The new, new, Breed of VAR

Awhile ago, I wrote about the "new" breed of solution providers entering the market thanks to the cloud.  While many traditional solution providers have struggled to make the shift in their business model to the cloud, new entrants have picked up the slack in a big way.  Those business consultants mentioned in my previous post (accountants, HR consultants, and marketing consultants) are not the only "new" solution providers in the game.  Many telecomm agents have realized the business model is exactly the same as their current model so the learning curve lies in the infrastructure expertise.

So how steep is that learning curve?  Multiple agents we've spoken with say not steep at all, traditional VARs would argue with that.

I would suggest if the cloud is something you are considering as a solution provider, do not make this decision lightly.  If you have a client that wants a cloud solution and you have yet to make the leap, try partnering with another firm that does as opposed to doing one-offs.  A few resources helping to bridge that gap are below:

MSPSN provides the framework for the SMB Solution Provider Community to communicate and collaborate, the training and guidance in mastering the Managed Services Provider (MSP) business model, and the tools to manage and build their businesses.

MSPAlliance's mission is to promote the Managed Services Industry, as a true and viable profession to the IT Business Consumer. By building a community of trusted, accredited providers the world over, we have become the world’s largest professional association and accrediting body for the Managed Services Industry.

CloudCamp is an unconference where early adopters of Cloud Computing technologies exchange ideas. With the rapid change occurring in the industry, we need a place we can meet to share our experiences, challenges and solutions. At CloudCamp, you are encouraged you to share your thoughts in several open discussions, as we strive for the advancement of Cloud Computing.

What do you think?  Is that learning curve too steep?  What other resources will help traditional VARs make the jump?