7 Questions to Consider When Assessing MSPs

In this constantly changing business environment, organizations must operate with an up-to-date IT infrastructure. An outdated technological infrastructure can harm your business in the following ways:

• Granting online criminals a free pass

• Immersing your company in warm water with regulators

• Decreasing global productivity

• Improving employee dissatisfaction

• Irritating your clients

You must update your IT infrastructure once you realize the risks of not keeping your technology in line with current demands. However, it's easier said than done, so you'll need to put in extra time and effort to make the necessary adjustments. A managed service provider (MSP) could be useful in this situation.

Finding the right MSP associate can be challenging if you have never worked with one before and are unsure of what to expect. An MSP can fill in knowledge and expertise gaps in technology.

To help you determine whether an MSP is a good fit to meet your career and technology infrastructure needs, we've put together a list of the top 7 questions you should ask them.

Issues to raise

1. Do you offer support 24/7/365?

Unlike your employees, your data and IT structures do not need to sleep. To prevent downtime, data loss, and cyberattacks, your Managed Service Provider should provide 24/7/365 tracking and support to address technology infrastructure issues.

2. Do you perform regular risk assessments?

MSPs must regularly perform safety checks because risk factors are constantly changing to stay on top of new and evolving threats. The risk assessment reports from your MSP partner should give you an overview of the internal and external threats that could later prove harmful to you.

3. Do you satisfy all of my compliance requirements?

If you must be HIPAA compliant, an MSP who adheres to the standard and is familiar with it may be beneficial. Ask if they can demonstrate HIPAA compliance as a result.

4. Do you have any proof that you're compliant and using best practices?

It may be harmful to work with an MSP that doesn't adhere to best practices and has a history of non-compliance. As a result, guarantee that they follow any applicable laws and best practices.

5. Do you have a plan for recovering from disasters? If so, what's nearby and how frequently is it tested?

Without a disaster recovery plan, your MSP partner won't be able to withstand an incident, which will have an impact on you as well. Even if they already have one, it needs to be carefully reviewed and updated.

6. Is third-party auditing carried out to satisfy compliance and cybersecurity requirements?

An MSP that invests in an external audit can demonstrate objectively that their information systems and methodologies comply with strict guidelines in crucial areas like safety and compliance. Don't overlook this consideration at any cost.

7. Do you place too much stock in your abilities to maintain your safety posture? If so, could you explain why in that case?

This is important because if your MSP associate has a poor security posture, cybercriminals might find it easier to access your network.

Why are the aforementioned concerns essential when selecting an MSP?

More than just time and effort savings are at stake when you work with a Managed Service Provider. You need to know exactly how they intend to protect your company from evolving cyber threats, how they intend to ensure that you comply with the law to avoid fines and reputational harm, and whether or not they can provide you with data backups whenever you need them.