IT Strategic Consulting Services

While some people are taking time off for well-deserved vacations, THINKstrategies has been working overtime responding to the escalating demand for our services from a growing number of companies seeking to capitalize on the rapidly growing on-demand services market.

Because of THINKstrategies' reputation as a leader in the on-demand services market and the prominence of our Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) and Managed Services Showplace online directories, I'm traveling extensively conducting corporate strategy sessions, and participating in industry and company events.

NetworkWorld, Software Magazine, SIIA and Techweb have asked me to add THINKstrategies' perspective on SaaS to their industry events over the next six months, in addition to SaaScon and SoftLetter. I'm also helping Light Reading to organize its first Managed Services conference and moderate a growing number of webinars on this topic.

We have also added more than 300 new subscribers to our newsletter distribution list, bringing our total to over 9400 IT and business decision-makers, IT solution providers, investors and press.

This newsletter will give you a summary of our latest commentaries, sponsored whitepapers and webcasts, industry events, Showplace additions and other activities regarding the on-demand services market.

I hope you find this newsletter valuable.

Contact me if you'd like to learn more about THINKstrategies' services.

Also, please read about the 163 mile Pan Mass Challenge bike ride I'm doing this weekend to fight cancer below. I've joined Team Kermit to direct the money I raise to a very specific aspect of this important fight. I hope you can support this worthwhile cause.

Jeff Kaplan

Managing Director

THINKstrategies

Latest Whitepapers

THINKstrategies has recently published three new whitepapers.

The first was sponsored by Blue Coat Systems, and focuses on the challenges facing managed service providers (MSPs) attempting to balance the escalating demands for greater security and higher application performance. Click here to read about "Optimizing Managed Service Delivery with Secure Application Acceleration".

The second whitepaper, sponsored by iForem, examines a new approach to safeguarding on-demand software solutions, increasing customer confidence and gaining a competitive advantage in the rapidly changing software market. Click here to read about how software companies are "Capitalizing on On-Demand Escrow Assurance Services to Gain a Competitive Advantage in Today's Software Marketplace".

The third whitepaper was sponsored by Clickability, and discusses how companies of all sizes, but especially those that must manage their brand globally, can leverage on-demand web content management systems. Click here to read about "Maximizing the Business Benefits of On Demand Web Content Management Systems". I will be discussing this topic with Teddy Chamorro, Assistant VP of Interactive Services at Cantor Fitzgerald in a webcast sponsored by Clickability on Thursday, July 31 at 2pm ET. Click here to learn more about this event.

I hope you find these whitepapers useful. Click here to find a complete list of our whitepapers. Contact us if you'd like to discuss how THINKstrategies can help you educate customers about your solutions via whitepapers.

THINKstrategies' SaaS & Managed Services Showplaces Grow

THINKstrategies' Software-as-a-Service Showplace directory now has over 800 companies listed, offering over 3200 solutions divided into 80 Application, Industry and Enabling Technology categories.

There are also over 130 companies listed on the Managed Services Showplace organized into 40 Service, Industry and Enabling Technology categories.

The Showplaces also include the largest online collection of commentaries, whitepapers, webinars and other events regarding SaaS and managed service best practices.

These contents have generated a growing stream of visitors and additional links which have placed the SaaS and Managed Services Showplace sites in the top five listings of Google searches for "SaaS" and "managed services".

Please take advantage of this valuable resource. Add your company to the online directories by completing the provider or enabling technology supplier registration forms on the Managed Services and SaaS Showplaces.

Showplace Sponsors , Perspectives and Benefits

The Managed Services and SaaS Showplace Best Practice Portals, provided by iCentera, also include numerous vendor-supplied whitepapers regarding on-demand service industry trends. Here are some examples:

AppStream has posted a whitepaper entitled, "The Dynamic Management of Software licenses."

Aria Systems has posted a THINKstrategies whitepaper entitled, "Overcoming the Transaction Management Challenges in the On-Demand Services Market".

Dell has submitted two whitepapers regarding Windows Vista Readiness - Preparing for the Journey and Engaging the Pros.

