UptimeLIVE: 17 September 2024
The UptimeLIVE event, taking place on September 17, 2024, in London, is set to raise the bar in the Managed Service Providers (MSPs) event landscape. Featuring over 10 expert speakers, 15+ value-driven sessions, and 20+ vendor sponsors, this event promises a value-first approach for attendees.
An expected 500+ attendees are due at the event, including C-Suite-level individuals eager to drive their business forward and separate from the pack.
With over 200 events attended, Jason Kemsley and Bradley Munday (Uptime Directors) have learnt a thing or two about what creates a successful event. Using this knowledge UptimeLive was born, with a desire to create a dynamic and valuable event that is worthy of your day out of the office. UptimeLIVE ensures no direct selling, with all sessions vetted for quality content.
Sponsorships have flown out the door! Many great vendors have already signed up including ThreatLocker, Sophos, Kaseya, Brigantia and many more. The event is shaping up to be one not to miss!
Attending the right events is crucial for MSPs looking to stay ahead. UptimeLIVE focuses on practical knowledge, innovation, and strategies for growth. The event will address key topics such as scaling MSPs, Compliance as a Service, and innovative business frameworks.
Uptime, a trusted vendor for over 15 years, has grown to 150+ staff members and is renowned for providing value and transparency in the market. Their expertise and commitment to excellence are reflected in the structure and content of UptimeLIVE.
For more details, visit https://www.uptimelive.events
By Uptime
9 Expert Tips for Strengthening Endpoint Security
Hackers love to go after endpoints, making them critical vulnerabilities within any organization’s digital infrastructure. With 70% of breaches starting at the endpoint, according to IDC, securing these points is essential.
So where to start? Here are nine key strategies to help you strengthen your endpoint security and minimize your risks. For a more in depth exploration of the topic, check out Huntress’ eBook: Endpoint Security Tips Curated by Experts.
Okay- Let’s get started!
- Understand Your Endpoints: Before you can protect your endpoints, you need to know what you’re working with. Start by creating a list, categorizing them by function and importance, and prioritizing security for the most critical ones. An asset management tool can help keep your inventory up to date.
- Be Proactive with Patch Management: Regularly updating your operating systems and applications is key to keeping your endpoints secure. Develop a proactive patch management strategy that prioritizes critical patches and tests them in a controlled environment before deployment. This approach helps you address vulnerabilities promptly without causing disruptions.
- Fortify Security with MFA: Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) adds an extra layer of security to your endpoints by requiring multiple forms of verification. Encourage the use of MFA across all devices and regularly review settings to maintain its effectiveness.
- Regular Cybersecurity Training: Employees are the first line of defence. Regular security awareness training helps them recognize and report potential threats, transforming them from potential vulnerabilities into active defenders.
- Implement a Clear BYOD Policy: Allowing employees to use personal devices for work, known as “bring your own device” (BYOD), can increase security risks. A well-defined BYOD policy ensures that personal devices comply with security standards. Mobile device management (MDM) tools can enforce these policies, and regular audits help maintain compliance.
- Apply the Principle of Least Privilege: The principle of least privilege means granting users, programs, and processes only the access they need to perform their tasks. This minimizes the risk of unauthorized access. Implement role-based access controls and regularly audit permissions to ensure this principle remains effective.
- Prioritize Real-Time Monitoring and Visibility: Real-time monitoring and telemetry provide critical insights into endpoint activities, enabling you to detect and respond to threats quickly. Invest in security solutions with real-time monitoring capabilities and set up alerts for suspicious activity.
- Conduct Regular Risk Assessments: Think of risk assessments as your cybersecurity check-up. Regularly evaluating your security measures helps ensure compliance and identify weaknesses.
- Strengthen Defense with EDR: Endpoint Detection and Response solutions are essential for a strong security strategy. EDR continuously monitors endpoints for suspicious activity, allowing for quick detection and response to threats. When selecting an EDR solution, prioritize those that offer real-time detection, are easy to implement, and integrate well with your existing tools.
Endpoint security is an ongoing process that requires vigilance and adaptability. By implementing these strategies, you’ll build a solid foundation for protecting your endpoints against evolving threats.
