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Cloud-enablement leader, Parallels, today announced the availability of Parallels Small Business Panel 10, which allows cloud services providers to offer IT-in-a-box solutions to small businesses, increasing revenue through business applications sales, and helping their small business customers transition to the cloud. Parallels Small Business Panel features a game-changing control panel designed for small businesses, offering simple wizards and productivity tools for collaboration, file sharing and business management. This makes self-service possible for all employees using the solution. Parallels Small Business Panel also introduces the Parallels Partner Marketplace, enabling cloud services providers to offer commercial applications to their small business customers in an easy-to-use storefront.
“Parallels is uniquely addressing the needs of small businesses and redefining the way control panels are used with the development of Parallels Small Business Panel. Over 40 cloud services providers are already launching the solution, so it’s clear that this is striking a chord with Parallels’ partners who are seeing the benefits for their small business customers,” explains Jack Zubarev, President of Service Provider Division at Parallels. “Parallels continues to enable cloud services providers to move beyond basic hosting services and offer value-added applications and services.”
Parallels Small Business Panel 10 gives users an intuitive user interface designed to connect employees to the right applications, which can be installed with a single click with no need for special training or technical knowledge. Role-based access enables user organizations to restrict functionality as appropriate for their employees. In addition, Parallels Small Business Panel incorporates the functionality of additional Parallels solutions for free, including Parallels Sitebuilder and Parallels Power Pack.
“Previously, we’ve found that control panels have not been suitable for our small business customers; however, in participating in the beta trial of Parallels Small Business Panel, we found that the performance, applications and end-user feedback exceeded our expectations,” said George Karidis, Chief Strategy Officer at Softlayer. “Parallels’ new panel signifies a new approach to servicing small businesses, enabling us to offer a separate solution that provides one interface for all their IT needs.”
The largest feature of Parallels Small Business Panel is Parallels Partner Marketplace, which launches with six commercial applications, including Symantec (desktop security), Interspire (email marketing & knowledge manager), Pinnacle Cart (shopping cart), LinuxMagic (Anti-Spam) and Keepit (online backup). Cloud services providers interested in cloud enablement can leverage Parallels Partner Marketplace, to participate in a revenue-sharing model that offers their small business customers the applications they need with minimal effort. The partner marketplace takes care of the ordering, licensing, billing and subscription management aspects.
“Parallels is bridging the gap between ISVs and Service Providers, essentially helping both become more successful with small business customers”, stated Hal Bennett, vice president of Global OEM/ISP Sales at Symantec. “In partnership with Parallels we are bringing our award-winning Norton Internet Security 2010, the fastest and lightest online threat protection available, to help protect against the cybercriminals who are targeting small businesses.”
“Parallels Partner Marketplace together with Parallels Small Business Panel, provides our small business customers with a central management console to access and service all their online requirements,” Ryan Elledge, Chief Operating Officer, at Codero. “With Parallels Panel Marketplace, our customers can select, purchase and install business applications with a few clicks. Parallels then takes care of the set-up, provisioning and management, making the solution complete and easy-to-use.”
Availability and Pricing
Parallels Small Business Panel 10 is available in English, German, Japanese, Spanish, French, Chinese Simplified and Russian.
The offering is available through retail, lease, or the Parallels Partner Program.
Further information on Parallels Small Business Panel’s new features and capabilities, as well as videos, screenshots and a demonstration of the new product are available at parallels.com/products/small-business-panel.
As of today, Parallels Small Business Panel is available through Softlayer, Codero, Viux, Robson, Turnkey Internet, Servint, Layershift, Zipservers, KickAssVPS, CCF Consulting and OVH.
About Parallels — Optimized Computing
Parallels (parallels.com) is a worldwide leader in virtualization and automation software that optimizes computing for consumers, businesses, and cloud services providers across all major hardware, operating systems, and virtualization platforms. Founded in 1999, Parallels is a fast-growing company with more than 700 employees in North America, Europe, and Asia.
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