MSP 101

Managed IT Service Provider (MSP) 101

Everything you need to know about partnering with a Managed IT Service Provider, all conveniently in one place.

What is an MSP?

A Managed Services Provider (MSP) is a third-party resource that can act as a strategic partner to your business, helping you manage your IT infrastructure.

An MSP can handle a wide range of IT tasks, from responding to your service desk queries, to managing hardware and software procurement, to installing, monitoring, securing, and backing up your systems.

The MSP tackles all the daily technical issues with your network and your infrastructure so that your employees can focus on your core business.

What Does an MSP Do?

A good MSP will start with an assessment of your systems, software, connectivity, and data handling practices. Working side by side with your internal leaders and IT staffers, your managed IT provider may create a strategic roadmap for IT services that can enhance your security, disaster response, platform speeds, and productivity.

This roadmap will lay out the services they’ll offer your company, and how they will be implemented. The software, services, and platforms they can offer you will vary based on your needs. Most MSP services, however, tend to fall into these categories:

  • Help desk services
  • Cloud integration
  • Patching and upgrading
  • Regulatory compliance
  • Monitoring and reporting
  • Cybersecurity
  • Business continuity and disaster recovery
  • IT business strategies
  • Device procurement and management
  • Software procurement and licensing

Once you agree on the IT services you wish to outsource, you will sign a Service Level Agreement that clearly outlines what responsibilities and roles the MSP will take on for your organization.

What Can You Expect from an MSP?

Partnering with an MSP means that your service calls will receive prompt attention from a trained professional. The best IT services will be proactive, minimizing interruptions and downtime from failing networks or hardware.

Your organization should expect:

  • Predictable billing, in a month-to-month contract
  • Senior-level strategic consulting
  • Cutting-edge technology and tools, and the kind of deep vendor relationships that allow for the efficient implementation and servicing of those tools
  • Knowledge of the data handling regulations that govern your industry
  • Well-trained service staff that can handle onsite service calls
  • On-call tech experts that can answer your end user’s questions

Types of MSP Agreements

An MSP brings IT expertise and technical skills to your door at a price and a scale your company can afford. But that’s where the similarities end. Truth is, MSPs come in all sizes and skill levels. What’s the best type of MSP for your business, and what kind of services do you need?

Let’s talk about the different types of service agreements you might find when working with a managed IT services provider.

Managed IT Services: Break/Fix Model

This is what many people think of as an entry level MSP agreement. Under this type of contract, an MSP might help you secure or install equipment or software. Then, you can buy a certain number of hours per month or quarter that will cover fixing things that break, like server problems, or network outages, or hardware issues.

Under this kind of arrangement, there’s important IT services that aren’t covered, namely, cybersecurity, monitoring, disaster recovery, backup and crucially, end-user service. If you have a break/fix agreement with an MSP, your company must have good internal resources for handling day-to-day computer problems for your staff, in addition to robust cybersecurity protections.

Break-fix pricing varies widely. The price for an onsite visit can range from $75-250 per hour, with most providers requiring at least a couple of hours at a minimum for a service call.

Managed IT Services: Fully Managed Model

When you work in a fully managed model, you get a more comprehensive approach from your MSP’s technicians, who can truly be your “IT staff that’s not on staff.” Under this arrangement, your MSP will perform many, and often all, of the services you’d expect an internal IT department to deliver.

They handle the strategic tech platform development a CIO would provide you. They manage your cybersecurity, much like a chief information security officer would do. They purchase your software and hardware on your behalf, install it, and manage your inventory, just like your internal IT department would do.

Best of all, these services can be delivered at scale. Fully managed IT services give you a predictable monthly budget and a predictable team that will be familiar with your network. Your managed services provider will conduct routine testing and assessments that will prevent network issues or mitigate them before they become bigger. Proactive network maintenance will spot small issues before they become serious problems.

A fully managed MSP contract will generally provide most, if not all of the following services:

  • Comprehensive assessment of your infrastructure, looking for updates or upgrades that are needed
  • Strategic roadmapping, providing comprehensive project planning for future projects and system upgrades
  • Service desk operation that processes IT service tickets with technicians who respond to all your reactive support requests
  • Management of your network, and network connectivity
  • Comprehensive cybersecurity services, from filtering tools to the monitoring that continuously scans for and responds to threats
  • Spyware/Ransomware removal
  • Disaster Recovery
  • Backup System Installation and Maintenance
  • Firewall updates, upgrades and monitoring
  • Cloud Service installations and migrations
  • Network connectivity, including WiFi and VOIP
  • Cybersecurity training for your staff
  • Managing multi-factor authentication programs
  • Development of policies around cybersecurity and device management for your staffers

Put simply, fully managed IT services can take away the administrative hassles that come from managing your technology platform, so your team can focus on running your business.

