In summary
- One MSP Manage your IT continuously, rather than just responding when something breaks.
- Traditional outsourcing sells hours; an MSP sells outcomes Availability.
- The model is quotemonitoring, updates and intervention prior to arrest.
- The cost is fixed and predictable, which simplifies the annual budget.
In this article
Increasingly, Portuguese companies — especially SMEs with between 10 and 200 employees — are replacing the traditional model of “calling the technician when something breaks” with a contract with a MSP (Managed Service Provider). But what exactly is an MSP, and why is this model growing so rapidly in Portugal?
What is an MSP
An MSP is a specialised company that continuously and proactively takes over the management of another company's technological infrastructure: workstations, servers, networks, backups, security and user support. Unlike a technician or ad-hoc support company, which only intervenes when a problem has already occurred, an MSP operates on a continuous monitoring, with the aim of identifying and resolving faults before they affect business operations.
In practice, the MSP operates like an external IT department — with the difference that the client company does not need to hire, train or retain a specialist technical team in-house.
The difference lies in the incentive. Those who bill by the hour profit from breakdowns; those who work on a fixed fee profit from stability — and that is why they invest in prevention.
IT outsourcing vs MSP: are they the same thing?
Both terms are often used interchangeably, but there is a nuance: IT outsourcing is the general concept of subcontracting technology services to an external provider, whereas an MSP specifically describes a provider that delivers this service on an ongoing and proactive management basis, typically through a monthly retainer with a defined service level agreement (SLA) — rather than one-off, ad-hoc interventions.
Why are Portuguese companies moving to this model
- Shortage of skilled technical labour: employing and retaining a qualified in-house IT technician is increasingly difficult and expensive, particularly for SMEs outside major urban centres;
- Predictable cost: a fixed monthly retainer is easier to budget for than salaries, training, equipment, and cover in the event of absence or departure of the technical employee;
- Access to a multidisciplinary team: an MSP typically has specialists in networking, security, cloud and systems — a breadth of skills that is difficult to bring together in a single in-house hire;
- Cyber security: cyber threats have become more sophisticated and frequent, and an MSP stays up to date on these threats as part of its core business;
- Focus on the core business: Managers and teams stop wasting time on IT problems and focus on the company's business.
What to expect from an MSP
A management contract with an MSP typically includes:
- Remote technical support and, when necessary, on-site support;
- 24/7 monitoring of servers, networks and workstations;
- Backup management and periodic recovery testing;
- Management of security updates and software licensing;
- A formal service level agreement (SLA), with guaranteed response times;
- Regular reporting on the state of the infrastructure.
How to choose an MSP
Not all suppliers that present themselves as an “IT company” actually operate on an MSP basis. Before hiring, it is worth confirming whether the supplier has its own technical team (without subcontracting to third parties), whether it provides a written SLA, what tools it uses for proactive monitoring, and whether it has proven experience in your sector of activity — the requirements of a hotel, a clinic or a law firm are not the same.
DataRoad is a Portuguese MSP, with its own technical team and national presence since 2015, specialising in transforming SME IT management into a predictable, secure service with no surprises on the invoice.
Does your company need a reliable IT partner? DataRoad is an IT support company dedicated to keeping your business up and running at all times. Find out more about our IT support for businesses.
DataRoad — ongoing IT support for businesses
A DataRoad is a Portuguese company specialising in managed IT services (MSP), headquartered in Alfragide (Lisbon) and with an active presence in Porto, Faro, Funchal, Évora, Setúbal and Beja. Since 2015, it has ensured the smooth running of IT infrastructures for businesses that cannot afford downtime — hotels, clinics, embassies, universities, multinationals and demanding SMEs — with a certified technical team, continuous monitoring and 24/7 support.
DataRoad ensures the ongoing IT support of companies via the service IT Unlimited: unlimited support at a fixed cost, both remote and on-site, with 24/7 monitoring, alerts and proactive interventions. The aim is simple — to prevent problems from even bringing operations to a standstill.
DataRoad Services
- IT Unlimited — round-the-clock IT support: unlimited support at a fixed cost, both remote and on-site, with incident management and rapid response.
- Computer networks and structured cabling: network design, installation and certification; Layer 3 switching and PoE.
- Enterprise wireless networks (Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 7): coverage study, cloud management and isolated visitor networks.
- Cybersecurity and corporate firewalls: perimeter protection, traffic control and threat mitigation.
- Servers, backups and disaster recovery: servers, NAS devices and centralised backups.
- CCTV video surveillance: video surveillance systems with continuous recording.
- Monitoring, alarm systems and reporting: real-time monitoring, automatic alerts and proactive interventions.
- IT consultancy and project management: relocation of premises, new facilities and modernisation of infrastructure.
- Cross-platform support: Windows and Apple environments, with comprehensive management of the IT infrastructure.
Get in touch with DataRoad
Do you need IT support for your business, to set up or upgrade your network, or simply a second opinion on your infrastructure? We’ll assess your situation and provide you with a no-obligation quote.
