Invaluable Lessons From An MSP-Turned-VAR

By The Business Solutions Network

Recognizing the unique skillsets between project-based IT and managed services is key to this IT solutions provider’s projected double-digit growth.

Most IT solution providers (ITSPs) follow a similar growth pattern that begins with selling break-fix IT services then evolves into proactively selling project-based IT solutions and services. Eventually, these VARs make the transition to selling managed services and then cloud services. UltraLevel’s journey took nearly the opposite approach.

In 2002, only a year after inception, UltraLevel released its Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS) offering called Office Online, which allowed clients to lease remote access to full desktops and hosted applications, such as Microsoft Office and Quick- Books. It also offered an IT-as-a-Service (ITaaS) solution hosted in a tier 3 class (i.e., dual-powered equipment and multiple uplinks) colocation facility.