Best Managed Service Providers (MSPs)
In today’s business world, managed services are more critical than ever. They can help improve business operations. This type of IT service provider delivers network, application, system, and e-management services on an outsourced basis.
Organizations usually contract managed service providers (MSPs) to supplement in-house IT staff or outsource all of their IT needs. Managed services refer to the proactive management of an organization’s technology infrastructure and end-user systems. Read on to learn more about what managed service providers do and what some of the top MSPs are on the market today.
What Is a Managed Service Provider (MSP)?
A managed service provider (MSP) is an outsourced company that provides information technology (IT) services to organizations. MSPs typically offer a wide range of IT services, including but not limited to network and system administration, application development and maintenance, help desk support, and data center management.
A variety of businesses employ MSPs to meet their IT needs. Small-to-medium-sized businesses may hire MSPs because they do not have the resources in-house to manage all of their IT needs. In contrast, large enterprises are likely to hire MSPs due to their significant geographic dispersion and the complexity of their technology requirements.
What Do Managed Service Providers Do?
MSPs provide IT services to businesses on a contract basis. The MSP manages and monitors the client’s IT infrastructure and systems and provides support as needed. MSPs typically offer their services monthly or annually, and they often include 24/7 support in their contracts.
MSPs can provide a wide range of services, from help desk support to data backup and recovery to cybersecurity. Some MSPs also have remote access capabilities that allow them to remotely manage and monitor clients’ networks, even if clients are out of state or out of the country.
The most common services offered by an MSP are hardware management, software management, network management, security management, and service level agreement (SLA) monitoring. They will also generally monitor for malware threats and provide regular updates for antivirus protection when necessary.
Managed service providers work with customers to develop a plan for disaster recovery, allowing companies to minimize downtime in natural disasters or cyberattacks. In addition, some MSPs offer backup and disaster recovery solutions to protect against data loss.
MSPs facilitate the efficient operation of all technology resources for their clients. They must be knowledgeable about different industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, retail, and banking, depending on which clients they most commonly partner with.
An MSP should also know how each sector operates since many require specialized software to be used. For example, the healthcare industry has strict HIPAA compliance standards that dictate what types of information are stored on servers and databases. MSPs must understand these regulations to create plans that comply with the law.
Some other services that MSPs may offer include:
- Data center hosting
- Help desk support
- Software development and implementation
- Information assurance (hacking prevention)
- Security operations (risk assessment, threat detection)
- Hardware support
- Network design and planning
- Managed Wi-Fi
- Mobile device management
Top Managed Service Providers
MSPs are in charge of all aspects of IT, from maintenance to security to data backup. They also have access to the latest technology, providing clients with better services than they could manage independently. Several MSPs offer comprehensive managed services for various needs, each with its features and capabilities.
Deloitte
Deloitte is a leading provider of professional services, including audit, consulting, financial advisory, risk management, and tax services. They have a long history of serving the world’s largest companies and small and medium-sized businesses. Deloitte has a team of dedicated managed service providers who are experts in their field and can provide companies with the support they need to run their business smoothly.
Key differentiators
- Deep industry knowledge and broad sector expertise across various industries and regions.
- Deloitte lets organizations personalize their application management services to their business and IT needs.
- The provider offers information management, enterprise resource planning, and system integration services.
- Deloitte uses AI/ML to evaluate large amounts of unstructured data to find regulatory trends that, if not identified, might affect a business.
Accenture
Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology, and operations. Accenture provides solutions for data integration, IoT framework development, and AI integration to help its clients solve their most pressing business challenges. With more than 30 years of experience, Accenture is trusted to lead global transformative projects across key industries, including financial services, healthcare, automotive, telecommunications, and governments.
Key differentiators
- Accenture is an IT MSP services leader. The company provides consultation and digital integration.
- They primarily specialize in IT and security services, including protection for applications and cloud data, digital identities, security risk assessment, and incident response.
- Accenture has become an IT service industry leader by offering a robust environment that fuels innovation.
- Accenture is a leading partner of many key technology players, including SAP, Microsoft, Oracle, Salesforce, and Workday.
