CloudShare Launches Paid ProPlus Infrastructure Service

CloudShare, which provides the channel with unique tools for throwing existing infrastructure into the cloud for training and demonstration purposes, has been free for all users under an open beta. But now CloudShare’s flagship Pro product is coming out of beta just in time for a paid ProPlus tier to launch – giving SMBs more flexibility and more licensed Microsoft applications for their cloud instances at a fixed price point. Here are some details.

To hear CloudShare VP of Products Ophir Kra-Oz tell it, most small-to-medium VARs and developers aren’t infrastructure experts and don’t want to be. Rather than deal with the likes of Amazon Web Services and manage everything themselves, CloudShare lets channel pros flip a switch and have a virtual environment ready for them and their customers. CloudShare Pro, the free product, will continue to give that ability, but some were asking for more.

That’s where ProPlus comes in, says Kra-Oz: for a flat $49/user/month, it takes the basic CloudShare formula and adds flexible RAM (up to 10GB) and disk sizes (up to 300GB) in cloud instances, 24/7 email support, and up to six VMs running things like the ProPlus-exclusive Windows 2008 with SQL Server 2008. Windows 2003 R2 SharePoint 2007 and SharePoint 2010.

Kra-Oz says the timing on the paid product launch is merely the product of CloudShare’s confidence in the feedback it has garnered from beta users. The company has familiarized customers with the model, the product and its reliability. Now it’s taking off the “beta” label and getting ready to generate real revenue.

The VAR Guy continues to be intrigued by CloudShare and its offering. Keep watching for more.

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