CSPs, MSP

Microsoft Cloud Summit: IndependenceIT Announces Cloud Channel Program

Seth Bostock
Seth Bostock

IndependenceIT today unveiled the Cloud Start Initiative, a channel program that offers multiple tier pricing for IT solution providers. The program surfaced at the Microsoft Cloud and Hosting Summit.

The Cloud Start Initiative is designed to meet the business needs of IndependenceIT partners "regardless of what stage they are at as a workspace-as-a-service (WaaS) provider," IndependenceIT CEO Seth Bostock told ChannelE2E.

WaaS provides anywhere, anytime access to applications. In some ways it's a next-generation desktop as a service (DaaS) technology. In other ways, it's far more than that. As such, the IndependenceIT program takes into account that IT solution providers require pricing and delivery packages tailored to their specific business requirements, according to Bostock.

A Closer Look at the Cloud Start Initiative

The Cloud Start Initiative features the following tier pricing options:

  • Cloud Start: Serves as an entry-level plan. Cloud Start includes support for one software-defined data center (SDDC), 15 managed users or 50 virtual machines and is priced at $100 per month per SDDC.
  • Cloud Start Pro: Designed for IT solution providers that want to implement multiple end customers as part of a multi-vendor strategy. Cloud Start Pro includes support for two SDDCs, 30 managed users or 100 virtual machines and is priced at $200 per month per SDDC.
  • Cloud Start Elite: Offers an advanced plan for IT solution providers that want to deploy custom solutions to standardize cloud installations. Cloud Start Elite includes a custom number of SDDCs, managed users and virtual machines and is personalized for the solution provider and priced based on specific partner requirements.

Ultimately, the Cloud Start Initiative complements the IndependenceIT Cloud Workspace Suite (CWS) cloud enablement platform. It also ensures success for IndependenceIT partners that use CWS, Bostock said in a prepared statement.

What Is CWS?

CWS simplifies administrative tasks from infrastructure to end-user support, according to IndependenceIT. The platform provides automation and workflow capabilities and unifies cloud, applications, data and user management to streamline the IT systems lifecycle.

IT solution providers can use CWS to provision and manage SDDCs, app services and cloud-based IT workspaces across a single pane of glass, IndependenceIT noted in a prepared statement. That way, IT solution providers can use a single pane of glass for visibility across an organization.

Dan Kobialka

Dan Kobialka is senior contributing editor, MSSP Alert and ChannelE2E. He covers IT security, IT service provider business strategies and partner programs. Dan holds a M.A. in Print and Multimedia Journalism from Emerson College and a B.A. in English from Bridgewater State University. In his free time, Dan enjoys jogging, traveling, playing sports, touring breweries and watching football.