independenceIT Partner EarthLink Tops MSPmentor’s Top 501 Global Managed Service Providers List

ALLENTOWN, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--independenceIT™ (iIT), provider of the Cloud Workspace™, today congratulates EarthLink for being named MSPmentor’s top managed service provider in the world in the media outlet’s sixth-annual ranking, the MSPmentor 501 Global Edition. The value of iIT’s recently established partner program is evident as EarthLink was one of many partners and providers of the Cloud Workspace to be included within the MSPmentor list.

“Cloud Workspace is the perfect complement to the cloud solution we have built. The EarthLink business customer will be the real beneficiary as they are now able to combine our best-of-breed managed services packages with a comprehensive suite of cloud options.”

EarthLink was an early adopter of the Cloud Workspace and credits the service offering for helping contribute to its success within the channel.

“independenceIT brings unique capabilities to the table,” said Michael D. Toplisek, EVP, sales and marketing, EarthLink. “Cloud Workspace is the perfect complement to the cloud solution we have built. The EarthLink business customer will be the real beneficiary as they are now able to combine our best-of-breed managed services packages with a comprehensive suite of cloud options.”

iIT had many partners acknowledged for their innovative cloud practices in the MSPmentor 501. Several of iIT’s partners in the top 200 include: GreenPages (No. 93), masterIT (No. 189) and Connecting Point (No. 198). Having multiple partners represented on the list is a testament to the caliber of partners within the growing iIT Partner Program. Partners work closely with iIT to deliver quality services that positively impact the bottom line for customers.

"We’ve been touting the benefits of cloud computing for more than a decade, refining and perfecting our idea of the cloud workspace," said Seth Bostock, EVP, corporate development, iIT. "Having many iIT partners recognized as part of the MSPmentor 501 validates that the cloud can substantially grow revenue and profit dollars for partners.”

iIT’s Cloud Workspace Platform enables partners to rapidly and cost-effectively extend the benefits of a cloud desktop and cloud IT infrastructure to clients with ease. iIT provides a familiar and productive user interface and allows for the simplification of everyday administrative tasks with exclusive user management tools.

“Many consultants, resellers and other channel players leery of cloud computing and the impact it could have on traditional business models have successfully complemented their portfolios by embracing partner solutions like independenceIT’s Cloud Workspace,” said Jim Lippie, EVP, business development, iIT. “More importantly, channel players that continue to be eclipsed by larger service providers taking more business direct, have aligned themselves closer with strategic partners like iIT that do not have a competing direct sales channel. This arrangement allows partners like EarthLink to bundle in existing managed services to maximize value. iIT’s partners honored in this year’s MSPmentor 501 are just a few of many partners that have joined the iIT Partner Program to grow their business.”

As further evidence to the growth potential partners can gain with the cloud, MSPs on this year’s global 501 list lifted their combined annual recurring revenues 24.5 percent to $2.54 billion. Together, those MSPs now manage more than 5.6 million PCs and servers, and nearly 400,000 smartphones and tablets, according to Joe Panettieri, editorial director, Nine Lives Media.

“MSPmentor congratulates independenceIT’s numerous MSPs with this honor,” said Amy Katz, president of Nine Lives Media, a division of Penton Media “Qualifying for our MSPmentor 501 Global Edition puts EarthLink and iIT’s many partners in rare company.”

About MSPmentor 501 Global Edition

The MSPmentor 501 report is based on data from MSPmentor’s global online survey conducted October-December 2012. The MSPmentor 501 report recognizes top managed service providers based on a range of metrics, including annual managed services revenue growth, revenue per employee, managed services offered and customer devices managed.

MSPmentor, produced by Nine Lives Media, is the ultimate guide to managed services. MSPmentor features the industry’s top-ranked blog, research, Channel Expert Hour Webcasts and FastChat videos. It is the No. 1 online media destination for managed service providers in the world.

About Nine Lives Media

Nine Lives Media, a division of Penton Media (http://www.penton.com), defines emerging IT media markets and disrupts established IT media markets. The company’s IT channel-centric online communities include MSPmentor (http://www.MSPmentor.net), The VAR Guy (http://www.TheVARguy.com) and Talkin’ Cloud (http://www.TalkinCloud.com).

About IndependenceIT

independenceIT (iIT) is an industry leading software company that enables VARs, ISVs and MSPs to provision and support cloud desktop services through its award-winning Cloud Workspace Platform. For more than a decade, iIT has successfully delivered a familiar and productive user interface that allows for the simplification of everyday administrative tasks with exclusive user management tools. Please visit www.independenceit.com for additional information.