MSPs live and die by technology. An increasing percentage of MSP revenues is derived from the services that MSPs sell to clients. And these services are based upon the software solutions MSPs choose, implement and exploit. Continue Reading…
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The Cloud Is Way More Secure Than You Might Think
Let’s settle this old argument once and for all. With a good provider, and properly set up, the cloud is more secure than most on-premises infrastructure.
Does that still sound a wee bit equivocal? It has to be. Large enterprises, particularly in industries such as finance, can build superbly secure private infrastructure—they have to and can afford to do it right. Not all companies are gifted with these kinds of budgets, however; nor are they able to attain such a high level of protection. Continue Reading…
Formulating the Right High-Level Strategy
Remember the old saying “you won’t ever get there unless you know where you’re going”? This is true for MSPs attempting to craft a high-level strategy.
Many times MSPs focus on short-term financial and business planning, which are often done in quarterly and annual increments, rather than taking the time to create a longer-term strategy. Having a higher-level view of where you want your business to go often makes the shorter-term decisions easier. Knowing your destination greatly increases the chances that you will end up where you want to be.
This section will outline critical elements of a high-level strategy, including:
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PSAs and Strategic Growth for MSPs: Top 5 Myths Debunked
Many new MSPs start their business with an accounting product, a calendaring tool and a prayer, but they soon realize that they can do more – much more – in terms of managing the health of their business with a solution that gives them control over and visibility into their entire business process from prospect to invoice.
Unfortunately, many MSPs feel that once they select their PSA tool that they are then locked in with that selection for all eternity. But like any technology decision made 5, 10, or even 15 years ago, it should be routinely re-visited in light of developments in technology, your business needs, and the MSP market dynamics as a whole. Continue Reading…
The Future of MSPs Lies in Adding Value to Cloud Services
Managed Service Providers (MSPs) spent the last decade or so making a major transformation ― moving from a focus on break/fix to true managed services ― and at the same expanding their list of offerings to become more complete providers.
Now they are going through an arguably even more significant change ― becoming cloud leaders to the SMB market. To do this effectively, MSPs also need to work with clients on a higher level by acting as a trusted advisor and even offering Virtual CIO (vCIO) services, including partnering with clients to conduct in-depth IT consulting, budgeting, and planning projects. Continue Reading…
2017 MSP Predictions: ChannelE2E’s Take
ChannelE2E covers the managed services space like a glove. Its writers talks to top MSP vendor executives and MSPs of all shapes and sizes most every day.
So when the influential web site talks, we listen.
Recently ChannelE2E polished up its trusty crystal ball and peered into the future – and came up with a set of predictions for MSPs in 2017. Make sure to check out the full article, but we were struck by these particular predictions. Continue Reading…
5 IT Cloud Myths and Beliefs – Debunked, Confirmed and In-Between
The cloud is still full of mystery. After all, you can’t see and touch your applications and data, and you have less control than with their on-premises counter parts. Now that the cloud is maturing, some issues are becoming clearer.
Here is a reality check on 5 cloud myths and beliefs. Continue Reading…
How an IT Inventory Exposes Unprotected Systems, Shows What is Out of Date, Supports Proper Hardware and Software Planning, and Helps you Survive a Software Audit
We old timers remember the emergence of the PC as an IT force. In mainframe dominated organizations, PCs were snuck in, put surreptitiously to work, and then proved themselves more than worthy.
Today, IT itself deploys myriad devices ― so much so they have a hard time keeping track of their own handiwork. And end users and departments are still bringing in their own machines and applications. This has long gone on but in recent years has come to be called Stealth or Shadow IT.
Meanwhile, the average end user has multiple devices: PC, tablet, smartphone, etc. And they are increasingly adept at finding and using new applications.
All this adds up to a major management headache and security threat. IT must get their arms around this problem if they are to provide a safe and effective computing environment.
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Root Cause Analysis for Complex Networks: The Traverse Answer
Network Root Cause Analysis (RCA) has never been exactly simple. But when networks and IT infrastructure had a simpler architecture, finding a root cause was not overly complex. It was largely either the LAN or the WAN.
Today that relative simplicity has been replaced with ever increasing complexity. Nowadays, we still have LANs, but they often connect servers to other servers and then feed wireless access points which are how end users get to the network.
At the same time, computing is now more distributed. Applications reside both in-house and in the cloud, and some of these are hybrid so the processing is shared between the two. And rare today is the on-premises server that is not virtualized. This turns one server into many and makes it more difficult to find which VM is causing the problem.
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IT Service Management and IT Maturity Best Practices
When Gartner talks, IT listens. Recently the noted research house pontificated about IT Service Management (ITSM) and gave 10 bits of advice to best harness this technology. The suggestions come care of Top 10 IT Service Management Next Practices.
So what is ITSM? ITSM encompasses a range of activities, processes and policies aimed at making IT services delivery efficient and effective – and that meet end user and customer (in the case of a service provider) needs. ITSM can be implemented by an internal IT department, and here it brings discipline to service delivery and end-user support. It is also used by service providers so they can insure all clients are supported by top-rate, continually improving IT services.
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