Interfaces, commonly known as ports, are a vital component of any network. Need to connect two pieces of equipment? It could be as easy as plugging in cables—but then you’re using out of the box configurations that don’t follow best practices and are inherently insecure.

One of the most frustrating service calls you’ll receive is from a client experiencing a network performance issue. The issue could be caused by any number of different things and typically would require you jumping into your car and driving to the client site. The hours drag on while you manually trace wires and test ports to troubleshoot the issue. The longer it takes you to figure it out, the longer you’re interrupting your client’s business.

I’ve just finished getting through security at O’Hare—what an adventure! There were crowds at the check-in, a long security line (luckily I had TSA pre-check), and what seemed like 500 gates I had to pass to get to my gate at the far end of the terminal. We all understand why there are security checkpoints at the airport. They ensure that only those people who belong at the gate are at the gate, and also that there are no malicious actors on airplanes. But why are there so many gates?

Recurring revenue is the Holy Grail for managed service providers. Unfortunately, it’s an area of the business that most MSPs struggle with. They can’t sell enough new clients, don’t attract the right types of clients, or can’t command the right price. I’ve devoted the last 20 years of my life to understanding, mastering, and teaching others the keys to growing recurring revenue and increasing profitability. Here’s where I see most MSPs falling off the rails.