MSPs – What you need to know and why | Keltic Fish L.L.C

Unless you’ve been in a tech hibernation, you’ve probably heard about the term IT, and maybe even heard about MSPs. These are terms that are pretty common in our new tech age, and if you are anything like me, you’ve been hearing these terms for a while but still have no idea what it is all about. Why don’t you join me as we try to understand these terms better and why it is important for you to know? 

According to Executech, IT services play a vital role in the daily routine of a modern company. Regardless of what they are, everything regarding IT is critical for a company’s success relying on tech in some way. Often, this IT encompasses a variety of subjects and fields. At times it’s handled in-house, other times a third-party service provider offers external services to help facilitate smooth IT operations. 

But what kind of IT services are there? This is a big question with a bigger answer. There are all sorts of IT services suiting a variety of needs, different for each enterprise. Why don’t you join me as we explore one of the most common IT services; MSP, Managed Services Providers? But if you are completely new to IT services let’s first make sure we all know what IT is all about, before we explore what Managed Services Providers entail.  

What are IT Services all about?

The noun ‘IT’, Informational Technology, according to Oxford means; ‘the study or use of systems (especially computers and telecommunications) for storing, retrieving, and sending information. We can explain Information Technology simply as; IT is all about building communications networks for a company, safeguarding data and information, creating and administering databases, helping employees troubleshoot problems with their computers or mobile devices, or doing a range of other work to ensure the efficiency and security of business information. If you are new to the IT world and you are still not sure what it means, more simply put, IT is basically anything to do with your business information, communication, and computers. It is the sector in your business that deals with computing, this includes your hardware and software, telecommunications, and generally anything involved in the transmission of information or the systems that facilitate communication.

Now that you have a general idea about IT services and their role in the industry, let’s have a more detailed look at one of the most common service types, Managed Service Provider. 

Managed IT Service and Managed  Service Providers for dummies:

If you are anything like me and you are new to the IT world and Managed IT services is a completely new term to your IT vocabulary, then let’s break it down as simply as possible. Managed IT can be described as; a wide, all-encompassing type of service, managed IT is usually a part of an MSP (managed service provider) that deals with single or multiple IT service needs. Most commonly, managed IT services handle remote server, desktop, and device management. Other common uses involve remote cybersecurity. If this is what managed IT service is all about then let’s have a closer look at Managed Services Providers. 

TechTarget describes Managed Service Providers as third-party company that remotely manages a customer’s information technology (IT) infrastructure and end-user systems. 

The question any business owner asks is, why do I need to spend money on this service? 

Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), nonprofits, and government agencies hire MSPs to perform a defined set of day-to-day management services. These services may include network and infrastructure management, security, and monitoring.

MPSs often handle management services on a daily basis so customer organizations can focus on improving their services without worrying about extended system downtimes or service interruptions, this makes life easier at the office and makes sure there is no unnecessary interruption that could have been prevented. 

How do MSPs work?

When a managed service provider is requested to meet the business objectives of an organization, it is often expected to fill in some gap or role in an IT system or staff. Communication between the MSP and the organization typically begins with an assessment that determines the organization’s current environment. This assessment may point out potential room for improvement and how to properly support business goals. There is not one specific setup for every organization, so an MSP may provide many different service options. 

What are MSPs used for?

If we can answer this question we can also come to the conclusion if it is something that your business could benefit from and if it is worth investing in. Hiring a managed service provider can help an organization improve its operations. Many smaller companies have limited in-house IT capabilities, so they may view an MSP’s service offering as a way to obtain IT expertise. But larger enterprises may also contract with MSPs.  

MSPs typically do the following:

• Handle the management of IT infrastructure;
• Offer technical support to staff;
• Add cybersecurity software to IT;
• Manage user access accounts;
• Handle contract management;
• Offer compliance and risk management; and
• Provide payroll services.

Managed service examples

Let’s have a look at different examples of what is included in Managed Services Provider. While some MSPs may specialize in specific segments of IT, such as data storage, others focus on specific vertical markets, such as legal, financial services, healthcare, or manufacturing. Managed security service providers, for instance, offer specialized types of services, such as remote firewall administration and other security-as-a-service offerings. Managed print service providers to maintain printers and supply consumables. Often, MSPs perform their tasks remotely over the internet. In more detail, examples of services, Managed Service Providers offer include: 

• Monitoring. These MSPs offer real-time monitoring software for different applications, network devices, servers, or websites.
• Remote support. These MSPs offer cloud-based software, support remote devices, and remotely troubleshoot technical issues.
• Proactive support. These MSPs perform preventative maintenance to stay ahead of any device or network issues that could arise.
• Centralized management. These MSPs provide a management console for complex networks, remote monitoring, patch management, and security software.
• Scheduled maintenance. These MSPs offer organizations regularly scheduled network maintenance.
• Simplified billing. These MSPs handle invoicing, payments, and budgeting via a billing

If we look at what Managed IT Service is all about then we cannot ignore the fact that in today’s fast-developing technology age, it is definitely something that any business, no matter the size or age,  can benefit from. The beauty of MSP is that you don’t have to know all the ins and out’s about IT because they do it for you. I would suggest that you call for a customized Managed Service quotation today and see how an MSP can service your business’s unique needs.