Managed IT Services Provider

I assume you're part of an MSP already and looking to buy out/bring in a new company to expand? Take a good look at their books, see if there is anything to worry about in there. Are they making money or loosing money? What services are the most lucrative, which ones are loosing money? Which clients are their VIPs? What procedures are in place for the clients?

In general, and open for discussion, I'd like to discuss the viability of purchasing a Managed IT Services company.
The company is still in it's infant stage, but is generating about $35k in recurring revenue (Managed Services), and Project revenue of about $10k. For a total of about $45k per yr.
The owner has fallen ill and cannot continue to operate the business.
What are your thoughts about taking on this business? Especially, since the revenue is primarily from managed services.
Speaking with the clients, they speak very highly of the service they've received thus far.
Enjoy,
This topic first appeared in the Spiceworks Community

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Case Management ECC Service Provider

Hi.
In Case mangement for ECC 6.0
In the Customizing for template, I do what says help SAP
http://help.sap.com/saphelp_erp2005/helpdata/en/a5/7ad6e3343a6947a90527b550efdebb/content.htm
With the attribute TEMPLATE_PROFILE, but when I go to the event and selecting Create with Template not send me the following message "No templates available". I don´t understand that.
I create the profile. SPRO  Cross-Application Components  General Application Functions  Records and Case Management  Document  Manage Document Templates
I have assigned the document SRM_DOC04 DD1D79A8B943E4F1B257001A6458C5AA.
The assigned is:
Key = 1
Profile = ZPROFILE
Document ID = SRM_DOC04 DD1D79A8B943E4F1B257001A6458C5AA
Descr = Document
And.
TEMPLATE_PROFILE in the Service Provider is ZPROFILE.
Someboy know, What I can do.
Help me. Please!
Thanks.

hi alfredo
you just create an action profile and within the action profile you give your processing type as smartforms
your path in IMG will be like:
SPRO--->CRM->BASIC FUNCTIONS--> ACTIONS---> ACTIONS IN TRANSACTIONS
and within the smart form description you can mention your class ,the smartform you have created etc.
after you are done with the action profile you attach this action profile to the transaction you are working on
also in the action condtion you give the condition as open
as you have requirement that when case is open the smartform is escecuted,likewise you can schedule your conditoon and therein it can be
BUSINESSOBJECT.USERSTATUS = E0001
its just an example with which you can give the condition
hopes it solves your probs
best regards
ashish

How can you manage ssl service provider service in PI 7.1?

Hello there..
I am trying to find a place in Netweaver admin tool so that I can add CA certificate into the SSL provider service Trusted Certification Authorities list. I use to be able to do that in Visual Admin tool -> dispatcher node -> Services -> SSL Provider -> Runtime tab -> Client Authentication, but now I cannot find anywhere in the NetWeaver Admin tool.
Thanks.
Jerry.

Hi Jerry,
Once you login to the NWA, follow this path
Configuration Management -> Security -> Certificate and keys ->
You need to import the client certificate under ICM_SSL_xxx and you can find SSL_Provider if you scroll completly down. You need to import the private key of the client certificate under ICM_SSL_xxx.
You have even Trusted CA's under this list. Please let me know if you have any problems.
Thanks,
Srini
Edited by: srinivas kapu on Dec 18, 2008 9:58 PM

Configuring Access Manager as Service Provider

Hi All,
What documentation explains how to configure SSO with Access Manager 7 as Sefrvice Provider using redirect-artifact (or else) binding according to SAML v.2? I have SiteMinder 6.0 as IdP ready to go.
Thanks

