Processing power and data storage are steadily migrating from centralized data centers to the "edge" – the devices and locations where data is generated and used. While the promise of faster processing, improved responsiveness and enhanced security beckons, end users and MSPs alike face a curious conundrum: smarter tools, simpler experiences?
On the one hand, edge computing offers innovative applications, from real-time industrial automation to improved AR experiences. This distributed architecture demands specialized tools and expertise to manage the complexities of geographically dispersed devices and data.
This is where MSPs come in since they are tasked with keeping businesses running smoothly. But in edge computing, the burden on MSPs intensifies. Bridging the gap between increasingly sophisticated tools and a user base yearning for simplicity becomes a critical, yet potentially overwhelming, responsibility.
IONOS is there to help MSPs by “placing the building blocks for our partners to deliver against their clients’ infrastructure needs.” That is what Mark Hogan, Head of Sales and Customer Experience, Americas, IONOS, said when we had the chance to speak with him ahead of MSP Expo 2024 , taking place February 13-15 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. IONOS is a Gold sponsor and will be in Booth #233.
Hogan discusses the key challenges MSPs face and how products and solutions from IONOS help as well as what he is looking forward to at MSP Expo.
Here is what all Hogan had to say:
What recent innovations in your products or services are particularly relevant for MSPs?
Our biggest innovation remains our focus on simplicity, empowering the MSP community with the ability to serve their clients infrastructure needs through our drag and drop UI. The Data Center Designer removes the burden of complexity that is perpetuated by hyperscalers.
For example, high availability is delivered through our back-end architecture and clustering. Complexities surrounding burstable and spot instances are not needed to drive cost optimization as this is delivered through a simple and transparent “cost and usage” tab coupled with our three-tier server classification.
The concept of “simplicity” is persistent in all new capabilities we bring to market, including:
vCPU Server Class: Newly released enterprise grade cloud performance and flexibility at an affordable cost, which can be provisioned and managed within seconds.
Azure Connector: Direct connect to easily extend workloads from Azure into the IONOS Cloud to enable multi-cloud or simply increase margins and reduce complexity.
VDI: Powered by Thinfinity, you can securely mobilize your remote workforce and or simply create workspaces through intuitive point and click interface.
Mark Hogan
Describe your company's role in the MSP ecosystem and how your company supports MSPs?
Our role is to provide the building blocks for our partners to deliver against their clients’ infrastructure needs. We do this with a keen focus on engagement, providing thought leadership and consultation along the way. Our intent is to understand the business outcomes each partner is looking to drive and help them rationalize how to leverage the infrastructure to do so.
What are the top 2-3 trends you are seeing in the MSP space and why they are important to MSPs?
Hyperscaler fatigue: The desire to seek alternative providers as opposed to the big three (AWS, MS, GCP). This is driven primarily by political polarization, increasing complexity, lack of support and engagement, loss of control and observability, hidden costs and finally scope creep.
Workforce mobilization: Driven by the desire to enable remote and hybrid workforce and expanding system access closer to the job or task (Edge Compute).
Because of these trends, MSPs will look for alternatives to “BIG IT” and seek relationships with vendors that drive support through engagement. Focus will continue to shift from technology to driving outcomes through capabilities such as VDI and RDP with increasing sensitivity to latency.
How are these trends impacting your business?
These trends are increasing the focus on security, observability and latency, which is now more than ever forcing truly engaged partnerships between MSPs and their providers.
How do your services/products integrate into the MSP landscape, creating symbiotic relationships rather than a mere vendor-client dynamic?
We serve the MSP community within the context of four primary principles: simplicity, transparency, flexibility and performance. Flexibility is delivered through our open architecture, powerful API engine and SDK library. These tools can be extended through configuration management tools like Terraform, Docker and Ansible to name a few. We also emphasize engagement with pre- and post-sale consultations to ensure an optimal user experience throughout the lifecycle of the partnership.
What emerging technologies (e.g., IoT, 5G, AI, generative AI, etc.) should MSPs be considering and incorporating into their service offerings to help their clients stay ahead in their respective industries?
AI is here to stay. Leverage it to its full potential and incorporate it where possible.
The technology landscape and business needs are constantly evolving. How does your company's strategy actively encourage MSPs to embrace change and turn it into a strategic advantage?
We stress the concept of 360-degree engagement. As a result, we gain a multi-threaded perspective. Therefore, when we engage with our partners, we are sharing context from the end-user, MSP and vendor perspectives. This same philosophy influences how our services are brought to market and are easily transferred through the MSPs and realized by the end user for an optimal UX.
What key challenges do MSPs commonly face and how are you helping solve them?
Increasing complexity: How do you keep up with the constant adaptation to new technologies? At IONOS, we provide a simplified, scalable browser-based GUI that requires no specialized training to work with.
Lack of support: Where’s the timely, personalized assistance when you need it? We offer customized consultation and support tailored to the unique path to digitization that your business is on.
Loss of control: Can you really monitor and control your digital environments adequately? Monitor real-time CPU and network loads for instant insights and set personalized alarms and alerts for specific performance levels.
Hidden costs and surprise invoices: How transparent are your overall costs? How easily can you optimize spend? Our Data Center Designer features real-time resource management via live vertical scaling- boost resources when you need them, no reboots required. All billed by the minute and pay as you go.
Scope creep: Has your project gradually expanded beyond your initial objectives, straining your resources? Stay on track with your initial objectives with our transparent digital ecosystems to ensure you aren’t straining internal resources.
What sets your solution apart from competitors in the market?
We focus on being the premier cloud provider for MSPs. We empower our partners with easily deployable virtual infrastructure that is performant, secure and cost efficient. The IONOS Cloud provides MSPs real-time visibility into resource utilization and cost along with the ability to scale up or down to optimize performance and margin. No minimum commitments.
How do you see the MSP industry evolving in the next several years and how is your company preparing for these changes?
As compute and technology continues to distribute and get closer to the job (edge), end users will look for smarter tools yet simpler experiences. MSPs will be burdened with bridging this gap. IONOS will continue to focus on this theme as we bring services to market.
What are you most looking forward to at MSP Expo 2024?
We’re most looking forward to engaging with the MSP community and educating the market that there’s an alternative to “the big 3.” Come find us at Booth #233, close to the MSP VIP Lounge, for a quick chat!
Why are you participating at MSP Expo 2024, and what are you highlighting at your booth?
We are looking forward to engaging with the MSP community, to gain market feedback as well as increase awareness of cloud the IONOS way. We’ll be highlighting our drag-and-drop Data Center Designer, which allows for the provisioning of data centers in minutes. To experience it for yourself before the show, feel free to visit https://shorturl.at/kvRS0 - instant access, no signup required.
Edited by
Greg Tavarez
