Client security and reliability are top pain points for MSPs

Aussie managed services providers (MSPs) have pointed to security and reliability as their biggest pain points.

Dozens of MSPs gathered at a Sydney event organised by hosting solutions provider GFI.

"Clients are concerned about reliability and security," said Andrew McDonell of Brisbane-based Impulse Data Systems.

The two issues were common themes during the event.

McDonell told CRN: "They want to make sure their information is secure and not being transferred to anywhere it shouldn't be. Every time their system fails, they're effectively losing revenue and profits."

At the event, GFI addressed concerns around the company's recent outages.

GFI general manager Alastair Forbes said the technical issues were the result of the company's rapid growth.

He added that the company prided itself on being open with MSPs. "If there's a problem, we try to front up and own it.

"We reached the constraints of the infrastructure that we had in place. We're putting in place additional capacity that can handle 10 times the capacity.

"We're confident that will scale the business very effectively," said Forbes.

The role of the MSP

MSPs are also grappling with where they fit in an era when software companies are releasing as-a-service solutions.

GFI's Forbes cited Microsoft's Office 365 as an example of this, because it "gives people the opportunity" to cut out MSP services.

"The MSPs have to figure out how to position themselves in that kind of environment. How do they demonstrate that they can add value to that?"

Forbes said GFI was working on a way to integrate Office 365 management into its GFI Max dashboard.

GFI's global customer base jumped from 6,000 to 8,000 in the past 12 months. The company's global revenue has jumped 50 percent year-on-year, Forbes said, with Australia performing in-line with the global average.