Cloud Hosting

Jim Lampert

Managed service providers have been around for more than 20 years but my, how things have changed since they grew out of the original application service provider model. Until recently, MSPs have focused primarily on remote monitoring, security, network management and other routine IT tasks that CIOs would rather outsource for cheaper than they can run internally.

But as cloud adoption grew, MSPs began to expand offerings to include public and private cloud design, migration and management services. This has contributed to a new purpose for MSPs, especially as software-defined infrastructure and automation have replaced some of their traditional skill sets. The trouble is, CIOs are wrestling with the complexity costs of new technology: unmanaged cloud sprawl, integration challenges between SaaS and cloud providers, security risks from shadow IT and so on.

But where theres pain, theres opportunity. MSPs looking to grow and survive amid IT marketplace disruption can today play a bigger role than ever before in enterprise IT. In 451 Researchs Voice of the Enterprise: Cloud Hosting & Managed Services survey, organizations highlight cloud platform expertise, advanced platform functions and cloud-native application development as areas where the necessary skills are lacking in-house. As a result, enterprises are looking to service providers to fill some of these gaps over the next two years, nearly half of businesses currently using cloud plan to work with a service provider to acquire cloud platform expertise, according to the research firm.

IT leaders are under pressure to be real business partners, working directly with the C-suite on the future of the business. In turn, MSPs now have a fantastic opportunity to deliver a new suite of services:

In addition, MSPs are in an optimal position to recommend new technologies, helping enterprise IT leaders rapidly

Read the rest here:
MSPs: Time to Reinvent - Channel Futures