Managed IT Service Providers Operations

 Leaning on a Managed IT Services (MSP) for a subset of IT services can be a blessing. Instead of tackling a specific domain, such as email hosting or customer relationship management, having an MSP as part of your IT mix can free up internal IT staff for more strategic projects.

But establishing a strong strategic partnership with your MSP is essential. Here we take a look at the current state of managed IT services, where companies are using the MSP model, and how to get the most out of their partnership with MSP.

The growth of managed services is constant

Managed services are the second most popular business model on the channel today, according to the CompTIA IT Industry Trade Association's fifth annual managed services trend study. Three out of 10 MSPs surveyed by CompTIA ranked managed services as the top revenue generator in the previous 12 months, second to 44% for IT solutions (such as projects that incorporate hardware, software and services), but ahead of other options in the business model. as a Value Added Reseller (VAR), IT support and consulting and desktop services.

How Managed Service Providers Improve Operations

Continuously putting off new projects and addressing a backlog of user requests are clear signs that it is time to look to Managed IT Services, especially for a provider that offers significant value.

Before choosing a partner, organizations should clearly define their requirements and the improvements they hope to see. For example, they may want to introduce after-hours coverage for network technology or a mobile monitoring platform used by competitors.

When meeting potential suppliers, operations teams should ask themselves how they will achieve these goals. Beware of vendors who only talk about their own characteristics - the toolsets they use, their processes, the quality of their engineering resources - rather than focusing on the organization's goal.

Another factor to consider is the breadth of the provider's experience. Many service providers focus on niche areas, but with the pace of change in technology, it's important to work with a partner who can meet an organization's needs now and in the future.

How to Determine if the Managed IT Services are Right for Your Business

 Technology plays a central role in companies and is therefore a key component in almost all companies. Keeping track of your company's computer game can be a real challenge as the technology environment changes. Many companies often spend too much on IT without understanding what technology costs are significant, luxurious, or unnecessary.

 

This is especially true for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), since large companies work with larger budgets and have the ability to maintain internal IT roles. But it is SMEs that may really have a hard time staying afloat in relation to the crisis. It always pays to cut costs and maximize efficiency for all businesses whenever possible. Outsourcing in the IT department can lead to an advantageous scenario that saves time and money, not to mention improving team productivity.

 

Defining managed IT services

 

Managed IT services consist of outsourcing the coordination of everything to do with IT, from office equipment maintenance and network security requirements to cloud storage and processing services. Examples of this are outsourced help desks, outsourced CIOs, disaster recovery, and backup planning. If you're not a tech savvy, forgetting to make sure all of your antivirus software is up to date can lead to an attack that can disrupt your company's services and seriously damage your internal security systems. - as well as the reputation of your company. There is no one-size-fits-all solution for IT, as each company's requirements can vary considerably.

 

The economic impact of traditional internal function has been estimated to represent up to 70% of a company's IT budget just to make critical systems work. Given the growing importance IT continues to play in every business transaction, this is certainly not a viable formula, especially when experience is priced higher. In addition to the economics of these remotely managed services, you can take advantage of the more advanced skills your team may lack.

 

Where do I start with managed IT services?

 

Some companies may recognize that they need to download parts of their IT infrastructure, but they are not yet ready to get a complete plan from a third party. In this case, some a la carte services are a good place to start.

A common strategy is to outsource your company's cloud infrastructure management. This way, you have more time to work on new functions that offer your customers better value. Outsourcing an MSP to manage a single function that is routine but necessary, such as: B. Specific software maintenance or virus protection can also be the most cost-effective first step. In this way, less time is required to be informed about the technical details of managing these standard responsibilities.

IT Managed Service Provider

 Today, many companies work with IT-managed service providers. 60 percent of companies use managed IT services, and this number is expected to continue to grow. And that is due to the many benefits of the services offered by these professionals. Here is a list of the benefits you should consider.

 

Control IT costs

 

Paying internal IT staff is an expensive task. With Managed IT Services, you get fixed IT costs at variable costs, allowing you to budget efficiently. Companies only pay for what they use and can use it when they need it. Outsourcing IT tasks only saves companies money.

