July 30, 2008 – (HOSTSEARCH.COM) – Parallels (http://www.parallels.com) today announced it is accelerating independent software vendors' (ISVs) ability to provide their applications in the SaaS model without lengthy and costly development or rewriting of code. The Parallels SaaS FastTrack Program gives ISVs a quick and straight-forward approach to meeting small-to-medium businesses’ (SMBs) growing need for on-demand applications. This is achieved through Parallels’ virtualization and automation technology and standards, and the company’s customer base of more than 10,000 service providers, which represents approximately 90% of the global hosting market.
ISVs such as Pinnacle Cart, Magento, BV Software, CRE Loaded, Open-Xchange, VoipNow and ePages have already joined the FastTrack program, which is available in Standard, Premium and Ultimate membership levels. The FastTrack Standard level is structured for ISVs who have one application they need assistance with and want more visibility for their offering. The FastTrack Premium level is geared toward ISVs with one or more applications and who want rapid time-to-market with promotions and connections to C-level execs in the service provider channel. The highest level, FastTrack Ultimate, goes beyond the first two levels and is oriented to ISVs that are new to SaaS, want to learn the unique aspects of the Service Provider Industry and could benefit from learning more about Service Provider business models as well.
“Organizations are attracted to the SaaS model as it offers a range of benefits including low upfront investment, rapid deployment, maximum service availability, and minimum maintenance headaches. ISVs recognizing this market potential want to offer SaaS applications as quickly as possible, but are impeded by a range of approaches that tend to involve complex, expensive re-development of their solutions,” said Serguei Beloussov, CEO of Parallels. “Parallels SaaS FastTrack gives ISVs an accelerated path to market and leverages the Parallels Open Platform to extend the reach of their existing applications through a worldwide channel, without rewriting any code.”
The Parallels Open Platform is the integration of Parallels server virtualization and automation tools with standards such as the Application Packaging Standard (APS), which enables ISVs and service providers to publish, package, provision, and update the format of solutions for the SaaS model. The platform provides the technical structure to underpin the FastTrack program so that ISVs can rapidly integrate with hosting companies to offer their software as a service. The fee-based program fosters collaboration and partnerships within the industry to provide co-marketing and relationship-building opportunities while helping ISVs distribute existing applications and develop new SaaS applications to expand and grow their revenue.
"It's great to see the momentum building for SaaS application availability,” said Demian Sellfors, CEO of (mt) Media Temple. “The Parallels SaaS FastTrack program is a great way for ISVs to get into SaaS quickly. We are happy to see progress and innovative Service Providers like ourselves are excited about being able to offer a broad range of services to our customers. Applications like these will help to run businesses efficiently and smoothly while simultaneously enabling another source of revenue for our industry."
In addition to FastTrack, ISVs can work with Parallels in a variety of ways. ISVs can offer their applications through the use of Parallels Virtualization and Automation products or work with specific Service Providers in Parallels SaaS Enablement Programs for a more structured way to offer their applications to end users. Parallels is a worldwide leader in virtualization and automation software that optimizes computing for consumers, businesses, and service providers across all major hardware, operating systems, and virtualization platforms. Founded in 1999, Parallels is a fast-growing company with 900 employees in North America, Europe, and Asia.
