Mountain view, CALIF - March 24, 2010 – Axcient, Inc., provider of the Axcient complete data protection and business continuity platform, today announced that it has received accreditation under the MSPAlliance’s Vendor Accreditation Program (VAP). VAP is the first program of its kind, specifically designed by managed service providers (MSPs) as a benchmark for vendors who sell to the MSP community. Vendors who bear the VAP seal have shown they abide by the highest principles of quality in areas such as financial stability, positive channel practices, product research and development, and MSP customer satisfaction.

"The Vendor Accreditation Program is important to MSPs, since companies that receive accreditation have demonstrated their ongoing commitment to the channel,” said Charles Weaver, president of the MSPAlliance. "We are very proud to have Axcient as a part of this prestigious body of vendors.”

VAP was created using a wide base of criteria considered as critical by MSPs when selecting a vendor. Criteria examined during the accreditation process include:

• Business practices: Focusing on channel development, channel competition safeguards, experience in the managed services industry, etc.
• Product Roadmap: Examining the vendor's willingness to invest in their products in order to ensure continued relevance for the MSPs on a continued basis.
• Financial: Examination of financial stability to ensure adequate support of channel initiatives and product development.
• Client References: Vendor must provide at least three MSP specific client references.

“We are completely dedicated to the success of our MSP partners, and we view the completion of the accreditation process with the MSPAlliance as an important sign of that commitment,” said Justin Moore, founder and CEO of Axcient.  “Our business is built on providing MSPs with a backup, business continuity and disaster recovery solution that is easy to sell, deploy and manage.  We’re honored to have the VAP seal of approval and look forward to continuing our mission to grow MSP’s business in the storage market.”

About MSPAlliance
The MSPAlliance is a professional association of 8,000 managed service providers and service-enabling technology vendors, who work in a collaborative effort to define, promote and educate the Managed Services Industry and the end-user consumer on the adoption and successful use of technology through Managed Services. MSPAlliance member companies’ are able to achieve Green IT Certifications, Disaster Recovery Certifications, and ultimately achieve MSPAlliance Accredited Provider Status. The MSPAlliance also offers many member benefits, such as Insurance, leasing programs, educational workshops and an online Managed Services Institute. For more information about the MSPAlliance please visit www.mspalliance.com.

About Axcient
Axcient provides a complete data protection and business continuity solution, purpose-built as a platform for managed service providers (MSPs) to serve their small and medium-sized business (SMB) customers. The company delivers a hybrid on-premise appliance with backup and business continuity capabilities combined with its cloud-based disaster recovery service, all managed through the web.  The pay-as-you-grow service features zero infrastructure, license, or software costs, thereby eliminating capital expenditures and minimizing operating expenses for the MSP and their customers alike. Axcient protects organizations in a wide range of industries, including legal, financial services, healthcare, design and creative industries, retail, credit card services, Web-based companies, and education. The Axcient service is available exclusively through a nationwide network of IT solution providers.  For more information, visit www.axcient.com. 

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Media Contact for Axcient:
Angela Griffo
Trainer Communications
axcient@trainercomm.com
949-842-7695

Media Contact for MSPAlliance:
Mostafa Razzak                                                           
(212) 786-6036                           
m.razzak@jmrworldwide.com