N-able is calling on MSPs to extend beyond basic Microsoft 365 reselling, security and data protection capabilities. How so? The MSP software provider is preparing enhancements to two existing products -- Cove Data Protection and Cloud User Hub -- while also developing a new solution called Cloud Asset Manager.
During a keynote session at the N-able Empower 2022 conference in Las Vegas, the company previewed thee following capabilities:
1. Cove Data Protection is already in the market and widely deployed. Next up, N-able plans to build Microsoft Teams data protection capabilities; audit services; and serverless cloud cloud capabilities.
2. Cloud User Hub, based on the SpinPanel acquisition, already supports various Microsoft 365 user management capabilities. Forthcoming enhancements will allow MSPs manage and automate tenants, users and subscriptions; help customers optimize Microsoft 365 spend with N-central and N-sight integrations; more integrations including Pax8 and Ingram Micro distribution connections; and extend to other Microsoft cloud services over time.
3. Cloud Asset Manager is a new, forthcoming service that will allow MSPs to manage Microsoft Azure assets. First up, MSPs should watch for N-central and N-sight integrations; preview access for early testers; support for virtual machine management on Azure; and a potential extension to Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud Platform support further down the road.
Follow-up: Cloud Asset Manager leverages technology from the SpinPanel acquisition, as well as additional N-able developers, CEO John Pagliuca said in a media Q&A later in the day.
Are MSPs Ready to Manage AWS, Azure and Google Cloud Infrastructure?
The big wildcard in all this: Are MSPs ready to truly extend beyond Microsoft 365 user management services -- while potentially diving into Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform and AWS infrastructure management capabilities?
Fact is, the Top 250 Public Cloud MSPs already offer many of the capabilities that Cloud Asset Manager is promising to deliver. However, tens of thousands of MSPs don't monetize or manage cloud infrastructure and/or platform as a service (PaaS).
Kaseya, a major N-able rival, tried to capitalize on the opportunity by acquiring Unigma in 2017 -- though nothing much ever came of that deal. Other M&A moves in the cloud cost management and infrastructure management market involved:
- October 2021: NetApp acquired CloudCheckr
- August 2020: CloudBolt Software acquired Kumolus.
- June 2020: NetApp acquired Spot.
- May 2020: Turbonomic acquired ParkMyCloud, uniting two firms that specialize in application performance management, cloud migrations & cloud cost management tools.
- October 2018: Flexera acquired RightScale for multi-cloud management and cost optimization tools across AWS, Azure and Google Cloud Platform.
- May 2017: Kaseya acquired Unigma for MSP cloud cost management across AWS, Azure and Google Cloud.
Meanwhile, example M&A deals in the cloud security posture management (CSPM) market include:
- September 2021: Tenable acquired Accurics
- September 2021: FireMon acquired DisruptOps.
- June 2021: Deloitte acquired CloudQuest.
- April 2021: Zscaler acquired Trustdome.
- February 2021: Palo Alto Networks purchased Bridgecrew.
In some ways, N-able Cloud Asset Manager will face competition from many of the tools listed above. Plus, new options are popping up all the time. Upstarts to know include Ternary and nOps, among many others.
N-able: Applying the MSP Mindset to Cloud Management?
Still, N-able understands MSP consumption, management and monetization models. So we'll be watching the Cloud Asset Manager strategy and execution closely.
Disclosure: ChannelE2E Editorial Director Joe Panettieri is a member of Channel Angels, an angel investor network that invested in Ternary and nOps.
