Do you know the difference between MSP security and MSSP security? For that matter, do you know how each of these types of security can benefit your business?
Most people don’t realize that there is a difference between MSSP and MSP security and don’t realize that each one offers different benefits. Group CCI would like to help you better understand the MSP model of security and compare it to MSSPs.
Keep reading for the details you need to make an informed decision.
What is an MSP
An MSP is a managed services provider. The job of managed services providers usually includes ensuring that your IT systems are operational, monitoring your networks, keeping track of hardware and software licenses, and managing the overall infrastructure of your technology.
Often, an MSP will also provide cybersecurity, lease hardware to their clients, improve productivity by decreasing downtime, solve technology-related problems, and offer technical support.
You can think of managed services providers as an outsourced IT department that is responsible for the maintenance and overall well-being of your hardware, software, networks, and infrastructure as a whole.
What Are MSSPs
MSSPs are managed security service providers, offering security as their main (often only) service. They work to ensure that your infrastructure, networks, and computers are safe from cyberattacks, malware, malicious insiders, and help to maintain industry-standard compliance.
When you use a managed security service provider, you can expect to have a managed firewall, use of a virtual private network (VPN), vulnerability scans, anti-virus software, and intrusion detection. Additionally, an MSSP will monitor and manage all of your network devices.
Hiring an MSSP is simply outsourcing the security of your IT department and infrastructure to minimize the chances of intrusions, data breaches, and successful cyberattacks.
Significant Differences Between MSPs and MSSPs
As you can tell from each description of these providers, there are significant differences between the types of services an MSP and MSSP will provide. While both of these types of providers offer security, MSSPs are dedicated to providing only that service.
On the other hand, managed service providers offer a full range of IT services that are outside the scope of what MSSPs render. Typically, a business will find MSSPs useful if the MSP they’re using doesn’t offer complete and well-rounded security solutions.
With this said, some managed services providers will offer the same or similar services that MSSPs do. When this is the case, you will find your MSP to include advanced antivirus software with intrusion detection and AI technology. They should also offer options for enterprise-level security to their SMB clients and provide protection against active threats to your data.
Additionally, managed services providers who can act as an MSSP will also offer backup and disaster recovery planning and strategies to minimize downtime after any attack or major event.
Managed security service providers will often specialize in compliance and risk management but leave a lot of areas of your IT department left without any support at all. This can be problematic when you’re dealing with a multitude of problems that are outside of security-related issues.
Benefits of Using a Security-Savvy MSP
Managed security service providers are great, especially for businesses who deal with highly sensitive information, have a large budget, and don’t require extra IT support. Most businesses have at least some sensitive data that they must protect, but they also have to work within the confines of their budget and need help with managing their IT infrastructure.
When this happens to be the case, managed services providers are the best option - especially if that MSP is security-savvy and offers multiple cybersecurity solutions.
You will find that using an MSP will stretch your IT budget much further than using an MSSP, help to manage the workload on your in-house staff, and improve the productivity and efficiency of your infrastructure. Additionally, your systems, hardware, software, data, and networks can be as protected as they would be with an MSSP if the right solutions are available.
Using an MSP gives you access to 24/7 support, the option to lease hardware, proper management of your infrastructure, and is usually billed at a cost-effective, predictable monthly rate.
How Our Services Help
While Group CCI is technically considered an MSP, we focus heavily on offering the best in cutting-edge security technology. When you partner with us, we can help you plan and strategize your IT and network security with plenty of options to implement various protective software and programs.
We partner with Huntress Labs, Proofpoint Essentials, Cylance Protect, and also have extensive experience with backup and disaster recovery planning.
Huntress Labs works with your current antivirus software to seek, find, and remediate threats that attempt to break your security perimeter.
Proofpoint Essentials is an enterprise-level, cloud-based email security that aims to provide spam and phishing protection, encryption, data loss prevention, as well as analysis and categorization of URLs and attachments.
Cylance Protect helps to identify and prevent malware attacks by using artificial intelligence and cloud-based technology.
In addition to these security solutions, we can ensure that your data is continually backed up throughout the day and stored off-site. This is important for disaster recovery should a natural, manmade, or network disaster ever strike.
Because we are a managed services provider, you can also expect professional and efficient management of all of your IT and computing resources, help with planning and implementing new IT goals, and options for cloud migration, VoIP, and all-around IT support.
MSP or MSSP?
To answer the question of whether you should use a managed services provider or a managed security services provider, you need to identify your budget as well as what IT goals are important to you. MSPs can handle a broad range of tech, security, and network problems, often stretching your IT budget further.
However, keeping your data secure is also important which is why you should consider using a managed services provider that focuses heavily on security and data loss prevention.
Group CCI does exactly this and can help you with the management of your IT systems as well as the protection of all your digital assets - you can think of us as an MSP security company.
Contact us today to schedule a consultation to learn how we are our security solutions and managed services can benefit your business!
