Spiceworks Opens Platform to Cloud Vendors

AUSTIN, TX, Nov 05, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Spiceworks(TM), Inc., the world's largest community for IT, today introduced the Spiceworks Cloud Program. By integrating directly with Spiceworks' free IT management application, the new program gives cloud vendors a way to reach more than 2.2 million IT professionals who use Spiceworks to do their jobs. The program will also make it easier for IT professionals to discover, monitor, manage and provision their favorite cloud services from a single interface.

Initially, the Spiceworks Cloud Program will focus on four of the most common cloud services used within the small-to-midsize business (SMB) market -- hosted email, online backup, cloud servers and file sharing. The program will expand to all cloud categories over the remainder of 2012 and 2013. To date, Microsoft Office 365, Google Apps, and Rackspace Cloud and Email offerings have been integrated with Spiceworks, and the new program will make it a seamless process for other cloud vendors looking to deliver their services to SMBs worldwide.

"I use Spiceworks each day to do my job and would be more likely to purchase a cloud solution that's integrated into Spiceworks than one that is not," said Bernard Welmers, IT support specialist at Knutson Construction. "The program should be a no-brainer for cloud providers who are focused on expanding their user base, because it helps simplify the lives of IT pros like me." Spiceworks Cloud Program Addresses Needs of Developers and IT Pros The Spiceworks Cloud Program helps cloud vendors and developers quickly integrate into Spiceworks through a standardized set of APIs.

Participating vendors also receive a Spiceworks Product Page and a listing in Spiceworks' Product Selector. IT pros can begin managing integrated cloud services by updating to Spiceworks 6.2 later this year. Together, the Spiceworks Cloud Program and Spiceworks 6.2 will allow IT pros to: -- Detect cloud services - Spiceworks' cloud detection and discovery capabilities were introduced this year in Spiceworks 6 to help IT pros detect popular cloud services. This allows IT pros to see the cloud services being used on their network and who is using them, providing them with an extra layer of control.

-- Monitor cloud services - Through the Spiceworks Cloud Program, IT pros can view and oversee cloud service usage across their organization, such as available storage capacity or when the last successful backup was completed. IT pros can also set proactive alerts and generate reports that are delivered through the application or via email.

-- Manage cloud services - The program allows IT pros to fine-tune their cloud services in a centralized way by helping them manage common tasks such as adding users to hosted email distribution lists or setting up their backup processes. This helps limit the number of consoles needed to do their jobs while giving them a deeper view into the resources their organization needs.

-- Provision cloud services - The Spiceworks Cloud Program helps IT pros provision cloud services directly from the Spiceworks application.

This simplifies how IT professionals make infrastructure and account changes, such as adding new servers, storage capacity or user accounts.

"The Spiceworks Cloud Program offers a path for technology vendors to reach more than 2.2 million IT pros, many of whom are expanding their use of cloud solutions," said Scott Abel, co-founder and CEO of Spiceworks. "The program also helps IT pros by giving them a simple way to manage cloud applications from the interface they use each day to do their jobs." More information can be found at www.spiceworks.com/cloud.

About Spiceworks Spiceworks connects 2.2 million IT professionals with more than 1,200 technology brands to simplify how IT professionals discover, buy and manage nearly $400 billion in technology products and services each year. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Spiceworks is backed by Adams Street Partners, Tenaya Capital, Institutional Venture Partners (IVP), Shasta Ventures and Austin Ventures. For more information visit http://www.spiceworks.com.

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Spiceworks is a trademark of Spiceworks, Inc. All other names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

Media Contact: Heidi Johnson Spiceworks Email Contact (512) 943-0909 ext 2 SOURCE: Spiceworks http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/emailprcntct id=5ACBE0FAD9A4BE72

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