MANAGED IT SERVICES | 5 MIN READ
Project management is a phrase that can emit groans from any seasoned business executive. It is a necessary evil to be completed to further and streamline business operations, but it can be cumbersome and complex, especially when it comes to projects that involve your network. As a Managed IT Service Provider, we assist clients in navigating network-related projects. In this article, we'll help you understand how a Managed Service Provider (MSP)'s project management offering can make your business and network operate with increased efficiency and productivity.
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What is a Managed Service Provider?
Projects That MSP's Can Manage
How Else MSP's Benefit Your Business
What is a Managed IT Service Provider?
A Managed IT Service Provider (MSP) is a third-party company that handles the monitoring and maintenance of your network in an effort to neutralize cyber threats, minimize downtime, optimize business processes, secure data, and boost network efficiency.
For those with an in-house department that needs assistance or those without an in-house IT department, a Managed IT Service Provider is a viable solution.
They ensure that you have dedicated personnel to actively monitor and protect your network from the cyber threats of today and tomorrow by installing and monitoring various security software. When it comes to project management, MSP's can lighten the burden as well.
RELATED: How MSP's Minimize Downtime
Projects That MSP's Can Manage
Office Expansions and Moves
There are many aspects that factor into an expansion to a new office or branch. Besides accounting for office space rental and standard equipment such as desks, there is specific technical planning that must be completed as well.
A Managed Service Provider can shoulder this burden to ease the transition to a new office.
Additionally, if your office is adding new employees, everyone needs workstation equipment such as a desktop and phone, and has to be set up on your network. An MSP can plan and manage the implementation of workstations and business phones to ensure a smooth transition once the new office opens.
If your business is looking to install new computers or business phones, your MSP can conduct an audit to see which efficiencies can be created using newer hardware so they can find the best solution.
If your office is opening in a brand new building that's under construction, an MSP can work with building architects and construction companies to accept low voltage bids, which allows them to help manage the installation of cables and wiring in your new office to best serve the network that will be installed.
For instance, cable and wiring management can be used to route Internet and power most efficiently to cubicles, wireless access points, and more. Besides cabling and wiring, an MSP can also work with the construction company to plan the installation of other technology such as security cameras and keycard access.
Remote Transitions
A transition to a remote environment, whether it's temporarily or permanently, requires a close attention to detail to keep business operations running smoothly.
An MSP can manage the entire remote transition from start to finish. They can set up and configure VPN's to secure the connection between remote devices and your office's network, as well as turn on certain business phone features to enable remote work, such as the forwarding of calls from desk phones to devices out of the office.
Remote communication platforms such as Microsoft Teams and remote conferencing platforms can be set up so that effective communication still happens while employees are working remotely.
An MSP can take steps to ensure that data is encrypted and files are securely shared within and outside of the network. This step can involve searching for and patching security gaps within your network, for instance in your ports. This step is especially important for those who must adhere to data privacy regulations if they wish to avoid non-compliance penalties.
To keep business operations running optimally, an MSP can also work with you to build a Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery (BCDR) plan. BCDR plans mitigate the risks associated with a network outage by setting protocol that will enable a quick return to full network functionality.
Network Upgrades
While businesses can afford to hold off on upgrades to certain parts of their office such as the desks in cubicles, regular upgrades and maintenance are crucial for other aspects such as your network.
Hardware and software such as firewalls and computers quickly become ineffective and obsolete without upgrades. Without scheduled network maintenance, your network may not only begin to run slower but less security gaps will be patched, which puts the safety of your network from hackers at risk.
An MSP can work with your business to schedule periodic hardware and software upgrades in an effort to build a technology roadmap. This will keep your network running optimally and securely with an eye on the future. Some MSP's have upgrades built into your contract, which ensures that your office gets the latest technology.
How Else MSP's Benefit Your Business
Data Privacy Compliance
When an un-authorized third party accesses your data, your business may be in violation of certain data privacy laws. By centralizing the management of your network's security, an MSP minimizes the amount of data that can be accessed by third parties.
Security centralization can also improve your MSP's response times for cyber threats and make sure that, in the event a cyber attack happens, log data can be easily accessed to ensure that adherence with data privacy laws is improved moving forward.
Additionally, certain data privacy regulations such as GDPR set stringent requirements for the timeframe in which businesses affected by a data breach must contact certain parties.
Businesses who fail to send the required notifications within the specific timeframe may be subject to a number of penalties. An MSP can help your business avoid penalties by enabling real-time data breach alerts across your network.
This not only helps your business avoid penalties but also lets your MSP neutralize cyber threats as quickly as possible.
RELATED: Data Privacy Compliance: How MSP's Can Help
Vendor Management
Business does not exist in a vacuum. Companies manage relationships with many vendors on a day-to-day basis to keep business operations running smoothly.
When it comes to your network, businesses looking to maximize network uptime and efficiency must manage relationships with a variety of vendors, from their Internet and cable providers to cyber security software and business phone providers.
MSP's can also work with line of business application providers such as QuickBooks and Salesforce to ensure that your current infrastructure is set up to handle current line of business applications and future transitions to new ones.
An MSP can take the burden off their clients by personally working with these vendors. Since MSP's manage your network functionality and security, naturally it makes sense for them to work with the vendors that ensure these points.
Additionally, since Managed Service Providers already have established relationships with some of the best vendors in the industry, they can sometimes get your business better pricing on products and services than your business could get by yourself.
RELATED: How to Choose a Managed Service Provider [13 Tips]
Cyber Security Educational Programs
While your MSP can ensure that your company has the newest hardware and software on the market, all it takes is one employee who is un-educated about cyber security threats to slip up and let a hacker into your network. This can happen in an instant and can compromise your entire network.
Thankfully, some MSP's offer cyber security training for employees, including mock phishing tests. These tests send fake phishing emails to employees, and send those who click the email's link to a cyber security training course.
Some MSP's can also work with you to develop a password policy for your company, which ensures that, once employees are trained on how to avoid cyber threats, they don't let hackers into your network through the usage of weak passwords.
RELATED: What is Phishing? Types and Tips to Prevent
While project management is an essential part of keeping business operations running, companies shouldn't have to manage this task alone.
As a Managed Service Provider, our project management offering has helped take the burden off of our clients, freeing them up for more business-critical tasks.
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