What exactly is an IT managed service? Is it different from traditional IT outsourcing? What are the advantages of using a managed services provider (MSP)?

An MSP is an organization that provides technology management services to its clients. Most organizations hire multiple vendors to administer the day-to-day provisioning, monitoring and maintenance of their systems.

Hiring a Managed IT Provider can save you time, stress and money.

MSPs offer multiple different services, including…

• Managed Cybersecurity
• IT Support/Consulting
• Backup/disaster recovery
• Cloud storage
• Compliance Services
• Penetration Testing/Risk Analysis
• Hardware and Software Acquisition
• Microsoft Office 365 Migration
• VoIP
• And more!

MSPs give you the opportunity to focus on your business, not on keeping your technology running. They take care of things like network security, backups and server storage so that you don’t have to think about them again.

While a managed service provider can be a valuable addition to any organization, it is important for small business owners to know what is in their managed service package.

Managed Cybersecurity

Almost daily we hear about a company that has suffered the consequences of a breach in data security. Our data is now more valuable to hackers than ever before.

A managed service provider can offer you solutions to keep your business and its data safe from the dangers of cybercrime, such as:

24×7 Monitoring – MSPs will monitor your network constantly to make sure threats are detected as quickly as possible.

Cybersecurity Tools – A good MSP will have the tools necessary to monitor and block cyberattacks, including firewalls, antivirus software, spam filters and data loss prevention software.

Penetration Testing – Penetration testing involves an independent party scanning for vulnerabilities in your network, host systems and applications. This ensures the security of your infrastructure.

Backup/Disaster Recovery

In any disaster, from a fire or flood to a ransomware attack, having a reliable backup system is essential for keeping operations going. A MSP can provide you with a range of backup solutions including:

Onsite Backup – Your MSP will provide your organization with an onsite backup solution so you don’t have to worry.

Offsite Backup – A good MSP will schedule offsite, cloud-based backups of client servers, virtual machines and workstations that are encrypted in order to secure sensitive data.

Disaster Recovery Plan – The MSP will develop and test a step-by-step plan for restoring your business in the event of a disaster.

IT Support/Consulting

With so many tasks competing for your attention, it can be difficult to make sure all aspects of your business are running efficiently. An MSP will provide you with IT support including:

Network Management – The MSP will continually monitor your network and alert you to any problems.

Server Maintenance – MSPs can provide proactive and reactive server maintenance services to keep your infrastructure running smoothly.

System Administration – This includes managing the day-to-day support of desktops, laptops, networks and servers as well as related software issues.

Cloud Storage

Almost every organization is looking for ways to reduce storage costs and increase efficiency. Cloud storage offers both by eliminating the overhead associated with housing, collecting and maintaining data.

Offsite Cloud Storage – MSPs can provide cloud-based storage for backup data and disaster recovery purposes under the same managed services contract as other administrative functions.

Compliance Services

There are a multitude of compliance regulations that businesses must adhere to in order to operate. In addition, organizations should prepare themselves for new regulatory changes occurring every year.

An MSP will ensure you are compliant with regulations like PCI-DSS, HIPAA and more. They can also help your organization prepare for upcoming changes to keep your business running smoothly.

Data Management

Complex data storage systems have become an ever-increasing challenge for businesses, especially when it comes to managing multiple locations and devices. Data management services provided by an MSP can include:

Managed Services – The MSP will provide data backup and recovery as well as retrieval for archived data.

Managed Copies – For enterprises that have multiple locations or require offsite backups, the MSP can manage backups to create copies of your data and store them offsite.

Endpoint Management – An MSP can allow you to concentrate on running your business while it manages critical tasks, such as OS updates, virus definitions and software rollouts across the network.