The MSP Zone

The Cost of Human Error in Cybersecurity

12 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Too often we think only of technology as that which will save us from cyber security threats. Yet, there is an even more powerful resource in the figh...

Do We Lack Cyber Standards or Enforcement?

07 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A few episodes ago we discussed the challenges cyber insurance carriers are having identifying and categorizing risk. This has been evidenced in diffi...

Will The Insurance Industry Survive Cybersecurity?

05 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Insurance is one of those topics often misunderstood by many, and yet has an undeniable impact on many industries. The common belief is that MSPs have...

M&A Buyer Tactics You May Want to Avoid

30 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

MSPs looking to acquire other MSPs are everywhere. MSP buyers have always existed and will always exist. Having seen what works and what doesn't, I th...

What is Cybersecurity as a Service?

28 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Information Technology industry has long suffered from nearly constant changing of names and the introduction of new names to replace old ones. Wh...

Changing Legal Landscape for Managed Service Providers

23 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It has been several years since GDPR went into effect and it has had an impact on MSPs and clients alike. Today, many more laws are being and have bee...

Is the UK Changing Data Privacy Laws?

21 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It was going to happen eventually after the UK left the European Union. The UK is deliberating on whether GDPR will remain as a central theme in data ...

Quantifying the Value of Managed Services

15 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

For 25 years MSPs have been attempting to communicate why they are necessary to their clients. For existing managed services customers, this value mak...

Do You Have Ransomware in Your MSP Agreements?

10 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Ransomware is a problem for everyone. MSPs fight every day to keep their clients safe from ransomware, and yet, we must plan for the worst case scenar...

My Thoughts on the CISA MSP Advisory

08 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

CISA published their advisory bulletin addressing risk considerations for organizations thinking about using managed service providers. This is a grea...

Can You Survive Without Managed Services

30 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It is a question we used to get often during the early days of managed services. Particularly, when organizations did not fully understand the require...

The MSP Legislation We Need

23 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There has been a lot of discussion concerning the MSP regulation our profession should have. Standards for MSPs, cyber practices to reduce the number ...

MSP Service Catalogs in the Age of Cloud

18 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

How should your managed services catalog change, if at all, when delivering your offerings in the cloud? How can you use your updated services catalog...

How to Have the "Ransomware Conversation" with Your Clients

13 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Every MSP needs to have an important conversation with their clients about cyberattacks and ransomware. These conversations don't have to be difficult...

MSPs Are Responding to Ransomware Attacks

12 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In the aftermath of recent ransomware attacks on software companies used by MSPs, the question of how do we respond as a community is, and should, be ...

How to Fix the “Secretive” Reputation of Cloud Providers

09 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

"Secretive" cloud providers have a problem. So do the MSPs who use these cloud providers. Fixing the issue of secrecy and lack of transparency is impo...

The Difference Between Internal IT and the MSP

04 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What's the difference between internal IT departments and managed service providers? There are some important distinctions which define the relationsh...

MSP Tool Decentralization

02 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It was almost an inevitability that MSPs would begin to rethink their procurement of managed services enabling tools in the wake of the Kaseya ransomw...

Defining MSP, MSSP, & SOCaaS

02 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What's an MSP? What is an MSSP? What is a SOC? These terms are common throughout the managed services community but often have overlap and can cause c...

How NOT to Respond to the Kaseya Ransomware Attack

21 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

To all of you bloggers out there with aspirations of becoming an "expert" in managed services and providing MSPs with advice on how to respond to the ...

What MSPs Need to Know about the Kaseya Ransomware Attack

14 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

An interview with Rob Scott about the legal, political, and business impact of the Kaseya ransomware attack.  Highlights:  Breach requirements for M...

My Thoughts on the Kaseya Breach

09 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

My random thoughts on the Kaseya breach and how the managed services profession will ultimately respond.  Highlights:  Don't Panic!  How will this ...

Risks of Shadow IT and How MSPs Can Fix Them

07 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

MSPs face many realities when it comes to the management of customer IT environments. Shadow IT is a reality amongst many corporate organizations and ...

More States Implementing MSP Regulation

06 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Louisiana may have been the first State to pass an MSP law, but it certainly won't be the last. Four other states, including North Carolina, Pennsylva...

Service Guarantees – Should MSPs Use Them?

