How NoC Services Increase MSP Business Growth

Running a Managed Service Provider (MSP) business can be difficult. The market has been growing with a forecasted compound annual growth rate of 8.1 percent through 2026, making the MSP sector more competitive than ever. 

Most MSPs push to deliver exceptional Information Technology (IT) service and support. They do this to stand out all while scaling their business and controlling costs. Many of them pull this off by Outsourcing Their Network Operations Center (NoC) Services.

What role do NoCs play in MSPs? Why are they seen as important catalysts of growth in such an industry? In this article, we’ll explore the benefits of partnering with a reliable NoC provider. We’ll dive into how it can help you deliver superior customer service and increase your growth. Let’s get started.

What is a NoC in Managed Services?

A Network Operations Center (NoC) is a centralized facility made for business operations. It manages, monitors, and troubleshoots an organization’s IT infrastructure and network.

In managed services, it’s a dedicated team that oversees your network’s health and performance. The NoC team is often outsourced, and this is apparently seen as more efficient than having an in-house team. Building and maintaining your own NoC team can be costly and labor-intensive.

Here’s what NoCs do in managed services:

24/7 Monitoring and Resolution

NoC teams track network devices, servers, applications, and security systems, doing these round-the-clock to detect potential issues. At the same time, they track server uptime, bandwidth usage, and security logs. This ensures that they can spot and address problems immediately in the network.

Many NoCs are also tasked with resolving issues after spotting them. According to a survey, 53 percent agree that their NoC personnel get involved in problem resolution. They do not only contribute to problem identification but also to solving it.

Alerting

NoCs can trigger alerts when they detect anomalies or issues in the network and servers. They use anomaly detection techniques to identify unusual patterns in the network. It’s also possible that they send the alerts to your internal IT staff so you can take steps to prevent a service outage. 

Performance Reporting

NoC teams analyze and report data related to network performance. They usually check for network availability and uptime. These are indicators that your network is operational and accessible. They also track your performance using security metrics. Measures like failed login attempts and suspicious activity logs to respond to threats.

Performance Optimization

On top of the above mentioned tasks, NoC teams also optimize your network performance by adjusting bandwidth allocations or traffic shaping. They may also do regular network assessments for vulnerabilities. Afterward, they patch them to reduce the risk of future security breaches.

Security Management

NoC teams play a crucial role in identifying and responding to security threats. They are also significant in tracking vulnerabilities and monitoring network security 24/7. Tasks like detecting network intrusions and implementing security patches are often performed too.

Overall Reporting and Communication

Clients receive regular reports about network performance, security incidents, and IT health. The NoC’s task is to communicate and make the report understandable. Information must be digestible to those who are not well-versed in the IT world.

How Do NoC Services Increase MSP Business Growth?

NoCs improve business performance and customer experience. They mitigate the negative impact of security threats. These help MSPs navigate the industry challenges.

When MSPs outsource their NoCs, they are likely to experience these benefits:

Improved Performance Through Proactive Monitoring

​​A dedicated NoC team ensures immediate issue resolution before they impact clients. With 24/7 monitoring, NoC teams can ensure that no anomaly or threat goes unnoticed. Overall, NoCs help reduce business downtime and improve your system performance.

Better Customer Satisfaction

NoC services help you offer high levels of service speed, reliability, and availability to your clients. These improve your customers’ overall experience. 

Providing these levels of service is important, considering that today’s consumers can switch to competitors if they find your service unsatisfactory.

Enhanced Security

NoCs help you secure your networks with continuous monitoring and threat detection. These approaches reduce the impact of security risks and can also help ensure that you are compliant with regulations.

Reduced Costs

Outsourced NoCs are more cost-effective compared to building an in-house NoC team. In 2023, the annual wage for computer system administrators was estimated at $95,360. This data was according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Many NoC providers have the tools, and expertise to deliver a quality service. They have the stack so you don’t have to start from scratch to have the same level of service quality.

Scalability

Outsourcing helps you scale better compared to maintaining an in-house team. Outsourcing lets you choose the amount of service you require based on your company’s needs. This lets you reduce overhead costs by hiring only when you need it.  

