For years, the IT and cybersecurity market revolved around technology. Faster networks, better security, new cloud platforms and innovative software were the answer to almost every challenge.
But the market is changing.
Technology remains important, of course. Yet we increasingly see that technology itself is no longer what sets organisations apart. In many cases it has even become a commodity: organisations can choose from several excellent solutions that solve largely the same problem. The difference therefore lies less and less in what a product can do, and more and more in how it is deployed, managed, financed and integrated within the organisation.
And that is precisely where the growth of MSPs and MSSPs comes from.
The traditional role of the integrator remains as relevant as ever. Selecting, implementing and optimising technology is an essential part of any successful IT strategy. But in practice, it is often only part of the solution. The real challenge usually begins only once the technology has been chosen.
Take an organisation that selects exactly the right security tooling, only to get stuck on staffing its SOC, on the international rollout, or on compliance requirements that differ from country to country. The technology was not the problem. Everything around it was.
That gets to the heart of it. How do we organise its management? How do we secure the right expertise, build a viable business case and retain enough flexibility to move with change? And how do we deal with compliance, international organisational structures and complex procurement processes? These are questions that technology alone cannot answer.
At the same time, both customers and technology vendors are growing larger and more complex. Decisions pass through multiple layers, contracts grow more substantial and operational demands increase. In that environment, a need arises for partners who do more than supply technology — partners who can connect: business and technology, vendor and end customer, strategy and execution.
That is why the role of the modern MSP and MSSP is shifting further still. Not towards standardised service delivery, but towards tailored solutions. The ability to bring together technical, operational, commercial and legal expertise is becoming ever more valuable.
That takes more than good engineers. It takes strong collaboration between sales, legal, operations and technical teams. It takes creativity when standard models do not fit, flexibility in service delivery and contract structures, and above all a willingness to look beyond technology alone.
Perhaps that is the biggest change in our market. The question organisations ask is less and less "which technology should we buy?" and more and more "which partner will help us succeed?"
That is precisely why we expect the role of MSPs and MSSPs to grow further in the years ahead. Not because technology is becoming less important, but because the world around it keeps growing more complex.