30 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Whether they are called SLAs or service guarantees, the concept of outcome-based terms within a contract is not new for MSPs. Whether MSPs should stil...

Rise of the Cybersecurity Reseller

29 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Will cybersecurity resellers have an impact on managed service providers? Like the value-added resellers of yesterday, these upgraded VARs are making ...

What is the Difference between Reactive and Proactive Providers?

22 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Besides the obvious answers to this question, such as profit margin, ability to scale, efficiency, and higher customer satisfaction, one of the bigges...

Should MSPs Charge More for High Profile Clients?

18 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Pricing your managed services offerings has been a longstanding debate within the MSP community. When certain types of customers present more lucrativ...

Setting up Your Managed Services Portfolio

16 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There are many reasons why you should have a managed services portfolio. Some call it a service catalog, others a service offering. Whatever you call ...

The Connection Between Documentation and Compliance

09 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Documentation has many benefits within a managed services practice. But, it also can be incredibly important for compliance. Here are some best practi...

Should I Switch from Break/Fix to Managed Services?

08 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The decision to change from a break/fix or reactive IT company into a proactive or managed services company is not an easy one, nor should it be under...

Managed Services Insurance: Everything You Need to Know

04 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Insurance for your MSP practice has never been more important. What types of insurance should you get? What insurance will protect you versus your cli...

There is no race to the bottom

02 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Is there a race to the bottom within the managed services profession? Commodity pressures, competition, these elements have always been with us but th...

How Can MSPs Avoid Unnecessary Compliance?

27 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Many MSPs are so tightly fused with their clients' business and technology needs that it can difficult to separate the two. This is understandable giv...

Is a Single Pane of Glass over for MSPs?

24 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Much has been made of the "single pane of glass" functionality of the major MSP platform companies. A single place from which the MSP can perform much...

When Security Vendors Get it Wrong

21 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

MSPs often outsource SOC, SIEM, and other security-related services to their vendors, including some of the larger MSP platform companies. But, what h...

Advice for MSPs Going Through MSP Verify

18 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Are you considering the MSP Verify certification? If so, here are some practice insights into how you should approach the process and how to maximize ...

MSP Platform Space is Heating Up Again

17 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Most of our attention has been on the big 4 MSP platforms. But, are we ignoring the growing army of MSP RMM, ticketing, and point solution tools being...

The Importance of the Small MSP

14 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

MSPs don't get a lot of attention, don't have many articles written about that, and yet perform a critical role in our global economy that cannot be o...

Path of Future MSP Regulation

13 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

For 21 years, I've been anticipating a day when MSPs are recognized as the indispensable guardians of data privacy and security that they are. With th...

Can Managed Services Clients Impact Your Compliance?

12 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Can a managed services customer impact your ability to be compliant? An interesting question, and one that is on the minds of many MSPs. The question ...

Cyber Insurance Claims - What you need to know

06 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Cyber insurance claims are becoming a part of everyday life, both for MSPs and customers. There are, however, some best practices you can adopt to mak...

It's Time to Revisit Virtual Desktops

30 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Virtual desktops are not a new concept for MSPs, but it may be time to revisit this technology as a model for managing current challenges.

DOJ Steps Up Fight Against Ransomware

28 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The DOJ is stepping up its fight against ransomware. How will this impact your MSP practice?

Don't Lose your MSP Cyber Insurance

20 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

MSPs are at risk of losing their cyber liability insurance coverage. Insurance companies want greater assurance from MSPsKey Points: MSPs need to pro...

Advice on Negotiating with Vendors

16 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

MSPs are going through interesting times, particularly when it comes to their relationship with vendors. If you are an MSP (new or old) and need some ...

Do we put too much trust in MSPs?

12 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Do we put too much trust in MSPs? Where else will you put your trust? These are important questions to ask, but the answers must be arrived at deliber...

Do We Need a US Federal Data Breach Notification Requirement?

08 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In the wake of recent US Federal government data breaches, there is a rumor of an executive order that could have a huge impact on the MSP sector. We ...

Is it Smart to Private Label Your Services as an MSP?

06 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Private labeling (or white labeling) solutions as an MSP is not a new concept. It has been in practice for many years. And yet, with all the changes i...

4 Attack Vectors MSPs Should be Covering

31 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What are the key areas of security focus for remote workers? We will discuss 4 key attack vectors MSPs should be considering when developing a managed...