 

Reduces labor costs

 

Not only does it cost money to have internal IT staff, it also costs money to hire and train them. And temporary workers don't always meet expectations. Outsourcing enables companies to focus on the human resources that are most needed in other areas.

 

Certified, trained, qualified and experienced

 

How can you be sure that the IT employee is truly qualified for the position? With an IT managed service provider, you get a certified, trained, qualified and experienced specialist. If you want to train an IT employee, keep in mind that certifications like Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) are very expensive.

 

Qualified does not mean experience

 

Regardless of how much you train an IT professional, this training is isolated and the employee may not have the proper experience. A managed IT service provider sends an experienced IT expert. When you see a doctor, you want an experienced one, right? The same applies to IT.

 

Increase efficiency and competitiveness.

 

When companies try to do all the IT themselves, it is inefficient and costly in the long run. Much more time was spent on implementation, research and development. And all these costs only go to customers. Save operating costs and keep your product and service costs more affordable for customers and more competitive for your competition.

 

Deploy the latest technology quickly

 

Technology is changing as fast as lightning today. Few companies have the resources and the ability to use the latest technology and quickly implement it. Working on a project internally with the latest technology can take months to train IT staff. IT professionals at a managed provider have the skills and knowledge to quickly implement the latest technology. That saves time and money.

 

Focus on business

 

It is important for companies to take care of business every day and not be distracted by complex IT decisions or problems. Trying to fix a security breach or hardware crash means that managers no longer have to focus on their core business. Valuable time and money are also lost here.

 

Lower business risk

 

Regardless of what business it is, there is always some risk. State regulations, technologies, market conditions, and competition are changing rapidly. IT vendor outsourcing reduces and controls risk through industry-specific insight, including compliance and security issues. Correcting these types of problems can cost a lot of money, not only for fines but also for downtime. IT-managed vendors can use their expertise to help avoid risk.

 

The same competitive conditions

 

Many small businesses simply do not have the funds to match the internal IT services of large companies. IT outsourcing helps smaller companies improve the competitive environment with Mr. Big. The economies of scale and affordable cost structure of IT-managed service providers offer smaller companies that need competitive advantages.

 

Security and compliance

 

Businesses can get the security they need with bank transfers, electronic checks, credit cards, and gift certificates. Fraud is common today, and companies can lose a lot of money and reputation through fraud. IT-managed service providers are very familiar with PCI compliance standards. Businesses can minimize risk by managing confidential information along with credit card information and customer information. They also make sure that your firewall is up to date and that a DMZ has been installed. "The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, the Family Education Protection and Rights Act, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act have strict regulations for retail, health and healthcare and the financial industry. "

 

24/7/365 support

 

Today many companies work 24 hours. And their networks too. Help is always available from managed service providers, regardless of whether it is day, weekend, or holiday. Companies can always provide support. All in all, there are simply too many advantages to partnering with a managed IT service provider for companies to ignore today. New technologies offer companies great opportunities, but also present daily challenges. Professional companies managed by IT services can help your business overcome these challenges.

Challenges of Firewall Management for Strong Security

 Firewalls, sometimes referred to as network security appliances, are a critical component of any company's cybersecurity strategy. A robust set of perimeter and internal firewalls on a network can help keep malicious traffic out and reduce the disruption rate of attacks from within the network. However, to get the best results from a firewall deployment, that firewall must be managed effectively.

What are some of the biggest challenges for effective firewall management for robust security? Also, how can you overcome these challenges so that you can improve the security of your network?

Here is a short list of some of the biggest challenges and some firewall management tips / How To Choose The Right Managed IT Services:

Firewall management # 1: choose the right firewalls for your needs

You will be surprised to know that there are many types of firewall architectures to choose from. Many of these architectures are the result of the creation of earlier types of firewalls to improve the security they provide. The basic progression of firewalls in order of complexity and security looks like this:

Packet filtering firewall. These are the oldest and most basic types of firewalls. They do a cursory check of the data packet information, such as source and destination addresses, packet type, and port number, without opening the packet for further inspection.

Walkway at circuit level. These simplistic types of firewalls are intended to provide fast, low-impact verification of data packets. These firewalls check the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) handshake to verify that the session is legitimate. It's important to note that they don't verify the packet at all, so malware with a legitimate TCP handshake can easily get away with it.

