{"id":36222,"date":"2023-05-28T18:48:49","date_gmt":"2023-05-28T14:48:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.msp360.com\/resources\/?p=36222"},"modified":"2025-11-07T15:42:48","modified_gmt":"2025-11-07T11:42:48","slug":"providing-managed-security-services","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.msp360.com\/resources\/blog\/providing-managed-security-services\/","title":{"rendered":"Guide to Providing Managed Security Services"},"content":{"rendered":"

So you\u2019re an MSP<\/a>, and you want to add Security-as-a-Service, or SECaaS, to your offerings. Or, maybe you\u2019re starting a new managed services business and want to focus on security from the start \u2014 which would make you a managed security services provider or MSSP.<\/span><\/p>\n

Either way, successfully providing managed security services will require you to make the right decisions about tools, processes, personnel, and pricing. This guide provides an overview of what you\u2019ll need to know, as well as links to other guides that dive deeper into the various topics covered below.<\/span><\/p>\n

What Are Managed Security Services?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Managed security services, Security-as-a-Service or SECaaS all refer to a business model in which companies outsource their IT security operations to a provider who specializes in security. Managed security services eliminate the need for companies to maintain in-house security staff and software, or to keep up-to-date with the latest security threats.<\/span><\/p>\n

Instead, you \u2014 the MSP or MSSP \u2014 provide these services to your clients through a subscription-based model.<\/span><\/p>\n

From MSP to MSSP<\/span><\/h2>\n

\u00a0If you already operate an MSP business that provides other types of managed services (like data backup or system administration), there are several approaches you can take to add managed security services to your set of offerings, thereby making yourself into an MSSP as well as an MSP.<\/span><\/p>\n

The most obvious \u2014 but also the most involved \u2014 approach is simply to build an MSSP operation from the ground up. Doing this will require you to acquire the various software tools that you need to provide managed security services (for more on these, see the following section). You\u2019ll likely also need to hire staff to help deliver the managed security services. And you may need to update your own skillset, as well as that of existing staff members, to ensure that you understand and can react to modern security threats.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another approach is simply to acquire an existing MSSP business. This will typically be costly. But if you are a larger MSP with a solid, established business of your own, and you have the cash available to buy another business, purchasing a successful MSSP is an easy on-ramp to expanding your portfolio of offerings to include SECaaS.<\/span><\/p>\n

A third option is to partner with an MSSP. This approach doesn\u2019t require significant capital investments, and it still provides you with the tools and expertise you need to provide SECaaS to your clients. You should take care, however, to ensure that the MSSP you partner with is well equipped to work alongside your existing MSP business. A partnership that requires you to retool your business, or switch your focus to a different vertical, is likely a poor idea.<\/span><\/p>\n

Further reading<\/span> MSSP Is a Hard Nut. Think About the Alliance<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/a>Managed Security Services<\/span><\/h2>\n

Whether you\u2019re adding SECaaS to existing offerings or starting an MSSP business from scratch, you\u2019ll need to identify the specific types of managed security services you wish to offer.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are four main categories of managed security services:<\/span><\/p>\n