Managed services provider can optimize firm’s tech needs

Technology is evolving at a rapid pace, fueling interest in working with a managed services provider (MSP). An attractive option for companies of all sizes, an MSP provides third-party management of increasingly complex computer networks, systems and applications.

According to research firm Gartner, investment in information technology (IT) services will increase 5.5 percent this year over 2017 to $985 billion — 25 percent of which will be for managed services and cloud services.

An MSP offers IT services to business customers on a contract basis. What the contract covers can vary — for example, it may be 24-hour monitoring of systems and equipment or managing the cybersecurity aspect of a business’s network.

Teaming up with the right MSP supplements your workforce, enabling you to offload IT operations to an experienced provider, freeing you from those demands so you can focus on achieving your business objectives. MSP serv­ices are billed at a fixed monthly rate compared with traditional professional services that are available on demand or on a break-and-fix model. The fixed rate can result in cost savings, making MSPs more attractive.

The real value that an MSP brings to a business is the team of skilled professionals it provides to work on your projects, such as network engineers, server administrators, application engineers, cloud architects, database administrators and cybersecurity engineers, to name a few. Similar to the medical field, IT professionals specialize in different areas. For example, network engineers can specialize in routing and switching, wireless networks, unified communications, data center or network security. Many business owners have come to the realization that it’s cost-prohibitive to hire and retain IT engineers who specialize in each area.

MSPs use secure, multi­tenant tools such as SevONE to monitor and manage their customers’ environments. Customers often have access to these tools through a customized portal. Another customer advantage is that the MSP bears the cost of software upgrades and ongoing maintenance of these tools. The multitenant aspect enables them to leverage these tools and deliver the latest in advanced services to their customers at a lower operating cost.

How do you select an MSP that best fits your needs? First, select one with staff who want to understand your business and goals. Your business needs a subject matter expert who will proactively suggest ways to leverage new technologies to gain efficiencies. In other words, you want a consultant, not a repairman.

Second, look for an MSP team with local resources to do site visits and that will meet with you face to face at least quarterly. Remote support and monitoring are MSP basics, but personal interaction underscores commitment and a vested interest in cultivating a relationship with their customers.

Last, select an MSP that provides you with the support you need at all times of the day here in Hawaii. Disaster scenarios don’t always happen during business hours in Eastern Standard Time. In fact, it seems that these events often occur after-hours. Nothing is worse than waiting until the next day for a response when you’re in the middle of an IT emergency. Look for an MSP with local resources that can address after-hours issues to your satisfaction.

Davin Yasuda is an enterprise architect with the managed-services team at Hawaiian Telcom. Reach him at davin.yasuda@hawaiiantel.com.