The VAR Guy

Yes, Microsoft is finally polishing its Software as a Service (SaaS) strategy. In addition to playing catch-up against entrenched SaaS companies like Salesforce.com, Microsoft must also deal with a growing number of open source providers — from SugarCRM to MySQL and Sun — that have jumped on the SaaS bandwagon.

It’s time for The VAR Guy to eat a little more crow. Last week, he suggested nobody really cared about Lotusphere anymore. Boy was he wrong. Turns out IBM and the Lotus team unveiled some major partnerships at the event. Here are the top six highlights from Lotusphere, and the potential benefits for VARs.

The VAR Guy was on the outside looking in when NetSuite launched its initial public offering a few days ago. Too bad. Netsuite’s stock skyrocketed as investors went crazy for the software-as-a-service (SaaS) specialist. So, which company will cash in next on the SaaS craze? The VAR Guy has a surprising answer…

It’s a classic Microsoft tactic: Arrive late to a party and then attempt to steal the show. The has company announced the next chapter of its Software as a Service (SaaS) strategy. If you offer managed services, it’s time to listen up. Our sister site, MSPmentor.net, spent some time analyzing the Microsoft initiative and sees some clear opportunities — and challenges — ahead for managed service providers. Here’s a rundown of the 10 things you need to know about Microsoft’s SaaS strategy.