Most small-to-medium sized businesses are using CMS (customer management systems), E-Mail (who isn’t? 5 year olds have email accounts now), to manage a web site, and occasionally share files between employee’s. Traditionally SMB’s (Small-to-medium sized Businesses) have had to either create their own internal hosting and communication systems or piece together many disjointed software programs and hardware devices to create their intranet. Time and expense add up and often times SMB’s go without all or some of the components they require. As such, there has been a need for an all-in-one solution that can tie all of these systems together for ease of use.
Web Hosts have also had a difficult time putting together an all-in-one solution for their customers. Hosters have created some crude control panels and options for customers, but nothing that creates a seamless integrated approach for a company to manage email, hosting, CMS, file sharing, and even an online store. There are literally thousands of options out there for Email, Hosting Platforms, CMS, File Sharing, and Operating Systems. Web hosts have traditionally focused on managing the hosting experience and simply offer an assortment of software they think their customers want. These platforms are offered and supported to an extent, but most of the grunt work is left to the SMB’s IT department.
As hosting continues to evolve, hosters are understanding the importance of offering SaaS in the cloud to their customers. Hosters are seeing the benefit of offering quickly deployed software in the cloud targeted to niche customers. Parallels Panel SMB Edition fits the bill and is a perfect product for web hosters to tackle the SMB market with a totally integrated and easy to manage platform. Probably the most 
existing feature is the ability to ‘shop’ for add-on components to add functionality to Parallels SMB. If you are used to a specific CMS or e-commerce product, chances are you can easily buy it through the integrated Parallels Partner Marketplace. Pinnacle Cart can be purchased through the Parallels Partner Marketplace and installs with a few clicks for the SMB client. It is this ease of managing and installing complex applications that brings the power of a full featured product to the forefront for non-technical users.
Role based user permissions is perhaps the single most important feature Parallels SMB has brought to the table. Now a manager can create users and assign permissions based on their job role within the company. For example, a company Human Resources manager can be given a user account that allows them to create and delete email accounts for company personnel but not have access to the online store, sales files, or anything not related to Human Resources.
Parallels SMB also offers the ability to manage a company website from the built in Site Builder tool. While the tool is somewhat limited, it would be perfect for a small Law Office or other company site who only needs to provide general information and contact details. Built in is also the ability to host your own web site if you do not wish to use the Site Builder tool.
Overall, we are very impressed with Parallels SMB and it has found a niche sweet spot Hosters have been needing to stay competitive. While no release date has been given, a beta has been announced and information on downloading and testing Parallels SMB Beta is listed below.
Hosters can learn more and download Parallels Panel 10 SMB Edition beta by visiting: www.parallels.com/products/panelsmb. This beta is available in: English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Russian, Japanese, Chinese Simplified, and Chinese Traditional.
