Despite readily available cloud-based services, many companies are now outsourcing big data to managed service providers and expecting high-performance results. How do managed service providers ensure they are ready to meet this demand?

 Evaluating Resources

As noted in a recent RCRWireless News article, managed technology services — both for traditional desktop computing and mobile devices — are quickly gaining ground as a way to effectively manage IT budgets. Midsize companies, now familiar with the cloud and typical service level agreements (SLAs), are becoming choosy about providers, passing over "one-size-fits-all" models in favor of MSPs that deliver exactly what they want for the right price.

Businesses are doing their homework to discover who is actually fulfilling MSP promises. Do they have the expertise in-house, or are they reaching out to another third party? Can they scale up to handle growing demands? What are their standards for service delivery? Do they meet or exceed C-suite expectations?
It is no surprise, then, that midsize companies are just as discerning when it comes to outsourcing big data analytics. Many do not have the time or resources to take on this challenge alone, and they expect an MSP to bundle analytics as part of a high-value offering.

Risk and Reward

According to MSPmentor, just over half of midsize businesses are handling big data analytics solutions in-house. For many the issue is cost, for others the problem is time. In some cases, companies are not sure where to begin — they have massive amounts of data but are not sure how to uncover actionable results. It is here that MSPs play a critical role. With technical expertise and connection to the cloud, these providers offer two distinct advantages: data visualization and risk management.
Data visualization provides a clear picture of developing data relationships so C-suite executives and IT experts can make proactive decisions based on predictive analytics rather than responding to market fluctuations ad hoc. Risk management, meanwhile, is bolstered by the cloud; data is secure and redundantly stored in this environment, while data access and use becomes highly visible.
For midsize companies, outsourcing big data makes sense. Why budget for analytics on local stacks when a cloud-based provider can offer lower cost and better performance? MSPs, meanwhile, must be prepared for the influx of outsourcing requests, which means careful consideration of their own analytics backbone. Whether in-house or provided by business analytics leaders, midsize companies expect these tools to work on demand and deliver critical insights without needless complexity.
This post was brought to you by IBM for Midsize Business. Dedicated to providing businesses with expertise, solutions and tools that are specific to small and midsized companies, the Midsize Business program provides businesses with the materials and knowledge they need to become engines of a smarter planet.

Source: midsizeinsider.com