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What is an MSP – A Definition of Managed Service Provider

IT Services & IT Solutions Mississauga & Toronto

What is an MSP?

How a Managed Service Provider (MSP) can Help Your Company

IT Management: Internal vs. Outsourced

In today’s age of information, IT evolves quickly and unpredictably. Cryptoviruses, phishing attacks, and malware are now immediate and constant threats to business continuity. Neglect of these dangers has historically led to productivity stoppages, data leaks, and cyberattacks. In this environment, business now face new challenges in how they approach their IT management.

Businesses now have two options: to manage IT internally or to outsource to external companies. For small-to-mid sized companies, the latter is often more cost effective because it alleviates the need for full-time IT staff and provides IT helpdesk services only when they are needed.

The role of outsourced IT management is taken up by managed service providers (MSPs). Also known as IT helpdesk providers and service management providers, MSPs manage their clients’ IT infrastructure, providing services such as backup management, network monitoring, VoIP design, and cloud transformation.

By offloading IT management to an MSP, a company can alleviate itself of the financial burden of hiring internal staff, and can instead have expert IT staff on demand, only when they are required.

What does a Managed Service provider (MSP) do for you?

A managed service provider (MSP) designs and manages a company’s IT infrastructure. Depending on the clients’ specific needs, an MSP can manage VoIP systems, data backup, network security, IT helpdesk, and many other facets of back-end infrastructure.

The relationship and expectations between an MSP and client are defined in service level agreements (SLAs). Services are fulfilled remotely or with technician deployments depending on needs and types of IT problem.

What are the benefits of an MSP?

1. Reduced and Predictable Costs

Many MSPs offer a myriad of different payment options. This removes the unpredictability of IT costs and allows companies to pick-and-choose services that are relevant to their needs. Instead of having to look for freelance IT technicians when a PC or network stops working, you will always have access to a team of experts at the ready.

Per-Device Plans – A set fee often billed monthly that provides unlimited support for an individual device such as a PC, printer, or network AP. This is great for scaling companies, as it provides the flexibility to add or remove seats easily.

Service Credit Plans – Customers purchase a credit package that is deducted when IT service is needed. This type of plan is most effective for companies that do not face IT problems often, but that want the peace-of-mind that a dedicated helpdesk is available to them in case of disaster.

 

2. Industry Expertise

GIGE IT Solutions and many other MSPs have over 30 years of industry experience designing backup, security, cloud, and VoIP solutions. Employing teams of technicians with different technical specifications allows for specific problems to be handled by professionals with the most appropriate skillsets. Keep up-to-date with cybersecurity concerns and the health of your systems with frequent reports.

 

3. Customized Solutions

A small dental office storing client data files will have entirely different IT needs than a mid sized design company with terabytes of image files. Similarly, a small urban office will need completely different network solutions than multi-story spaces. By working closely with your company to determine its unique needs and requirements, an MSP designs custom infrastructure tailored for your budget, organization, and workflows.

How to Get Started

The first step to getting started with an MSP is determining the type of management and services that are most cost effective for you. GIGE IT Solutions provides customized IT solutions that fully align with your business goals, and IT Helpdesk services with a 30-minute guaranteed response time. For an immediate consultation, call us at +1 888 366 4443 or email us at info@gige.ca.

Call us at +1 888 366 4443 for an immediate consult, or book a time