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5 Reasons Why Channel Partners at #CPExpo Like ProfitBricks & DCD

Thanks to the 3,000 VARs and Channel Partners who attended the Channel Partners Conference and Expo at the Venetian Hotel and Sands Expo Convention Center in Las Vegas this week. All were there to learn how to help their small, medium and large enterprise customers use new solutions and architectures to meet their business demands. As one would expect, Cloud, Data Center, and Mobility were among the hot topics discussed.

Standing in our trade show booth and listening to the conversations between the ProfitBricks Channel Partner team and attendees, it was clear that ProfitBricks and our Data Center Designer (DCD) were clearly show ‘hits.’ On the plane very early this morning, I compiled the “Top 5” reasons why VARs and Channel Partners love ProfitBricks and the DCD:

1)      Complete Virtual Data Center Functionality

Design your ProfitBricks Virtual Data Centers exactly to your requirements with servers, storage,  load balancers, IP Management, private networks, and firewalls – just like you would in a traditional data center. However, in contrast to "physical" hardware, ProfitBricks lets you, the VAR adapt the hardware used to meet your customers’ needs at any and all times.

2)      Custom Images and Server Sizes

VARs can bring their own server images to the ProfitBricks Cloud and precisely fine-tune the servers to the specific needs of their clients. ProfitBricks allows you to fully-modify the essential configuration points including CPU cores, RAM, and disk space (storage). This allows the end-user to achieve the optimum level of resources at the ideal price. And by the way, since resource requirements constantly change, everything can be adjusted at any time, day or night.

3)      Complete Network Flexibility

ProfitBricks offers complete network flexibility, including an unlimited number of private subnets and 10.10 networks; all connected with an 80 Gb/s InfiniBand-powered backbone. We’re the first Cloud provider that is flexible enough to handle the infrastructure requirements demanded by Channel Partnerss.

4)      Easy-to-Use Drag-and-Drop Interface

It’s simple. Design your ProfitBricks Virtual Data Center with servers, storage, load balancers, firewalls and associated networking using the DCD, our GUI. Once complete, the VAR or end user simply activates the data center design with a mouse-click. It’s that easy - without any complicated forms and tables.

Plus, the DCD provides a permanent graphical overview of the entire Virtual Data Center. Data center management and changes are easy since this structural overview is always available, saving you time and avoiding costly errors.

5)      Simple Billing and Great Incentives

ProfitBricks offers offer a clear, simple pricing model, eliminating surprises, that is based on 4 known parameters – CPU Processor Cores, RAM, Disk Space (Storage), and Bandwidth.

On top of that, ProfitBricks offers the industry’s most lucrative Partner Program - qualified referral partners can earn as much as 25 percent of ProfitBricks' net revenue on customers when they refer a sales lead that enrolls by March 31, 2013. For referral customers who enroll between April 1, 2013 and June 30, 2013, the referral bonus is 20 percent of net revenue. In all cases, compensation will continue for the length of the customer contract up to a full three years.

Where you at the Channel Partners Conference? What were your takeaways?

No Talk –All Action

ProfitBricks is proud to be a sponsor of Start-up Weekend – The Battle for the Charles.

What is Startup Weekend?

Founded in 2007 in Boulder, Colorado by Andrew Hyde, Startup Weekend was initially created as an event where a group of individuals would brainstorm a single business idea and work to bring that business to fruition over the course of the weekend. This idea quickly evolved into its current format of a 54-hour weekend event, beginning on a Friday evening, during which groups of developers, business managers, startup enthusiasts, marketing gurus, graphic artists and more pitch ideas for new startup companies, form teams around those ideas, and work to develop a working prototype, demo, and/or presentation by Sunday evening.

Since its first event in Boulder Colorado in 2007, Startup Weekend has grown into an organization with a global presence that, as of October 2012, has held 672 events, involving 57,000 entrepreneurs across more than 300 cities in over 100 countries. More than 5,000 startups have been launched as a result of Startup Weekend

What Happened?

Startup Weekend, whose motto is “No Talk, All Action” is where the rubber meets the road, although there is talking involved as participants communicate - sharing their knowledge about technology, business, marketing, and more with team members. Despite the buzz of activity in the room, everyone is supportive, cooperative, and respectful.

So, who attends Startup Weekend? In a nutshell, anyone and everyone. Participants’ experience levels ranged from college students with no practical experience to seasoned industry veteran, and everyone in between.

Get Involved

ProfitBricks was excited to participate in our fist Startup Weekend event. Team members pitched-in, interacting with participants at both the Cambridge and Boston sites, offering assistance with cloud computing services, as well as physical labor moving tables/chairs, as well as dispensing food and beverages. It was an especially great experience for some of our younger team members.

Take Aways

Everyone at Startup Weekend (participants, organizers, volunteers, and sponsors) seemed to have some common takeaway items:

·         New concepts

·         Sharper focus

·         Increased confidence about his or her own project

·         Above all, everyone came to have fun and give something back to the community.

If you’re interested in startups and looking for open collaboration, range of guidance, and inspiration (along with perspiration), Startup Weekend is just for you!

