12 hours ago
From overload to orchestration: Enabling digital workspaces with an MSP platform
Digital employee experience (DEX) is now emerging as a priority alongside cybersecurity and privacy, reshaping the expectations placed on IT infrastructure. Rather than focusing solely on uptime and data protection, modern enterprises now require seamless access, user-first experiences, operational agility, and robust security across distributed and hybrid environments.
To meet these demands truly, IT ecosystems must go the extra mile; supporting orchestration across endpoints and ensuring secure access from anywhere, while also delivering a unified experience at scale. However, with constrained budgets and limited internal resources, many organisations find it difficult to invest in or maintain such capabilities.
That's why a growing number are turning to managed service providers (MSPs) as their strategic IT partners. Recent reports reveal that 60% of all organisations worldwide rely on MSPs to streamline IT and cloud operations.
For MSPs, however, delivering on these expectations is no small feat. They must manage complex technology layers—from infrastructure and cybersecurity to end-user support and compliance—often as a single unit. To succeed, they increasingly rely on interoperable, lightweight systems that unify service delivery. These platforms serve as singular delivery channels, reducing tool fatigue, streamlining operations, and empowering MSPs to scale efficiently while maintaining a high standard of client service.
Bridging the gap in a fast-moving world
This growing complexity calls for sharper IT focus and adaptability. As technology continues to evolve rapidly, it often leaves behind a gap that's hard to fill. Not long ago, a digital desk job simply meant having access to a desktop monitor. But today, business environments have expanded far beyond that; embracing thin clients, virtual desktop infrastructures (VDIs), remote work setups, multi-cloud environments, and a diverse mix of operating systems.
Each of these components has its own use case and must be set up, managed, and secured appropriately. That's where the challenge begins: most businesses lack the right expertise or tools to keep pace.
Take the example of cloud adoption. While the world was still adjusting to cloud computing, forward-looking businesses had already jumped into a multi-cloud strategy. Today, over 89% of global organisations run on multi-cloud environments. But in the race to adopt every new capability, many now find themselves in the middle of complex, bloated setups that are difficult to manage and scale.
'Not every business is equipped to deal with current demands, let alone what's coming next. That's why many turn to MSPs, expecting them to bring structure, stability, and control to their IT systems.'
MSPs step up but face intensifying pressure
MSPs are increasingly becoming the bedrock of digital operations as more businesses delegate IT to service providers. Yet, they shoulder immense responsibility. A recent Canalys report projects global managed services revenue to grow 13% YoY in 2025, reaching $595 billion. With this opportunity comes heightened expectations and mounting challenges.
Operationally and strategically, MSPs are stretched thin by external pressures:
AI adoption:
Canalys also reported that 61% of MSPs 'still struggle to get AI projects out of the proof-of-concept stage with customers.' Due to the rapid growth in the field, MSPs need to stay on top of AI developments to be able to advise on which tools provide ROI, in addition to determining which tools they want to and are able to provide managed services for.
Cybersecurity escalation:
As demand rises for advanced services—like managed and extended detection and response (MDR and XDR), secure access service edge (SASE), and Zero Trust architecture—delivering these offerings stretches internal teams and technology limits.
Regulatory heat:
New mandates (such as DORA and NIS2) and stricter cyber insurance requirements are intensifying compliance workloads.
Beyond external pressures, internal inefficiencies are holding MSPs back. Fragmented tool sets force teams to juggle siloed systems across help desk, patching, compliance, remote monitoring and management (RMM), professional services automation (PSA), and security. Despite overlapping functions, these tools often fail to integrate, leading to delays, disjointed visibility, and error-prone workflows.
In such an environment, even experienced MSP teams find it hard to maintain quality and pace. The result? More time spent managing tools, less time driving value for clients.
Why MSPs who embrace platforms are better set for growth
With growing responsibilities and limited time, many MSPs struggle to keep services running smoothly while also improving them. When each client brings their own tools, expectations, and environment, internal operations often get stretched too thin.
Disconnected systems slow down technicians, complicate reporting, and increase the risk of error. Over time, this affects service quality and leads to burnout, even among experienced teams.
MSPs who move towards a platform-led model—where critical tools and data are brought under one roof—are far better equipped to stay on top of service delivery without compromising internal efficiency. Moving from multiple tools to a unified platform helps:
Reduce tool sprawl and streamline technician workflows.
Give full visibility across client environments in a single view.
Automate repetitive tasks, reporting, and compliance checks.
Improve onboarding and team collaboration.
Deliver quick responses while maintaining consistency and control.
Rather than patching together multiple systems, these MSPs build a solid foundation that supports sustainable growth, better client experiences, and faster adaptation to change. In a world where IT demands are only getting bigger, choosing the right platform is not just an option; it's becoming a strategic advantage.
This opinion piece has been authored by Nisangan N, Enterprise Evangelist, ManageEngine.
