In the rapidly shifting world of business technology, new workloads, complex network requirements and evolving cyber threats can overwhelm resource-constrained IT organizations. That’s why an estimated two-thirds of U.S. businesses partner with managed services providers (MSPs) to keep their IT environments operating at peak efficiency.
When establishing a relationship with a provider, organizations must carefully evaluate their options. MSPs can have wildly different levels of skill and expertise. Some don’t offer much more than basic break/fix services, while others have deep expertise in leading-edge technologies.
The MSP’s client onboarding process is critical for defining capabilities and setting the right tone for the relationship. During this initial phase of an engagement, you should expect the provider to devote considerable time and resources to learning about your IT environment, business processes, employee responsibilities and vendor agreements. This will allow them to prioritize critical issues and establish key performance indicators.
The first step in the onboarding process should be a rigorous assessment and audit of your existing IT infrastructure. MSPs use this process to gather and document information about your hardware, software and network resources, cloud services and cybersecurity measures. A thorough audit should cover some of these key areas:
- Hardware inventory: The provider should develop a comprehensive list of all physical components, including servers, storage devices, routers, switches, security appliances, computers, laptops, mobile devices, and any other endpoint devices and peripherals. Ideally, the list should include key details such as device age, specifications, warranty information and overall health.
- Software inventory: Again, the provider should map and create a comprehensive inventory of all current applications, including the version number, license agreements, certificates of authenticity, patch status and other related documentation. This process should also uncover any out-of-date or duplicate application instances.
- Network mapping: The MSP will map the network to provide a complete picture of the topology, including switches, routers, firewalls and wireless access points. This process allows you to see how devices are interconnected, making it easier to identify potential bottlenecks, vulnerabilities and areas for improvement.
- Network diagnostics: In this process, the provider collects detailed network performance information such as data transfer speeds, packet loss statistics, application response times, disk space, and CPU and memory usage. It will also evaluate configuration settings such as IP addresses, DNS servers, and routing protocols to identify any misconfigurations that may affect the network’s performance.
- Security assessment: The MSP will evaluate your overall security posture, including physical security, access controls, user authentication, antivirus, backup and disaster recovery. Network diagnostics will also identify specific vulnerabilities such as open ports, weak passwords and unauthorized access attempts.
- Compliance check: The provider evaluates infrastructure, policies and procedures to verify that you are in compliance with relevant regulations and standards.
Once this assessment has been completed, the MSP should provide a detailed report describing any security, performance, configuration or compliance issues, along with a severity rating for each issue. Based on those findings, the MSP can develop recommendations for remediation, including software updates, network configuration changes or employee training.
The MSP’s onboarding process is critical for establishing a good working relationship with a new client. A thorough assessment of the entire IT infrastructure will give the provider a better understanding of your technology needs and business goals, as well as the potential bottlenecks and vulnerabilities most likely to impede your progress.
Verteks understands that choosing a technology partner is a big decision requiring careful consideration. We’d welcome the opportunity to demonstrate our capabilities. Contact us to learn more about our managed services offerings.