Bernhard,
We have upgraded our Web PA to version 2.1-09. One of your previous replies stated the com.iplanet.am.naming.ignoreNamingservice property was not availalbe in the PA agent properties but only in the Java SKD. Indeed we do not see such a key in the new Web PA AMAgent.properties.
Can you please explain how to configure the AMAgent.properties and/or the Access Manager server (or properties) so that subsequent calls to the services (returned by the call to the naming service) get directed thru the load balancer? Below are the setting in our AMAgent and AMConfig properties files
AMAgent.properties
com.sun.am.namingURL = https://lb-mydomain.com:443/amserver/namingservice
com.sun.am.policy.am.loginURL = https://lb-mydomain.com:443/amserver/UI/Login
AMConfig.properties
com.iplanet.am.server.protocol=https
com.iplanet.am.server.host=am.mydomain.com
com.iplanet.am.server.port=443
com.iplanet.am.console.protocol=https
com.iplanet.am.console.host=lb-mydomain.com
com.iplanet.am.console.port=443
com.iplanet.am.profile.host=lb-mydomain.com
com.iplanet.am.profile.port=443
com.iplanet.am.naming.url=https://lb-mydomain.com:443/amserver/namingservice
com.iplanet.am.notification.url=https://lb-mydomain.com:443/amserver/notifica
tionservice
If we set com.iplanet.am.server.host=lb-mydomain.com we get an exception when trying to start the AM web container. I don't know if this may be partof our issue or not. Please comment.
Thanks,
Craig

Does OVM 3.0x provides management web service or API?

Hi
I thought OVM 2.20 provided Oracle VM Manager Web Services API Reference.
Where can we find the same thing for OVM 3.0x?
Thanks.

J.S.Park wrote:
Where can we find the same thing for OVM 3.0x?Oracle VM 3.0 doesn't have a Web Services API. The full Java/Python API and programmers documentation is still being developed and has not been released yet.

Records management: Getting record GUID in Service Provider for Transactio

Hello,
I wan't to use a service provider for transaction (or may be reports) in a record.
I the called transaction (Z-transaction) I need the GUID of the record (from which this transaction was calle). Afterwards we want to add automatically a new document into the record.
Does anybody know, how to transfer (or receive) the ID of the record in our Z-transaction or z-report? Or are there any other techniques how to do this?
Many thanks for any advice,
Matthias

Hi Espen,
Basic searching for documents and records can be done via the organizer part of the screen. It's the left part of the screen with the role-based view and the history. Select the folder for eg records and open it. Select the record type you want to search on and right click on it adn select search. You then can to enter your parameters (attribute values) on which you want to search. Same for the documents.
The search you are reffering to is the generic search in which it's possible to search over multiple documenttypes at once. For this however you need to customize RM parts. In the registry for once you have to change some settings on the element type (sps) of the generic document search element (e.g SRM_SPS_GEN_DOCUMENT_DEMO in the service provider SRM_SP_GEN_DOCUMENT). These options are only available in the newer systems (e.g. Netweaver 4s). Not in SAP Enterprise 4.7. So for the generic search options you"ll need more indepth knowlegde on how to customize SAP RM.
There is a kind of howto on the generic search options on: http://service.sap.com/recordsmanagement in the media library under documentation called "How To Guide: Cross Search based on Property Unification" .
Hope this helps.
Best regards,
Tjalling-Jan Gerkema

Records Management - Service provider for HR

Hi,
I'm trying to create a service provider for HR, but i cant get i to work. I won't display in the RM browser.
I have read the documentation, and hopefully set the right parameters, but i still can't use it.
Any tips or tricks?
Espen

Found the answer - the documentation is wrong.
The documentation says that one should not enter a value in RFC destination if working on the same system.
This is incorrect - the value NONE has to be entered for RFC dest, same as for the other service provicers.

Service Provider Error in Dispute Management

Dear Experts,
Iam working on Dispute Mangement. I have created the dispute case and system generated the case number. But when iam displaying the case from SCASE the system is not displaying the case instead it is giving Service Provider error (Msg. no. SRMF071). I tired searching SAP notes. Please guide me to resolved this.
Thanks in Advacne
Shankar

Dear Raj,
Thanks for the reply. But it is not number ranges. I have already assigned.
My problem is Iam able to create the case. System is generating the case ID also. When iam trying to display the create case the system is giving an error message "Service provider called: Incorrect SP object status. Message no. SRMF071"
Can anybody help in solving the issue.
Thanks in Advace
Shankar

Expense Manager Service Provider field

We are wanted to enhance the standard expense extractor 0FI_TV_01 to include the "Service Provider" field. This field is located in the structure PTK03-PAYOT. We are trying to find which table this is located in and where it links to Trip number and Trip variant. We want to pull this info into the existing standard Cube for reporting.
Thanks
Jeff

