Vendor Spotlight: SuperOps

The SuperOps package is delivered from the cloud and offers all of the software that a managed service provider (MSP) needs in order to gain clients and manage their systems. The bundle of tools can be defined in three categories:

• Remote monitoring and management (RMM): The tools that technicians use on a day-to-day basis when managing the systems of clients and supporting their users.
• Professional services automation (PSA): The systems that the managers of MSP companies need to run the company, including a Help Desk ticketing service.
• Remote access: A service that provides a window onto a remote workstation and includes the ability to control the remote device through local input devices.

This package is provided by SuperOps Technologies Pvt Ltd and we are going to review the company, explaining its history, its key people, and its plans for the development of its platform.

SuperOps Founding and Background

SuperOps Technologies Pvt Ltd was founded in 2020 by Arvind Parthiban and Jayakumar Karumbasalam. The company emerged from a desire to create a unified platform that addresses the inefficiencies in the IT management space. The company is often referred to by its website domain: Superops.ai.

The pair both began their careers in IT, working for Zoho Corporation. Both Parthiban and Karumbasalam were IT graduates in Chennai, India – a city that is the headquarters of Zoho. Karumbasalam started at Zoho in 2000 and worked on products for the Corporation’s ManageEngine division as well as Zoho platform products. He became Product Manager for a number of MAP-related products, including ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus.

Parthiban joined Zoho in 2006 and forged a career path that focused on marketing, rising to the position of Head of ITSM Marketing in 2010. The remit of that position included the sales management for ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus. Thus, his path crossed with Jayakumar Karumbasalam. This is when the pair formulated their ideas about creating their own platform to serve MSPs. However, their careers took separate paths, when Karumbasalam moved to Australia in 2013 and so nothing came of the plans.

While Karumbasalam pursued his career in Sydney, Parthiban still had a need to start his own business. So, in 2014, he co-founded Zarget, a real-user monitoring platform for websites, enabling marketers to analyze site visitors’ activities and identify improvements to the Web presentation to tempt more buyers.

Parthiban kept in touch with Karumbasalam and persuaded him to join Zarget in June 2017 as VP for Engineering. Zarget was taken over by Freshworks two months later, and the pair continued to work together at that enterprise for another two years.

The pair left Freshworks in 2020 to create SuperOps. Their goal was to build a solution that integrates remote monitoring and management (RMM) with professional services automation (PSA) to streamline operations for managed service providers (MSPs). Their approach focuses on combining automation, advanced analytics, and a user-friendly interface to improve operational efficiency and service delivery.

Timeline and Evolution

SuperOps is a relatively young company, and so its timeline is quite brief. However, the company has already gone through three funding rounds and it attracts considerable interest from incubator funds.

• January 2020: SuperOps Technologies was conceptualized by Arvind Parthiban, a serial entrepreneur and co-founder of Zarget (acquired by Freshworks) along with a former colleague from Zoho, Jayakumar Karumbasalam.
• 2020: The founding team developed their blueprint for the SuperOps platform and developed a prototype.
• May 2021: SuperOps raised $3 million in seed funding from Matrix Partners India and Elevation Capital. This funding supported early product development, hiring, and market expansion efforts.
• 2021: SuperOps gained initial traction through its early access program, which allowed MSPs to use and provide feedback on the platform.
• January 2022: Series A funding raises $14 million with Tanglin Venture Partners, Addition Capital, leading a total of nine investors.
• 2022: The company began scaling its platform by focusing on MSPs in North America and Europe, expanding its global customer base.
• October 2023: SuperOps raises $12.4 million in its Series B funding round from three investors, led by March Capital.
• 2023: Introduced enhanced security features and AI-driven functionalities, such as predictive analytics for IT management and automation enhancements.

SuperOps continued building a reputation as a forward-thinking MSP software provider, focusing on delivering automation, AI-powered insights, and better cybersecurity tools to help MSPs manage growing IT infrastructure demands.

Company Ownership

The Series B funding round valued SuperOps Technologies at $70 million. The company is still private and so its share ownership is not published. However, the following are clearly all shareholders due to their efforts or investments:

• Arvind Parthiban
• Jayakumar Karumbasalam
• Matrix Partners India
• Elevation Capital
• March Capital Partners
• Addition Venture Capital
• Tanglin Venture Partners
• Giovanni Sanguily
• Sidharth Malik
• Noel Wax
• Lisa Woods
• Abhi Kumar
• Saravana Kumar
• Varun Shoor
• Ramakant Sharma
• Ashish Tulsian

Key People

Research has revealed the names of only two of the members of the Board of Directors at SuperOps. These are:

• Arvind Parthiban: Chief Executive Officer
• Jayakumar Karumbasalam: Chief Product Officer/ Chief Technology Officer

Zoho Corporation dominates the tech sector in Chennai and both Parthiban and Karumbasalam once worked there. Naturally, a large part of the tech skills pool in Chennai has passed through the doors of Zoho; many of the employees of SuperOps previously worked there. Fortunately, having worked in both the technical and marketing teams for ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus at Zoho, the founders of SuperOps had a number of skilled technical and sales specialists in their contacts lists and they recruited them.