For more tips on how to boost your endpoint security, check out Huntress’ eBook “Endpoint Security Tips Curated by Experts.”
By Huntress
How AI Solutions are Turbocharging IT Operations and Giving Pros Their Time Back
IT professionals are constantly battling to keep up with the demands of their organizations. From managing complex networks to troubleshooting user issues, their plates are always full. But what if there was a way to lighten the load and give these pros some of their valuable time back? Enter AI copilots, the much-needed game-changer in IT operations.
From predictive maintenance to automated ticket routing, intelligent monitoring to self-healing systems, AI is not just an add-on to IT operations—it's becoming the backbone. This shift is not about replacing IT professionals; it's about empowering them. By taking over repetitive tasks and providing deeper insights, AI is giving IT pros something they've always craved but rarely had: time.
Streamlining Operations with AI
AI copilots, like the name suggests, are like a supercharged assistant that can handle the mundane, repetitive tasks that take up a lot of IT professionals’ time, allowing them to spend more of their time on high-value tasks. These smart systems can take care of tasks like troubleshooting IT issues using real-time device diagnostics and AI-recommended actions, summarizing tickets instantly, generate knowledge base articles directly from ticket resolutions, create customs and context-specific scripts in just seconds, enabling employees to self-troubleshoot some of the most common IT problems (like password resets and computer reboots), and so much more.
When implemented correctly, copilots can function as a massive catalyst for IT productivity by enabling teams to work smarter—not harder. As the IT industry continues to face a severe talent shortage, copilots will become increasingly crucial to stay afloat.
Boosting Insights and Customer Satisfaction
AI copilots aren’t just about streamlining tasks, they also provide valuable insights that enable IT pros to predict and correct problems before they arise. Teams can also lean on automated processes to help tighten security measures.
These tools dive into data to deliver predictive analytics, real-time monitoring, and detailed reports. For example, some AI copilots create knowledge-based articles after resolving a ticket. This helps keep the customer database current and informative, providing technicians with access to useful solutions for future reference, as well as enabling end users to troubleshoot certain things on their own.
With AI handling routine tasks and providing critical insights, IT professionals can focus on strategy and innovation, rather than day-to-day firefighting. AI-driven systems can process and resolve issues at lightning speed, reducing response times from hours, sometimes days, to a matter of minutes.
So, copilots provide a massive increase in customer satisfaction, as faster ticket resolution and reliable system performance mean happier clients and better service.
Tackling the Challenges of AI Adoption
In discussing the benefits of AI integration, it’s also important to address the challenges. Jumping into AI certainly doesn’t come without its bumps in the road. There are security concerns and integration hurdles. Not to mention, ushering in a new era of technology also highlights the need for upskilling. Companies must ensure that their employees are equipped with the skills and insights they need to leverage this technology effectively.
Also, while AI enhances security, the setup phase can temporarily increase vulnerabilities. Extra care and precautions must be taken during this phase. Integrating AI may also require updating older systems and refreshing data, which can be a bit labor intensive. A thorough audit of your data set and careful planning can help manage this transition smoothly.
It should also be noted that not all copilots are created equal. You must have a thorough understanding of your organization’s needs and evaluate different options carefully to find a solution that aligns with your goals and offers the features you need.
Become future-fit with AI-powered IT
As AI technology continues to evolve, we can expect even more sophisticated solutions to emerge. Machine learning algorithms will become more accurate in predicting issues, natural language processing will make human-AI interaction more intuitive, and automation will extend to increasingly complex tasks.
AI copilots are transforming IT operations, delivering benefits from streamlined efficiency to enhanced productivity and improved customer satisfaction. By embracing these technologies, organizations can stay ahead of the curve and make the most of what AI has to offer.
The message is clear: AI in IT operations isn't about replacing humans – it's about empowering them to reach their full potential.
By from Gil Pekelman, Atera
The Launch of A Comprehensive Buyer's Guide for Outsourcing Your MSP Services
In today's fast-paced and competitive market, Managed Service Providers (MSPs) constantly seek ways to optimise operations and enhance service delivery. To address this, we are thrilled to announce the launch of our all-new Buyer's Guide for Outsourcing Your MSP Services.
