their clients. This has added significant monthly recurring revenue to their operations.
ChannelE2E: Tell me more about AuthAnvil in particular. How are partners and their customers benefitting?
Lippie: The benefits of SECaaS for our MSPs are threefold:
- They able to add and increase monthly recurring revenue;
- provide a service that mitigates clients’ risk; and
- deliver a service their customers are asking for.
As for our MSPs’ customers, they understand the importance of mitigating the risk associated with lost /stolen credentials, and are leveraging the expertise of managed service providers to safeguard their businesses.
ChannelE2E: I think you were mulling a Unigma-oriented Powered Services push this fall. Any update?
Lippie: We’re currently testing the training and methodology around the Unigma Powered Service with our existing customers.
Kaseya vs. the Competition
Over the past year to 18 months or so, I think it's fair to say that Kaseya has regained its footing in the MSP software market. The company's diversified product portfolio now spans RMM (remote monitoring and management) PSA (professional services automation), security, infrastructure monitoring and more. A new round of funding just arrived, and additional acquisitions may also emerge soon.
Still, the competitive landscape continues to evolve rapidly. Among the key moves to note:
- Autotask and Datto are merging, and the deal is on track to be finalized in Q4 2017.
- ConnectWise's vision of the future involves a deeper ecosystem play, tied together by the company's Unite Console and an associated app store effort (stay tuned for more on that...).
- Continuum is extending from RMM, BDR (backup and disaster recovery) and NOC (network operations center) services to a full-blown SOC (security operations center) build out. Testing is under way now, with a SOC launch expected sometime in 2018.
- SolarWinds MSP positions itself as the world's largest provider of IT monitoring tools -- but the company's next stage of growth will pursue additional market segments beyond monitoring.
Meanwhile, multiple upstarts and startups are turning heads in the MSP software sector. For instance, Auvik has gained traction with network monitoring; Passportal with MSP-centric password management; and IT Glue with documentation management. More MSP-centric tools will likely surface at next week's Amazon AWS re:Invent conference in Las Vegas.
Back at Kaseya, the mood continues to be upbeat. We'll be watching for more updates on the Powered Services effort... and pending M&A deals...
