Backupify Readies Managed Services Partner Program

Backupify, a cloud data backup company, is launching a reseller program that includes managed services providers. The Cambridge, Mass.-based firm offers an archiving, search and restore service for Google Apps and social media accounts. Backupify targets both consumers and businesses and will enlist service providers to help with the latter market. MSPs already represent a Google Apps channel into small businesses. Backupify wants to equip MSPs with another service they can offer those customers.

“There is quite a lot of interest from the MSP customer side, and the MSPs themselves, in some of the new cloud-based technologies and … cloud-based applications that are coming out,” noted Daniel Stevenson, vice president of partnerships and alliances at Backupify.

Stevenson noted the presence of Google Apps in the SMB space “where MSPs tend to be the strongest route to market.” MSPmentor has previously noted MSPs’ increasing interest in reselling Google Apps. Google Apps backup, meanwhile, is Backupify’s most popular service for small businesses.

Channel Program

Backupify’s channel program, presumably, will help the company partner with MSPs in that SMB intersection.

Stevenson said the program aims to get MSPs and VARs ramped as quickly as possible to deliver Backupify services as a complement to other services they offer.     Backupify’s partnering effort will offer deal registration and preserve an MSP’s account control.

“The MSP can continue to manage the customer relationship,” Stevenson said. “Backupify doesn’t intend to take control of the relationship. All of the billing and customer support flows through the MSPs to the customers themselves.”

Backupify plans to launch its reseller program in the next 30 days.

Sweet Spots

Stevenson said companies with 25 or more users tend to show the greatest interest in Backupify. He said organizations in that category tend to have more sophisticated IT requirements. He said adoption crosses a range of vertical markets.

A desire to backup Google Apps is one driver influencing that adoption. Another impetus stems from the need to preserve social media communication for e-discovery and regulatory compliance purposes. Backupify says its services provide an independent social media archive that satisfies compliance audits and legal requests.

Government agencies of late have tapped Backupify as a social media archive. The company recently announced several government customers including NASA; The National Archives; Rockford, Ill.; Marion County, Fla.; and Louisiana Economic Development.

Of course, Backupify isn’t the only company to cultivate partners as a channel for  social media archiving solutions. Companies such as Dexrex and LiveOffice and are also taking that path.

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