The Buyer's Guide serves as a vital resource for MSPs, offering critical insights and practical tools to confidently navigate the outsourcing landscape. With the right outsourcing partner, MSPs can access a broader range of technical skills, free up internal teams for strategic initiatives, and rapidly scale to meet evolving client demands. This guide is designed to make the process of finding and working with an outsourcing partner as practical and straightforward as possible.
Key highlights of the guide include:
- A detailed framework for evaluating potential outsourcing partners.
- Insights into common challenges in the outsourcing process and how to overcome them.
- Strategies for ensuring a seamless integration of outsourced services with existing operations.
As the MSP industry continues to evolve, outsourcing has become a strategic imperative for many. By embracing outsourcing, MSPs cannot only survive in this evolving landscape but also thrive, offering better services and meeting client demands more effectively.
For more information and to download the Buyer's Guide for Outsourcing Your MSP Services, visit: https://landing.uptimeglobal.tech/mspbuyersguide
By Liam Coombs, Uptime
MSPs adopt Kaseya 365 at rapid pace
Kaseya, the leading global provider of AI-powered cybersecurity and IT management software, today announced its Kaseya 365 subscription has seen remarkable adoption in the three months since its launch in April. More than 4,000 MSPs now rely on Kaseya 365 to manage, secure, backup and automate more than 5 million endpoints.
With Kaseya 365, MSPs powered by Kaseya have a tremendous financial and operational advantage over their peers. Not only are their profits 30-50% higher, but they no longer have to make hard decisions about what technology to include for their customers based on cost. In fact, for the thousands of MSPs who have signed on, the total cost savings already totals $400 million annually.
“When we built Kaseya 365, we knew it had to be simple, efficient and affordable to have the impact we wanted for customers,” said Fred Voccola, CEO of Kaseya. “The swift adoption we’ve seen proves there was a desperate need for this kind of model, and we’re thrilled with how quickly we have delivered real value to the MSP community. We said we were going to flip the industry on its head, and we did. Better yet, this is only the beginning.”
“For the past several years, we have been working to consolidate tools for both cost and efficiency purposes. With the advent of Kaseya 365, both of those came true overnight, literally. We’ve consolidated a dozen different functions into one single subscription with the same user experience and shockingly competitive price as well as having additional tools, resources and features at our fingertips,” said Sean Wright, Founder and President of Affinity Technology Partners. “It’s not only saved us money but also time and resources. Kaseya 365 has made our lives easier, set us up for being ahead of the threat landscape, and made us a better partner for small businesses and customers who rely on our services."
Voccola continued, “The launch of Kaseya 365 is only the first step in a 4-pronged plan we’ve initiated at Kaseya to deliver the platform that finally make MSPs the most profitable business service providers for SMBs, which align with the value they deliver for their end customers on a daily basis.”
Alongside Kaseya 365 momentum, the company has also seen its Partner First Pledge deliver on its promise to give MSPs, and ultimately, small businesses, the tools they need to be successful.
“It’s one thing to build a product that customers are excited about – which we’ve done. But it’s another to share risk and economic hardship with MSPs, which we’re committing to with policies like FLEXSpend, Catastrophic Client Loss Protection and Price Lock,” said Voccola.
For more information about Kaseya 365, visit Kaseya’s website here. To request a demo, visit here.
By Kaseya
Over half of MSPs are overspending on public cloud
Hyperscalers also fall short on costs, customisation & control and customer service
Leaseweb, a leading cloud services and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) provider, has published the results of a survey of the UK MSP community, which revealed more than half (54%) of UK MSPs have spent more than budgeted on hyperscale cloud services in the last 12 months.
In addition, over a third (34%) said spiralling costs were currently their top challenge when working with hyperscalers, closely followed by limited customisation and control capabilities (31%) and lack of customer service (29%).
The survey of 201 respondents, conducted at the recent MSP Show in London, gathered data from industry professionals on the benefits and challenges MSPs experience when working with both hyperscale and non-hyperscale public cloud service providers.
