An MSP's Journey Into the Cloud: Five Nines Technology Group

By samdizzy

When we launched Talkin’ Cloud, one of our first FastChat videos explored how HTG Peer Group members are preparing for cloud computing. Today, we expand that conversation by speaking with Nick Bock, CEO of Five Nines Technology Group, a managed services provider in Lincoln, Nebraska. Five Nines is an Inc. 5000 company — one of the fastest growing privately held businesses in the United States. And Bock is an HTG Peer Group member. So what is Bock’s strategy for cloud computing?

Bock’s answers come across as rather straightforward. Instead of ignoring the cloud, Five News roughly two years ago took baby steps into the cloud — discussing opportunities like hosted Exchange and hosted SharePoint with end-customers. The company created a private cloud environment to support horizontal applications and/or line-0f-busines applications for customers. Also, Five Nines developed a methodology to help customers migrate their servers into the Five Nines private cloud.

Fast forward to the present and Bock is happy he stayed ahead of the cloud curve. One reason: Microsoft is starting to promote “to the Cloud” television ads, which has triggered more cloud conversations with end-customers. Server migrations and infrastructure refresh discussions all include cloud discussions these days, Bock adds.

Plus, Five Nines is starting to witness some small businesses shifting their servers into the Rackspace Cloud — with little or no IT director guidance. “I was blown away just yesterday when a client said their servers were at Rackspace now,” says Bock. If you’re not figuring out how to get into the cloud, the only thing left for MSPs will be workstation management, Bock adds… before concluding: “That’s not where we want to be.”

Indeed, Five Nines continues to balance on-premise IT opportunities with emerging cloud engagements.

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