Improving the resilience of your cloud solutions: role and expertise of Managed Service Providers

Managing and controlling the data, cloud computing, ever-increasing storage volumes, security, governance, sovereignty… Given the growing complexity of IT infrastructure, many companies/CIOs call on experts to support them and advise them on how to meet these numerous IT challenges.

One of the possible forms of IT outsourcing is working with a Managed Service Provider (MSP) who manages and operates the information system. This player is an essential link in the relationship between the end customer and the cloud infrastructure provider.

What is the role of an MSP?

The role of an MSP consists in ensuring an optimal level of availability, security, and performance of the client’s infrastructures.

To do so, he/she advises, implements, maintains and secures hosting infrastructures, whether they are based on a simple virtual server (VPS) or a complex configuration made of multiple hosting solutions.

From a liability standpoint, when developers endeavour to guarantee the proper functioning of the code of the application or site they have designed and when OVHcloud guarantees the availability of the hosting bricks (Bare Metal Cloud, Public Cloud, Hosted Private Cloud with VMware, Nutanix, Anthos, Object Storage, CDN), the MSP is in charge of making the connection between the “system” and interfacing the different bricks. The system corresponds to all the software layers (OS and services) that will run on the “hardware” layer and which allow the proper functioning of the application code.

The MSP provides the client with real support through 4 main missions:

• BUILD – This is the stage of designing the architecture according to the needs and constraints of the client, then installing the infrastructure. The consulting dimension is a key pilar here.
• RUN – This refers to the day-to-day management and maintenance of the infrastructures in operational conditions, including continuous monitoring and incident response.
• SUPPORT – The support provided by the MSP also includes the optimization and evolution of the platforms with adapted and specific advice in relation to the client’s requests.
  In addition to their technical expertise, MSPs can rely on the levels of support offered by OVHcloud, thus ensuring a better quality of service according to the criticality of the data, the applications or the platforms used by customers.
• BACK UP – Essential part of any secure infrastructure, the backups and the Disaster Recovery Plan or the Business Continuity Plan are guarantees that should not be overlooked.
  To avoid any loss of data, the MSP sets up a backup system. One of the good practices consists in storing backups on remote units, both distributed and redundant on 2 or 3 different and geographically distant sites. To do this, OVHcloud has datacenters in France in Roubaix, Gravelines and Strasbourg, but also all across Europe.
  The MSP can also build a Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) which aims to anticipate scenarios in order to anticipate against major accidents responsible for the destruction or extended shutdown of a production infrastructure by having a fast and reliable backup solution.

What are the advantages of outsourcing your IT management to an MSP?

In addition to sound advice to optimize the infrastructure, and developing a relationship with a single point of contact, using the services of an MSP also means:

Eliminate stress and focus on your core business

Beyond the technical aspect, the foundation of the MSP role consists mainly in eliminating stress and dissatisfaction by relying on two key capacities, namely problem solving and anticipation. Freed from the management of the IT infrastructure, customers are then able to fully concentrate on their core business.

A software publisher can use its time to innovate and implement new features, an online sales platform can focus on promoting its brand, its products and the development of its community…

On their side, financial institutions will be able to focus on processing their data by relying on a high-performance and secure environment that will enable them to protect themselves from both internal and external threats, while the media players will be able to concentrate on content creation, without worrying about the availability and accessibility of their production environment.

Master the management of the security aspect

The MSP’s mission is to provide an efficient, stable, but above all secure infrastructure. They will be in charge of strengthening the security of the system layer to guard against attacks (brute force, denial of service, etc.). The MSP is also taking care of the rigorous application of security updates in a transparent way for the customer.

Better control infrastructure and training costs

Working with an MSP means considering a new economic/financial model focusing less on major investment phases than on financial smoothing over time. Indeed, clients can benefit from continuously updated infrastructures without having to manage the technical evolution.

They get professional advice on how to optimize their IT to better match their expectations in line with the industry innovations.

Rely on a reliable ecosystem of experts

Trusting the MSP is essential, but this is not the only essential factor. The mutual trust between the MSP and the cloud provider(s)/host(s) with whom they work is also particularly important.

This trust is based on multiple elements:

• Technical and technological elements: quality of infrastructure, datacentres, hardware, network
• Human and relational elements: quality, availability and accessibility of OVHcloud teams
• Values: compatibility on the corporate culture through the values of transparency, accessibility, reversibility, interoperability and sovereignty.
  OVHcloud strives to offer a trusted cloud based on open standards on which its ecosystem of partners relies to create value and meet the evolving needs of customers.

If you would like to be supported in the management of your IT infrastructures, get in touch with one of our trusted French partners below to get the level of service that best suits your needs.

hello@alixans.com 01 84 24 05 44	commercial@cognix-systems.com 02 30 96 34 40	vchapuis@partitio.com 05 34 60 42 84