What exactly are “MSPs”?Solved

Think of an MSP (Managed Service Provider) as an entire outsourced IT department that you pay for on a subscription basis.

Unlike traditional “tech support” (which is usually the “break/fix” model—where something breaks, and you pay someone to come fix it), an MSP is proactive. They remotely monitor and manage your company’s IT infrastructure—networks, servers, cybersecurity, and employee devices—24/7. Their goal is to prevent issues before they cause downtime, rather than just fixing them after the fact. Essentially, they take over the day-to-day responsibility of keeping your tech running so you can focus on your actual business.

Thanks man. That distinction between “break/fix” and “proactive” makes sense. But here is the part I’m stuck on: Why wouldn’t I just hire a full-time IT specialist? Wouldn’t having someone physically in the office be better than a third-party company managing things remotely? I’m worried about the cost and losing control over my data.

That’s a common dilemma, but for most SMBs (Small to Medium-sized Businesses), an MSP is actually more cost-effective and secure.

If you hire one internal IT person, you are limited to that single person’s knowledge, and you have to pay a full salary, benefits, and training. Plus, if they go on vacation or get sick, you’re vulnerable.

With an MSP, you get access to a whole team of experts with specialized skills (security, cloud, compliance) for a predictable flat monthly fee. They use enterprise-grade tools to monitor your systems that would be too expensive for a small business to buy on its own. As for control, they actually give you more visibility through detailed reporting and Service Level Agreements (SLAs) that guarantee a certain speed of response. It’s basically enterprise-level IT at a fraction of the price.

Hi,

Great discussion! You have really hit the mark regarding the shift from reactive to proactive IT management.

For those interested in how these services are technically delivered, Hexnode offers specialized capabilities designed specifically for MSPs. We understand that MSPs need to manage multiple different clients from a single pane of glass without mixing up data or policies.

Hexnode UEM for MSPs allows providers to:

• Multi-tenant Management: Manage different client accounts from a single, centralized console.
• Granular Role-Based Access: Assign specific roles (like Admin, Billing Manager, Apps & Reports Manager, or Reports Manager) to different technicians.
• License Management: Easily allocate and track licenses across different client pools.

If you are an MSP looking for a solution, or a business looking to understand what tools your provider might use, you can check out our MSP for Endpoint Management help documentation or our dedicated Hexnode MSP Portal for more details.

Hope this helps!

Best regards,
George
Hexnode UEM