Technology makes modern-day business possible, by increasing efficiency and generating useful insights through data. Networks, operations, and data of every organization are valuable assets, and required for sustained performance. Managed IT service providers offer expert support and solutions across all domains of the organization. Investing in outstanding MSP services for the structure, foundation, and performance of organizations has become mandatory.
What is a Managed Service Provider (MSP)?
A managed service provider (MSP) delivers services like network management, applications, infrastructure, and security to enterprises. MSPs typically forge long-term partnerships with organizations over annual or multi-year periods, for offering continuous services. This strategic partnership improves the operational and productive efficiency of businesses. MSPs deliver experts and professionals to manage complex and technical business processes with advanced technology and resources.
Why do Enterprises need MSPs?
Organizations are facing immense pressure to meet the performance, productivity, security, and operational goals of businesses. Businesses often fail to recruit talented resources, and thus, are unable to manage IT-related challenges.
This is exactly where MSPs come into the picture. MSPs can bring in talented resources and tools that can reduce expenses, and produce the outcomes that organizations look forward to. For many businesses, IT performs as an engine, but MSPs work as a catalyst to enhance the performance of IT Infrastructures. With the proliferation of cloud and virtualization, leveraging managed services can provide mature growth and enhance Digital Transformation.
What are the Types of MSPs?
The type of MSPs can differ, depending on the criteria chosen to categorize them. They can either be identified through the services they provide, or the scope of the target customers and responsibilities.
In terms of scope and responsibility, MSPs can be categorized in the following ways:-
Pure Play MSPs
These tend to be smaller providers that focus on monitoring networks and application performances. They offer their own native services that focus on reporting and alerting.
Staffing Legacy MSPs
These MSPs target mid-level organizations and Fortune 500 companies, with a wider range of services. These services include monitoring, reporting, and software installation with upgrades.
High-level MSPs
These consist of small and large providers that enable their clients to outsource as much of their IT processes and operations as possible. Typically, these types of MSPs offer multiple services bundled together.
Types of MSPs based on Offered Services
Managed service providers (MSPs) offer numerous different IT services to help keep businesses on top of their goals and run seamlessly. Following are the examples of several types of MSPs in terms of offered services:-
Security Management
One of the most essential services MSPs can provide is security management. MSPs can ensure an organization’s system is secure and protected by implementing threat prevention services, anti-malware, layered security, etc. This helps organizations to be able to focus on core tasks and have strategic security mechanisms in place to protect their critical resources and data centers.
Managed IT Support Services
Managed services providers usually offer round-the-clock IT support. This is an integral part of any provider’s service offerings, as customers need to be able to contact support teams to fix problems. Offering 24/7 support, guidelines for guaranteed response times, and self-help tools cater to enhancing the overall customer experience.
Networking and Infrastructure
MSPs can help enterprises set up the networks and infrastructures of their systems. This includes services such as on-site hardware, cloud services, storage and backup systems, remote desktops, and network systems. This lays a strong foundation for any organization’s growth and stability, mainly through efficient teams and the specialized tools that MSPs provide.
Communications
Managed services sometimes include communications and collaboration systems that are based on unified structures. Services such as Omni-channel communication systems and collaboration tools are essential to keep employee experiences and business outcomes successful. MSPs provide dedicated applications and tools that can cater to digitalizing companies and seamlessly integrate digital workplace environments.
Data Analytics
One of the key assets of every organization is its data. Maintaining and managing this data is an essential part of the organization’s performance, and its ability to draw actionable business insights. MSPs offer data analysis and management tools that can help businesses accomplish their targets and goals. MSPs help make information more accessible and maintain robust access controls for endpoint devices. This enables organizations to plan and protect their digital assets strategically.
Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)
Organizations become a lot more productive when they utilize software as a service (SaaS). MSPs offer SaaS programs that can maintain and manage software remotely for the deploying organizations. MSPs can design a program that is customized to the enterprise’s needs, or they can integrate a third-party program that is already deployed within the organization. The major advantage of SaaS is that it is a refined tool that can optimize performance and save time for organizations.
What are the Benefits of MSPs?
Investing in MSPs can cater to business growth and efficiency, the following list explores the benefits that come with MSPs.
- MSPs help organizations overcome the shortages of skilled professionals. If an organization lacks such human capital, it can outsource some of its tasks, processes, or workloads to MSPs.
- Provide Expertise:- Engaging a reputable MSP provides an organization with access to professional insights and expert resources.
- Business continuity (BC):- A detailed Service Level Agreement (SLA) clearly determines the MSP’s obligation toward businesses. This helps to deploy enterprises better prepare for Disaster Recovery (DR).
- Constant network monitoring:- Many MSPs provide 24/7 monitoring services using network tools that offer in-depth system visibility and cloud management.
- Improve security:- MSPs offer strong security mechanisms and protection awareness methods for organizations, enabling them to minimize the chances of cyber attacks.
- Improve cost-efficiency:- MSPs help organizations manage costs, and reduce their operating expenses, while also improving the organization’s performance and customer experience (CX).
ATSG – A Class Leading Managed IT Services Provider
As organizations embark on investing in advanced technology, consider leveraging the expertise of ATSG as a managed IT services provider. At ATSG, we provide exclusive and customized services that feature tools and applications that help achieve organizational success.
CRN’s 2023 MSP 500 list positions ATSG among the Elite 150 enterprises. ATSG is considered a leading tech-enabled MSP solutions company across the globe. The Company focuses on innovative and secure Managed Services, to enhance today’s digital enterprise and the overall employee experience.
Conclusively, what truly drives the enterprise towards successful digitalization is advancing in managed services. Managed services, like cloud infrastructures, mobility services, data banks, etc. can really accelerate business growth.
MSPs and intelligent technology solutions providers, like ATSG, offer highly versatile solutions that cater to business requirements and provide the tools that would advance managed services. MSPs are the gateway to achieving the digital transformation and business success organizations tend to envision.
