What an MSP is and why SMEs are switching to this model

A provider that takes care, continuously and proactively, of another company's entire technology infrastructure: computers, servers, network, backups, security and user support. It does not wait for the phone to ring. It watches the systems, spots signs of failure and fixes them before the business feels it.

In practice, it acts as an external IT department. The difference is that the client does not have to recruit, train or retain a technical team.

The decisive point is the incentive. Whoever lives on billed hours benefits from every fault. Whoever receives a fixed fee benefits from stability, and therefore invests in prevention.

Not exactly. "IT outsourcing" is the generic idea of handing technology to an external provider. "MSP" is a specific type of that provider: it works through continuous, proactive management, with a monthly fee and a defined service level (SLA), rather than isolated call-outs.

• Scarce engineers Recruiting and keeping a qualified engineer is increasingly hard and expensive, especially outside the big cities.
• Predictable budget A fixed monthly fee is easier to plan than salary, training, equipment and cover when the engineer is absent or leaves.
• Several specialisms at once An MSP brings together specialists in networks, security, cloud and systems, something no single hire can cover.
• More sophisticated threats Keeping up with cybersecurity is an MSP's daily work, not an extra task.
• Management focused on the business The board and teams stop losing hours to technology problems.

• Support Remote and, when needed, on site.
• Oversight Monitoring of servers, network and workstations; continuous 24/7 only on DataRoad's Premium 365 plan.
• Backups Managed and with regular recovery tests.
• Updates and licences Security patches and software licensing under control.
• Formal SLA Response times guaranteed in writing.
• Reports The state of the infrastructure reported regularly.

Many companies that present themselves as MSPs still work on call. Before signing, check four things:

1. An in-house team: its own engineers, with no subcontracting to third parties.
2. An SLA in the contract: response times in writing, not promised over the phone.
3. Monitoring tools: which systems it uses to detect failures before they happen.
4. Experience in your sector: a hotel, a clinic and a law firm have very different demands.

For a fuller assessment, use the eight criteria for choosing an MSP in Portugal, with the warning signs for each.

DataRoad - IT Services and Consulting is a Portuguese MSP founded in 2015, headquartered in Alfragide with support across Portugal. It manages the infrastructure of 232 companies that cannot stop: hotels, clinics, embassies, universities, multinationals and demanding SMEs. In 11 years, DataRoad has never suffered a security incident.

The service is called IT Unlimited: unlimited support for a fixed monthly fee, remote and on site, with proactive monitoring, alerting and preventive maintenance. There are three plans: Essential (remote and telephone only), Premium (unlimited on-site support) and Premium 365 (adds nights, weekends and bank holidays, with 24/7 support). See how it works in managed IT for businesses and on DataRoad's service desk.

• Network infrastructure Design, installation and certification of cabling, Layer 3 switching and PoE.
• Business Wi-Fi 6 and 7 Coverage study, cloud management and isolated guest networks.
• Managed cybersecurity Firewall, traffic control and threat mitigation.
• Servers and continuity NAS, centralised backups and disaster recovery.
• CCTV Video surveillance with continuous recording.
• NOC and monitoring Automatic alerts and proactive intervention.
• Projects Relocations, new units and modernisation.
• Windows and Apple Full IT estate management.

Still at the diagnosis stage? Our IT consultancy carries out the survey and delivers a written report before any proposal.

More than 10 workstations · support contract · remote, on-site and telephone support. Request a no-commitment proposal: +351 211 459 950 * or sales@dataroad.pt.

*Call to a Portuguese landline.