Managed service providers (MSPs) are businesses that provide more than one managed information technology (IT) service to other businesses. Today, MSPs offer their services largely remotely over a network, although they can sustain other revenue streams that require on-site support.
Historically, managed IT service providers serve small and medium-sized businesses, but today's environment is changing to include employees with medium-sized companies and businesses. This means that the services MSPs provide depend on the customers they serve. For example, SMBs can collaborate with managed service providers for basic IT needs such as email solutions, data storage, hardware repair, software updates, or special offers such as data protection . For growing or larger businesses, MSPs can help increase or leverage internal expertise, from reviewing and implementing niche solutions to reassessing an in-house IT needs and capacity as a company scales.
Benefits of Using MSP
Dealing with an MSP provides many benefits, including:
· In case of need,24/7 IT support throughout the world,
· Temporary or permanent IT staff reinforcement when needed for special or urgent projects,
· Access to IT professionals in different technical disciplines,
· The ability to easily scale technical resources as required by business conditions,
· Eliminating the need to hire internal IT specialists,
· Helping the IT team focus on the core business instead of troubleshooting IT issues,
· Improve business continuitythrough service level agreements (SLAs) that document MSP obligations,
· Reduce data loss with managed backup and disaster recovery services,
· It provides important advantages such as better budget management with pay-as-you-go service.
MSPs Challenges
Despite the benefits, managed service providers can also face challenges. For example:
· Most MSPs offer only partial data security services, such as firewalls and anti-malware. If you are looking for a cybersecurity service provider, you will need to negotiate with a managed security service provider (MSSP),
· If the MSP fails to meet the requirements, the dependence on the SLA can put a business at risk.
· Because most MSPs are not local to work, they remotely manage their customers' IT infrastructure. The customer pays extra if they need on-site support.
· Some MSPs use proprietary technology/tools that may make it difficult for the customer to access their data if they decide to terminate the contract.
· Starting a relationship with an MSP can be expensive, but the rate of return on investment (ROI) can be good when you consider that the customer doesn't need to purchase new technologies.
· Not every MSP can support all technologies and applications, so you'll need an alternative solution or service to support out-of-scope services.
What Types of Services Does an MSP Offer?
The types of services that MSPs can offer include:
· Help Desk,
· Endpoint management,
· Managed infrastructure,
· Managed backup,
· Managed applications,
· Upoint security,
· Managed Microsoft 365,
· Business VoIP,
· Managed printing,
· Database optimization/management,
· Managed cloud services,
· Increase IT staff,
· IT strategy services,
· Partial data security services, such as firewalls and anti-malware.
What is the Managed Service Provider (MSP) Business Model?
A good way to understand the concept of IT-managed services is to compare it to fault/remediation services:
Instead of the failure/remediation model that results in a 'one-time' pay-per-service approach, most MSPs today use a subscription model to create recurring revenue streams and deepen customer relationships that help reduce customer churn.
MSPs take responsibility for certain systems to continue to work with each subscription service. MSPs engage with customers for a fixed fee and then maintain ongoing IT services on a monthly basis, which is detailed in service level agreements or SLAs. Monthly pricing is usually determined using one of the following methods:
· Per Device: MSPs charge a flat rate for each device they help manage.
· Per User: MSPs charge a flat fee for each user they manage their IT needs.
· All Inclusive: MSPs charge a flat fee for all services provided.
· In addition, SLAs can be attributed to fees. For example, MSP pricing for more customized or hands-on services may be higher than for more core services under a lower-tier SLA.
Three Reasons MSPs Choose Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud
Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud combines backup and new AI-based anti-malware, antivirus, and endpoint protection management in a single solution. Integration and automation provide unparalleled convenience for service providers, reducing complexity while increasing productivity and lowering operating costs .
1.Integrated data protection and cybersecurity. Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud provides the AI-based all-in-one data protection and cybersecurity that MSPs need to ensure business continuity for their customers. It provides fast, full-image, file-level, and Continuous Data Protection (CDP) backup and recovery across the industry's broadest range of applications, databases, workloads, and endpoints. AI-based, proactive anti-malware works integrated with ransomware and crypto theft protection.
2. Designed for MSPs fortheir customers. Integratedwith popular RMM, PSA and marketplace solutions, the all-in-one data protection and cybersecurity platform has a system that customers can eat as they go. Advanced services in data protection, security, management, and file syncing and sharing can be added to grow business.
3. Flexible pricing that leaves you with more profit margin. With a single platform, console and tool, it has an easy but powerful structure. Unlike other backup, recovery and cybersecurity solutions, Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud, which has a large number of consoles, agents and licenses, also leaves more profit margins for MSPs with flexible pricing.