The results show that that vendor lock-In and complex pricing structures were key concerns for over a quarter (28%) of MSPs working with hyperscale providers, while more than half (54%) reported their providers do not offer a dedicated account manager or don’t know if they do. The combination of these factors has led almost a third (31%) of MSPs to experience challenges that have had a negative impact on their ability to service customers.
The research also found that MSPs experience many of these challenges to a greater or lesser extent with non-hyperscale public cloud services, demonstrating significant room for improvement in how all public cloud service providers meet the expectations of their MSP customers. When it came to working with non-hyperscale public cloud services:
• Less than half (47%) spent more than they budgeted for (compared with over half (54%) for hyperscalers)
• Significantly more (62%) MSPs do not have a dedicated account manager or do not know if they have one (compared with 54% for hyperscalers)
• Over a third (36%) had experienced challenges that had a negative impact on their ability to service customers. (compared with 31% for hyperscalers)
Respondents highlighted that hyperscalers and non-hyperscale public cloud services have completely different appeals, with scalability (61%) emerging on top for hyperscalers, while 24/7 customer support (35%) was the top reported benefit cited for non-hyperscaler public cloud service providers.
“Public cloud services are a key component of the solutions provided by MSPs across the sector, but there remains a number of pain points that need to be addressed,” commented Terry Storrar, Managing Director at Leaseweb UK. “MSPs need to be aware of their options so they can address today’s varied requirements, from hybrid and multi-cloud strategies to repatriation.”
Other key research findings from the research include:
• 75% of MSPs currently use hyperscale services from providers such as AWS, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud
• The top benefits of hyperscale cloud after scalability (61%) are flexible capacity (51%), and high levels of resilience (43%), closely followed by superior IT architecture at 42%
• The top benefit of using non-hyperscale public cloud services after 24/7 customer support (35%) was a flexible on-demand business model (32%)
• Only 3.4% said there were no benefits of working with hyperscale providers
Storrar added: “MSPs also need to ask themselves whether they can give customers what they need or if they are locked into a way of working that’s driven by how their hyperscaler or non-hyperscale service provider operates. Instead, an intelligent buying strategy can help MSPs identify infrastructure and service partners that can align more closely with their needs and close the gap between customer expectations and their ability to deliver.”
By Leaseweb
The CompTIA Community MSP Guidebook: Cultivating a culture of process efficiency
The CompTIA Community MSP Guidebook serves as a framework for managed service providers (MSPs) to create a culture of process efficiency, by first identifying areas of improvement, then implementing best practices and strategically building awareness.
This guidebook is not just a document—it’s a catalyst for transformation, designed to empower MSPs to elevate their operational effectiveness to new heights. The guidebook provides you with the tools to examine every aspect of your operations, revealing opportunities for improvement that may have previously been overlooked, and offering a wealth of best practices to implement in your quest for efficiency. These strategies have been meticulously curated from the industry’s most successful players, providing you with a tried-and-tested blueprint for success.
Use this guide to start from scratch or pinpoint an area that needs improvement. Whether you’re building your MSP operations from the ground up or looking to fine-tune an existing setup, the CompTIA MSP Guidebook, created by technology professionals serving on the CompTIA North America Managed Services Committee, is your go-to resource. It’s not about where you are now; it’s about where this guide can take you. So, dive in and start your journey towards a culture of process efficiency today.
By Comptia
Supercharge your remote workforce offerings with application acceleration
The remote work boom is here to stay, and MSPs have a golden opportunity to solidify their value proposition. But for many businesses, the shift to a distributed workforce has revealed a hidden challenge: poorly performing applications. Lag, slow downloads, and buffering video calls can cripple productivity and employee morale. Here's where you, the MSP, step in as a hero with the power of application acceleration.
The Problem: Remote Work Slowdown
Imagine your client's frustration: employees wasting time waiting for applications to load, video conferences constantly buffering, and collaboration tools grinding to a halt. This translates to lost productivity, disengaged workers, and a potential competitive disadvantage. Traditional network solutions often struggle with the demands of a geographically dispersed workforce.
