Level Platforms Enables Monitoring of Cloud Based SaaS Apps for MSP’s.

It was recently announced that Level Platforms has introduced a Managed Cloud Services capability that extends IT management beyond just the local IT infrastructure to also monitor IT software and services delivered from the cloud, according to the company. “Not only can solution providers now understand how these cloud services are performing, but they can also now understand and address issues related to them,” Level Platforms CEO Peter Sandiford tells Channel Insider. “If e-mail is not performing, they can determine if the problem is with the hosted app or whether the problem is focused on the router and server or if it’s the local PC.”


Bell Micro sets its sights on signage SaaS sector.

Bell Micro has announced the expansion of its digital signage market attack with the addition of vendor BroadSign’s managed offering. “We started with some display manufacturers over the past two years,” said Dirk Andreas, manager of the OEM. “But this is digital signage as a service rather than just shipping hardware. Our channel needs more.”

Really Simple Systems brings CRM services to North America.

Really Simple Systems has announced the expansion of its services to North America with the opening of a Toronto office. “Obviously the US is not short of CRM providers, even hosted ones, but what we've seen a need for is really, really simple CRM systems,” said John Paterson, CEO of Really Simple Systems. “Most CRM systems are far too complicated for day-to-day use and have far too many features, so users tend to desert them after a while. We focus on providing a system that is really easy and quick for people to use. The need for a simple CRM system is not met in North America.”

Computer Guidance Launches Construction Management Solution.

Computer Guidance Corporation has announced the launch of its eCMS construction management software solution on a SaaS platform.  “Industry trends and customer feedback indicated the continued need to deliver flexible, innovative and advanced solutions to stay ahead of the competition,” said Roger Kirk, President/CEO, Computer Guidance Corporation. “Our newly released eCMS hosted application provides construction companies with increased productivity and operational efficiency in a cost-contained fashion.”

HP Intros New SMB Storage, Virtualization Offerings.

Hewlett Packard has introduced several new storage, virtualization, PC, printing and services offerings. The new offerings come as part of the Hewlett-Packard Total Care initiative for SMBs, aimed at providing a full range of products, services, tools, training, financing and recycling. Unlike the typical small business array, the X1000 line features a simple management interface that allows storage to be managed according to the application, Johns said. "For example, customers can request an extra 100 MB of space for Exchange," he said. "They don't need to understand RAID levels or volumes."

SurePayroll Named Finalist in SoftwareCEO Software Innovation Awards.

SurePayroll has announced that it has been selected as a finalist in The Computing Technology Industry Association's (CompTIA) SoftwareCEO Software Innovation Awards, which annually recognize the top software products and new business models in SaaS. "Throughout SurePayroll's existence, we've consistently updated our services to provide small business owners the most complete and worry-free payroll solution available," says SurePayroll President Michael Alter. "Recognition as a top Software as a Service company by an IT leader such as CompTIA is a reflection on our team's passion to always take our products and customer service to a higher level."

MortgageDashboard Selects Interthinx for “Single Click” Fraud Solution Integration

Interthinx has successfully integrated its fraud prevention system with MortgageDashboard's loan origination system, MortgageDashboard. "As a result of the Interthinx integration, the added capabilities of MortgageDashboard enables us to confidently check and close loans without potential fraud becoming an issue," said Bryan Harlan, CEO of BenchMark Mortgage. "We can catch and prevent fraudulent activity before it has the opportunity to affect our back office, saving significant costs and manpower."