Big data is a big deal. It’s a term tossed around in the current business environment as a way to gain insights into a company environment or consumer needs. Resources can be streamlined through the use of big data by helping enterprises understand their employees and gauge the demand for products or services – and executives can use it for planning and decision making.

There’s a multitude of information big data can provide, but if the resources aren’t there to handle it properly, it can cause turmoil inside and outside a company. I’ve written before about the importance of big data, and how drawing the wrong insights from it (or drawing insights from the wrong data) can lead to a slow response in a rapidly changing and unforgiving business environment.

It’s essential for companies that use big data to have an internal infrastructure that can make sense of the information. The sales team shouldn’t have to draw insights from data; a different group should play that role, passing down the valuable information for the sales team to use. But not all companies have the resources to bolster their infrastructures to accommodate big data.

The Growth of the MSP

Hiring new employees for big data can be time intensive and expensive. Data analysts, data scientists, and data architects have to be brought on board to sift through and make sense of all of that information. Using an outside service provider with experience in this area can be beneficial for both a company’s bottom line and its relationship with stakeholders.

Using managed service providers (MSPs) for internal business operations isn’t a new concept. Outside of the MSP designation (often related to IT), companies have been hiring third party providers for decades. As the digital age has progressed, more companies have opted for MSPs instead of relying on internal employees who often operate under a “break-fix” mentality. MSPs have access to a company’s systems on a 24-hour basis and can fix more than just user end errors on any particular day.

Initially, MSPs were prohibitively expensive for smaller companies, but with the development of new MSP software with a broad range of uses, the services are available to small, medium, and large companies today. This has led to a growth in the use of MSPs and a greater perception into the positive impacts they can provide.

The Advantage of the MSP

Hiring and training new employees for your business can be advantageous. Your data managers will handle your information every day and have a familiarity with it that outside service provides wouldn’t. Yet MSPs that deal with data collection and analysis are well-versed in the field. They may provide insights into your company that were learned working with others in similar or even completely unrelated industries.

Having access to diverse technology teams plays a huge role in how enterprises handle big data. It should be managed for broad access across the business. Cost constraints may inhibit a company from providing that diversity. Since a 3rd party MSP will be specialized in the area of big data, it’ll have a developed team that has the technical knowledge and capabilities to work with big data.

The experience an MSP that specializes in big data can bring to the table is invaluable when it comes to setting up data repositories, storing data, and selecting the right platforms for your data. By choosing the correct architecture for warehousing and enterprise data management, companies can enable functionality and access to the information. MSPs may recommend software and specific platforms that will cater to your business and facilitate the flow and performance of info.

MSPs are also practiced in working alongside executives to develop and apply a strategy for big data management. From capturing statistics to processing data, MSPs can simplify the process and make it more useful and accessible for your business. Enterprises can feel comfortable knowing that once the information is passed down to the area it pertains to, it’ll be organized and understandable.

Big data has always been around, but the idea of having access to every corner of it is an exciting concept for businesses. By utilizing MSPs, companies can simplify big data, making it relevant and useful to the overall strategy. If the huge data pool is a target in your company’s future, MSPs may be the ideal business partner to dive into it with.

Additional Resources on this Topic:

How MSPs Should Think About Leveraging Big Data

How MSPs Can Cash In On the Big Data Gold Rush

Big Data Can Offer Monetization through Consultation

This post was brought to you by IBM for MSPs and opinions are my own. To read more on this topic, visit IBM’s PivotPoint. Dedicated to providing valuable insight from industry thought leaders, PivotPoint offers expertise to help you develop, differentiate and scale your business.

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