The Solution: Your Application Acceleration Expertise
Application acceleration tackles these challenges head-on by optimizing network traffic for critical business applications. It prioritizes essential tools, minimizes delays, and ensures a smooth workflow, regardless of employee location. By offering application acceleration, you can:
• Become a Strategic Partner: Move beyond basic IT management and solve a critical business problem for your clients.
• Boost Recurring Revenue: Application acceleration can be delivered as a managed service, providing a predictable and valuable revenue stream.
• Differentiate Your Services: Stand out from competitors who haven't embraced this essential technology.
• Enhance Credibility: Position yourself as a well-rounded IT solution provider with expertise in specialist technology.
Benefits for Your Clients
By implementing application acceleration, your clients can expect:
• Improved Bandwidth: No more waiting for files to load or video calls to buffer. Employees experience a seamless, frustration-free workday.
• Enhanced Productivity: Faster loading times and improved responsiveness mean employees can achieve more in less time.
• Improved Collaboration: Real-time communication is essential for remote teams. Application acceleration ensures smooth video conferencing, file sharing, and access to collaboration tools for better teamwork.
• Global Reach: Bridge the geographical gap for a geographically dispersed workforce. Employees can access applications and data hosted anywhere in the world with minimal lag.
• Boosted Morale: A happy and productive remote workforce translates to a competitive advantage.
Empower Your Clients with Application Acceleration
Don't let sluggish applications hold your clients back. By offering application acceleration as part of your managed service package, you can become a more strategic partner, solve critical business problems, and unlock the full potential of their remote workforce.
By Rozy Corry & Sean Dempsey – https://www.replify.com
Launch of the MSP Show hailed a huge success
The first ever MSP Show welcomed over 1200 visitors through the doors of ExCeL London on 17-18 April 2024. Co-located with SITS – The Service Desk & IT Support Show, the two shows attracted a global audience of visitors from as far as Estonia and the USA.
The industry was excited to have a new dedicated MSP event, with many commenting that the co-location of the two shows added unrivalled value.
‘The best MSP Event in the UK' 
The MSP Show attracted Managed Service Providers who want to provide exceptional service for their customers. The exhibition included a diverse list of leading suppliers alongside a comprehensive conference programme.
Sales Manager of the MSP Show, Alex Harris said “We couldn’t have asked for a better first show! The feedback from the industry has been overwhelming, with visitors and speakers already looking forward to next year and exhibitors also securing even larger stands for 2025.”
“With a natural increase in vendors coming on board, it’s looking like next year’s edition is going to be bigger and better!” Alex continued.
'See the major players in one place’
The exhibitors ranged from big name brands to start-ups, including HaloPSA, ThreatLocker, NinjaOne, ConnectWise, Kaseya, Techno Global and Uptime. Visitors had the chance to get personalised demos of the latest tools, have their questions answered and compare service offerings.
“I've been to a LOT of conferences in my career. The last two days, have been amongst the most rewarding...If you are an MSP or Vendor, you would be crazy not to put next year's event in your diary.” Said Mark Copeman, Wingman Marketing.
‘A great opportunity to hear, share and discuss current topics with our industry’
The education programme was made up of top speakers and thought leaders, who gave seminars on everything from curating a high performing technical team and AI implementation to building a marketing engine and growing your MSP by offering Co-Managed IT Services. 
“It was a really enlightening experience. It was good to see the introduction of AI in so many seminar topics and in the products exhibited. I left feeling inspired and equipped with practical strategies to enhance how we do business as an MSP. I highly recommend the show for anyone looking to elevate their service delivery.” Commented Cyndi Crasto, Service Delivery Manager, Zuri Technologies.
MSP Show and SITS - The Service Desk & IT Support Show are back on 14-15 May 2025 at ExCeL London.
Find out more here: www.mspshow.co.uk, www.servicedeskshow.com
UK SMBs experiencing a tsunami of cybersecurity warnings, up 37% since 2023
UK SMBs experienced a 37% surge in daily cybersecurity warnings over the last year, according to research from cybersecurity provider, Censornet. The volume of cyber security warnings rose from 597 in 2023 to 815 in 2024, leaving security professionals with just 87 seconds to review each security incident and decide what is a genuine threat.
