An MSP, or managed service provider, operates and manages a company's IT infrastructure and cloud environments on its behalf. Related services include managed security service providers (MSSPs) and managed detection and response (MDR). IT operations now extend beyond on-premises servers and network equipment to AWS, Azure, Microsoft 365, SASE, EDR, and SaaS applications. As systems and providers multiply, the cause of an incident may cross several areas of responsibility. For example, a Microsoft 365 sign-in problem may involve the account, device status in Intune, Conditional Access settings, or the network. Advange therefore brings end-user support, Microsoft 365, networks, security, and cloud services together under one operating model.
The value of our five service areas lies in coordinating issues that cross technology boundaries, so the customer's IT team does not have to manage diagnosis and vendor coordination alone. Advange has supported IT operations for a major manufacturing group for 15 years with a team of approximately 180 people. We transition services over three to six months through a phased handover and parallel operations. For small and midsize businesses without dedicated IT staff, DeskMate Secure begins by improving and managing the Microsoft 365 environment. It is designed specifically for their requirements rather than being a reduced version of the enterprise service. Which operations cannot be interrupted? The answers determine the required service scope. Standardization is important, but a standard service catalogue may omit essential work if it is applied without examining the customer's actual operations. When comparing MSPs, review monitoring hours, supported products, SLAs, and pricing. Before reviewing service materials, examine a recent incident or enquiry to identify tasks that your organization still handles internally.
What to Check Before Comparing MSPs
When comparing MSPs, review monitoring hours, supported products, SLAs, and pricing. Each is an essential point of comparison.
Before reviewing service materials, look back at one recent incident or inquiry. This can reveal which tasks are still being handled within your organization.
Who was the first point of contact for the issue? Who updated the business departments? Who asked other maintenance providers to investigate? These are also the questions Advange asks when discussing MSP services.
Separate operational tasks that require human judgment from repetitive work. Reviewing the records makes it easier to identify which tasks can be outsourced and which decisions should remain in-house. You can then determine the scope of your MSP services.