Pricing will vary depending on the size of your business, your data handling/regulatory burden, the services provided, and the number of locations/users in your system. This is an ideal setup for small and medium-sized businesses who need enterprise grade IT tools, at a scale that can suit their growing organizations. For the average SMB, costs could be between $1,500 a month to up to $15,000 a month.

Managed IT Services: Co-Managed Services

Your internal IT lead may not be willing to admit that your IT department is overworked and lacking the resources to keep up with the demands of the modern workplace. Unfortunately, many businesses find themselves unable to expand their internal IT departments for many reasons, with budgetary considerations topping the list. It’s costly to find the right IT personnel, pay them a competitive salary, include benefit packages, sick leave, vacation time, and the equipment they need to properly do their jobs.

A co-managed service contract is a solution that gives your IT department an extra boost. It allows your existing technicians to benefit from the expertise of an MSP while maintaining the benefits of having internal IT staff.

The biggest benefit of a co-managed service contract is its flexibility. You can simply buy into as many services as you need, and your MSP will operate as an extension of your existing IT department. You buy as much, or as little, as you need.

In general, co-managed services clients work with an MSP for one, or all, of these service types:

  • Combination break/fix services and hardware management—The MSP manages your budget and implementation for your server hardware, computers, and mobile devices. When your systems or network needs physical maintenance, they can handle that, too.
  • Strategic Development—Integris can augment your current team with vCIO and vCISO services, helping you build out your budget, create strategic technology development plans, and harden your cybersecurity posture. We’ll manage your data regulation compliance, train your staff for cybersecurity awareness, and ensure you stay qualified for cyber risk insurance.
  • Software licensing and management—Our deep relationship with our vendors ensures that you’ll enjoy some of the best, enterprise-grade software platforms available. From productivity software, to cybersecurity, to monitoring, and more, we can secure all the licenses you need and manage their daily performance. Your software will interact well with your current network and run the way it should.
  • Cybersecurity Services—Including disaster recovery and backup, monitoring, staff training and procurement and installation of firewalls and security software.

Now that you know what an MSP does, and how they work, how do you know which option is right for you?

Working with an MSP: Pros and Cons

A qualified, well-staffed MSP can be a tremendous resource for your company. But there are many ways your company can choose to engage one. Which one you choose will be a function of your budget, internal IT capabilities, growth trajectory, and current unaddressed

If you’re having a hard time deciding which service model best suits your organization, we’ve broken down the pros and cons of each.

Interested in working with Integris? Contact us for a free 10 minute consultation!

Comparing the Break/Fix, Fully Managed and Co-Managed MSP Models

Break/Fix Model

Usually scheduled with a fixed number of hours per month, this service type is exactly what it sounds like. When something breaks, service staff come on site to fix it.

 

Pros:
  • Lowest cost
  • Covers on and off-site servicing for outages, breakage
Cons:
  • Cost of software and backup systems not included
  • No service desk for users
  • No strategic guidance or system planning
  • No hardware inventory management
  • Monthly overages common
  • Cybersecurity not covered
Best for:
  • Companies with limited budget

Fully Managed IT Services

Under a fully managed contract, your MSP will handle all aspects of your IT business, from management/strategy, to implementation, service, monitoring, and reporting.

 

Pros:
  • Pricing by user/seat flexes around your growth
  • Proactive assessments and strategic leadership
  • Enterprise-grade software tools for companies of any size
  • Cybersecurity and backup-system planning
  • Software license management
  • Hardware ordering at a discount/inventory management
  • Eliminates need for a big internal IT staff
  • Flexes around your size and growth
Cons:
  • Fully staffed internal IT departments won’t need all aspects of this service
Best for:
  • Companies that need comprehensive IT management
  • Companies with regulatory reporting burdens around data or cybersecurity

Co-Managed Services

Co-managed IT contracts assume that an internal IT department will do a portion of the IT work, while being supported by additional services from an MSP.

