If you’ve ever been asked to consider an MSP as part of your IT development plan, you might be asking yourself what exactly an MSP is and how it can benefit your organization.
Simply put, an MSP is a “Managed Service Provider” that provides server monitoring and IT maintenance services for a business. This solution is typically deployed in lieu of having a large in-house IT department and for organizations looking for more robust technological solutions for their company.
There are many benefits to using an MSP while supplementing an in-house IT solution or replacing it altogether. Here are four areas that a managed service provider can help support the growing needs of your company.
Using a Proactive vs. Reactive IT Approach
Typically, organizations that do not use an MSP follow a break/fix model for their IT needs. What this means is that the organization will usually wait until a problem develops in their systems or applications before utilizing in-house resources to fix the issue. This methodology can usually lead to unexpected server downtime, security breaches, or all-out system failures.
MSPs use a much more proactive approach to IT planning and development by thoroughly examining the needs of an organization from the very beginning and deploying a slew of tools and services to manage the business effectively. This process allows the company to scale their business processes more thoroughly and ensures higher security protocols are being applied, leading to less likelihood of data compromisation and catastrophic system events.
Better Overall Costs
When managing the costs of your company’s infrastructure, maintaining an in-house IT solution can take up a large part of the budget. This is especially true when you consider the resources necessary to implement new software and hardware solutions while employing qualified staff members. When using an MSP, you typically pay one monthly service fee to manage the IT needs of your company. This allows you to scale your business and only utilize the tools and services you need at any given time.
However, the cost-saving benefits don’t end here. An MSP manages your company’s IT needs 24/7 365 days a year, significantly reducing downtime and service interruptions that are usually experienced when using a break/fix model. This allows your company to increase productivity and overall output.
Dedicated Support That Never Sleeps
Outages and cyber attacks can happen at any time of day. That’s why it’s important that you have security measures in place to counter any potential system issues. With a dedicated support team that monitors systems 24 hours a day, managed service providers give companies the peace of mind they need to operate at full efficiency.
MSPs have the industry experience necessary to deploy the latest cutting-edge cybersecurity measures while always keeping corporate data safe and uncorrupted. This ability enables organizations to focus on other core parts of their business while having a hands-off approach to their IT monitoring and maintenance requirements.
Effective Risk Management and Disaster Recovery Planning
Regardless of the amount of planning an organization has, as companies scale their business processes and outgrow their current systems, there is always a chance that data can become compromised at one point or another. Managed service providers can help your company by completing regular risk management assessments, ensuring as your company grows it has all the necessary tools, storage, and security solutions it needs to scale efficiently.
In the case of catastrophic events or large system outages, MSPs can assist your company with the preparation and execution of a disaster recovery plan, recovering any lost data and getting your systems back up and running with minimal downtime.
When considering the best approach to handling your company’s IT requirements, managed service providers are typically the best option. But if you’d like more guidance selecting a quality IT solution, take a look at this checklist.