- This MSP is known for its commitment to constant innovation, as seen by its early adoption of cutting-edge technologies like blockchain, robotics, 5G, quantum computing, and edge computing to enhance its services, capabilities, and platforms.
Capgemini
As a leading managed service provider, Capgemini helps companies globally drive digital transformation. They offer a full range of services, from strategy and consulting to implementation and operations. Their experts have deep industry knowledge in business and IT, backed by global experience. This allows them to help their clients become high-performing organizations by transforming how they deliver, operate, and consume IT services.
Capgemini offers various services related to cloud, cybersecurity, data, artificial intelligence, enterprise management, intelligent industry, and sustainability. They can help reduce operational costs by taking on tasks from in-house IT departments that are either too difficult or expensive to perform.
Key differentiators
- A focus on the customer first, intelligent industry, and company management.
- Partners with leading technology providers such as Google, AWS, Intel, Adobe, IBM, Microsoft, and more.
- Capgemini has four strategic philosophies: value, risk mitigation, capability optimization, and organizational alignment.
- Enables enterprises to utilize the capabilities of artificial intelligence and data at scale to improve business results.
Cognizant
Cognizant is a leading consulting, technology, and outsourcing service provider. They partner with companies to help them digitally transform their businesses for the future by leveraging artificial intelligence, analytics, automation, machine learning, and the cloud. They can deliver value through digital experience management, strategic application and modernization, business process services, and enterprise data management. Through these offerings, they aim to build technology frameworks that prepare organizations for future innovation.
Key differentiators
- Cognizant helps businesses achieve growth and innovation via digital transformation by optimizing their digital IT roadmap, simplifying IT operating processes, and upgrading technology architecture.
- Cognizant’s Intelligent Process Automation helps accelerate customer engagement through service level optimization, resource planning, and project management.
- The Cloud360 Integrated Cloud Management Platform (ICMP) allows customers to control their entire environment with an integrated suite of capabilities, including governance, automation, orchestration, and monitoring.
- Their self-service approach to service management with an end-to-end monitoring and performance management architecture includes applications to infrastructure for streamlined and automated service management.
Rackspace
Rackspace Technology is a multicloud solutions expert with deep knowledge in every aspect of the cloud, including business, technology, and operations. They provide a suite of managed services that include applications, data and security, networking, and infrastructure to build, operate, and run enterprise IT infrastructure on any cloud.
This provider’s cloud engineer provides real-time monitoring and alerts for companies’ cloud environments so they can respond quickly to potential problems. For example, they monitor enterprise databases, servers, and system logs 24/7 to identify and resolve issues before they affect customers or employees.
Key differentiators
- Elastic engineering from Rackspace helps with a broad range of cloud services, such as building, migrating, optimizing, and managing business cloud environments on AWS, GCP, and Azure.
- Rackspace Technology’s cloud professionals will assess and react to any alert configured in customer environments 24/7/365 to ensure cloud security.
- Rackspace Technology’s SIEM solution integrates security data to view threats comprehensively.
Wipro
Wipro is a provider of comprehensive IT solutions and services. They offer a wide range of services, including IT strategy, consulting, applications, artificial and augmented intelligence, business solutions, cloud, cybersecurity, data, and analytics. Wipro offers business process engineering services with expertise across several major industries, including healthcare, government, education, manufacturing, transportation and logistics, telecommunications, financial services, and insurance.
Key differentiators
- Wipro Holmes’ AI-powered, customizable solutions allow business executives to provide new or enhanced products or services by applying augmented intelligence.
- Wipro delivers scalable infrastructure and on-demand managed services to the market with enterprise-grade reliability, availability, security, and customer service standards.
- With Wipro’s cloud application service capabilities, they can create an environment that is flexible enough to accommodate organizations of any size or need while keeping in mind the ever-changing business landscape.
- Wipro offers enhanced enterprise mobility security. They provide access to apps, systems, data, and support that is specific to each user’s role, device, and company policy.
