What is a MCSP?
As noted in our recent post, Moving Cloud Gets Real, many small and midsize businesses are approaching the tipping point between on-premise and cloud service. When (not if) you reach this point, how you manage and support your IT will change, and you will begin to wonder what a managed cloud service provider can do for you. In this case, the need to monitor and maintain equipment and infrastructure drops off while your need to monitor and manage services, apps, and data increases.
Enter the Managed Cloud Service Provider (MCSP)
A MCSP is a Managed Cloud Service Provider. Similar to a traditional managed service provider, or MSP, the MCSP provides you with end to end monitoring, management, and support for your IT ecosystem.
The big difference between a MSP and a Managed Cloud Service Provider:
- MSPs focus on on-premise solutions
- Your MCSP will provide your IT services using cloud infrastructure services, cloud-connected end user devices, and the infrastructure needed to connect the two
Because your MCSP covers you end to end, you still have coverage for your users’ computers, networks, file sharing, printing, and applications.
The MCSP Value Proposition
Historically, most MSPs charge monthly fees based on:
- The number and type of services
- The number of users
- Number of devices
- Number of vendors
MCSPs, in comparison, typically charge a single, inclusive, per-user fee covering cloud subscriptions and services and included devices. If part of the covered services, monthly fees for networking and other infrastructure may also apply.
The value proposition is greater given the Managed Cloud Service Provider per-user fee covers the user and the system — you do not have separate charges for servers and vendors. The chart, below, illustrates a sample comparison of the per-device versus per-user fees in which the monthly fees quoted were identical.
| Traditional MSP |
Cumulus Global MCSP |
|
|---|---|---|
| Device(s) | Yes (Optional) | Yes (Optional) |
| Operating System | Yes | Yes |
| Office 365 Subscription | Yes | Yes |
| Endpoint Protection | Yes | Yes |
| Support | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Device Management | Yes | |
| Advanced Threat Protection | Yes | |
| Data Backup / Recovery (for Office 365) | Yes | |
| O365 PSTN Conferencing | Yes | |
| Message-Level Email Encryption | Yes | |
| Web Security | Yes |
In addition to the per-device fees in the chart, above, the Managed Cloud Service Provider options included monitoring and management fees for Active Directory and other on-premise servers that do not exist in the MCSP solution — further enhancing the value proposition.
Next Steps to Understand How a Managed Cloud Service Provider Can Help Your Business
Your next step is to understand when MCSP services are right for your business. Contact us for a complementary Cloud Advisor session; let’s discuss the opportunities and options to see what managed cloud services might be right for your business.