Sanitary inspection firewall. These firewalls function as a combination of packet filtering and circuit-level gateway technology. They provide better protection than the previous two firewalls.

Application layer gateway. Also known as "proxy firewalls", these firewalls prevent the data packet from interacting directly with the network. Instead, these firewalls inspect the packet at the application level before interacting with the network. They include the same protections as a stateful inspection firewall, but can also add deep packet inspection to examine the contents of a data packet, potentially identifying malware code that may be missing from other firewalls.

Next-generation firewall. The most nebulous of the firewall types, as there is no real consensus on what makes one firewall truly "next-generation" than others. These firewalls may, depending on the developer, have some or all of the functionality of the other types on this list or may even incorporate other technologies such as Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS) to work automatically to stop an attack in progress. Therefore, it is important to verify the specifications of any "next generation" firewall before purchasing.

As for which of these firewalls to choose for your organization, here is the real question: "Why choose only one type of firewall?" Many organizations use different firewalls and firewall management procedures for different parts of the network to create strong network segmentation and security.

Additionally, the choice of firewall you use may also depend on the specific goals of your organization. A network security device and firewall management procedure that work for one organization may not work as well for yours. So be sure to consult with a firewall management expert before deciding on any technology.

Firewall management # 2: build strong network segmentation

Network segmentation is a key strategy for establishing a deep defense against attackers. The main benefits of using strong network segmentation are that you can:

Slow down the attackers;

Improve general data security;

Simplify the implementation of a least privilege policy (POLP); is

Reduce the damage caused by a violation.

Configuring firewall implementations to create solid network segmentation is a crucial strategy for businesses because of these benefits. The longer it takes attackers to switch between systems, the more time cybersecurity experts have to identify and contain the breach. It also means reducing the total amount of data and resources that attackers can access simultaneously, limiting damage.

A firewall management strategy for creating solid network segmentation is to use a variety of firewall types to separate the different parts of the network from each other. This makes it difficult for attackers to use the same tactics to break through each segment of the segmentation, causing further delays.

Firewall management # 3: block hostile traffic without affecting legitimate requests

While firewalls should block potentially hostile traffic, they should also avoid blocking legitimate traffic requests. Otherwise, the user's experience on the network will suffer, creating inconvenience and reducing productivity.

To counter this, it is often necessary to create custom firewall settings to allow specific types of traffic while blocking others. In this case, having a managed firewall service can help provide the experience needed to configure the firewall for maximum security and minimal interference.

Firewall Management 4: manage firewall program updates

Many firewall solutions are software-based and therefore will require regular updates of their software to close potential vulnerabilities and update their hostile traffic definitions. Keeping a firewall up to date is one of the most basic firewall management procedures businesses need to perform, but these software updates are still easily overlooked when overloaded IT departments have other priorities.

Using a managed firewall service can help ensure these critical updates are made immediately, minimizing risk.

5 BENEFITS OF MANAGED IT SERVICES

 Outsourcing your IT with managed services has many benefits. Here are our picks for the top five, although this is certainly not a complete list. 

Benefits of Managed IT Services:

# 1: OPERATING EXPENSES AND IT COST CONTROL

If your environment is ready for managed services, IT outsourcing requires only a small initial investment. Then all your IT needs are built into one predictable rolling monthly payment. This means that managed services are primarily an operational expense and much easier to predict and plan. Controlled and predictable spending for your IT? It is always a good idea.

In addition to eliminating capital expenditures, managed IT services can also reduce IT costs. For example, you can save on licenses, training, consulting, and emergency repairs. You can also frequently get reduced labor rates through a managed services contract, saving you even more.

# 2: ACCESS TO EXPERIENCED AND CERTIFIED IT PROFESSIONALS

With managed services, you are hiring a team of experts who have the training, qualifications, certifications, and experience you need. You have access to high-level IT administrators and specific skills, without the need to find and hire them yourself. It's hard to keep up with the demands for IT expertise. Your managed IT service provider can do it for you or lift some weight.

