Managed services: five challenges users want solved

This article appeared in the August issue of CRN magazine as part of the main feature "The secrets of super managed services"

US-based managed services provider JDL Technologies conducted a survey to find out exactly what IT executives were most looking to outsource.

1. Connectivity and bandwidth

Nothing’s simple anymore, Jaime Rodriguez, JDL Technologies technical services manager, said. With challenges like mobility, externally hosted systems and remote offices, SMBs are taking on more and more enterprise-grade technologies in even the smallest of businesses.

“The complexity of building and managing networks is compounded by the difficulties inherent in working with multiple carriers and their complex offerings,” Rodriguez said. “It’s no wonder more businesses are turning to MSPs to research the options and recommend solutions tailored to their specific needs.”

2. Security

All networks are vulnerable to security attacks but some environments, such as SMBs, don’t necessarily have the resources to keep up with cybercriminals that are developing new tactics every day, solutions architect at JDL Technologies Jose Gonzalez said.

“Enterprise networks tend to have all the security bells and whistles, but SMBs, not so much.  For any organisation with limited technical resources, using a certified MSP to manage your security is the smart way to go,” Gonzalez said.

3. 24/7 network monitoring

Especially for businesses with limited in-house IT staff, making sure network performance, availability and security are all up to par and running smoothly can be a real challenge, JDL Technologies managed services operations centre supervisor Daniel Arcelo said. In fact, 68 percent said that using an MSP to outsource some IT means internal staff can do more in a budget and deadline-oriented environment.

“Network admins can’t keep up with everything on their plates, and when everything is a top priority, stuff falls through the cracks. There’s no way a regular business can field a second and third shift. Trusting a certified MSP to monitor and protect your network is the right solution - because not watching your network is not an option,” Arcelo said.

4. Virtualisation

Virtualisation is becoming more and more popular with the rise of cloud technologies, but along with that comes a need for increased technical skills, something an in-house IT department might not have access to. In fact, 61 percent of those surveyed said that using an MSP gives them access to stronger technical expertise.

“Whether you’re virtualising desktops to support mobile workers, or servers to optimise your network, virtualisation projects are complex and require a great deal of expertise during deployment and ongoing management. That’s why we weren’t surprised to find virtualisation among the top five IT functions being outsourced this year,” Rodriguez said.

5. Disaster recovery

While disaster recovery and backup is crucial, it often gets left by the wayside when other issues pop up. Those other priorities often mean that backup testing and off-site backup storage aren’t done as often as they should be, Scott Vogel, senior account manager at JDL Technologies, said.

“It makes total sense to engage a managed services provider to perform regular backups, test them and store them,” Vogel said.