News from the Cybersecurity Insurance Front

30 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

More companies are entering the Cybersecurity insurance business and realizing how important MSPs are to that model. What does this mean for MSPs? We’...

Is the MSP Market Contracting?

25 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Is the professional managed services market contracting? We will address this question on today’s MSP Zone.

Avoiding the MSP Ransomware Trap

24 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There are 3 steps MSPs can take to help clients reduce their risk of ransomware. Put slightly differently, here are 3 things you can do to avoid baili...

The Return of N-able

23 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

SolarWinds MSP changes name to N-able. What does this mean for the MSP community? We’ll discuss on today’s MSP Zone.  Show Notes: www.n-able.com

Should MSPs Have a Data Protection Officer?

22 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If you are an MSP in the European Union you are probably familiar with the term DPO, or data protection officer. DPOs are required under GDPR and are ...

Random Thoughts on Cybersecurity Consultants

19 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Cybersecurity has become a big business. And, it's getting bigger every day. Much has been made about the transition from MSP to MSSP, and cybersecuri...

Are Managed Services Clients on a Collision Course with Vendors?

18 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Recent cyberattacks involving vendor technologies could be creating more risk for managed services customers. Are these attacks setting clients on a c...

Datto 2020 Financials & the End of Manual Managed Services Help Desk

16 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Datto releases 2020 financial results, and could this be the end of manual help desk practices? We will review these news stories and provide our comm...

Intel Explores Software for MSPs

12 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Chip manufacturer Intel has been serving the IT channel for decades. Today, Intel is heading in a new direction and it could have significant implicat...

Death of Pay as You Go?

05 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

MSPs are facing increased pressure by some vendors who are requiring minimum recurring revenue levels in order to add new services, such as security. ...

How Can MSPs Best Support Clients in Healthcare

04 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

MSPs serving the healthcare sector have played a unique and important role in the last year. Frontline medical staff have helped lead the charge again...

The MSP Compliance Journey

02 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

MSPs have maturity journeys they take, often starting as highly manual, reactive companies, but moving towards greater efficiency, automation, and pro...

Kaseya Buys Security Operations Center

25 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

MSP platform company Kaseya, just announced that it has acquired RocketCyber, an MSP that provides Security Operations Center (SOC) services to MSPs.

Defining Managed Services for Compliance

22 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

People used to ask (they still do) what is an MSP. Typically, they'd follow up with another question, how do you define managed services? These questi...

Vendor Supply Chain Data Breaches - What Should You Do?

18 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What obligations do MSPs have when they learn of a data breach within one of their supply chain vendors? Does such a breach automatically mean the MSP...

A Security Discussion Around Sunburst

15 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What was the sunburst attack and how can MSPs protect themselves against in the future? That’s what we’ll be discussing in today’s episode.  MS...

Should MSPs Help Clients with Controls?

11 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It's easy to think of MSPs only as providers of an IT service, but what about IT controls? Should MSPs help their clients in creating and implementing...

MSP Project Work in 2021

10 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

2021 looks like it will be a lot better than 2020, especially when it comes to IT spending. But, if you are an MSP and want to safeguard your practice...

Can you save money in the public cloud?

05 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Can you save money by moving to the public cloud? Of course, you can. Well, maybe. The answer really depends. What started as a response to the 2009 g...

Is your MSP Business Plan Still Relevant?

26 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Does the MSP business model you are operating under still make sense? Is it still relevant to your clients? MSP Zone Guest: Rob Scott, Scott & Scott L...

What's Next for Work From Home?

24 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

2020 is in the past. But, work from home may be a permanent change left from the global pandemic. How will work from home continue to evolve into 2021...

Closing Common Security Gaps

22 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Bad people know the generally applied practices for IT management. As such, managed services delivery procedures should be consistently reviewed. Thes...

DOH is Here

21 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

DNS over HTTPS is here. What is it? This episode of MSP Zone will discuss DoH, the threats it is attempting to solve, and how MSPs can use it in their...

Patching Best Practices for MSPs

20 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Patching isn’t just a process every MSP should be doing. Patching is an essential component to keeping client systems safe and secure, and operation...

