How managed services can help SME security teams take back their time
For those uncertain about investing in managed services in 2020, doing so could be the answer to freeing up your IT team to turn its attention to areas where it’s needed most. In the first of a three-part series, we look at the services you will need
Now firmly past the new year, many of us will either be boasting about our ongoing commitment to our resolutions or calling it quits and bringing our short-lived commitment to the gym to an abrupt end.
For many organisations, a shared resolution in 2020 will likely be to free up the valuable time of their security teams so they can focus their attention where it truly matters, not at their desk managing the latest patches or investigating every perceived threat.
Just as we may appoint a friend to keep us accountable as we abstain from chocolate or wine, these businesses would be wise to look to managed services to help them see their resolutions through.
Doing so will allow them to monitor and manage their networks, automate those time-consuming routine tasks and remediate security concerns – ideally all from the comfort of an intuitive centralised dashboard.
Of course, many are already aware of the benefits of adopting managed services. When Barracuda MSP spoke to more than 340 decision-makers in 2018 – comprised of C-level management, directors and proprietors at UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) – for our The evolving landscape of the MSP business survey, we discovered that the leading drivers for managed services adoption was reduced capital expenditure and other costs (65%), increased efficiency (50%) and the desire to overcome internal skills shortages (47%).
Similarly, when we ran the survey again in 2019, we found that managed services were readily being adopted to overcome skills (69%) and resource (55%) shortages.
Finding the right managed services
For those not in the know, or on the fence about investing in managed services in 2020, doing so could be the answer to freeing up your IT team’s attention for where it’s needed most. If that is your goal, the following services are essential.
”Just as we may appoint a friend to keep us accountable as we abstain from chocolate or wine, businesses would be wise to look to managed services to help them see their business resolutions through”
Jason Howells, Barracuda MSP
Security assessment: This will allow swift identification of vulnerabilities, complete with recommended solutions and services to quickly remediate the issue. For organisations protecting their clients’ data as well as their own, thorough security assessment capabilities will ensure data is not falling into the wrong hands.
Task automation: This service automates the necessary repetitive tasks that previously demanded much of your IT team’s attention, allowing them to focus their efforts on mission-critical activities.
Patch management: By automatically sourcing, testing and applying patches across the network, patch management quickly and efficiently addresses potential security vulnerabilities.
Outside integrations: To make the most of a managed services setup, organisations should make sure third-party integration is available. If so, users will be able to monitor, manage and undertake common administrative tasks with other integrated applications.
Real-time surveillance: Round-the-clock monitoring and alerting capabilities will take the pressure off your IT professionals, safe in the knowledge that any alerts will be raised and addressed in real time.
All of the above should be available through a simple, centralised dashboard that provides at-a-glance views of your environments and access information.
If you’re committed to breaking the habit this year and leaving your concerns around time and efficiency firmly in 2019, speak to a trusted managed service provider (MSP) about adopting the above services and refocusing your IT team to where they are needed most.