Hi goekselin,
from what I understand there is a possibility:
Go to trx SPRO --> button "SAP Reference IMG" --> SAP Utilities --> Tools --> System Modifications --> User-Defined Enhancements for IDE --> Define Deregulation Processes
There you can choose a deregulation process e.g. INV_IN. Mark the line and double click on the folder "Define Parameters for Deregulation Process" on the left side. Now you can add a new parameter which should be displayed in Service Provider Agreement.
Best regards,
Thomas

Solution Manager and VAR/Service Provider functionalities

Hello,
I'm searching for persons who have the same'problems' as we have.
As we are a SAP Service Provider we have multiple customer numbers and multiple S-users.
So we are facing some problems and I wolud like to now if anyone else has these features:
Help Desk (contact to SAP) is working with the old BADI, now I've seen note 970042, should we change to this?
AI_SERVICE_CONNECTIONS/opening of service connections does not work.
Maintenance Optimizer does not work correctly.
Thanks in advance
Jan

Implemented via SP

HT201320 Does my email service provider have to provide the ability for me to create an IMAP email account in order for me to create Sub-folders within Apple Mail?

Hi, Apple Mail provides a function to create sub-folders within my mailbox so that I can group emails of similar subjects or from the same sender. My service provider only provides POP email protocol and the New Folder button does not appear in my Apple Mail account for that service provider. Icloud provides the opportunity for the iPad user to select between POP and IMAP. I can select IMAP and the New Folder button appears allowing me to create sub-folders within the icloud email account. Does this mean I cannot create sub-folders in my email account unless my service provider provides customers with the option of creating an IMAP email account?
This appears to be a problem for quite a few Apple Mail users, but service providers appear reticent to provide a response other than 'use Microsoft Exchange / Hotmail, Google GMail, or some other third party email service provider'. This is why I have chosen icloud as my email service provider. It is Apple and therefore Apple supports it. I have been a Telstra customer for over 15 years and they informed me today, strongly, that they support their own products and services, not Apple products, even though Telstra sell them. When I asked the Telstra Customer Support Manager whether they support Telstra customers, I was informed 'no, because the Telstra customer is not a Telstra product or service'. I have since cancelled my Telstra email account and am in the process of cancelling all of my Telstra services.

Apple Sceptic wrote:
Does this mean I cannot create sub-folders in my email account unless my service provider provides customers with the option of creating an IMAP email account?
Yes. That is what it means. You need an IMAP account in order to create sub folders on the iPad.

