Why Your MSP Should Also Be Your MSSP

Introduction: The Problem with Fragmented IT and Security

Imagine this scenario:

Your network goes down, and you call your MSP. They diagnose a potential security incident and tell you to contact your security vendor. The security vendor investigates and finds malware, but says your firewall needs updating—back to the MSP. Meanwhile, your business is offline, losing revenue by the hour.

This is the reality for many organizations that separate their managed IT (MSP) and managed security (MSSP) services.

In today's threat landscape, the line between IT and security has blurred. Cyber attackers don't distinguish between "IT issues" and "security issues"—and neither should your service providers.

At Advanced Networks, we've seen the transformation firsthand: businesses that consolidate their MSP and MSSP services under one provider experience faster response times, better security outcomes, and lower total costs.

Here's why.

The Traditional Model: IT and Security in Silos

How It Used to Work

Historically, businesses managed IT and security separately:

Managed Service Provider (MSP):

• Server and network management
• Help desk and user support
• Backup and disaster recovery
• Infrastructure monitoring
• Software updates and patching

Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP):

• Firewall management
• Intrusion detection and prevention
• Security monitoring (SIEM)
• Vulnerability assessments
• Incident response

This separation made sense when security was primarily about perimeter defense (firewalls and antivirus). But modern threats are far more sophisticated.

The Problems with Fragmentation

1. Coordination Overhead

When an incident occurs, you're stuck coordinating between two vendors:

• Who's responsible for investigating?
• Who has access to the logs?
• Who deploys the fixes?

This back-and-forth wastes critical time during incidents when every minute counts.

2. Finger-Pointing

When something goes wrong, fragmented vendors often blame each other:

• "The security incident happened because the MSP didn't patch on time."
• "The network issue occurred because the MSSP blocked legitimate traffic."

You're left mediating disputes instead of solving problems.

3. Visibility Gaps

Your MSP manages servers but doesn't see security alerts.
Your MSSP monitors threats but doesn't have visibility into user behavior or IT infrastructure changes.

Without unified visibility, threats slip through the cracks.

4. Higher Costs

Paying two vendors means:

• Duplicate overhead (separate contracts, billing, reporting)
• Redundant tools and technologies
• More expensive incident response (both vendors bill for their time)

5. Slower Response Times

Security incidents require rapid containment. If your MSP and MSSP aren't coordinated:

• Detection is delayed (alert goes to the wrong team)
• Investigation is fragmented (logs are scattered)
• Remediation is slow (waiting for the other vendor to act)

The result? Breaches spread further, downtime lasts longer, and damage costs more.

The Modern Reality: IT and Security Are Inseparable

Today's cyber threats don't respect organizational boundaries. Consider these scenarios:

Ransomware Attack

IT Components Involved:

• Email gateway (initial delivery)
• Endpoint devices (execution)
• File servers (encryption)
• Backup systems (recovery)
• Network infrastructure (propagation)

Security Components Involved:

• Threat detection (SIEM/EDR)
• Incident response (containment)
• Forensics (investigation)
• Hardening (remediation)

Who should respond? Both. Immediately. Together.

Business Email Compromise (BEC)

IT Components Involved:

• Email security gateway
• User account management
• MFA configuration
• Email retention policies

Security Components Involved:

• Threat intelligence (identifying the attack)
• Log analysis (tracing the breach)
• Account compromise response
• Email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)

Who should respond? Both. In real-time.

Insider Threat

IT Components Involved:

• User provisioning and deprovisioning
• Access rights management
• Data loss prevention (DLP)

Security Components Involved:

• User behavior analytics (UBA)
• Privileged access monitoring
• Forensic investigation

Separating these responsibilities creates dangerous gaps.

The Case for a Unified MSP + MSSP Provider

When IT and security are managed by the same provider, everything changes.

1. Single Point of Accountability

One provider, one phone number, one team responsible for outcomes.

What this means:

• No more vendor finger-pointing
• Faster escalation and resolution
• Clear service level agreements (SLAs)
• One throat to choke (in a good way)

2. Unified Visibility

A combined MSP/MSSP has complete visibility into:

• Network traffic and infrastructure health
• User behavior and access patterns
• Security alerts and IT incidents
• Application performance and security posture

This holistic view enables:

• Faster threat detection
• Better root cause analysis
• Proactive risk mitigation

3. Faster Incident Response

When an alert fires, there's no handoff:

• The security team sees the alert
• The IT team has immediate access to affected systems
• Containment begins within minutes
• Remediation happens in parallel

Real-world example:

A client detected unusual login activity from Eastern Europe at 2 AM. Within 10 minutes:

1. Our SOC team confirmed the account was compromised
2. Our IT team disabled the account
3. Our security team analyzed logs to identify the attack vector
4. Our IT team reset credentials and enforced MFA
5. Incident resolved. Total downtime: 15 minutes.

With separate vendors? This would have taken hours—or been discovered days later.

