MSP Technology to Watch as a New Decade Dawns
staying vigilant when it comes to security patches and upgrades is essential given the rise in hacking as the most common source of data breaches.
Backup and disaster recovery are also often overlooked when businesses move to the cloud. They assume their cloud providers have that covered. But, in reality, cloud providers often don’t provide comprehensive solutions and offer limited (or very expensive) backup storage, necessitating additional services to augment the default package.
- Spoiled for choice
While the choices, options and flexibility SaaS solutions offer are great, the volume and diversity of vendors and third-party systems that organizations rely on also presents complications. Without single sign-on, employees are forced to remember (and potentially reuse) dozens of credentials. This exponentially increases the chances of those credentials being compromised.
Businesses also may not realize every solution in their technology stack won’t play nicely with the others or be as easy to manage. This is where MSPs can provide value as trusted advisors, steering customers to proven, interoperable solutions providing the capabilities clients need without sacrificing security or quality.
- Living in a regulated world
While HIPAA and PCI are nothing new, more recent and upcoming protections for PII (Personally Identifiable Information) such as GDPR and the California Consumer Privacy Act are putting regulatory compliance on the radar of every business, regardless of their industry. Increased enforcement (and the accompanying fines) are a wake-up call that data must be protected, and businesses must take (and document) preventative measures to improve their defenses.
Navigating this new reality and properly chronicling it in detail are tasks that typically fall outside the area of expertise for business operators. This represents another growing, ongoing opportunity for MSPs to save the day, increase their revenues and ingratiating themselves with customers.
- Crime still pays
If the last decade taught us anything, it’s that our data and digital systems are more vulnerable than ever to bad actors. Everything is now connected to the Internet, creating more holes to plug, firewalls to reinforce and protections to put in place and keep the wolves at the door.
Every time security professionals lock down a point of entry, cybercriminals will bust down another previously closed door. The whack-a-mole game will continue, and SMBs will need MSPs to guide them and help protect their data and services.
The Decade of Diversification
The decade to come is full of opportunities for MSPs. The importance of IT will continue to increase, and more businesses will be dependent on it. More firms will look for outside help to manage IT complexities and challenges, and MSPs will reap the benefits.
But the scope of services MSPs provide must also grow. This requires continuous training and education for staff and bringing more proficiency and solutions inhouse. Expansion of recurring revenue is there for the taking if MSPs are prepared to deliver a broader portfolio of outsourced services.
Luckily, MSPs can combine their subject matter expertise with great tools and platforms for managing an increasing number of services for larger and more varied clientele. Just like MSPs must widen their scope, they need tools that can do the same.
Platforms that scale and fill multiple needs will trump a buffet of point solutions that don’t interoperate and require specific training. They’ll also help MSPs administer a wider array of offerings while maintaining an affordable price point for budget strapped SMBs.
We’re excited to see where the next decade takes us all and look forward to continuing to provide MSPs with the support and products they need to serve their customers. Happy New Year!
Jim Lippie is GM & SVP, Partner Development.
This guest blog is part of a Channel Futures sponsorship.
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Hi,
I am interested in providing MSP content around Cyber, GRC, and Privacy. Can you please contact me.
Thanks
Ray Diggs