Intel (News - Alert) Corporation has launched the Intel “AppUp”  cloud-based service for small businesses, featuring a wide variety of software for small businesses from software providers including Astaro, GFI Software, gloStream, Intuit, Level Platforms, Microsoft (News - Alert), SIOS, Tally, and Vembu.

Intel expects to add apps from  Allscripts, Apani, Asigra, ClearCenter, Coversant, Critical Links, Elina Networks, Ensim, eTurns, Fonality, KineticD, Lumension, McAfee, Novell, Pragma Systems, StorageCraft, Symantec (News - Alert), and WorkSpace Communications as well. 

The hybrid service combines cloud computing with applications and data running on the  premises. Intel’s AppUp service includes a server, a catalog of prepackaged small business applications from a broad range of software providers, and Intel-developed software to securely manage and track use of the application software. 

Small business customers access the solution through service providers, paying on a monthly basis for the software they use, just like in the cloud, but getting the responsiveness and control of running their applications and data on site.

For small  business service providers looking for a way to differentiate from other access providers, AppUp will allow providers to deliver a wide range of small business software solutions as a service. There will some training necessary to bring sales personnel up to speed on the various packages, but at least the provisioning should not be onerous. 

The Intel AppUp Small Business Service is available now to qualified IT service providers and managed service providers in North America and India.  Intel expects to expand the program to other countries.

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Want to learn more about cloud communications? Then be sure to attend the Cloud Communications Summit, collocated with TMC’s (News - Alert) ITEXPO West 2011, taking place Sept. 13-15, 2011, in Austin, Texas. The Cloud Communications Summit will address a growing need of businesses to integrate and leverage cloud based communications applications, process enhancement techniques, and network based communications interfaces and architectures. To register, click here.