Addressing Questions About SaaS & MSP

In the tech world, acronyms are prolific - IP, ISP, VPN, MSP, SaaS - the list goes on (and on… and on…). Some of them are fairly common, such as ISP (Internet Service Provider) while others only come up in certain types of conversations. MSP and SaaS fall into the latter category. Business owners or tech people themselves might bandy the terms about on a semi-regular basis, but to many people they’re just another random jumble of letters thrown together. So, what is SaaS, exactly? And is it at all related to whatever the heck an MSP is?

Let’s find out.

SaaS Defined

SaaS stands for Software-as-a-Service. If the term is new to you, the concept probably isn’t. In fact, most people use some sort of SaaS product in their everyday life on a very regular basis. Do you have a Gmail account? What about Dropbox? Surprise! That’s SaaS.

Software-as-a-Service essentially means that a service (email or storage as mentioned before) are provided by a third party who maintains everything, typically for a recurring subscription fee. These are also very commonly referred to as cloud services, because the data and often the entire application lives in the cloud. It isn’t sitting on their computer or on a local server. Of course, it actually is sitting on a server somewhere - but that somewhere isn’t relevant to the user or to the way the service operates.

So, What’s an MSP?

An MSP, or Managed Service Provider, is a company that provides IT services for organizations like yours in a manner that basically is “set it and forget it” from the client perspective (that would be you). These services often include things like patching and updating systems, monitoring firewalls and network security, and also often providing technical break/fix support for end users (i.e. helpdesk support) The goal of an MSP is to improve the operation of your business by strategically managing your infrastructure and systems on a proactive basis.

Are SaaS and MSPs Similar??

This might seem like a clear answer to many, but the frequency in which this is searched for on Google is so high, it indicates many people really don’t know! The short answer is no but there is often synergy between SaaS and MSPs. MSPs, like iuvo, act as a bridge between your business and SaaS offerings by reselling and implementing solutions customized for how you do business. In addition, MSPs can offer a wide range of proactive maintenance and remediation services, as well as services that align more closely to business and operational goals.

SaaS services are a good way to streamline processes, increase productivity, and help a business scale. Pairing SaaS solutions with a MSP, which can offer similar, but expanded results across your company, is a perfect way to make wise investments aimed at growing your business.

To learn more about working with a Managed Service Provider and the many benefits it could bring your organization, download our eBook Build a Better Business by Outsourcing Your IT.