Down the road, the merged company will offer virtualization and cloud-based, centralized IT management services, simplified deployment and automation and automated IT management services for the SMB, which will enable lower markets to easily manage core IT functions, such as asset management, security, business continuity and data protection, in addition to patch management, compliance, and configuration management.
Best Microsoft MCTS Training – Microsoft MCITP Training at Certkingdom.com
Specific integrated product lines have yet to be determined, Tober said.
“We’ve always had our eye on virtualization management,” Tober said. “The road maps for the year included a virtualization management component. With this acquisition, we expect to build out in a more robust fashion and accelerate the new technology and new capabilities to market.”
Gray said that he plans to expand Satisnet’s customer base and target market following the acquisition. Also a VMware partner, the security management VAR has primarily conducted the majority of its business in the SMB and lower mid-market, but will likely expand its enterprise customer base as it becomes more proficient at VMware’s offerings, he said. Conversely, the VMware-Shavlik marriage will also allow Satisnet to start new conversations with its existing SMB customers about adoption of virtual and cloud infrastructure.
“We’re looking to do more with VMware. Absolutely this presents a good opportunity for us to ramp up,” he said. “We probably need to look at which areas of VMware suites of products we need to get certified on and try to form a plan. There will be some additional training, and expanding into new areas, but we don’t see that as a bad thing.”
Prior to the acquisition, Shavlik had paved the way for future virtualization push, or possible acquisition, by investing heavily in cloud-based IT and patch management products for SMBs, in addition to the company’s software and other on-premise offerings.
Both Shavlik and VMware had been joining forces since 2005, a partnership that eventually produced VMware Go in 2009, a collaborative SaaS offering aimed at assisting SMBs with rapid deployment and management of VMware’s vSphere.
And last year, Shavlik announced two new cloud platforms germane to its existing core competencies — PatchCloud and OpsCloud — which share underlying infrastructure but deliver patch management services via different deployment models, aimed at enterprise and SMB respectively.
For the time being, Shavlik will maintain its current channel program, which was upgraded earlier this year to include certifications and a tiered structure, with more investment from Shavlik around training, co-marketing and outreach. Prior to the acquisition, more than 50 percent of Shavlik’s U.S. business was done direct, however, that ratio will likely change down the road, Tober said.
Tober said that the two companies were “working through” what the joint channel enablement program and migration strategies would look like down the road, but said that in light of VMware’s history of strong channel programs, the combined company would likely enable Shavlik to expand its channel program and offer more attractive margins and features.
Tober said that he hoped to see an integrated channel program, providing Shavlik partners the ability to access VMware’s broad virtualization and cloud portfolio, at some point within the year.
“I expect that our partners and new partners will have a better, richer experience,” he said. “I certainly hope that nobody falls through the cracks.”
