iAreaNet has won Best Newcomer in the 2013 XChange Solution Provider XCellence Awards for its iAreaOffice cloud-based business communications suite.
“The transition to the cloud and the rise of ubiquitous mobility are driving a radical transformation in business IT and a shifting of roles within the solution provider community,” the company noted. And to that end, the XChange XCellence Awards measured overall solution provider perceptions of vendor products, services and programs. The winners were voted on during the 2013 XChange Solution Provider event by attendees, which consist of a cross-section of VARs, distributors, integrators and other channel partners.
“We are very excited to be recognized by the VARs themselves as bringing innovation and value to the channel and to the market,” said Andrew Campbell, managing partner at iAreaNet. “We are also gratified to be named as a finalist for the cloud integrator category—an honor that ultimately went to Microsoft.”
iAreaOffice is an “office-in-the-cloud” suite available via the company’s channel partners, which includes the latest version of Microsoft Office, which includes Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint, and can integrate other software to be delivered as a service, such as QuickBooks, Saga, Amicus, Fireworks or Dreamweaver. iAreaNet’s programmers can also develop and deliver CRM and custom applications, to be hosted on iAreaNet’s servers.
“Today’s solution provider is faced with rapidly changing requirements from business IT customers, who are looking to support an increasingly mobile and cloud-based work environment,” said James DeCrescenzo, iAreaNet CEO. “Corporate boundaries are eroding, and a company’s networking and communications strategy has to include a more open ecosystem—one that securely communicates with partners, customers, suppliers, consultants and other value-chain members.”
He added, “We at iAreaNet are focused on enabling this next generation of anytime, anywhere business communications by continuing to innovate within our flagship product, giving channel partners a world-class offering and pioneering every tool that we can to help them successfully navigate the new world of on-demand, borderless business processes. That is our core mission.”
Earlier in the year, iAreaNet enhanced its focus on IT management and security concerns around BYOD and mobility in general with new dedicated apps for iPad and Android. The company also added social media management to its Intranet offering, including the inclusion of a Facebook-style “Wall” section. It also has added a new switch in Atlanta, and added the iAreaNet Disaster Prevention offering to its portfolio.
“The XChange XCellence Awards highlight the vendors who are not only committed to delivering innovation, but understand the needs of the dynamic IT channel market,” said Robert C. DeMarzo, senior vice president of strategic content at the UBM Tech Channel, which presented the awards.
