In today's economic climate, the benefits of opting for IT managed services - lower total cost of ownership (TCO), predictable monthly expenses and access to scarce skilled resources - has become increasingly compelling.
At the same time, Yossi Hasson, CEO of managed Linux services and open source solutions company, SYNAQ, warns that the margin for error when choosing a managed services provider (MSP) has narrowed considerably.
“Businesses simply cannot afford to choose the wrong MSP, one that doesn't deliver on the myriad benefits outsourced managed services can and should provide,” he says.
An MSP, by definition, provides delivery and management of network-based services, applications, and equipment to enterprises. The MSP is supposed to fulfil the role of the IT team if the organisation doesn't have one, or to free up the IT team to focus on solutions that deliver competitive advantage to the business by taking care of essential but routine systems, such as the e-mail server or the firewall.
The effective MSP is one that can provide a proactive, cost-effective remote management service that delivers peace of mind for a fixed monthly investment.
In order to choose an MSP that will meet your expectations regarding outsourced managed services, Hasson suggests businesses ask the following questions:
1. Expert staff. In addition to hiring qualified, certified people, does the MSP constantly update their relevant technical certifications and customer services training to ensure that they remain abreast of all developments?
2. Proactive monitoring. Does the MSP utilise enterprise class monitoring systems that enables it to address possible problems before they occur or become a crisis?
3. Preventative maintenance: Does the MSP conduct routine checks by certified staff in order to validate the health of your infrastructure and raise alerts to potential future problems? Does this include ensuring the latest security patches and critical updates are installed on each system managed?
4. Configuration backups to remote location. Are server configurations are always available for disaster recovery? Are daily backups of critical files held in a secure off-site location?
5. Guaranteed response times. How good are the MSP's standard response times? Do they beat the industry standard and are issues acknowledged in good time?
6. Prioritisation. Are support requests prioritised by criticality to ensure that critical issues receive immediate attention and affected services are restored as soon as possible?
7. Support and response. Is a dedicated team of highly trained support desk personnel on standby at all times to give you assistance as and when required?
8. System security checks. Does the MSP have systems in place that will ensure all potential security vulnerabilities are detected and remedied before they can be exploited?
9. Detailed monthly reports. Are monthly reports provided and will they provide visibility and extra insight into your infrastructure allowing you to see trends over time?
10. Predictable expenditure: You don't want any hidden surprises. Will your fixed monthly investment provide you with uncapped support at an agreed level and type of service?
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