Parallels Introduces Instant Cloud-Services Solution for Service Providers

SAN DIEGO, CA - Service providers worldwide recognize that the demand for cloud services presents an enormous opportunity. Getting into the business cloud services market, however, can be lengthy and difficult. A number of service providers have short-circuited the process by acquiring companies that were already in this business.

Now Parallels, which specializes in hosting and cloud services enablement, announced the availability of Parallels Automation for Cloud Applications, a solution that lets service providers go to market quickly with cloud services. In a matter of days, providers can create and manage storefronts that deliver revenue-generating applications to small and medium businesses (SMBs).

Parallels Automation provides access to hundreds of popular software-as-a-service (SaaS) applications - including Norton Internet Security 2011, StopTheHacker website security, UNITY Mobile website publishing, Attracta search engine optimization, and SSL certificates from Symantec/Verisign - that come complete with pre-negotiated licensing terms and white-label support, which dramatically improves both time to market and time to profitability.

Parallels also offers certified customer support solutions from white-label help desk providers Global Mentoring Systems and Bobcares, which can help service providers ease the support burden when offering new SaaS applications. In addition, implementation of storefronts, including design of the user interface and back-office integration, can be managed by Parallels Professional Services for an additional cost.

Cloud Brokerage in a Box
“Parallels Automation for Cloud Applications is a ‘cloud brokerage’ in a box, radically simplifying the selection of SaaS applications, negotiation of business terms, platform integration, preparation of GTM tools and the setup of a support chain,” says Birger Steen, CEO, Parallels. “With Parallels Automation for Cloud Applications, service providers who use our platform can go from zero to actual market launch with a complete suite of SaaS offering in a matter of days.”

"SMB customers have been waiting for critical business applications that are easy to subscribe to with no upfront costs or worry about updates and software maintenance,” says Lorenz Meis, COO of LuxCloud, a SaaS delivery platform vendor. "Parallels Automation for Cloud Applications meets this critical business need and takes it one step further by enabling our reseller partners to quickly offer on-demand software that SMBs need to compete and thrive."

Mikel Irizar, CMO/CSO of Softec Internet, says, “Parallels Automation for Cloud Applications is a turnkey SaaS solution that makes it easy for us to offer applications to our SME customers. This solution provides us with the opportunity to increase revenue immediately with very little effort, while also allowing us to add other applications from the broader APS catalog to differentiate and grow our cloud business over time.”