Microsoft Cloud Partner M&A: Champion Acquires MessageOps

Champion Solutions Group, a Boca Raton, Fl.-based virtualization and cloud computing services provider, is building out its Microsoft cloud services through the acquisition of Charlotte, NC-based MessageOps.

MessageOps has focused its core business on being a Microsoft cloud services and utilities company. The acquisition will give Champion Solutions a larger customer base, as well as a broader solutions offering. One of the reasons for the acquisition, according to the cloud services providers, is to provide customers with a migration strategy to Microsoft cloud services, as well as build out its portfolio of cloud management tools.

As the cloud space continues to grow and expand, some cloud services providers have been building out their offerings, as well as acquiring net new customers, by acquiring others with complementary services. This isn't exactly new. There's been a lot of merger and acquisition activity in the cloud realm this year as cloud providers and vendors look to capture a bigger slice of the pie and, in a lot of cases, become one-stop cloud shops.

Unfortunately, about half of these mergers and acquisitions don't exactly go as planned and end up causing more problems, but that's part of the growing pains of an evolving and developing new business model.

In Champion Solutions' case with MessageOps, there are complementary services that could be a huge benefit to Champion if MessageOps' services are effectively rolled into what Champion is already providing.

One of MessageOps' offerings that seemed of particular interest to Champion is the beta release of 365 Command, a web-based administration, reporting and monitoring portal for Office 365 users that provides detailed information on Office 365 usage. Champion expects it to become “the de facto standard” for cloud management platforms, so it's betting big on MessageOps' management and monitoring tools.

Champion is already a known entity within the Microsoft partner community, having won a Microsoft Greater Southeast Area Cloud Practice Award in July, and the acquisition of MessageOps will put even more emphasis on its Microsoft cloud practice.