Expertise

Outsourcing NoCs lets you gain instant access to a team of experienced professionals. It links you to the infrastructure required to handle complex IT needs. This means that you don’t have to spend time and resources to scout for talents and experts to have a competent team.

24/7 Support

Since outsourcing is cheaper, 24/7 IT support is now possible without breaking the bank. This helps you ensure constant vigilance over your IT infrastructure to identify problems before they get worse. Imagine a system crash being identified and resolved before business hours.

How to Choose a NoC Provider For Your Business

There are many NoC providers in the market nowadays and selecting one that fits your needs and requirements can be difficult. How do you choose the best one for your business? Check out our guide below:

1. Identify Your Business Needs

The most important part about selecting the right provider is knowing your business needs. Start by listing down what you want to achieve at the end of the year for your business. Then develop an action plan to address your identified needs. Most MSP businesses need NoCs for monitoring and proactive issue resolution.

2. Check Out the Provider’s Products and Services

Most NoC providers offer the same products and services. Some specialize in one or another. When looking for a provider, make sure they have basic monitoring capabilities and security measures.

They must also be able to provide quick incident response and optimize your network performance. 

3. Look For Customization Options

Not all businesses have the same needs. That’s why it’s important to choose a provider that is flexible enough to tailor their options for you. 

Choose a provider that can customize its offerings. Their services, pricing models, and scalability options must depend on your business requirements.

4. Ensure the Provider is Compliant with Industry Standards

Industry standards are there for a reason — experts made them as necessities to ensure success in a specific field.. 

When choosing a NoC provider, make sure that they adhere to these standards while using best practices for data security and compliance. 

5. Choose a Provider That Provides Effective Communication and Reporting

Another thing to look for in a NoC provider is their ability to communicate with you effectively. Effective communication is important for coordination. 

It ensures that you get regular updates on your network performance and how they are handling issues.

6. Evaluate the Technical Expertise of the Provider

When selecting a NoC provider, assess their capacity to handle complex network issues. You can dig deeper by checking each team member and ensure that they have the skills, knowledge, and experience for effective network management. 

It’s important to take note of certifications, training programs, and professional development initiatives as they can be hallmarks of technical expertise.

7. Select a Cost-Effective Provider

Sometimes price does not equate to quality. This is why it’s important to ensure that you’re getting the bang for your buck from your NoC provider.

Evaluate pricing models carefully to ensure transparency from your NoC provider. Compare quotes from different providers to decide which one fits your requirements.

8. Review the Service Level Agreement 

Service level agreements (SLAs) help guarantee the level of service your NoC provider can give. This lets you check your expectations in response times and uptime commitments. 

They also let you know how they measure good performance and what they do if these expectations are not met. In reviewing SLAs, ensure that the terms align with your business objectives.

9. Check Out Reviews and Recommendations

Another way to select the right provider is to check the reviews of other businesses. Testimonies are a good way to identify whether a provider is reliable. Moreover, they help you narrow down your choices so you won’t have to do an extensive search for providers.

Get Reliable and Cost-Effective NoC Services with STAFFVIRTUAL

Outsourcing your NoC services can help your business grow. Not only will you gain improved performance, but you also get to reduce overhead costs. At the same time, external support also helps in increasing customer satisfaction and enhancing security.

NoCs can also help you gain instant access to reliable and high-quality IT services. You enjoy these without going through the costly process of building an in-house team. By integrating outsourced NOC services, you can better navigate the challenges in the MSP industry.

The prime way to enjoy the benefits of these services is to choose a reliable outsourced partner. You’ll definitely see improvement in your MSP operations by teaming up with STAFFVIRTUAL. Our 15+ years of experience with the leading MSP providers in the U.S. have allowed us to formulate best practices that contribute to their growth. Schedule a call today to find out how we can take your business to the next level.

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Sources:

Must-Know MSP Industry Statistics [Latest Report] | Gitnux

The Next Generation Network Operations Center | Ashton, Metzler & Associates

Network and Computer Systems Administrators | Bureau of Labor Statistics