Businesses of all sizes and specialties must have a way to keep up with customer demands and expectations. In many ways, these expectations are often tied to a digitalized experience or online exchange. But how can organizations offer a streamlined digital experience when internal resources are limited or overburdened?
The answer lies in making the switch to managed services. Many organizations have grown to rely on managed service providers (MSPs) for network maintenance, IT infrastructure, and online experiences.
In this post, we’ll take a closer look at the world of managed services and make the distinction between general MSP and cloud-based service providers (cloud MSPs).
A managed service provider (MSP) is a third-party organization or consultant that helps businesses navigate their technical infrastructure or workload. Generally speaking, managed services can encompass the following areas:
Managed IT services are ideal when an organization or industry requires the use of strong technology practices but does not have the internal means or expertise to regularly maintain the existing technology. By outsourcing to an MSP, companies can benefit from round-the-clock support, industry best practices, and an expanded network.
MSPs can even help organizations maintain compliance and accountability in the midst of an ever-changing security and data privacy landscape.
Cloud service providers (CSPs) are similar to general managed service providers with one major exception–the core of services is delivered through an online, cloud-based platform.
In this regard, cloud service providers can operate in a tighter niche, since they focus on the delivery of on-demand services that help businesses with cloud computing challenges. Major players include the likes of Amazon and Microsoft, but many smaller CSPs exist to provide tailored services on a more personal level.
Cloud service providers offer services over a public cloud infrastructure, within a hybrid model, or via a private server. The method of delivery often depends on the exact use case, client, or customer base.