What Is a Managed Service Provider (MSP) and How It Works

One cyberattack occurs every 39 seconds, and 90% of all cyber incidents are the result of human error. The cost of a single in-house IT professional can range from $60,000 to $150,000, not including tools and other required resources. An in-house IT team can be extremely costly for most businesses. This is why we are seeing the rise of the managed service provider (MSP) or managed security service provider (MSSP) business model. With roughly 90% of small businessesrelying on managed IT support, it has become a preferred alternative to traditional in-house IT support.

In today’s blog we’ll cover exactly what a managed service provider is, services they may offer, and how they differ from a managed security service provider.

What Is a Managed Service Provider

A managed service provider (MSP) is a third party that delivers services such as network, application, infrastructure, and security either on-site or in a remote capacity. Managed service providers include all the expertise, people, and tools you would expect from an in-house IT team at a fraction of the cost.

You take your car to a mechanic to be serviced to ensure it is working properly, is safe, and will last you longer. A managed service provider is like your mechanic, except replace your car with your business.

MSPs will typically operate on a subscription model that can have one-year, three-year, or longer contracts depending on the MSP. A company pays a monthly fee for the managed service provider that includes a suite of services. This is different from the traditional break fix IT support model that reacts only when something goes wrong. With managed IT support from an MSP, they focus on prevention.

Photo by BMC Software

What Do MSP Services Include

A managed service provider delivers ongoing managed IT support for your infrastructure, users, and security posture. While service offerings vary, most MSP services fall into four core categories.

Managed IT Support:

• IT infrastructure management includes servers, networks, cloud environments, and VoIP.
• 24/7 network monitoring and proactive system maintenance
• Cloud services, email management, and remote workforce solutions
• IT consulting, vendor management, and strategic leadership guidance

Managed Cybersecurity Support:

• Managing security risks with 24/7 monitoring and threat response
• Incident response services and managing security incidents
• Cloud security and network protection
• Cybersecurity compliance, audits, assessments, and employee training

Helpdesk Support:

• Service desk support for devices
• Managed email support
• Remote user support and network connectivity troubleshooting
• User onboarding, offboarding, and secure account management

Co-Managed IT and Cybersecurity

• Partner with internal IT teams to fill skill or resource gaps
• Enhance cybersecurity oversight and risk management
• Support for complex projects, infrastructure upgrades, and orchestration
• Strategic collaboration to strengthen security and operational performance

While a managed service provider covers both managed IT support operations and elements of security, not all providers deliver the same depth of protection. This is why it is important to understand the difference between a managed service provider (MSP) and a managed security service provider (MSSP).

Managed Service Provider (MSP) vs Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP)

The key difference between an MSP and an MSSP is that the former delivers broad managed IT support while the latter focuses on cybersecurity services.

MSPs typically prioritize IT operations such as infrastructure management and user support, often layering in basic security tools. In contrast, MSSPs provide comprehensive security offerings including threat detection, incident response, compliance alignment, and ongoing risk management.

The key difference is the scope of their services. Some organizations function as both a managed service provider and a managed security service provider. They are able to support day-to-day IT operations while also delivering enterprise-level cybersecurity protection.

When evaluating a provider, it is important to choose one that has both MSP and MSSP capabilities, so your IT environment is not only operational, but secure.

Photo by Proper Sky

How to Choose the Right Managed Service Provider

Choosing the right managed service provider is not just about outsourcing IT. It is about selecting a partner that can strengthen your managed IT support, cybersecurity, and governance strategy.

When evaluating a managed service provider, consider:

• Cost Structure: Does a predictable monthly service model make sense for your organization compared to the cost of hiring, training, and equipping a full in-house IT and security team?
• Security Capabilities: Do they also operate as a managed security service provider (MSSP) with security services such as 24/7 monitoring, incident response, and advanced threat protection?
• Governance Maturity: Many organizations invest in security tools but lack clear policies, oversight, or executive accountability. Can the provider help establish structured governance, reporting, and risk ownership across your organization?
• Strategic Partnership: Do they provide leadership, long-term planning, and measurable risk prevention rather than only reactive support?

Strong technology and security controls matter. But without governance to guide the decision-making and accountability, even well-funded environments can carry unnecessary risk.

Your IT Environment Should Feel Stable. Secure. Predictable.

 If it does not, that is a problem.

But with the right combination of managed IT support, cybersecurity oversight, and governance alignment, you can eliminate unnecessary risk and operate with confidence.

The next step is not another patch or tool. It is partnering with a structured, proactive provider that protects your organization for the long term.