Operations | Monitoring | ITSM | DevOps | Cloud

To effectively support and manage a client’s network, you need to know what’s really on the network. Sure, a tour of the IT environment will help. You’ll be able to slowly document information about the devices you can see, like the make, model, and serial number. But what about the devices you can’t see—or that the client doesn’t know about?

WATERLOO, ON / August 28, 2018 — The network hardware market is highly fragmented, with hundreds of equipment vendors vying for market share, says a new report from Auvik Networks. There’s intense competition in the network switch, router, firewall, and access point hardware markets, with upwards of 40 vendors competing in each category.

Whether you inherit an IT environment or build it from scratch, managing your clients’ network infrastructure can be a real headache. Keeping clients’ network devices functioning so they stay connected and productive requires complex manual tasks, expensive expertise, and tons of valuable time—that is, if you don’t use software to simplify and automate network management activities.

There are few office experiences more frustrating than sending a document to the printer and hearing… nothing. No whirring, no thumping, no document. Your client will probably check if the device is plugged in and turned on, if there’s enough ink, and if paper needs restocking. But if these simple fixes don’t uncover the problem, then they’ll likely call you—and in the past, that meant jumping in the car and driving to the client site.

Managed IT services have undergone significant change and evolution in a very short time. As an IT service provider, remote monitoring and management (RMM) is at the core of your business, allowing you to manage a large number and variety of endpoints. At the same time, your clients have grown to expect 24×7 uptime with outstanding customer service, potentially leading to some growing pains on your end.

When it’s time to add or rework a wireless network for a client, a lot of little things need to line up for the venture to be successful. It’s not enough to simply have an SSID in the air, and if you’re not careful, you risk disrupting your client’s business and damaging your reputation. Though not every business has the same focus, when it comes to Wi-Fi there are a common set of concerns. Make sure these bases are covered.

In a crowded MSP market, you need ways to differentiate yourself from the competition. As former MSP Charles Loves points out, “When you compare MSPs, the look and feel of the offering is often the same. So when the customer tries to compare MSP A, B, and C, what are the real differentiators they can leverage?” You don’t want to end up in a situation where dropping prices is the only way to edge out firms with similar offerings.

Managed service providers (MSPs) are feeling the impact of AI use, mostly when it comes to the power of chatbots. Chatbots are an incredible way for MSPs to save time and money when it comes to the lower levels of their customer support. Well-programmed bots can take the burden off techs and your support staff when it comes to answering simple questions and troubleshooting common issues.

In this edition of News That Makes the Channel Cringe, a new Sophos report reveals IT pros can’t identify almost half (45%) of the traffic flowing through their networks. The Dirty Secrets of Network Firewalls study, which included the responses of 2,700 mid-size business IT leaders, goes on to say 25% can’t identify over 70% of total network traffic. That’s a massive blind spot, especially with mounting concerns over cybersecurity. The network is what keeps your clients connected.

The news is filled with stories about horrible attacks against corporate and government networks. It’s almost enough to make administrators for small and mid-sized networks give up. But it’s important to note not all of these attacks are the same. There’s a vast difference, for example, between the incredibly sophisticated long-term attacks against high-profile companies and government agencies, and the mere smash-and-grab attacks.