 

Pros:
  • Mix and match services
  • Access high end experts like CISOs and CIOs on your budget
  • Staff up and down around large-scale projects
  • Get software and hardware at an MSP’s lower, bulk prices
Cons:
  • Project and strategic management needed on client and MSP levels
  • MSP’s lack of visibility into your organization can lead to missed opportunities
Best for:
  • Companies who need to expand upon their existing IT resources

How MSPs charge for their services

Hourly model

Most often seen on break/fix contracts, the clients usually pay for a set number of hours every month. The price for an onsite visit can range from $75-250 per hour, with most providers requiring at least a couple of hours at a minimum for a service call. Anything that exceeds pre-paid hours will be charged extra. This can be difficult to manage if unexpected needs occur, often resulting in monthly charges that fluctuate widely.

Fixed-fee managed services

In this type of arrangement, clients pay for a package of services. The one fee covers the delivery of all those services over the course of the month, and overages are not quite as common. However, if major projects need to be implemented that aren’t covered by the service contract, those will be priced out on an a la carte basis, generally.

So, how do MSPs offering fixed fee programs decide how much to charge a customer? MSPs follow the charging model their software vendors use, charging by device, or by user.

Per device

You are billed monthly per device (every PC, laptop, or server) regardless of how many people are using that device.

Per user

The opposite of per-device, this option bills for every user regardless of how many devices they use. This is the most common pricing model used by MSPs.

Will a good MSP require me to sign a one-year contract, or more?

No. Most MSPs work on a month-to-month basis. This is good for the MSP, because it allows them to adjust your service levels should your needs increase. It’s good for you, because it allows you to scale your operation as you grow. It also allows you to keep your options open, if you want to switch MSPs.

However, you will find that most companies have long-lasting relationships with their MSPs. Why? Because they serve as a true partner to your business. There’s also a significant lead time to get them fully integrated into your business and systems. Switching MSPs is certainly doable, but it is a process. So, when it comes to signing on with an MSP, it pays to choose wisely. You’ll get the most value out of the relationship if it is long term.

Can an MSP save my business money?

The answer to that question is yes, especially when compared with the cost of duplicating an MSPs services in house. Managed IT services are by nature outsourced, and scalable, giving it a price advantage in every respect.

Decreased downtime

With proactive monitoring, your MSP can address potential issues before they impact you. Productivity stays high, downtime stays low.

Predictable billing

It’s easier to save money and budget wisely when you know exactly what you will spend every month. Fixed-fee managed services provide this.

Decreased indirect costs

Your business can be held liable for regulatory violations and breaches. An MSP with cybersecurity and regulatory expertise can help.

Proactive planning

Your organization may not know where to start with technology initiatives. An MSP can guide your IT spend on important and necessary strategies.

Vendor relationships benefits

Good MSPs have deep relationships with major hardware and software vendors – with knowledge, competitive pricing, and resources.

Want to know more about our pricing?

Try our pricing calculator! It takes less than a minute to fill out.

How to evaluate a Managed IT Service Provider

20 questions to ask when evaluating an MSP

Choosing an MSP for your business is one of the most important decisions you can make. The MSP partner you choose will decide how fast your networks run, how well you prepare for disasters, and how quickly you recover from attacks and service outages. For many businesses, the right tech stack can be the difference between beating their competitors… and not.

So, it’s important to ask the right questions when you’re MSP shopping. Here’s our recommendation for the twenty questions you should ask when you’re evaluating an MSP:
 

  1. Will I get a qualified vCIO to manage my account?
  2. Do you have vCISO services available to help me manage my security strategy?
  3. When is your service desk available, and what kinds of training do they receive?
  4. Are well-trained service technicians available to come to my place of business for installations and service checks? How often?
  5. What do your assessments include?
  6. How long does it take for your team to complete a comprehensive assessment, and complete the onboarding process for a new client?
  7. What does your onboarding process include?
  8. Does your business do quarterly reviews of your client accounts, and make recommendations for remediations and strategic improvements?
  9. Can your staff help me qualify for or maintain my eligibility for cyber risk insurance?
  10. Can your company help me manage my regulatory burdens around data handling and management?
  11. Does this MSP offer multiple layers of antivirus, and a fully staffed, 24/7 security operations center?
  12. Can your company scan the dark web, and offer credential monitoring to detect stolen, personally identifiable information?
  13. Do you guarantee the timely deployment of updates and security patches?
  14. Can you offer my business cloud-based backup systems that will augment my existing systems, and provide a good disaster recovery response?
  15. Can your business supply us with the specific cloud-based productivity software my employees will need?
  16. Can you help us craft or update policy around “bring your own device,” password management, and more?
  17. Does your company provide cybersecurity training for my staff, either in person, or through an online training service? Do you track who has completed the training, and who hasn’t?
  18. If I need to add or reduce the services I’m buying from you, how quickly can you pivot and make those changes?
  19. Have you worked with clients in my market or industry vertical? Can you provide case studies?
  20. What is your rating on Clutch or other reputable online review services? How fast has your company grown over the last few years?

