Hey everyone! I recently got hired as the sole IT person at my company, and I'm eager to modernize our systems. Currently, we rely on an MSP who has not been very helpful. With their threat protection due to expire soon, I'm considering recommending the upgrade from our Fortigate 60E to a Fortigate 70G instead of renewing. I'm looking for advice on how to phase out the MSP effectively and what tools or services I should implement to enhance our security and overall functionality. Any insights on how to transition smoothly and suggestions for useful tools would be greatly appreciated!
5 Answers
Just a friendly reminder: Make sure you know what’s in your environment before cutting ties with the MSP. You wouldn’t want to lose track of critical systems. If you can, do a complete backup and review before making any huge moves.
As someone who also transitioned from an MSP to being the solo IT, my advice is to maintain the MSP on an as-needed basis for now. They can help fill knowledge gaps and assist when you need to take time off. Also, ensure you have a ticketing system in place—looks like you've got Jira, that's great. Just remember, you’ll likely get flooded with employee queries once the MSP is gone.
I’ve noticed that they’re slow to onboard. I’m trying to manage everything, but it's overwhelming!
If you’re considering new security tools, I'd recommend steering clear of Fortinet if possible. They can require a lot of management. You might want to check out Meraki or Sophos instead—both have reputable support and lower maintenance overheads.
Thanks for the advice! I’ll definitely look at those options for a smoother transition.
A good first step is to check out the Ops Report Card from the book *The Practice of System and Network Administration*. It can help you evaluate your current tools and set priorities. Just a heads-up: N-able suite used by your MSP won't be transferred to you; it's their intellectual property after all.
Thanks for the link! I'll dive into that today. I definitely need to start building my own toolset.
I wouldn't rush to phase out the MSP completely yet—it's crucial to avoid becoming the sole point of failure. Start by ensuring all your backups are set up. You’ll want to secure any databases or spreadsheets before diving into user accounts and permissions. I think M365 Business Premium is a solid choice for your needs.
Right now, nothing is backed up, unfortunately. I’ll work on securing backups first. Do you think I should delay phasing out the MSP?
Absolutely, I'm planning to go over everything with them. Also, what do you think about upgrading to the Fortigate 70G?