# 3 FOCUS ON YOUR BUSINESS

With managed services comes the freedom to focus on the core of your business, not the IT issues. As an owner or manager, you can focus on running your business, without the burden of daily IT maintenance. And this is equally true for IT staff, if you have your own in-house IT support. Outsourcing the ongoing management and maintenance of your technology can free up your IT staff to focus on larger, more challenging projects (like major upgrades) that might otherwise happen much more slowly.

# 4 PROACTIVE SOLUTIONS AND PEACEKEEPING

In addition to having access to experts and their expertise, you also get proactive solutions with managed services. These solutions monitor and manage your IT to detect problems before they become serious problems. Proactive monitoring combined with rapid response can help minimize IT downtime and the risk of serious and costly problems. But managed services also mean that you can keep up with the changing demands of the IT experience and can implement new technologies more quickly.

Keeping up with changes in the IT industry can seem impossible or, at best, time consuming. Who do you turn to when you need to make sure your business is in compliance with compliance laws and regulations? Your managed service provider can help you in critical areas like cybersecurity. Emerging trends and IT needs require new IT skills and knowledge, as well as rapid deployment to keep up with cyberattacks.

# 5 REDUCED RISK

Security is a huge area where managed IT services can provide benefits. Security services are also part of managed services, and many vendors are now focusing on becoming Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs). Managed security services can help fill your organization's security gaps. For example, they can help improve endpoint security and implement tools to detect threats both inside and outside the network. Managed services, with built-in cybersecurity, mean that your infrastructure is constantly monitored, managed and updated, which is critical to reducing the risk of attacks and breaches.

AND THERE IS MORE ...

Of course, there are more benefits to managed services, IT outsourcing, and remote network administration. These are just our top five: controlled costs, access to experts, focus on your business, proactive solutions, and cybersecurity. But remember also that there are advantages such as scalability that must be taken into account. In general, managed services can greatly simplify IT expansion and upgrade as needed over time.

Managed IT services will always evolve. While managed services were once primarily related to hardware monitoring and management, they now also include labor, support, and software as a service.

Benefits of Outsourcing IT Through Managed Service Providers

 Managed Services is a term that refers to the practice of outsourcing the support and management of a company's IT network to improve business operations. Companies that provide managed services are called Managed Service Providers (MSPs). MSPs take a holistic approach to IT services, resulting in a higher standard than many organizations can achieve internally. Major service providers also offer ongoing management and maintenance of the underlying infrastructure along with end-user support and service guarantees. The major importance of Managed IT Services are: 

Proactive solutions

When you decide to outsource your IT as a proactive effort, you get better performance, with almost no downtime, and with less hassle. MSPs help identify these problems to avoid deterioration and costly repairs and increased downtime.

Predictable monthly costs

All investments in IT involve peripheral costs. Organizations require adequate networking, security, and storage. They need to train staff, manage teams, and implement systems. Unexpected costs can arise. By outsourcing initiatives to MSPs, organizations will be able to break down costs into fixed monthly payments, in contrast to the huge capital expenditures involved in managing internal systems.

Reduce the risk

All corporate investments carry a specific amount of risk. Competition, government regulations, markets, technologies and financial conditions change very rapidly. Outsourcing vendors anticipate and manage much of this risk for you, with industry-specific insights, especially security and compliance issues. In general, they are believed to be much better at deciding how to prevent risks in their areas of expertise.

Level the playing field

Larger companies generally have in-house support services along with a team of full-time IT professionals. Small and medium-sized businesses cannot afford this luxury alone. One of the benefits of using managed IT services is that outsourcing allows you to gain the knowledge and skills that larger companies have. This can really help level the playing field between you and the competition.

Reduce costs

The primary benefit of a managed services model is its ability to reduce business costs. One cost that companies can't always remember is that MSPs help reduce the occurrence of costly network disasters.

Compliance and security

When you outsource to an MSP that is very familiar with PCI compliance standards, you effectively reduce the risk of customer data, credit card numbers, or other sensitive information. MSPs use security strategies to keep the firewall up to date.

Management of provisions

MSPs deal with hardware and software vendors, so there's no need to go through complicated technical conversations.