Why Integris?

What we mean when we promise a premium MSP experience

Put simply, we put people first. At Integris, we’re focused on you and your business. We work hard to provide you with a premium service experience, and the best platforms and tools on the market. However, there are some specific points of difference to consider:

No long-term agreements

In most cases, your contract is considered month to month, so adjustments can be easily made.

Gold standard product offerings

Our size gives us deeper relationships with our vendors. We are a Microsoft Gold partner and have similar levels of training with other vendors. This gives us an extraordinary level of expertise for the products we use.

Low turnover

Our team tends to stick around. Why? We pay and train well, and we have a supportive and transparent culture. There are many paths to career growth in our organization—something a smaller “mom and pop” MSP can’t offer.

SOC 2 Type 2 Compliant

SOC 2 is an audit report that tests measures of security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and/or privacy. In 2022, you should expect nothing less from the companies you work with.

vCISO offering

Our vCISO offering handles your cybersecurity strategy, manages your compliance, monitors threats, maintains documentation, and ensures you’re staying up to speed on the latest and greatest cybersecurity tools to safeguard your business.

Highly qualified staff

Our engineers, technicians and vCIOs are among the best trained in the industry.

 

See our staff certifications

Our engineers hold the following certifications:

• Certified Information Systems Security Profession (CISSP)
• Certified HIPAA System Administrator (CHSA)
• Certified SonicWall System Administrator (CSSA)
• SonicWall Network Security Administrator (SNSA)
• VMWare Sales Professional (VSP)
• VMWare Technical Solutions Professional (VTSP)
• Microsoft Certified System Administrator (MCSA)
• Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE)
• Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert – Server Infrastructure (MCSE)
• Certified RSA Authentication and Security Management Engineer
• CompTIA Linux+ Certified
• CompTIA Security+ Certified
• CompTIA Network+ Certified
• Apple Certified Associate (ACA)

Our locations:

Colorado

Boulder

5777 Central Avenue, Suite 100
Boulder, CO 80301
Support: (303) 447-8398
Sales: (888) 330-8808

Denver

2941 West 19th Avenue
Denver, CO 80204
Support: (303) 217-3000
Sales: (888) 330-8808

Florida

Bonita Springs

28200 Old 41 Road, Suite 208
Bonita Springs, FL 34135
Support: (817) 575-6230
Sales: (888) 330-8808

Tampa

13075 US Highway 19 N
Clearwater, FL 33764
Support: (727) 446-4564
Sales: (888) 330-8808

Georgia

Atlanta

3565 Piedmont Road NE
Building 2, Suite 200
Atlanta GA 30305
Support: (404) 551-5492
Sales: (888) 330-8808

Kansas

Kansas City

13421 W 151st Street, Suite 100
Olathe, KS 66062
Support: (325) 223-6100
Sales: (888) 330-8808

Wichita

410 N Saint Francis Avenue
Wichita, KS 67202
Support: (316) 928-8828
Sales: (888) 330-8808

Maryland

Baltimore

10451 Mill Run Circle, Suite 950
Owings Mills, MD 21117
Support: (443) 589-1150
Sales: (888) 330-8808

Massachusetts

Boston

One Boston Place, Suite 2675
Boston, MA 02108
Support: (877) 664-9379
Sales: (888) 330-8808

