To choose or not to choose has always been a dilemma since ages for mankind. The great bard had mentioned it in his classics albeit in a different fashion. Yet, the same holds true when we have to select between objects that offer similar facilities. With the information technology throwing up varieties in abundance on every conceivable issue, how to choose the best managed service provider software also has its share of selection dilemma. The answer to this question of how to choose the best managed service lies in the aspect of what benefits do we wish to accrue from this selection. The basic features claimed in every managed service provider software are something all are well versed with. That it should provide information about the network and its working. That it should help in diagnosing the network problem and offer means to deploy the solution network wide from one single location. That it should be customisable to meet the changing needs of the business house and its operations are all well established facts and known to exist in every MSP software that is available in the market.
If these so claimed features were to be changed to reality how then would it effect the real enterprise functioning or the network managers job would be the guiding factor for choosing the best managed service provider. It is important to note that the client pays a third party for maintaining and monitoring its network resources. This is the basic business principle on which any managed service system works. The selected MSP should therefore be a proactive one. Waiting for an error or problem to occur on the network and then attending or rectifying it should not be the MSP's method of operation. The MSP should be such that it is able to sense the defect before it occurs and initiate preventive measures to stop the error from occurring and causing any harm to the network. With all preventive measures in place given Murphy and his laws on probability, there is bound to be a breakdown in the network. Quick response by the MSP to rescue and restore the network is another measureable criterion for selection of the MSP. Data and applications that process the data are critical objects of an enterprise network. There would be need for the MSP to restore the system to a clean point just before the defect occurred. To do so, taking regular backups of the entire system by the MSP is a pre-requisite. This backed up data would be used by the MSP during the restore process. One other factor to be considered for choosing the best managed service provider is the knowledge base of the MSP about the current IT field. Being an ever changing one, frequent new upgrades and newer technology arrive into the market. MSP which can advise the management on this new technology as well as provide methods for implementing the same are a guiding factor for selecting an MSP.
Security of the network, more so the data which is critical and could be misused if available to wrong people is an important factor for consideration while selecting an MSP. MSP that implements a strict and secure system is the best choice. Last but not the least, how efficient is the service provider itself and specially if referred by other sites where the provider has implemented some MSP would be a factor in favour of selecting a particular MSP.
These guidelines are sure to help in answering the question of how to choose the best managed service provider.
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