Stay focused on your core business

Companies are known for having limited resources and limiting the time and attention of each individual manager. Outsourcing can help your company stay focused on core business and not be bothered by complicated IT decisions. Your business will need to operate at maximum efficiency and this can only be achieved when your networks are up and running.

New technology

One of the major benefits of managed services is the speed with which new technologies can be applied to your business. A quality outsourced IT services organization will have all the essential resources to start new projects immediately. Running the same project internally could take weeks or months just to hire the right people, train them, and then provide them with the support they need. For most deployments, quality IT companies will bring years of experience to the fore, saving time and money.

Get the Most From Managed IT Services

 Managed Services The provider (MSP) is a company that generally proactively manages a customer's IT infrastructure and / or systems for end users and remotely as part of a subscription model. Today, the terms "cloud service provider" and "managed IT service provider" are sometimes used interchangeably when the provider's service is supported by a service level agreement (SLA) and is provided over the Internet.

 

Get the Most from Managed IT Services development began in the 1990s with the advent of application service providers (ASPs) that offered remote application hosting services. ASPs paved the way for cloud computing and businesses that remotely support customers' IT infrastructure. Most MSPs initially focused on remote management and monitoring (RMM) of servers and networks. Over time, MSPs have expanded the scope of their services to differentiate themselves from other providers.

 

While some MSPs may specialize in certain information technology segments, such as data warehousing, others may focus on certain vertical markets such as law, finance, healthcare, and manufacturing. Managed security service providers (MSSPs) offer, for example, specialized services, such as remote firewall administration and other security solutions, such as service delivery. Managed Print Service Providers (MPS) are responsible for printer maintenance and supplies.

 

Pricing model for managed service providers

 

At the price per device, MSP charges the customer's fixed costs for each device managed. As part of the user price, MSP charges a flat fee for each user, which is tailored to users who use multiple devices. As part of an all-inclusive price, also known as an unlimited model, MSP charges fixed fees for all support and management of the IT infrastructure you want to offer.

 

With each of these pricing approaches, the customer pays the flat rate regularly, often monthly. These pricing methods allow MSPs to sell services as part of a subscription model. This approach provides MSP with a recurring revenue stream (MRR), unlike IT projects, which are generally one-time transactions.

 

MRR is an aspect of Managed IT Services that differs from other business models for space IT solution providers and channel partners. For example, solution providers using the break / fix model typically rate their services based on time and material (TM) by charging an hourly fee to repair a customer's IT equipment and for replacement parts or equipment. .

 

Companies that implement IT projects such as the installation and integration of IT systems can charge a fixed price for products and services. In both cases, these solution providers generate unique income with each project. Large projects with multiple phases and associated payments would be an exception. In general, however, the business of a traditional solution provider is primarily transactions. In contrast, an MSP's recurring sources of income may offer a more stable and predictable business base.

 

Service Level Agreements

 

An MSP often offers its service offering as part of a service level agreement, a contractual agreement between MSP and its client that sets the performance and quality standards that govern the relationship.

 

An SLA can be linked to the price formula of an MSP. For example, an MSP customer may offer a variety of SLAs, with the customer paying higher fees for higher levels of service in a multi-tier pricing structure.

 

Challenges for managed service providers

 

Regardless of the pricing model, one of the biggest challenges for MSP management is setting prices low enough to entice clients to buy its services, but high enough to maintain a reasonable profit margin.

 

In addition to prices, the MSP pays special attention to specialists' operation and maintenance costs. The job is usually the largest edition of an MSP. To control labor costs and improve efficiency, most MSPs use Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) software to track customers' IT capabilities. With RMM software, MSPs can remotely troubleshoot problems with servers and terminals. With RMM, MSPs can simultaneously manage the IT systems of many clients. MSPs can also use automated scripts to manage normal system administration functions, such as hard drive troubleshooting without human intervention.

 

Another challenge for MSPs is the widespread adoption of cloud computing. As more and more components of their customers' IT infrastructure migrate to the cloud, MSPs had to find ways to manage hybrid cloud environments. MSPs also want to provide their own cloud services or resell the capabilities of other cloud providers, with Backup and Disaster Recovery (DR) being a common access point.