Michigan

Marquette

715 W Washington Street, Suite E
Marquette, MI 49855
Support: (906) 228-6799
Sales: (888) 330-8808

Duluth

306 West Michigan Street, Suite 200
Duluth, MN 55802
Support: (218) 729-0920
Sales: (888) 330-8808

Hibbing

1524 East 37th Street
Hibbing, MN 55746
Support: (218) 263-3624
Sales: (888) 330-8808

Twin Cities

235 East 6th Street, Suite 300
Saint Paul, MN 55101
Support: (651) 203-9300
Sales: (888) 330-8808

Duluth

306 West Michigan Street, Suite 200
Duluth, MN 55802
Support: (218) 729-0920
Sales: (888) 330-8808

Hibbing

1524 East 37th Street
Hibbing, MN 55746
Support: (218) 263-3624
Sales: (888) 330-8808

Twin Cities

235 East 6th Street, Suite 300
Saint Paul, MN 55101
Support: (651) 203-9300
Sales: (888) 330-8808

New Hampshire

Hampstead

2 Village Green Road, Suite B4
Hampstead, NH 03841
Support: (877) 664-9379
Sales: (888) 330-8808

New Jersey

Cranbury

1 Corporate Drive, Unit G
Cranbury Township, NJ 08512
Support: (609) 395-6900
Sales: (888) 330-8808

New York

Buffalo

505 Ellicott St, Suite 400
Buffalo, NY 14203
Support: (585) 546-4120
Sales: (888) 330-8808

New York City

167 Madison Avenue, Suite 207
New York, NY 10001
Support: (609) 395-6900
Sales: (888) 330-8808

Rochester

656 Kreag Road
Pittsford, NY 14534
Support: (585) 546-4120
Sales: (888) 330-8808

Buffalo

505 Ellicott St, Suite 400
Buffalo, NY 14203
Support: (585) 546-4120
Sales: (888) 330-8808

New York City

167 Madison Avenue, Suite 207
New York, NY 10001
Support: (609) 395-6900
Sales: (888) 330-8808

Rochester

656 Kreag Road
Pittsford, NY 14534
Support: (585) 546-4120
Sales: (888) 330-8808

Pennsylvania

Philadelphia

701 E Cathedral Road, PMB 461
Philadelphia, PA 19128
Support: (609) 395-6900
Sales: (888) 330-8808

Austin

1320 Arrow Point Drive, Suite 506
Cedar Park, TX 78613
Support: (512) 472-6000
FID: (325) 223-6100
Sales: (888) 330-8808

Dallas

8300 Douglas Avenue, Suite 800
Dallas, TX 75225

2350 Airport Freeway, Suite 300
Bedford, TX 76022
Support: (817) 575-6230
FID: (325) 223-6100
Sales: (888) 330-8808

16415 Addison Road, Suite 650
Addison, TX 75001
Support: (325) 223-6100
Sales: (888) 330-8808

Fort Worth

4055 International Plaza, Suite 600
Fort Worth, TX 76109
Support: (817) 231-0222
Sales: (888) 330-8808

Houston

17207 Kuykendahl Road, Suite 100
Spring, TX 77379
Support: (325) 223-6100
Sales: (888) 330-8808

San Angelo

940 Arroyo Street
San Angelo, TX 76903
Support: (325) 223-6100
Sales: (888) 330-8808

San Antonio

7550 W IH-10, Suite 1203
San Antonio, TX 78229
Support: (512) 472-6000
FID: (325) 223-6100
Sales: (888) 330-8808

Tyler

821 E Southeast Loop 323, Suite 410
Tyler, TX 75701
Support: (903) 581-0922
FID: (325) 223-6100
Sales: (888) 330-8808

Austin

1320 Arrow Point Drive, Suite 506
Cedar Park, TX 78613
Support: (512) 472-6000
FID: (325) 223-6100
Sales: (888) 330-8808

Dallas

8300 Douglas Avenue, Suite 800
Dallas, TX 75225

2350 Airport Freeway, Suite 300
Bedford, TX 76022
Support: (817) 575-6230
FID: (325) 223-6100
Sales: (888) 330-8808

16415 Addison Road, Suite 650
Addison, TX 75001
Support: (325) 223-6100
Sales: (888) 330-8808

Fort Worth

4055 International Plaza, Suite 600
Fort Worth, TX 76109
Support: (817) 231-0222
FID: (325) 223-6100
Sales: (888) 330-8808

Houston

17207 Kuykendahl Road, Suite 100
Spring, TX 77379
Support: (325) 223-6100
Sales: (888) 330-8808

San Angelo

940 Arroyo Street
San Angelo, TX 76903
Support: (325) 223-6100
Sales: (888) 330-8808

San Antonio

7550 W IH-10, Suite 1203
San Antonio, TX 78229
Support: (512) 472-6000
FID: (325) 223-6100
Sales: (888) 330-8808

Tyler

821 E Southeast Loop 323, Suite 410
Tyler, TX 75701
Support: (903) 581-0922
FID: (325) 223-6100
Sales: (888) 330-8808

Washington, DC

Washington, DC

712 H Street NE
Washington, DC 20002
Support: (443) 589-1150
Sales: (888) 330-8808

Start the conversation with a Discovery Session

Let’s discuss IT strategy, services, and business solutions. Or any other high-priority technology and compliance concerns in a brief Discovery Session.

We look forward to learning about your organization, sharing our process, and providing value, early and often. Integris is here to help.