The VAR Guy

Microsoft shipped Exchange 2010 for on-premises customers in 2009. But if you check Microsoft’s SaaS platform — called Business Productivity Online Suite — you’ll notice that BPOS/Exchange Online still leverages Exchange 2007. The big questions: Why do Microsoft’s SaaS application releases lag their on-premises alternatives? And when can customers and partners expect BPOS/Exchange Online to run Exchange 2010? The VAR Guy found some potential answers. Here they are.

Microsoft Channel Chief Allison Watson, in a FastChat Video with The VAR Guy, explains how VARs and managed services providers can potentially profit from Microsoft’s cloud offerings. But that’s not all…

Microsoft has its head in the clouds again. This time, the news involves a small business version of BPOS — Business Productivity Online Suite. The original BPOS lineup includes Exchange Online, SharePoint Online and other hosted applications. Now comes word that Microsoft is planning some sort of BPOS Lite offering for small businesses. The question: Will VARs be involved in the effort? The early buzz says “Yes.”

Intermedia, which specializes in hosted Exchange and other SaaS applications, has launched a white label partner program for Hosted Exchange 2010. The move comes as many VARs and MSPs (managed service providers) are mulling their software as a service (SaaS) options. Here’s a look at Intermedia’s strategy.

As The VAR Guy heads to this year’s Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference in New Orleans, he looks forward to quizzing four key Microsoft executives about the company’s cloud, software as a service (SaaS), small business and netbook/OEM strategies. Take a look, and submit your own questions to The VAR Guy (if you have them) for Microsoft.

Imagine the following scenario: You’re Microsoft — the world’s largest, most profitable software company. Several thousand of your top channel partners are about to meet you in New Orleans for a massive conference. Everyone is wondering if you can (A) retain your established software franchises while (B) pushing deeper into cloud and software as a service (SaaS). Then, an  unexpected hurricane blows into town. It’s called Google Chrome OS — a new Linux operating system. Now what?

It could be a sign of things to come. Heading into the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference 2009 (WPC09), Computer Sciences Corp. (CSC) has agreed to resell Microsoft Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS). CSC’s move represents an inflection point for VARs and managed service providers, many of which are trying to decide whether to host Exchange and SharePoint on their own — or simply resell Microsoft’s own hosted services.

When The VAR Guy enters Microsoft’s Worldwide Partner Conference (July 13-16, New Orleans), our resident blogger hopes the software giant doesn’t require ID at the door; The VAR Guy prefers to travel incognito. Regardless, The VAR Guy plans to chase several cloud and SaaS (software as a service) channel stories at the conference. Here’s the scoop.

The VAR Guy’s sister site — MSPmentor — offers non-stop coverage of the managed services market, where more and more VARs are generating recurring monthly revenue from customers. Here’s a look at the top 10 stories making headlines on MSPmentor this week.