It's a simple premise. Most RMM (remote monitoring and management) software platforms were designed to manage on-premises servers, desktops and notebooks. But what if someone built an RMM platform -- from scratch -- specifically to manage Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform and other cloud workloads ? Hmmm: What would that look like?
Unigma, a startup in Boston, believes it has found the answer. Founder Kirill Bensonoff believes his company's unified cloud monitoring platform is the next natural step of MSPs and IT service providers that need to manage cloud workloads. What RMM did for MSPs in the on-premises world, Unigma will do for MSPs that want to manage cloud services, Bensonoff asserts.
Before launching Unigma, Bensonoff was partner at ComputerSupport.com, an MSP in Framingham, Mass. That experience prepared him and Unigma for the cloud journey, he believes. Among the key design priorities: Making sure Unigma relies on the API economy rather than software agents. After all, many cloud platforms block or don't support agent-based technologies because the platform owner doesn't want MSPs tampering with the underlying operating system, databases and other mission critical services.
Next Moves, Other Options
Unigma has big ambitions along with a very focused set of goals for 2016. The company has bootstrapped its launch -- with a friends and family funding round -- and now has some MSPs on the platform. While Bensonoff has focused heavily on product development, he's also preparing to build out a sales team. He'll also hit the road to network at various MSP-centric conferences -- including Kaseya Connect 2016 and DattoCon16.
By the way, I'm not suggesting that MSPs "must" add another tool to their portfolio for cloud management. A lengthy list of RMM and APM (application performance management) platforms claim to extend beyond on-premises management to optimize cloud workloads. And Unigma will potentially face plenty of competition from dozens of cloud-oriented monitoring and management tools.
Still, Bensonoff is one of the first people to tell me that he hopes repeat an RMM-type success story in the world of cloud-centric monitoring. And the barrier to entry for MSPs that want to try the service is low. Unigma is free for the first 15 managed cloud services. Once you exceed the 15 cloud resources, it costs $10 per resource per month -- or $299 per month for unlimited resource monitoring.
Does it work as advertised? I have no idea. Is Bensonoff's pitch clear and concise? Absolutely.
