December 11, 2008, 11:12 AM — Microsoft and HP have a new opportunity for VARs, and by all accounts, it's a big deal and one that deserves attention. Historically, VARs have complained that Microsoft didn't let them offer private-label services--but the new deal overcomes that. According to a Microsoft press release issued yesterday, the two companies have teamed up to offer VARs a new private-label hosting opportunity.
The deal will let VARs private-label Microsoft's new Software Plus Services solutions, including hosted Exchange and SharePoint, and will be especially useful for VARs targeting the SMB market. Under the deal, HP and Microsoft will give VARs a comprehensive set of tools and guidance to offer the private label solutions hosted by managed service providers, letting the VARs generate new revenue streams without having to set up their own hardware hosting environments.
Besides not requiring up-front capital expenditures, VARs also benefit from the available training and sales tools. The offering seems very timely--recession, and the viability of SaaS are making offerings like Software Plus Services more attractive to SMB customers. The demand is growing, and for VARs that want to stay with the times, now's a good time to get on the SaaS bandwagon.
