Synoptek has launched a Cloud Assessment and Planning Service. At a time when many MSPs are struggling to monetize cloud beyond (A) migration services and (B) low-margin SaaS reselling, the Synoptek approach could give peer MSPs some additional ideas around monetization, planning, processes and more.
Synoptek is one of the largest managed IT services providers in the United States. Backed by private equity investors, the company has carefully balanced organic and M&A growth. During a ChannelE2E Podcast in 2016, Synoptek CEO Tim Britt described the company's core growth priorities. And during Autotask Community Live 2016, Britt further explained Synoptek's need to monetize cloud services.
Fast forward to present day and it looks like Synoptek has formalized that cloud battle plan.
Syoptek Cloud Assessment and Planning Service
The new Synoptek Cloud Assessment and Planning Service includes these seven components:
- Cloud Readiness Assessment—Comprehensive analysis that identifies a "best-fit" cloud configuration for the customer.
- Cloud Migration Strategy—Extensive roadmap that encompasses costs, tools, security, governance, and a mapping of application dependencies for optimum efficiency.
- "Right-Sized" Resource Allocation—Complete review of performance and usage patterns to plan capacity needs, maximize capabilities, and reduce unnecessary costs in idle computer resources and unused storage.
- Total Cost Assessment—Cost visibility analysis that helps customers understand their expected ROI based on relevant pricing model options.
- Real-time Cost Comparisons—Customer cost-savings exercise comparing total cost of ownership (TCO) across Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and other leading cloud platforms.
- Performance Advisory—Detailed analysis on computing, storage, and networking components to identify a precise custom cloud configuration for optimum performance.
- Cloud Clarity—Synoptek cloud experts evaluate complex reports and work with customers to understand the data and make recommendations for their unique environment.
Synoptek Cloud KPIs
Synoptek has published some major KPIs (key performance indicators) tied to the effort. In a client partnership with Synoptek, the strategic components of this new service are "designed to effectively guide organizations to realize a 55-70% reduction in migration planning cycles and an overall cost savings of 35-46%," the company asserts.
Synoptek's strategy also drives home the need for effective analytics -- a potential weak point for many MSPs that grew up managing infrastructure for customers. No doubt, effective analytics to pinpoint potential cloud costs are core to Synoptek's strategy.
Each of those moves provides important lessons to peer MSPs and VARs pursuing cloud services. Thousands of VARs now claim to be "Cloud Services Providers" simply because they resell popular SaaS suites. In stark contrast, Synoptek's strategy reveals a longer list of opportunities that await MSPs in the cloud services market.