Error 5 - An exception occurred in SMO while trying to manage a service

Hi
I use an instrument
made by myself in vb.net using SMO
objects to manage a mixed group of about
80 MS Sql Server (rel. 2005-2008 r2 & 2012)
With this tool I check the status of services,
change service accounts and their passwords,
etc.
A few days ago one server
started to return an error when I run
the first operation on any property of the object
ManagedComputer just created.
Error: "Error 5 - An exception occurred in SMO while trying to manage a service"
This is my code:
If UserID = "" Then
'//Use the credentials of current user
                            mc = New ManagedComputer(serverName)
                        Else
                         '// Use the credentials provided by interface
                            mc = New ManagedComputer(serverName, UserID, UserPsw)
                        End If
                        str = ""
                        For x = 0 To mc.Services.Count - 1
                            With mc.Services.Item(x)
                                   servNome = .Parent.Name.ToUpper
                                    srvNome = .Name
                                    srvStato = .ServiceState.ToString
                                    srvStartMode = .StartMode.ToString
                                    srvAccount = .ServiceAccount
                                End If
                            End With
                        Next
The instruction mc.Services.Count generates the error below:
smoex = {"An exception occurred in SMO while trying to manage a service."}
   Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.FailedOperationException = {"An exception occurred in SMO while trying to manage a service."}
   _HResult = -2146233088
   _message = "An exception occurred in SMO while trying to manage a service."
   Data = {System.Collections.ListDictionaryInternal}
   FailedObject = Nothing
   HelpLink = "http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink?ProdName=Microsoft+SQL+Server&ProdVer=11.0.2100.60+((SQL11_RTM).120210-1846+)&EvtSrc=Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.ExceptionTemplates.InnerWmiException&LinkId=20476"
   HResult = -2146233088
   InnerException = {"Failed to retrieve data for this request."}
   IPForWatsonBuckets = 1670498764
   IsTransient = False
   Message = "An exception occurred in SMO while trying to manage a service."
   Operation = ""
   ProductName = "Microsoft SQL Server"
   ProdVer = "11.0.2100.60 ((SQL11_RTM).120210-1846 )"
   RemoteStackTrace = Nothing
   SmoExceptionType = FailedOperationException {12}
   Source = "Microsoft.SqlServer.SqlWmiManagement"
   StackTrace = "   in Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.Wmi.WMIProxy.ExecProcess(Object request)     in Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.Wmi.WmiSmoObject.EnumChildren(String childTypeName, WmiCollectionBase
coll)     in Microsoft.SqlServer.Management.Smo.Wmi.ServiceCol...
   TargetSite = {System.Object ExecProcess(System.Object)}
   WatsonBuckets = Nothing
The server not have problems and the local Sql Server Configuration Manager work fine.
I copied the tool on the server to run it
locally. Strangely, if I use the credentials of the current logged user the tool works
(mc = New ManagedComputer(serverName) )
If I provide explicit the credentials
(domain\username and password, but the same of user logged in the server)
is not working
( mc = New ManagedComputer(serverName, UserID, UserPsw) )
From a remote server instead
does not work in both modes.
The server configuration:os Win 2008 R2 EE Sp1 , Ms Sql 2008 R2 Sp2 10.50.4321
Any suggestion is
much appreciated
Many thanks in advance

Hi Lydia
Thanks for your quick
response.
Unfortunately I had already considered this hypothesis
and the security settings on the object WMI
seems correct.
The user with which I run the program
is part of a domain's
group inserted into
the local administrators group. This group
has the flag "Remote Enable" active.
However, I verified that the
problem occurred since I updated my tool
to monitor and manage the new systems Sql
2012. The tool now uses objects
SMO 11.0 that I installed in the development environment,
and on server where it is scheduled
the tool, through the package
SharedManagementObjects.msi.
The documentation says that SMO 11 is
compatible with SQL 2005
and higher and, in fact, I only had problems
with one server. The old version of tool in fact work fine again.
This information will suggest
some ideas?
Thanks again
Giovanni Camurri

