Dissecting the Difference Between an MSP and MSSP

Dissecting the Difference Between an MSP and MSSP

When sourcing small business IT support, you will realise that there lies a difference between the main services available. A managed service provider (MSP) and managed security services provider (MSSP) might sound similar but are two entirely different professionals. When hiring talent for your company's network requirements, you must ensure that you have the right ones. The blurred lines between MSPs and MSSPs can make this decision difficult. Therefore, enterprises should be well educated about the roles of each service provider. You must know what to expect and the advantages to your business when you hire an MSP or MSSP.

Elementals of Managed Service Provider

MSPs ensure that the IT infrastructure of your company is operational. They are the professionals you turn to provide an enterprise with basic network requirements. Whether it's a startup looking to set up a new network or an old business wanting to expand, MSPs cater to all these needs. An MSP will help you migrate to the cloud to boost the efficiency of your storage and operations. You can task managed service providers with a myriad of other projects, depending on the company demands. Another principle role for MSPs is to check that IT systems are functioning as they should and that they are up to date, as is the data. If the system is facing performance and usability challenges, then an MSP is the professional to call in.

MSPs have had to grow their skill sets as the scope of their responsibilities expands with time. Now, you can find MSPs that can help with your corporate IT strategy. With such a holistic approach to IT management services, enterprises slash their costs significantly. You can hire one company to deliver a variety of services that will keep your infrastructure operational. Some MSPs offer general services while others specialise in particular industries. Fields such as healthcare and law have stringent regulations of which MSPs must be aware. So, companies that need support in such sectors have to hire IT services providers that are familiar with the applicable laws. Besides keeping your network up and running, an MSP can offer fundamental security solutions like firewall installations, permissions and anti-virus software. For more comprehensive security services, you need an MSSP.

Managed Security Services Providers

Cybersecurity has become a core responsibility for businesses. The increased reliance on IT infrastructures over the years bred a new class of risks for organisations. Cyber threats come in different forms, and commercial enterprises have to protect themselves as best as they can. Criminals activities such as data theft, hacking and ransomware attacks have proven costly in several ways.

For this reason, companies are willing to allocate resources for their IT security, and that means hiring the right experts to provide it. MSSPs comes in handy in these situations. A managed security service provider focuses on the safety of your network systems. The range of services that MSSPs offer gets wider by the day as the demands for IT security shift with emerging threats. An MSSP outfits your organisation with primary security measures and more. The IT services providers work on detecting, preventing and responding to security threats.

MSSPs are responsible for security monitoring. Regardless of the size of a business, tracking the state of security is critical. Early detection gives companies an opportunity to prevent cyberattacks or at least respond to them immediately they happen. An MSSP can provide security solutions for a regulated industry such as healthcare, ensuring that an organisation stays in compliance with the right regulations. For businesses with EU operations, an MSSP can help with your compliance to GDPR. An MSSP analyses your business to identify specific risks then creates bespoke solutions to deal with them. You can task MSSPs to train your staff on IT security.

The Distinction

MSSPs are more honed in on IT security than MSPs. Although an MSP can recommend and provide primary safety solutions, an MSSP tends to be more thorough with highly robust protocols. The degree and type of monitoring by the two service providers is different. An MSP monitors the general components of your network while an MSSP zeroes in on the security elements. MSSPs can check for human behaviour anomalies, track the dark web and compliance frameworks. The team you get with MSPs consists of various IT professionals who work together to ensure your system is in good health. MSSP teams largely comprise of security analysts.

Both MSPs and MSSPs are essential in small business IT support. Every company, despite the size, requires IT professionals who can guarantee the proper functioning of network systems. Deciding between MSPs and MSSPs can be daunting is it helps to have basic knowledge of what each provider can do. Evaluate the needs of your enterprise attentively to see which services would benefit it most. You can get a service provider like Fifosys that provides a bit of everything to ensure your IT infrastructure achieves its full potential.