A detailed comparison of two major Australian Managed Service Providers.
Feature
Rackspace Technology
Somerville Group
Overall Score
3.0
3.4
Type
US Cloud MSP
Education & Enterprise
Employees
14000
200-400
Founded
1999
1983
Headquarters
San Antonio, Texas, USA
Melbourne, VIC
Revenue
$3.0B
Private
Salary Range
$50,000 - $140,000
$70,000 - $145,000
Specialties
Managed Cloud, AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Kubernetes, DevOps
Education IT, Managed Services, Cloud, Apple Solutions
Certifications
AWS Premier Partner, Microsoft Partner, Google Cloud Partner, ISO 27001
Microsoft Partner, Apple Partner, Cisco 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 Stable employment Government focus
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
Work-life balance Stable Government work
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 Education & Enterprise 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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