Need advice for starting a Managed Cloud Service for Small Businesses

I hope this is in the right forum. I have done a lot of research and searching but havent found anything that specifically answers, in total, what I am wanting to accomplish. I live in a small town and want to start a Managed Cloud Services for
small to small-medium business in my area (2-30 users for each business). I want to market this to have businesses replace their in-house server(s) to virtual ones I would host in a local Data Center with my own equipment that I would maintain. I
am just starting off so I don't have any clients I do this for currently, but I get asked about this frequently. I want to run a 2012 R2 Domain Controller and a Hyper-V 2012 R2 server. The virtual servers I will host are going to be for AD, RDS,
FTP, and files. Software examples that people are going to be using these virtual servers for are Quickbooks, Sage Accounting, Remote Desktop or RemoteApp, custom CRM or small database software, Office 2013, etc. No Exchange currently but will
probably configure something for that in the future (maybe run 1-3 virtually for now if someone asks, but will only do it if the user base is fairly small ~under 10 users). I only have 1 static IP to work with over a 100Mbps connection up and down.
For hardware, I am figuring something along the lines of this:
(1) 1U, single CPU w/2-4 cores, 8GB, 2x73GB SAS 10k RAID 1, Dual PSU, running Windows Server 2012 R2
Domain Controller
(1) 2U, 2x 8-core Xeon ~2.6Ghz, 80GB RAM, 8x600GB SAS 15k in Raid 10 for Storage (VHDX files, etc), RAID 1 small Basic drives (or USB stick) for OS, Dual PSU, Quad GB Nic which I can use for load balancing/teaming, Hyper-V
2012 R2
Hyper-V Virtual Server
(1) GB Unmanaged Network Switch & (1) Cisco 5510 Firewall
Most of my questions are about the best way to configure this. I am planning on managing my Hyper-V from the physical Domain Controller server. Each virtual server will have RDS & (possibly) AD services on a single server.
1) I want to replicate the physical Domain Controller. Should I get another server or just virtualize the replica in Hyper-V? I understand that if the Hyper-V goes down, so does my DC replica.
2) Should I use my Domain Controller to manage ALL users on each virtual Server, by creating separate Organizational Units for each business?
3) Should I setup my domain controller with Hyper-V management and then each Virtual Server I setup be a separate domain (Ex. mydomain.local, business1.local, business2.local, etc)? Each one has no connection to any
other, completely seperate. Or should I do subdomains (business1.mydomain.local).
4) What I have read is that Subdomains are a pain to manage with user rights, etc. I want to keep each server complete separated from one another over a network connection, I suppose the VLan through Hyper-V options
do this? I dont want wondering users to stumble upon another businesses files (I know they would probably be prompted with a login for that business/domain).
5) For each virtual server, I want to create and have an HTTP subdomain point to that server from my domain name. (Ex: business1.mydomain.com, business2.mydomain.com, etc.) I want them to be able to have access to
only their RemoteApps or be able to type that address in their Remote Desktop program as the host name. This would be for viewing the RemoteApp login page and RemoteApps for that business over HTTP/S through a browser.
6) If I do not have separate DC's in each virtual and my main DC manages each one, is their a way to connect up each companies RemoteApps using a single site that only shows what they are assigned to based upon their login?
(Ex. http://login.mydomain.com which then shows that user what they are assigned on their own virtual server)
7) Since each business will use the same ports for RemoteApp (443) & RDC (3389 unless I change it), how would I setup the subdomains to point to their correct server and not overlap for mess with any of the other servers
since its all over 1 static WAN IP for all servers. Thats why I figured setting up IIS subdomains would solve this.
8) For backups or Hyper-V replication, is it better to have software that backs up the ENTIRE Hyper-V server (Acronis Advanced Backup for Hyper-V) as well as replication or just backups? Or should I do separate file
backup on each virtual with a replica? Can a replica be a slower server since its just a backup? (Ex. 1x 8 core, 80GB, 8x600GB 10k SAS)
9) For the servers that will be using FTP, can I again rely on the subdomains to determine which server to connect to on port 21 without changing each FTP servers ports? I just want each business/person to type in
the subdomain for their business and it connect up to their assigned FTP directory over port 21.
10) If the physical DC manages DNS for all Virtual servers, can I forward sub domain requests to the proper virtual server so they connect to the correct RemoteApp screen etc. Again all I have is 1 IP.
I hope all of these questions make sense. I just want every business to be independent of each other on the Hyper-V, each on their own virtual server, all without changing default ports on each server, each server running RDS, (possibly) AD, (a few) FTP,
and all over a common single WAN IP. Hoping subdomains (possibly managed through IIS on the physical DC) will redirect users to their appropriate virtual server.

If you really want to run your own multi-tenant service provider cloud, Microsoft has defined the whole setup needed.
They call it Infrastructure as a Service Product Line Architecture. You can find the full documentation here -
http://blogs.technet.com/b/yuridiogenes/archive/2014/04/17/infrastructure-as-a-service-product-line-architecture.aspx
There are several different ways of configuring and installing it. Here is a document I authored that provides step-by-step instructions for deploying into a Cisco UCS and EMC VSPEX environment -
http://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en/us/td/docs/unified_computing/ucs/UCS_CVDs/ucs_mspc_fasttrack40_phase1.pdf
This document contains the basic infrastructure required to manage a private cloud. I will soon be publishing a document to add the Windows Azure Pack components onto the above configuration. That is what would more easily provide a multi-tenant
experience with a Azure look and feel. It is not Azure, but the Azure pack is a series of applications, some of which came from Azure, the provides Azure-like capabilities only in a service provider type of environment.
Whether you use my document or not (which has actually corrected errors found in the Microsoft documentation), you should take a look at it to see what it takes to put something like this up, if you are really serious about it. It is not a small undertaking.
It requires a lot of moving pieces to be coordinated. Yes, my document is designed to scale to a large environment, but you need the components that are there. No need re-inventing the wheel. Microsoft's documentation is based on a lot of
real hands on experience of their consulting organization that has been doing this for customers for years. This one is also know as Fast Track 4. I've done 2 (2008 R2) and 3 (2012), also and it just keeps getting more complicated based on customer
demands and expectations.
Good luck!
. : | : . : | : . tim