Kaseya has posted a THINKstrategies whitepaper on the Showplaces entitled, "Getting SMBs to Say Yes to Managed Services."

QuickArrow has also posted a new whitepaper entitled, "Five Steps to Effective Resource Management."

eVapt enables usage-based metering of SaaS solutions which gives providers greater analytical data to develop and deliver improved solutions. eVapt is offering a webinar series examining how SaaS companies can better serve their customers and strengthen their position in the market by more effectively tracking and metering usage patterns. Click here to learn more.

Another Showplace sponsor, Verio Business Solutions, is offering a portfolio of Business Solutions that optimizes a company's communications, customer service, security, data integrity and productivity capabilities without having to invest the time and resources typically associated with traditional software products. Verio is offering SaaS Showplace visitors and THINKstrategies newsletter subscribers a 60-Day, No-Risk Trial. Click here to learn more.

You can find more whitepapers, webinars and other valuable resources on the Showplace sites and within the Best Practices Portals.

Click here if you'd like to learn how you can add your whitepapers to the Showplaces.

Upcoming Webcasts, Conferences and Other Events

Here are the industry conferences and vendor-sponsored webcasts in which I will be providing THINKstrategies' perspective and moderating panels:

NetworkWorld IT Roadmap - SaaS and Cloud Computing, Seattle, WA, August 12. This event will also take place in Dallas, San Francisco and Washington, DC over the coming months. (For sponsorship information, contact Andrea D'Amato at (508) 490-6520, adamato@nww.com.)
"Avoid Classic Pitfalls of Delivering Software as a Service", webinar sponsored by AT&T-USi, 2pm ET, Thursday, August 14.
"Surviving Success in the SaaS Marketplace", Internetviz Executive eSeminar, Thursday, September 11, 12:00pm ET.
Interop New York - SaaS Track, New York City, September 17-19. (For information on the Interop NY SaaS Theme Sponsorship and/or SaaS zone on the expo floor opportunities, contact Will Wise at (415) 947-6252, wwise@techweb.com.)
"Best Practices for Evaluating SaaS Solutions for Your Enterprise", sponsored by Callidus Software, September 23, 2008 11:30 am ET.
SoftLetter SaaS University, San Francisco, CA, October 14-16.
Software Business 2008, San Francisco, CA, October 30-31.
SIIA On-Demand Conference, San Jose, CA, November 17-19.

In between these public events I have also been presenting THINKstrategies' views on today's rapidly changing market dynamics at a variety of corporate and investor events. Contact us if you'd like to include THINKstrategies' perspective at your event.

THINKstrategies and Team Kermit Join Forces for the Pan Mass Challenge

This weekend I will be bicycling 163 miles as a participant in the Pan Mass Challenge fight against Cancer.

The PMC is the largest athletic fundraiser in the USA, and donates over 99 cents of every dollar raised to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.

Over the last ten weeks and nearly 1000 miles of training, I've become friendly with Steven Branfman, who lost his 23 year old son to cancer in 2005. In addition, Branfman is a thyroid cancer survivor. As a tribute to his son, Steven formed Team Kermit, a group of riders who are raising funds for the Jared Branfman Sunflowers For Life Fund For Pediatric Brain And Spinal Cancer Research at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. I'm pleased to be 'going green' and riding with the Kermit team this weekend.

Please support this tremendous event and important cause. Giving online is easy, safe, and the most cost efficient way to sponsor a PMC rider. If you'd like to sponsor my ride, go to my profile page. Click on the eGifts logo under the fundraising bar on the right side of the page and follow the prompts on the secure online giving page. Thank you for your help and support!

About THINKstrategies

THINKstrategies is a strategic consulting services company formed specifically to address the unprecedented business challenges facing IT managers, solutions providers and investors today as the technology industry shifts toward a services orientation.

The company's mission is to educate organizations about the on-demand services market, and help our clients capitalize on these trends to achieve their business objectives.

We help enterprise decision-makers with their sourcing strategies, IT solutions providers with their marketing strategies, and VCs with their investment strategies.

THINKstrategies is also the founder of the Software-as-a-Service and Managed Services Showplaces, the largest vendor-independent, online directory and information resource centers.