Managed IT Service
A managed service provider is a company that manages IT services of other companies using the Internet. A managed service provider, which is known as MSP in short, manages and delivers their services by using the network. They also provide different applications to their clients that could include enterprises, other service providers or to homes.
Managed service provider could be a hosting company or an access provider. The services provided by such companies could include fully outsourced network management that might include advanced features like IP Telephony, messaging and call center, Virtual Private Network (VPN), managed firewalls, and monitoring and reporting of network servers.
Most of these services are provided without using the client’s internal networks and with a special emphasis on integration and certification of Internet security for application and content. These companies may sometimes work as outsourcing agents for other companies, like other service providers that might include ISPs having no resources to constantly upgrade or maintain computer networks having faster and faster speed.
A managed service provider would provide basic communication service of leased line wide area network (WAN), or frame relay service. These service providers could also manage and integrate a range of activities that are associated with enterprise networks.
These companies could also provide other outsourcing services like Web hosting, VPN, unified messaging, video networking and many other sophisticated services. It is forecast that the market for managed service providers would increase by twenty per cent annually. Nortel Networks, Lucent Technologies, and Checkpoint are some of the best-known companies in this field.
Managed service providers are sometimes referred as management service providers also. In this role, they manage information technology services for its client companies.
But, some of the experts feel that the services provided by managed service providers encompasses much bigger area than a typical management service provider would provide.
Generally, the services of management service provider are limited to monitoring service for servers, routers, firewalls, and other applications. Management service providers generally provide their services on the basis of monthly subscription. Usually, they offer network and application monitoring services to e-business.
It might be stated that managed service providers provide a business model that aligns IT applications with the goals and objectives of the organization.
Profitability of a managed service provider would depend on how well it can handle network problems. Because of this reason, they are motivated towards predicting and preventing problems, unlike other consultants.
This entry was posted on Friday, October 17th, 2008 at 10:56 am and is filed under IT Support. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.