3 challenges for managed service providers in 2019

In the IT sector, trends cease to be in increasingly short times to become mainstream. Three fields in technology are particularly complex when it comes to providing services: cloud services, the Internet of Things (IoT) and connections to public clouds.

1. The cloud accelerates its passage

Cloud services are no longer a novelty: they are part of the digital transformation of business. Large companies are inclined to hybrid infrastructures, in which they combine local data centers and cloud services, while the SME sector mostly turns to the public cloud.

In this process of digital transformation, companies need advice on how to take their loads to the cloud and how to select the most appropriate cloud providers to their requirements. It is here that the experience of managed service provider (MSP) is of great value to audit and manage operating systems, increase efficiency and ensure connectivity so as not to harm customer service. MSPs will not only assist in adapting to new forms of work but also help save costs.

2. IoT and data analysis: no limits insight

The next arrival of 5G will bring about a substantial change in business deployments and in the connectivity of the devices we use every day. Its capabilities, which far exceed the current 4G, will enable the implementation in any area of ​​the Internet of Things. But IoT brings with it the explosion of data and with them the need for the management and maintenance of huge amounts of information.

The MSPs will have a crucial role in the aggregation, transport, and management of this data. They are now the new oil, and just as refined oil has greater value, the processed data represents enormous value for business growth. Service providers may have the role of managing and analyzing information, which becomes the most significant tool for business development.

3. Connectivity

The new hybrid infrastructures sometimes bring IT departments upside down when connecting their own infrastructure with large cloud providers. Internet connections are not enough when working with vital business applications, which may suffer from latency or performance-related issues.

Service providers have the experience to solve these difficulties since they usually have facilities in specialized data centers that offer private and secure connections to the AWS, Azure, IBM or Oracle clouds. These direct connectivity platforms ensure a service with the level required by business applications.

Specialization: a tailored service

Service providers today run the risk of losing business if they do not specialize, either in the solutions they provide or focused on a particular sector. Examples of this may be the MSPs that have specific connectivity solutions, or who are dedicated to offering solutions for the financial sector, for example.

This specialized approach has one of its bases in the time dedicated to the client: MSPs can cover the entire operation of the IT infrastructure and data maintenance, allowing companies to focus on their business without worrying about systems management.

It is crucial, however, to maintain an attitude of constant evolution in the cloud services landscape, since its evolution is constant and very fast. MSPs must keep pace with innovation to serve future business needs.