A detailed comparison of two major Australian Managed Service Providers.
Feature
Rackspace Technology
blueAPACHE
Overall Score
3.0
3.8
Type
US Cloud MSP
Network & Cloud Specialist
Employees
14000
150-250
Founded
1999
2003
Headquarters
San Antonio, Texas, USA
Sydney, NSW
Revenue
$3.0B
Private
Salary Range
$50,000 - $140,000
$75,000 - $155,000
Specialties
Managed Cloud, AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Kubernetes, DevOps
Networking, Cloud, Managed Services, Data Centre
Certifications
AWS Premier Partner, Microsoft Partner, Google Cloud Partner, ISO 27001
Cisco Partner, AWS Partner, Microsoft Partner, VMware Partner
Green Flags
Pioneer of 'Fanatical Support' β differentiated managed cloud support model Strong multi-cloud expertise across AWS, Azure, GCP Good for early-career cloud engineers seeking certification support Private equity backing provides capital for growth
Good work-life balance Strong technology focus Stable employment
Red Flags
Financial distress β loss of founder leadership, multiple restructurings Below-market compensation across most roles PE ownership creates margin pressure and cost-cutting mentality Massive layoff cycles (2022: 10%, 2023: 15%, 2024: ongoing) Awful Glassdoor rating (3.0) β among worst of major MSPs Business model disruption from hyperscalers going direct to customers
Below-market salaries Can be bureaucratic Limited career progression
Worker Pros
Strong multi-cloud managed services expertise Fanatical Support training instills good customer service habits Cloud certification support and exam coverage Good for early-career cloud engineers building a resume
Technology focus Work-life balance Stable
Worker Cons
Financial instability β multiple layoff rounds and loss of founder CEO Below-market salaries across all roles PE ownership drives constant cost-cutting and margin pressure Hyperscalers (AWS, Azure) going direct β squeezing Rackspace's business model
Both US Cloud MSP and Network & Cloud Specialist have strengths and weaknesses. Your choice depends on your priorities β whether that's career growth, salary, work-life balance, or technical exposure.
Use the side-by-side comparison tool for a deeper look, or check out individual profiles for detailed employee reviews.
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