4. Better Security Outcomes

Combined MSP/MSSP providers can:

• Patch faster (the security team identifies vulnerabilities; the IT team deploys patches immediately)
• Harden configurations (security policies are enforced during IT deployments)
• Respond holistically (incident response includes both containment and recovery)

5. Lower Total Costs

Consolidating vendors reduces:

• Contract overhead (one agreement instead of two)
• Tool redundancy (shared platforms for monitoring and management)
• Incident response costs (faster resolution = lower billable hours)
• Administrative burden (one billing relationship, one reporting cadence)

Many clients save 20-30% by consolidating services—while improving security posture.

6. Proactive Security Posture

A unified provider can:

• Implement security controls during infrastructure builds
• Design networks with security in mind
• Test disaster recovery with security scenarios
• Conduct tabletop exercises that cover both IT and security response

What to Look for in a Combined MSP/MSSP Provider

Not all providers are created equal. Here's what to evaluate:

Technical Capabilities

• [ ] 24/7 Security Operations Center (SOC) with live analysts
• [ ] Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) on all devices
• [ ] SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) for log analysis
• [ ] Email security with advanced threat protection
• [ ] Network security (firewalls, intrusion detection/prevention)
• [ ] Identity and access management (MFA, SSO, conditional access)
• [ ] Backup and disaster recovery with ransomware protection

Service Delivery

• [ ] Dedicated support team familiar with your environment
• [ ] Clearly defined SLAs for response and resolution
• [ ] Regular reporting on IT health and security posture
• [ ] Proactive monitoring (not just reactive support)
• [ ] Quarterly business reviews to discuss risks and improvements

Compliance and Certifications

• [ ] Experience with your industry (HIPAA, PCI-DSS, CMMC, etc.)
• [ ] Security certifications (SOC 2, ISO 27001, or equivalent)
• [ ] Cyber insurance partnerships to support your coverage

Cultural Fit

• [ ] Transparent communication (no jargon, clear explanations)
• [ ] Consultative approach (recommendations, not just orders)
• [ ] Partnership mindset (invested in your success)

Real-World Success Stories

Case Study 1: Legal Firm (35 Employees)

Before:

• Separate MSP and MSSP
• 4-hour average incident response time
• Frequent outages blamed on "the other vendor"
• $12,000/month combined services

After (Unified MSP/MSSP):

• Single provider (Advanced Networks)
• 15-minute average incident response time
• Zero finger-pointing incidents
• $8,500/month for combined services
• Result: 40% faster response, 30% cost savings

Case Study 2: Medical Practice (12 Locations, 200 Employees)

Before:

• IT managed internally; security outsourced
• Compliance gaps identified during audit
• No coordination between IT and security

After (Unified MSP/MSSP):

• Full HIPAA compliance achieved within 6 months
• 24/7 SOC monitoring deployed across all locations
• Unified visibility into threats and IT health
• Result: Passed HIPAA audit with zero findings

Common Objections (and Responses)

"We already have an MSP. Do we really need to switch?"

Not necessarily. Ask your current MSP:

• Do you offer 24/7 SOC monitoring?
• Can you respond to security incidents end-to-end?
• Do you have in-house security analysts?

If the answer is no, you're still managing two vendors (even if you don't realize it).

"Won't a combined provider be too expensive?"

Actually, the opposite. Consolidating services typically reduces total costs by eliminating redundancy and improving efficiency.

"What if the provider goes down? We lose everything."

A reputable provider has:

• Redundant infrastructure
• Disaster recovery plans
• Business continuity processes

Fragmented vendors create more single points of failure—not fewer.

"We prefer best-of-breed solutions."

Best-of-breed sounds great in theory, but integration overhead kills effectiveness. A unified provider uses integrated tools that work together seamlessly.

How Advanced Networks Delivers MSP + MSSP

We've been providing combined IT and security services for over 20 years. Here's how we do it:

Our Service Model

Managed IT (MSP):

• 24/7 help desk and user support
• Proactive monitoring and maintenance
• Cloud infrastructure (Microsoft 365, Azure)
• Backup and disaster recovery

Managed Security (MSSP):

• 24/7 SOC with live analysts
• Endpoint protection (EDR)
• Email security (advanced threat protection)
• Firewall and network security
• Compliance management (HIPAA, PCI-DSS)

Unified Benefits:

• Single point of contact
• Coordinated incident response
• Integrated reporting
• Quarterly strategy reviews

Our Industries

We specialize in:

• Legal (trust accounting, client confidentiality)
• Medical (HIPAA compliance, ePHI protection)
• Manufacturing (OT/IT integration, supply chain security)
• Professional Services (client data protection)

Conclusion: Stop Managing Vendors, Start Managing Risk

In 2024, separating IT and security is a liability.

Cyber threats move too fast. Attackers don't wait for vendors to coordinate. Your business can't afford fragmented defenses.

By consolidating your MSP and MSSP under one provider, you gain:

✅ Faster response times
✅ Better security outcomes
✅ Lower total costs
✅ Single point of accountability
✅ Unified visibility

The question isn't "Should we combine our IT and security?"
The question is "Can we afford not to?"

Ready to unify your IT and security?

Schedule a free consultation or call us at (805) 233-6407.

Let's build a stronger defense—together.

Advanced Networks Team
Managed IT + Managed Security. One Team. One Mission.