In today's current threat landscape, managed service providers (MSPs) should prioritize security to enhance their backup and IT management services. By adopting a security-first approach, MSPs can protect their customers against current and evolving threats. They can also distinguish themselves from their rivals in a highly competitive global marketplace.
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Adopting a security-first approach to improve your backup and IT management services may seem like a pipe dream at first. Fortunately, there are many ways to integrate security into your services.
These include:
1. Encrypt Customer Data
Use backup encryption to help your customers maintain the privacy and integrity of their data. Source- and server-side encryption options are available. With source-side encryption, you use keys to encrypt data stored on a server or network. Alternatively, with server-side encryption, you safeguard data at rest at the storage level.
Consider multiple encryption methods, too. Many MSPs use the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), which lets you encrypt data 128 blocks at a time. There's also the Triple Data Encryption Standard (TDES), which utilizes a 56-bit key to encrypt blocks of data. In addition to these, MSPs may use Blowfish, Twofish, and many other encryption methods.
Encrypt all of your customers' data. Along with this, make sure only authorized users can access encryption keys. Track your data encryption performance as well. This allows you to continuously fine-tune the performance of your encryption tools and get the best results out of them.
Assess vulnerabilities and threats, network security, workspace and equipment security, documentation, and more. The pack includes:
- a ready-to-print PDF file
- an Excel file to help create a customizable assessment resource
2. Perform Regular Security Audits
Audit your customers' backup and IT management systems. Ideally, you should perform a customer IT security audit at least once a year. If a customer recently suffered a data breach, you should conduct an audit after the incident. This allows you and your customer to find out why the incident happened. From here, you can help your customer take appropriate steps to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Before you conduct an audit, meet with the customer to establish goals and objectives. Next, evaluate your customer's backup and IT management systems. Track vulnerabilities in these systems and keep a running list of them. After your audit is complete, prepare a report for your customer.
Further reading Regular Backup Audits for MSPs
In your security reports, provide customers with calls to action. Share details about the vulnerabilities they face and why they need to address them. Additionally, explain how you can help them secure their backup and IT management systems moving forward.
3. Develop a Comprehensive Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP)
Include backup and IT management in your disaster recovery planning checklist. A customer's DRP should explain how their data is backed up and stored off-site. Test the plan against a wide range of potential disasters.
Consider DRP backup options carefully. In some instances, cloud backups work best since they allow customers to restore data off-site following a disaster. On the other hand, it may take longer to restore data from a cloud backup than other options.
Lastly, make sure that customers keep their DRP up to date. Review each customer's plan with them at least once a year or after a disaster. You can schedule periodic check-ins with customers as well. If a customer has concerns or questions regarding backup, IT management, and disaster recovery, address them right away.
Further reading Disaster Recovery with MSP360
Focus on Security at Every Stage of Backup and IT Management
Security plays a key role in your customers' backup and IT management effectiveness. With a security-first approach, you can give your customers the peace of mind that comes with knowing their systems are well protected. Plus, you can offer secure, reliable backup and IT management services that meet your customers' expectations.
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