Continual improvement in providing the best possible services for customers and clients should be at the heart of all business for any Managed Service Provider AKA MSP. When the business community becomes more aware of the value of remote monitoring and management in their daily IT, security and overall business automation tasks, the easier it will be for MSPs to promote their services.
Most businesses today are not using RMM services or technology to the full capacity. When it comes to using a managed service, CompTIA reports that approximately 3 in 10 organizations where utilizing remote monitoring and management tools for more than a year, but about two-thirds of those surveyed had some external remote monitoring and management within the last 12 months.
Some of these companies reported using specific services such as cloud management software or an IT management solution for a particular project or in a given area of the industry, but not across the broad spectrum of needs.
It is very likely that some of this lack of recognition of the benefits of network management solutions is due to the types of services offered by the MSPs. When only the basics of network infrastructure are provided by the MSP, the business doesn’t realize the potential that is there for everything from CRM (Customer Relationship Management) to email hosting and backup and recovery.
While this may be a limited approach to the full suite of services available through remote monitoring and management services, it is a very appropriate place to start when talking to business. By focusing in on main concerns for any business including data and system backup, disaster recovery and security MSPs can get their foot in the door with customers, then offer additional network management tools on an individual basis that can be fully customized to meet the automation needs of the particular business.
MSP – The Endpoint Issue
There are few issues in business today that pose the type of risks that endpoint devices, particularly BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policies create for business. Unfortunately for a small to mid-sized business without a full-time IT department, it can be very tough for the business to accurately assess the risk that these devices pose to the system.
It is estimated by Gartner, an IT industry analyst firm, that the biggest change in how users (employees) connect to the system will be through employee-owned devices. The specific percentage of companies using BYOD practices will be about 72%, which means that almost three-quarters of all businesses will have employee-owned and managed devices connecting to their systems.
The biggest issue with a small to mid-sized business is how to provide mobile device management practices and policies that are honored by employees. Just relying on employees to complete updates and patches is highly ineffective unless there can be full monitoring of devices and removal from the system if they are not in compliance.
How MSPs Provide Needed Services
One of the most important aspects of using an Managed Service Provider is to provide comprehensive backup and security capabilities across the network and to ensure that devices are immediately updated, inventoried and audited as they connect to the network.
The automation and regular scanning features that are offered through network monitoring systems is a perfect match for this requirement. Endpoint backup, as well as security, will be essential to any business, both protecting existing data in the event of device loss or failure while also protecting the system from exposure to any malware or other malicious files.
Another essential consideration for any business owner is the ability to remotely wipe an endpoint. This is always a concern as these devices can and do become lost or they are stolen, potentially with apps or programs running, which may give hackers a way into the system.
With full security management for the endpoints and the other devices on the network, there is more cohesive and complete protection. When companies have the understanding the data security management system they are using are this effective, they can grow and expand and continue to take advantage of BOYD options that help to cut company overhead.
Managed Service Provider – Remote monitoring and management tools – Working With Existing Systems
It is important for a company to realize that an MSP offering remote monitoring and management tools doesn’t mean current systems and software applications are no longer necessary or will never have to be replaced.
The services offered by the remote monitoring system can integrate with your existing systems. Working with an Managed Service Provider that can integrate these systems will be a consideration. Most companies will partner with an MSP to not only enhance their system security, backup and disaster recovery ability but to also boost their performance and network efficiency.
It may also be surprising for many small to mid-sized businesses to find that large companies often turn to MSPs for their remote network management. This frees up the in-house IT tech staff to respond to immediate requirements and provide specific services rather than spending time on routine maintenance that can be more effectively managed through automation.
Author Bio:- Ashraf is a Technical Blog Writer from Comodo. He writes about information security, focusing on web security, operating system and endpoint security & also RMM.
