A growing number of U.S.-based cloud services providers are making moves in the United Kingdom. The latest examples include Cloupia and Doyenz, each of which announced UK-centric cloud services initiatives today.
Cloupia, which works closely with VARs, makes cloud and data center automation and management software. Doyenz, which partners with managed services providers (MSPs), promotes cloud-based recovery services for SMB customers.
Cloupia Explained
Cloupia claims its software can help IT administrators and CSPs to provision physical and virtual infrastructure consistently and automatically from pools of shared resources using a self-service portal.
Cloupia, based in Santa Clara, Calif., launched a London office and is attending the NetApp Insight Conference (Nov. 14-17, Rome, Italy) to evangelize the Cloupia European strategy.
At the same time, Cloupia is seeking more VARs and cloud services providers (CSPs) to promote FlexPod, a cloud management solution.
Doyenz rCloud Lands In Europe
Meanwhile, Doyenz this week launched its rCloud service in the UK. It sounds like the Doyenz UK effort involves an ongoing relationship with StorageCraft and a new relationship with Interxion.
According to Doyenz’s press release:
“IT service providers can use rCloud to protect both VMware based virtualised environments as well as traditional Microsoft Windows servers running directly on bare metal. Using a ShadowProtect backup solution from StorageCraft, an entire application server can be replicated into the local UK rCloud data centre, hosted by Interxion.”
Translation: Doyenz wants to push the traditional cloud backup market beyond on-premise Windows servers. The company continues to evangelize rapid cloud restore and business continuity services. Plus, Doyenz has pushed the conversation beyond physical servers to virtualized assets — whether on premise or in the cloud.
Pushing into Europe wasn’t an overnight move. Chief Revenue Officer Eric Webster has been spotted in Europe mapping out the European strategy several times this year.
Also of note: Doyenz will likely raise its first round of venture capital funding in the next few months, CEO Ashutosh Tiwary told Talkin’ Cloud at the IT Nation conference last week. In the meantime, Doyenz is on firm financial footing, Tiwary added. The company originally raised about $10 million from angel investors.
This All Sounds Familiar
Many — but certainly not all — MSP-centric software companies are pursuing the UK market. Plus, U.S.-based peer group organizations for VARs and MSPs are pushing into Europe. A few examples:
- Autotask, the SaaS-centric provider of PSA software, recently expanded its UK presence among a global push.
- ConnectWise has a UK user group, and sister company LabTech Software is developing distribution relationships in Europe.
- Most of the major RMM (remote monitoring and management) software companies now have European initiatives underway — though they will face local competition from such companies as GFI Software and CentraStage, among others.
- HTG Peer Groups, which got its start building VAR and MSP peer groups in the US, now has a UK group led by Dave Sobel, CEO of Evolve Technologies near Washington, D.C. I don’t have exact performance numbers at my fingertips, but last I heard the UK peer group members had significantly accelerated their performance in recent months.
Careful of the Hype
Still, leaping from U.S. soil into the Europe invites a range of scalability, localization and support issues for MSP software providers and cloud services providers. And in some cases, U.S.-based cloud companies are maintaining a laser-like focus on the North American market instead of pursuing international gold.
One prime example: Intronis, the cloud backup provider, sees plenty of upside working primarily with North American MSPs, CEO Kent Plunkett recently told MSPmentor.
Translation: Cloud services providers are pursuing a range of strategies to engage MSPs across the globe. And no two strategies are identical.
The 
Joe:
In fact, the HTG11 group has three years of traction already, celebrating that milestone with the Q4 meetings we just had in London in October. HTG11 won the highest EBDITA percentage award among HTG groups at the HTG Summit in Dallas this year — something the group should be particularly proud of, besting the already strong HTG community as a whole. This group has also developed a service manager’s subgroup, bringing their service teams together for additional quarterly meetings and the required goal setting. Many of the members were in attendance at the HTG Q4 meetings last week in Orlando, attending US based groups for additional exposure and collaboration. The HTG Peer Groups spirit is alive and well in the UK!
Dave
JP
Things are going well in the UK. Our first group is full and going very strong now. We have fantastic partners and they have bought into the HTG mission and are actually leading the way in some creative partnering and peer sharing. We will be looking to start a second group in the UK in the months ahead to keep the momentum flowing. Sobel is doing a great job facilitating, and we are excited about what the future holds!
-Arlin
Dave@1, Arlin@2: Thanks for the rapid updates.
Readers: HTG11 is code for an HTG Peer Group in the UK. The overarching HTG Peer Groups typically meet quarterly to share best practices, analyze business and personal goals, and develop life-work balance goals. Each peer group has about 12 members from non-competing VARs and MSPs.
Best
-jp