Default values for service provider in transaction TRIP

Hello Gurus...
We are implementing travel management and I have a problem... here's the scenario
Tha gl account that should be used for a specific trip recepit depends on the following:
The expense type
The company specific type of trip
The Employee grouping for Travel Management
What we have done so far is :
create a service provider for every combination of trip_type/employee_grouping
create entries in V_T706B4 for every valid combination of expense_type/service_provider
configure transfer to accounting
With this configuration the gl account is determined correctly. However this way of solving the situation means that the user must enter the service provider for every recepit entered in the expense report. Given that in our particular scenario the service provider depends on data that has been already entered (type of trip) or that "the system should know" (employee grouping), users are not happy about having to enter the service provider.
¿Is there a way to assign default values to the service provider, and would it be possible to code/configure somewhere how to set those default values? I tried doing it through the trip schema, but apparently it is not possible to set a default service provider that way. I also tried setting the values in the user exit (b4 assigning trip number) but this doesn't work since the user exit is called after the standard validation. I also tried implementing subroutine USER_EVAL_RECEIPT, but this doesn't seem to work in transaction TRIP.
Thanks in advance for any help you may provide!
Juan Ramon

Hello AP.
Thogh your suggestion is helpful (I might use profile parameters somewhere else) thre is no parameter for the field I need. In any case It wouldn't have solved the issue completely, since the default value I need depends on both the employee(user) and the type of trip that's selected.

PLEASE HELP - Service provider fault - how to get...

We are at breaking point!!!!
My lovely 81 year old Dad has tried to switch to BT infinity. He had a regular BT service before, but as of the 30th April he was meant to have BT infinity. HOWEVER, this is not the case. I spent last weekend there to try to help, but after BT sending out a new Hub, there still is no connection. I spent near 4 hours on the phone to India where (very frustratingly) they went through the same tests each time, despite me telling them that they had already been done, and no one could fix the issue. It seems the hub is working but the 'service provider' is not. We can get through the first two set up stages but never get past the 3rd. We get a BT Wholesale page suggetion there are 5 different service provider problems. Poor Dad has tried again today to ask an engineer to come out and still they insist on doing the same tests and insist there is something wrong with the 'device' (computer). There clearly isn't as we have tried several other devices and none of them can connect, so what else could the problem be? I think it's an engineer problem but how the hell do you get an engineer out, there is no UK number to call. Has anyone else had this problem? If so did you manage to solve it and how?
It's enough to send you round the twist or leave BT!
Thanks in anticipation.

Thank you for your reply Neil, if we had known about the forum earlier we may have got further quicker.
Apparently the phone line is now down and the earliest we can expect an engineer is next Wednesday.
I have to say the customer service has been unbelievably atrocious. To think that they have had a problem for almost a fortnight and it has taken my Dad, my brother and myself 10 calls all lasting at least one hour, to be asked the same questions and to get absolutely nowhere. My Dad is hard of hearing but I found it difficult to understand the customer support rep and he found it difficult to understand me. I have no problem with Indian call centres but this was ridiculous. My elderly parents live in a small town 120miles from me and although they can live without broadband a phone line is pretty essential part of modern life. Yes, they have a mobile phone but they have paid for a service and they are simply not getting one. Trying to tell BT and get someone to do something about it has been enough to want to cancel altogether. It's such a shame BT has got such a terrible reputation for this, surely they can provide a better service than this? No doubt there won't be any compensation for the time we all have wasted trying to resolve this - how can you compensate for 10 hours of pure frustration?
If you wish to help you could raise this with your managers as an example of how to avoid this happening to someone else.

Managed IT Services Provider

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