Both worked at Freshworks immediately before starting up SuperOps and that was because that company took over Parthiban’s startup, Zarget. Many of the key personnel at SuperOps have the same career path: Zoho – Zarget – Freshworks. Parthiban seems to have taken a lot of his previous employees with him when he left Freshworks.

Locations

SuperOps has its headquarters in Chennai, India – 1.5 miles away from the Freshworks offices where many of the company’s staff used to work. The company has a postbox address in Claymont, Delaware for US sales purposes.

Target Market and Customer Base

SuperOps primarily targets managed service providers (MSPs), offering them a comprehensive platform that integrates remote monitoring and management (RMM) and professional services automation (PSA). The platform is designed to address the pain points of IT service providers who manage multiple clients’ IT infrastructures, focusing on efficiency, automation, and user experience.

Target Market

1. Small to Medium-Sized MSPs: SuperOps is ideal for small and medium-sized MSPs looking for a modern, scalable, and affordable solution. These MSPs often struggle with using outdated tools and need a unified platform to streamline their operations.
2. Growing MSPs: As MSPs grow, they require platforms that can handle increased workloads, manage multiple clients, and automate tasks to scale effectively.
3. IT Service Providers: Companies providing outsourced IT support, consulting services, and network management also form part of the target market. These companies benefit from SuperOps’ ability to centralize IT operations, monitor remote assets, and manage client relationships effectively.

Geographical Focus

• North America and Europe: SuperOps has a strong focus on expanding in these regions, where the MSP market is mature and continually growing. The platform is also expanding its customer base in other global markets as demand for cloud-based IT management tools increases.

Customer Base

1. Small to Mid-Sized MSPs: A majority of SuperOps’ customers fall into this category. These businesses are looking for a fresh alternative to traditional, complex, and legacy RMM/PSA software.
2. Early Adopters: SuperOps has gained a lot of interest from early adopters who value modern, AI-driven, and automation-focused IT management platforms.
3. Cloud-First MSPs: The platform’s cloud-native nature appeals to MSPs that have a cloud-first approach and want to leverage SaaS-based tools to manage IT operations.

SuperOps Product Suite

The SuperOps product suite offers a comprehensive set of tools designed to streamline the operations of MSPs. The platform’s focus is on automation, simplicity, and cloud-native functionality, helping MSPs manage their IT operations more efficiently.

1. Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM)

• Device Monitoring: Real-time monitoring of client devices (servers, workstations, and endpoints) to track system health, performance, and availability.
• Patch Management: Automates the deployment of software updates and patches, ensuring that client systems are up-to-date and secure.
• Alerts and Notifications: Automated alerts are triggered based on predefined thresholds for system performance, enabling proactive issue resolution.
• Automation Scripts: Allows the creation and deployment of custom automation scripts to handle routine tasks, minimizing manual intervention.
• Remote Access and Support: Enables MSPs to remotely access and troubleshoot client devices without interrupting workflows, ensuring quick issue resolution.

2. Professional Services Automation (PSA)

• Ticketing System: A central hub for managing service tickets, incidents, and requests. It integrates with RMM, enabling seamless tracking and resolution of IT issues.
• Service Desk Automation: Automates ticket routing, prioritization, and escalation, improving response times and customer satisfaction.
• Client Management: Centralized client data, including contact details, service history, and contracts, allowing MSPs to manage relationships effectively.
• Contracts and SLAs: Helps MSPs manage service level agreements (SLAs), track time, and ensure compliance with client contracts.
• Billing and Invoicing: Automates the billing process based on the work done, tracked time, and contract terms, simplifying financial management.

3. Automation Engine

• Workflow Automation: MSPs can create automated workflows to streamline repetitive tasks, such as software updates, backups, and system checks.
• Task Automation: Automates common MSP tasks, reducing manual work and allowing technicians to focus on higher-value activities.
• AI-Driven Insights: Predictive analysis and recommendations are provided to improve service delivery, detect potential issues, and optimize workflows.