 

It can also be difficult to become an MSP. The MRR perspective has taken many companies from traditional solution providers like VAR to the MSP business model. However, potential MSPs struggled to establish themselves in the market. The MSP division invites companies to adopt several key performance indicators, technology infrastructure components, and sales compensation programs, to name just a few challenges. As a result, many MSPs earn in sectors other than Managed IT Services, p. B. when working on IT projects, during business interruptions / repairs, and during onsite support. Pure gaming MSPs are relatively rare in the IT services industry.

 

What are MSPs for?

 

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are typical customers of the PSM. Many small businesses have limited internal IT capabilities, so they may want to consider implementing MSP services to gain IT skills. However, large companies can also sign contracts with MSP. For example, government agencies facing budget pressures and recruitment constraints can hire an MSP to integrate internal IT staff.

Smart Hand Services: When Your Time is Worth Money

 In your company’s IT department, the point comes when a task must be performed and no one is available or cannot process it. Maybe it’s after business hours. The task can be small or large: basic diagnosis; Plug in a cable. Add IP addresses to a firewall. Regardless, no one is available. And the task has to be done, otherwise there are serious consequences. So it makes sense to get a Managed IT Services from a company like Externetworks. Your time and that of your employees are best used for tasks that grow your business, and not for maintaining your IT infrastructure.

 On-site assistance service

 For many growing companies, maintaining an expensive and highly trained IT team onsite 24 hours a day may not be profitable. For some, this may never be a realistic part of their growth model or business plan. However, these companies continue to require certain services to be provided to meet their operational needs. This is where an intelligent hand service system comes into play. Smart Hands offers the highest level of service, offering remote management, facility customization, and device troubleshooting 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The cost of a Smart Hands service plan is often offset by minimizing downtime and service interruptions by freeing key people for other important tasks and automating daily maintenance tasks and services. With Smart Hands packages, companies don’t have to give up control or adaptation of their infrastructure. Immediate responses to data breaches not only improve your company’s productivity, but also reduce the risk of liability issues.

 

What Kind Of Tasks Can Smart Hands handle?

Smart hand packs vary according to your business requirements, as do the tasks involved. The best way to think in smart hands is as a concierge in a busy hotel. They always meet your requirements and can also react immediately to urgent circumstances or questions as soon as they arise. A concierge can also work with other clients, but information is not shared, so there are no security issues. A concierge provides you with the highest quality support in limited areas, rather than trying to act as your swimming guide and instructor. Smart Hands employees use their resources more efficiently to perform various functions towards their external staff. Smart Hands services may include:

•      Configure a firewall
• Complex cable configurations
• Placement device management.
• Test devices and fix error.
• Rack and stacking services
• Shipping and receiving
• Automated maintenance
• Backups
• Pack and unpack
• Inventory
• Detect and respond to threats.
• Moving equipment
• Operating system and server installation.
• Power cycle
• On-site / off-site technical support and troubleshooting
• The remote server restarts.
• Cloud cross-connect

 Smart Hands vs. Remote Hands

There are a few things we need to know when we talk about remote hands and smart hands.

 Remote hands 

Remote hands can include things like securing wiring, checking port numbers, observing or reporting indicators on devices, basic environment monitoring, and restarting the server. These data center services are provided under a data center contract at no additional cost.

When talking about remote hands, keep in mind that these are all things that can be done without on-site data center technicians entering devices. When a technician really needs to join the team, we enter the smart hands area.

Smart hands

Smart hands involve more complex tasks than remote hands. These data center services include colocation device management, firewall configuration, media and supply management, complex cable configurations, device testing and troubleshooting, circuit and rack and stack testing. Smart hands are services that are generally billed hourly.

It is important for us to clarify which services are in remote hands and which are in smart hands when we speak to a data center. We do not want surprises on the first invoice. Unexpected costs are never fun.

Remote hands and smart hands in the data center come in handy when we don’t have anyone available to manage the task. Or maybe the person who normally does this is out of town and needs someone if necessary. These are the two reasons why we want to use experienced data center technicians.

Ask in the data center what is included and what is not, so that we cannot experience surprises with the next invoice. If you have any questions about how RACK59 can support your placement project with our support services, please arrange a site visit or contact us using the button below.