DXC Technology
DXC Technology is a global IT services company headquartered in Virginia. It was formed in 2017 from the merger of Computer Sciences Corporation and HPE Enterprise Services. DXC provides infrastructure, application, consulting, security, and business process services to public and private-sector clients.
DXC’s strategy for digital transformation includes modernizing IT, optimizing data infrastructures, and ensuring security and scalability across public, private, and hybrid clouds.
Key differentiators
- DXC offers insurance business process as a service that enables businesses to efficiently manage complex processes like claims processing and billing while leveraging expertise from insurers, agents, and vendors.
- It also offers Managed Security Services (MSS), which delivers full lifecycle security solutions that include network monitoring, vulnerability assessment, risk analysis, incident response planning, and penetration testing.
- DXC aims to make clients resilient via its Platform X, a data-driven intelligent automation platform. With this platform, DXC can help customers optimize their journey to resilient, self-healing IT across physical, virtual, and cloud environments with intelligence at every layer.
Benefits of Working with an MSP
An MSP can provide businesses with several benefits, including:
Additional cost savings
Compared to hiring full-time staff members, working with an MSP is usually more cost-effective. MSPs are often more cost-effective because they can use economies of scale in buying equipment and software licenses.
Access to cutting-edge technology
The software used by an MSP is usually cutting edge, meaning enterprises can take advantage of the latest developments without spending money on developing or updating their own systems. And since most services provided by an MSP come with warranties, businesses know they’re getting reliable products when they work with one.
Increased cybersecurity measures
Working with an MSP also means increased protection against cyber threats, because these service providers offer continuous monitoring and malware protection. Nowadays, it’s critical to invest in cybersecurity measures regardless of company size. After all, data breaches happen regularly and could mean significant losses for any company that is not prepared.
Improved business continuity planning
MSPs offer disaster recovery solutions that can ensure continuity of operations in the event of unexpected events. If something goes wrong with enterprise systems, an MSP can quickly jump in and take care of any problems before they impact operations.
Availability of expert resources
Companies that partner with an MSP will have access to a team of IT experts who can help them with everything from planning and implementation to ongoing support and maintenance. They will also be able to use software designed specifically for managed service providers, which enables the company to work on its core business while outsourcing its technology needs.
Around-the-clock monitoring and support
An MSP can provide around-the-clock monitoring and support. They have staff on call 24/7 to deal with emergencies that may arise in their clients’ IT infrastructure. Companies won’t need to do anything but contact them for maintenance, repairs, and upgrades—they’ll take care of everything else without interfering with enterprise business operations.
An MSP will typically provide a high level of service assurance through its best practices, including data backups, offsite storage, or secured cloud servers. In the event of a disaster or cyber attack, the network should be able to run without interruption.
Improved efficiency and productivity
An MSP can help businesses streamline their IT operations, making their team more efficient and productive. They also offer various services to accommodate businesses’ needs as they grow. As the demand for technology continues to grow in every industry, companies need to take advantage of outsourcing solutions that will enable them to focus on their core competencies while gaining access to cutting-edge technologies at a competitive price point.
Proactive maintenance and problem prevention
MSPs also proactively maintain client systems so they don’t have to worry about system outages. Working with an MSP can help businesses avoid problems before they start. By proactively monitoring enterprise systems, they can identify and fix issues before they cause downtime. This proactive approach can save companies time and money in the long run.
How to Choose the Right MSP for Your Business
Not all managed service providers are created equal. When choosing an MSP, companies should consider the following:
- Success rate: What percentage of their customers were satisfied with the service?
- Reputation: What is the overall opinion of this company?
- Costs and contracts: What do they charge, and how long is the contract?
- Tools and platforms they use: Will they be able to provide relevant tools for business operations?
- Industry specialization: Do they offer more specific tools for certain industries like education or manufacturing?
- Flexibility: Is there room for customization in their packages?
- Quality assurance: How often will they monitor enterprise operations, and what metrics will they measure?
Before settling for one particular provider, it’s essential to research the provider and its key offerings. Many factors go into a successful partnership between customer and provider, but these seven questions are a good starting point.
Read next: Best Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs)
