In part one, we discussed managed services from the datacenter and server perspective (off premise). Now we will cover how a Managed Service Provider (MSP) can extend the level of service to business premises.
Moving server workloads to a remote datacenter (off premise) provides half the benefit. As part of the service Desktop support via ticketing system, customer focused and knowledgeable technicians replace the typical internal IT support businesses uses.
Smaller companies often rely on interested individuals or train selected staff for this role. This can work well for some time, but there usually comes a point where the environment grows and the employee has to dedicate too much time to IT which takes away from their primary role.
In addition to this, projects such as out of hours updates, long installations, and upgrades may eat into their time.
For helpdesk support, the technician has the latest tools to assist troubleshooting. These are tools that can see and work with the user (with consent) to resolve issues, access logs on both the client and server side when troubleshooting application issues, and the the knowledge that comes with being focused on technical support.
In addition to helpdesk support, MSP’s can also manage phone and fax services, in many cases taking this off the business owner’s plate. From provisioning new phones to updating address books, this can all be handled via the helpdesk.
As more and more companies need employees to work remotely, sometimes in multiple offices and sometimes at home, Remote Desktop Services (RDS) have become a mainstay. Often Remote Desktop Services involve fairly complicated configurations and because these services use a client and their own protocols, it can be difficult to configure, maintain, and run long term.
An MSP will often be able to provide RDS where needed, but also it’s more modern relation Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) solutions.
Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) works on a similar principle to RDS, a remote (server based) system that the user logs into. However it provides some significant advantages including a desktop operating system – Windows 10 for example, rather than Windows Server, graphics hardware acceleration so that the machine can display rich media the way a physical system would, and sound USB device support.
The simplified, more efficient connection protocol and multi-device support means the systems are easier to access from anywhere.
All of this means that you can use a VDI desktop as your main desktop, giving you the security and performance from the datacenter with the desktop experience and convenience of a local machine.
Of course this is all great, but what about the infrastructure in the building, access points, printers, and other IT items? In this case the MSP should be able to extend the helpdesk to cover onsite visits and be able to provide services for projects like wifi expansion or teleconferencing.
To summarize the MSP should be able to extend from the datacenter to the office to provide a full suite of solutions via a single pane:
- Helpdesk support for computer issues
- RDS/VDI deployments
- Telephone/Fax services
- Infrastructure support, such as networking and audio visual solutions