4. Asset and Inventory Management

• IT Asset Management: Allows MSPs to track and manage client hardware and software assets, ensuring accurate inventory data.
• License Management: Helps MSPs track software licenses, renewals, and usage to ensure compliance and optimize costs.
• Automated Asset Discovery: Automatically scans and updates the system with new assets connected to the network, reducing manual asset tracking.

5. Reporting and Analytics

• Customizable Reports: Provides in-depth reports on system performance, service delivery, ticket resolution, and more, helping MSPs demonstrate value to clients.
• Client-Facing Dashboards: Offers real-time dashboards and reports that MSPs can share with clients, improving transparency and trust.
• Data-Driven Insights: Analytical tools help MSPs make informed decisions based on performance data, system health, and workflow efficiency.

6. Security and Compliance

• Endpoint Protection: Integrated security tools to help MSPs manage endpoint security, including antivirus and malware protection.
• Backup Management: Automates and manages backups for client systems, ensuring data recovery in case of incidents.
• Compliance Tools: Features to help MSPs manage compliance with regulatory requirements, including data security and system audits.

7. Integrations

• Third-Party Integrations: SuperOps integrates with a wide range of third-party tools, including antivirus, backup solutions, and cloud services, allowing MSPs to manage diverse IT environments from a single platform.
• API Access: Offers API access for custom integrations, enabling MSPs to connect SuperOps with other business-critical applications.

Flagship Product: SuperOps Service Desk

SuperOps Service Desk is the company’s flagship product, providing a modern, cloud-based ticketing system as part of its PSA solution designed specifically for MSPs. It is a central hub for managing service tickets, client requests, incidents, and workflows, with built-in automation to streamline operations and improve efficiency.

Key Features:

• Automated Ticket Routing: Tickets are automatically assigned to the right technicians based on predefined rules and priorities and using AI-driven insights, reducing manual intervention and speeding up response times.
• SLAs and Escalation: MSPs can set up Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with automatic escalations if deadlines or performance thresholds are missed, ensuring timely issue resolution.
• Custom Ticket Forms: Allows customization of ticket forms to gather relevant data for specific types of incidents or client requests.
• Automated Workflows: Automates common workflows such as ticket creation, client notifications, and ticket resolution processes with automatically generated recurring tickets for regular tasks.
• Client Portal: A self-service portal where clients can raise tickets, track their status, and communicate with the MSP, providing transparency and improving customer satisfaction.
• Monitoring Alerts Integration: Automatically converts monitoring alerts from the RMM module into service tickets, ensuring proactive resolution of potential issues before they escalate.

The service links tickets to specific client assets, such as servers or workstations, allowing technicians to view relevant system information and history. Technicians can collaborate on tickets by sharing notes, task assignments, and progress updates within the platform, improving team efficiency. The system also generates detailed reports that MSPs can share with clients, demonstrating service performance, SLA compliance, and value provided.

SuperOps hit the ground running due to the wealth of experience that its founders gained while working on ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus. However, it is still a relatively new service and it will take time to build up all the detailed ticket management options that its seasoned competitors have already developed.

Other Notable Products

A platform that includes both PSA and RMM functions has many units to consider, so choosing two additional features to highlight is a tough pick.

1. Asset Management

Asset Management is a core feature of the RMM package on the SuperOps platform. It offers comprehensive capabilities to manage client hardware and software inventory, ensuring that all assets are accounted for and properly maintained. The system provides automated asset discovery, which continuously scans and updates the inventory with new and changed assets, reducing manual data entry and minimizing errors. The inventory ensures effective lifecycle management and compliance. Each network scan also tracks asset health.

While the platform covers essential asset management functionalities, such as tracking, monitoring, and reporting, some users might find limitations in advanced customization options and the ability to handle highly specialized or diverse asset needs. Additionally, larger MSPs with extensive asset portfolios might need more sophisticated features or integrations to fully meet their requirements. Overall, SuperOps Asset Management provides solid performance for small to mid-sized MSPs.

2. Patch Management

SuperOps Patch Management is a powerful feature designed to automate and streamline the process of keeping client systems up-to-date and secure. Patching is the most basic security procedure that every organization should implement, and automated patching relieves an MSP of the risk of missing an update. Patch runs can be scheduled to launch out of office hours without the need for any technician to be in attendance. This removes the problem of an endpoint being in use when the patching process starts.

SuperOps Patch Management has limitations. While it covers essential patches for commonly used software and systems, which might not be comprehensive enough for some businesses. The platform’s customization options for patch deployment policies and reporting are not as extensive as those offered by some competitors. As a result, larger MSPs or those with diverse IT environments might need more flexibility and advanced features to fully meet their patch management needs.