Zero Trust Network Architecture for MSPs

14 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What is ZTNA? As MSPs face increasing challenges in protecting their clients against global cyber threats, new ways of defense are needed. Could ZTNA ...

Securing the MSP Supply Chain

12 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The supply chain in managed services involves numerous technology relationships with external parties. This is a normal practice. There are, however, ...

4 Process Improvements for Private Cloud Managed Services

11 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Managing any object (as a managed service) requires skill. But, beyond mere expertise, there are several critical characteristics that can really make...

2020 Managed Services Year in Review

16 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

2020 will be a historic year, not just because we had a global pandemic. The managed services profession achieved some significant milestones this yea...

The Unintended Consequences of MSP Regulation

09 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

MSP regulation is upon us. But, could there be unintended consequences not foreseen by the regulators and legislators passing such laws? Today, we tal...

MSSP - Build or Partner

09 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

If you are wanting to accelerate your steps towards offering managed security, you have a few options, including build or partner. Today’s episode d...

Current Best Practices in Managed Service Contracts

02 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Managed services agreements are crucial for MSPs and clients. Everything from the duration of the agreement, to pricing, limitation of liability, and ...

The evolution of MSPs in the age of Covid

01 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

As we near the end of 2020, a year that has brought significant global change to everyone, we also look at the ways how this year has impacted the man...

Managed Services in the Last Frontier

20 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

A conversation with Ampersand, a managed services provider based in Alaska about their journey throughout the pandemic, meeting the needs of their cli...

Can you Resell Managed Services?

19 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Is the MSP profession ready for the channel? Of course it is, you might say. But, we are talking about the reselling of managed services as a channel....

MSPs & Passwords

17 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Passwords play such an important role in our society and our cybersecurity, we just can't talk about them enough. Today's episode features LogMeIn, cr...

Managed Services Has Bright Future, Regardless of Political Outcomes

05 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

When many people are uncertain about the outcome of the recent political elections, there is some certainty in the world. Specifically, there is some ...

Managed Services Change is Coming Due to Datto IPO

04 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Last week's initial public offering (IPO) for Datto has broader consequences for the global managed services profession. Most of these consequences ar...

The MSP Standard of Care

27 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Is there an MSP standard of care? Standards of care exist in other professions like medical, legal, etc. But, do they exist in the managed services pr...

Are you better off with or without an MSP?

21 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Are you better off with an MSP or without an MSP? That is today's question. We ask the question in order to realign the discussion of outsourcing IT m...

OFAC Guidance on Ransomware Payments

08 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control recently issued and advisory bulletin on the potential sanctions risks of making ransomw...

Remote Work is Generating New Managed Services Opportunities

06 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

COVID-19 has been disruptive for many businesses, including some MSPs. Some businesses, however, have reacted better than others to the global pandemi...

Are MSPs Responsible for their Vendors?

28 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

MSPs are responsible for their own actions, but should they be responsible for the external service providers (i.e., vendors) they bring to their cust...

MSP Zone Interview with Chris McHale of SPK and Associates

23 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

MSPs have been reporting all year a similar story across many market verticals and geographies. In today's episode, we speak with Chris McHale of SPK ...

Managed Services for Healthcare in 2020

16 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Our interview with an MSP focusing heavily on healthcare offers some valuable insights into how that sector has done throughout the pandemic.  Highli...

Managing SaaS

14 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

It used to be that MSPs would manage servers, desktops, firewalls, and other business and infrastructure objects for their clients. Many still do. Yet...

Digital Transformation is Driving Managed Services

09 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Managed Service Provider Ensono recently conducted a study of end-user organizations who reported some interested results related to IT spending and p...

Where are Organizations Most Vulnerable to Cyberattack?

08 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The war on cybercrime is now upon us. Globally, organizations of all sizes face unprecedented attacks on their IT assets. Luckily, MSPs are on the job...

Safe Cyber Hygiene Through Managed Services Contracts

28 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

How do you achieve safe cyber hygiene with your managed services customers. How about your contracts?  Managed services contracts are one of several ...

MSP Audit Myths

24 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

One of the biggest misconception MSPs have about certifications and audits is that if the MSP does not host the data, there is no need to examine the ...

Understanding the Difference Between Security and Privacy Incidents

12 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Not every cyber attack involves a data breach. Some network breaches do not involve the loss of personally identifiable data. Understanding the distin...