Private sector organisations were hit harder by the tsunami of cyber threats, receiving 18% more alerts than their public sector counterparts. As threat levels rose, IT teams also showed signs of shrinking - the mean size of each security team at the beginning of 2024 was 2.63 people, slightly down from 2.7 people in 2021.
The findings based on insights from 200 UK-based IT and security leaders revealed:
Cyber incidents are hitting SMBs from all sides
- Two in five SMBs were taken offline - 41% of SMBs had to take systems and applications offline due to an incident over the last year. For one in seven of those (14%), the outage lasted more than a day.
- Data loss hit almost two in five - 39% of SMBs lost data due to a cyber-attack in 2023, a 13% jump since 2021. Nearly a third (30%) of SMBs also lost data due to user error in the last 12 months and 27% lost data due to disgruntled employees.
- One in five fell victim to ransomware - 20% SMBs fell victim to a ransomware attack – although the pace of attack has remained consistent over the last three years.
- 34% paid out after a ransomware attack, with the average pay-out standing at £139,368. And, one in five were subjected to a regulatory fine as a result.
- Nearly a quarter experienced an email attack - 23% of SMBs suffered from an employee opening a suspicious or malicious email that led to a serious attack.
Security professionals regularly work out of hours to keep up
- 38% have been called at night - 44% of private sector security professionals have been called in the middle of the night to investigate a cyber alert, compared to 28% in the public sector.
- 34% have had their holiday interrupted - with 40% of private sector professionals handling a security alert during annual leave, compared to 23% in the public sector.
- 32% feel unable to cope and the unsustainable workload risks UK SMBs suffering from significant financial, operational, and reputational damage with only 60% of alerts fully investigated.
- 29% think their career prospects have been negatively impacted because of a cyberattack jumping from 18% last year.
“Cybersecurity professionals are working hard to discern genuine threats from noise - sacrificing sleep, holidays, and career stability,” commented Ed Macnair, CEO of Censornet. “With SMBs forming the lifeblood of the UK economy, it’s imperative to simplify and bolster their resilience against rising cyberthreats, leaning into new technologies, such as AI, to help.”
70% of SMBs are struggling with sprawling security solutions
Despite the rising intricacy and persistence of threats, the ability of SMBs to protect against some of the most common attack vectors is on the decline. Over two thirds (69%) of SMBs list the number of point products needed to protect against the entire threat spectrum as one of their biggest challenges in 2024. And the patchwork of multiple solutions SMBs are turning to are weakening defences.
- 30% can protect against cross channel attacks, down from 37% in 2021.
- 47% have data loss prevention (DLP) solutions in place, marginally up from 46% in 2021 but still leaving over half vulnerable to major data loss.
- 48% can block ‘dangerous’ attachments from reaching the inbox of users, down from 51% in 2021.
- 33% can quarantine suspicious emails, down slightly from 35% in 2021.
44% of SMBs hope AI will free up time
To manage their risk, SMBs are turning to cyber applications that are easier to set-up, manage and maintain. And overwhelmed private sector professionals are more hopeful about the opportunities that AI will offer to automate everyday tasks and combat AI generated threats.
- Over half (56%) of private sector SMBs will use AI to fight threats
- Only a quarter (26%) of public sector SMBs will use AI to combat threats despite the opportunity it offers to automate everyday tasks.
- 52% of private sector SMBs hope AI will alleviate workloads by responding to security alerts. While 49% think it will boost cyber defences by freeing up team time to proactively investigate risks.
- A third (32%) of public sector SMBs think AI will respond to security alerts and 35% think it will boost their cyber defences by freeing up time to proactively investigate threats.
Neil Langridge, Marketing & Alliances Director, e92plus said: “The rapid growth of AI, the increasing complexity of cloud environments and the expanding potential attack surface creates additional openings for security vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and exploits. Adopting a cybersecurity perspective that emphasises controls rather than merely tools will be essential for effectively managing technology estates.”
By E92 Plus
Meet the E92 Plus team at stand 692 at the MSP Show on 17-18th April 2024, ExCeL London.
You can now register for your free ticket here.