Major competitors

SuperOps.ai operates in the competitive market of IT management and services software, particularly focusing on Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) and Professional Services Automation (PSA). Its major competitors include:

1. ConnectWise

ConnectWise offers a comprehensive suite of RMM and PSA tools through its ConnectWise Manage (PSA) and ConnectWise Automate (RMM) products. The platform provides extensive features for ticketing, client management, and automation, with a strong emphasis on integration and scalability.

• Strengths: Robust feature set, extensive integrations, and a long-standing presence in the MSP market.
• Considerations: Can be complex and may involve a steeper learning curve.

2. Datto

Datto provides a range of IT solutions including RMM, backup and disaster recovery, and business continuity solutions. Their Datto RMM and Autotask PSA products are designed to support MSPs with automation, monitoring, and service management.

• Strengths: Strong backup and disaster recovery features, seamless integration with other Datto products.
• Considerations: Higher cost compared to some competitors, which may be a consideration for smaller MSPs.

3. Kaseya

Kaseya offers the VSA (Virtual System Administrator) platform for RMM and the BMS (Business Management Solution) for PSA. The platform provides a wide range of tools for IT management, including automation, monitoring, and service delivery.

• Strengths: Comprehensive feature set, strong automation capabilities, and scalability.
• Considerations: The platform can be complex, and some users may find the user interface less intuitive.

4. SolarWinds

SolarWinds provides RMM and PSA solutions through its SolarWinds RMM and SolarWinds Service Desk products. Known for its wide range of IT management tools, SolarWinds offers robust monitoring, ticketing, and reporting capabilities.

• Strengths: Comprehensive monitoring and management features, broad toolset.
• Considerations: The platform’s pricing model and complexity might be challenging for smaller MSPs.

5. NinjaOne

NinjaOne offers a modern RMM platform that focuses on simplicity and ease of use. Its features include remote monitoring, management, and automation, designed to cater to MSPs looking for a streamlined solution.

• Strengths: User-friendly interface, ease of deployment, and straightforward pricing.
• Considerations: May lack some advanced features and integrations offered by more established competitors.

6. ManageEngine

ManageEngine, a division of Zoho Corporation, provides IT management solutions including RMM and PSA through products like ServiceDesk Plus. The platform offers a broad range of features tailored for IT service management. As the founders and many of the development team at SuperOps previously worked on ServiceDesk Plus, this established provider is probably the biggest threat to the success of SuperOps.

• Strengths: A well-established provider with an extensive menu of system monitoring and management tools, including packages for MSPs.
• Considerations: Can be overwhelming due to the breadth of features, and some users may find the interface less modern.

7. Freshdesk (Freshservice)

Freshservice, part of the Freshworks suite, offers IT service management (ITSM) with a focus on ease of use and cloud-based deployment. It integrates with Freshdesk’s customer support platform and includes ITIL-aligned features. Although many of the staff of SuperOps came from Freshdesk, they had been working on a Web marketing analyzer rather than the main Freshdesk system, so the team probably didn’t model this rival.

• Strengths: Intuitive user interface, strong integration with other Freshworks products.
• Considerations: Primarily focused on ITSM, so it may lack some advanced RMM features.

Market Analysis

These competitors vary in their focus and strengths, from comprehensive and feature-rich platforms to more streamlined and user-friendly options. MSPs looking to choose between these platforms should consider their specific needs, including the required feature set, scalability, and integration capabilities.

Conclusion

SuperOps.ai’s product suite offers a modern, integrated solution for MSPs, combining essential RMM and PSA functionalities with automation, security, and analytics. This comprehensive toolkit helps MSPs efficiently manage their clients’ IT environments, reduce downtime, and deliver proactive services, all while maintaining strong client relationships.

While carrying the excitement of newness, SuperOps is up against well-established competitors and it needs to do a lot more work to match the libraries of functions that those rivals have built up over years of development. The company’s management is aware of this shortcoming and aims to make up for this functional shortfall by deploying innovation.

Look out for these developments in the near future:

• The company plans to deepen its offerings in AI, adding a way to field user queries without tying up expensive technicians.
• The team is adding more automation features to reduce human error and maximize technician efficiency.
• SuperOps will establish more integrations with third-party tools – this is probably the biggest weak point of the current SuperOps platform.

With a solid foundation and leadership team, SuperOps is emerging as a modern alternative to traditional MSP software, offering an agile, automated, and streamlined approach to IT management. The team has only just got started, and the platform will evolve over the next few years.