ProfitBricks Weekly Cloud Computing News Roundup: Issue 21

Here is the latest edition of ProfitBricks’ weekly roundup of news, content and conversations about Cloud Computing.

If you see an article that you think should be included in this news digest, please send it to marketing-us@profitbricks.com.

How your workout fuels the cloud
InfoWorld   Posted: May 23, 2014
Summary: Your fitness devices all talk to cloud services -- and show how our interactions with data are getting more complex
http://www.infoworld.com/d/cloud-computing/how-your-workout-fuels-the-cloud-242828

Size Doesn’t Matter for B2B ‘Big Data’

Business2Community   Posted: May 24, 2014
Summary: It’s not the amount of data that is important, it’s how you use it!
http://www.business2community.com/b2b-marketing/size-doesnt-matter-b2b-big-data-0886355

 Cloud Computing: Where It’s been, Where It’s Going
Tech Cocktail   Posted: May 25, 2014
Summary: Cloud computing is a technology with a rich history that is sure to continue going in the right direction.

http://tech.co/cloud-computing-going-2014-05

How Cloud Startups Are Changing The Face Of Innovation
Tech Crunch   Posted: May 25, 2014
Summary: The enabling technologies that were hand-sewn by cloud pioneers are becoming more and more commercially available; one by one, obstacles are being eliminated and problems are being solved, primarily by startups.
http://techcrunch.com/2014/05/25/how-cloud-startups-are-changing-the-face-of-innovation/

Big Data and Analytics – Data warehousing key for SMBs
Business2Community   Posted: May 25, 2014
Summary: Here is a realistic approach to this new phenomenon for companies without exceptional IT budgets.
http://www.business2community.com/strategy/big-data-analytics-data-warehousing-key-smbs-0888389

What's driving business technology spending disruption?
AppsTechNews   Posted: May 27, 2014
Summary: In 2014 and beyond, enterprise IT leadership will be judged on their ability to meet the demands of tech-savvy Line of Business users. However, this organizational realignment won't always translate into higher budgets.
http://www.appstechnews.com/news/2014/may/27/whats-driving-business-technology-spending-disruption/

SIIA Codie’s: Best Cloud Infrastructure and Best Cloud Management Solution; ProfitBricks Wins Two SIIA Software CODiE Awards
Broadway World   Posted: May 27, 2014
Summary: ProfitBricks takes home two of prestigious awards
http://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwgeeks/article/Best-Cloud-Infrastructure-and-Best-Cloud-Management-Solution-ProfitBricks-Wins-Two-SIIA-Software-CODiE-Awards-20140527

What Really Drives Organizations Adopting Cloud Computing?
CloudTweaks   Posted: May 27, 2014
Summary: Are companies ready to allow someone else dictate, manage, and maintain their IT infrastructure?
http://cloudtweaks.com/2014/05/really-drives-organizations-adopting-cloud-computing/

Cloud creep: Is your business in control?
ZDNet   Posted: May 28, 2014
Summary: You have a robust cloud use profile, but some of your staff either didn't get the memo or don't care – they're using 'leaky' cloud products without your knowledge and with your data. Here's how to protect yourself.
http://www.zdnet.com/cloud-creep-is-your-business-in-control-7000029801/

Beware ‘Big Data’ Hype, Reports Warn
Wall Street Journal   Posted: May 28, 2014
Summary: Is “big data” revolutionizing business, or a passing technological fad?
http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2014/05/27/beware-big-data-hype-reports-warn/

Cloud Computing, Big Data, and Healthcare IT: The Trifecta
Wired.com   Posted: May 28, 2014
Summary: The technology market is bringing two ideas together in a way that can drastically reduce mistakes, improve outcomes, and cut costs. Those two concepts are cloud computing and big data.
http://innovationinsights.wired.com/insights/2014/05/cloud-computing-big-data-healthcare-trifecta/

Hadoop and cloud computing: Collision course or happy symbiosis?
Tech Republic   Posted: May 28, 2014
Summary: According to Forrester, two of the industry's hottest trends -- cloud computing and Hadoop -- may not work well together. This theory, however, doesn't seem to be supported by the facts.
http://www.techrepublic.com/article/hadoop-and-cloud-computing-collision-course-or-happy-symbiosis/

Big Data Needs a Little TLC
Huffington Post   Posted: May 29, 2014
Summary: Big Data is quickly becoming an integral part of how businesses solve problems and set strategy. When used properly, it is quite potent. When used without balance, things can go very wrong.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kristina-dipalo/big-data-needs-a-little-t_b_5394909.html

Reset on big data — or miss the big change
ZDNet   Posted: May 30, 2014
Summary: As data explodes, so do old ways of doing business.
http://www.zdnet.com/reset-on-big-data-or-miss-the-big-change-7000030010/

Big Data: It’s all about analytics & competitive advantage, and not just for dummies
ITWire   Posted: May 30, 2014
Summary: Big Data is not much more than an “utterly meaningless” term created by marketers.
http://www.itwire.com/business-it-news/business-intelligence/64265-big-data-it%E2%80%99s-all-about-analytics-competitive-advantage-and-not-just-for-dummies