When set up (and supported) correctly, Microsoft Azure can help you cut costs, streamline workflows, support remote workers, and much more.
But without the right expertise to manage your Azure environment, you’ll likely end up with broken systems and gaps in your security. Plus, you could miss out on key functionalities that you’re already paying for.
Unfortunately, it can be difficult to find the right, qualified Azure managed service provider for your business. Many of them seem to offer the same services, but when you look closely at how they provide those services, there are differences which can make or break your ability to seamlessly use Azure to its full potential.
For example, technicians without true Azure expertise often fail to properly set up Intune — Microsoft’s solution for cloud-based endpoint management that replaces the need for legacy multi-factor authentication processes.
If Intune isn’t fully set up (or is set up incorrectly), it could be giving your employees access without stopping bad actors. It may even look like it’s working correctly on the surface — your employees have to answer security questions, enter security codes, etc., and then are given access — however, a technician with expertise in Azure would be able to see that it’s not blocking unauthorized traffic that may be trying to get through.
In this guide, we share seven factors to consider when choosing an Azure service provider. Then, we cover six options for your Azure managed service provider, starting with an in-depth look into Azure services at Ntiva.
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Ntiva provides advanced Azure support and IT solutions for companies in many industries. To learn more about how we can help you achieve your IT goals, book a consultation.
The following factors to consider will be a good starting point for evaluating any managed IT service provider (MSP) you’re considering working with. Once you’ve narrowed it down to a few options, you can learn more by setting up a meeting with their team.
Next, we’ll compare 6 MSPs that support Azure, starting with Ntiva.
As an Azure expert managed service provider, Ntiva can help you:
In the following sections, we dig into Ntiva’s Azure qualifications, cloud solutions, additional IT services, and case studies.
Ntiva has a dedicated Microsoft solutions team with team members who specialize in Azure. We held the Gold partner certification until it became obsolete and are currently working on several of Microsoft’s new solution partner certifications, including:
Ntiva has been supporting Azure since it was released in 2010. Plus, we have over 20 years of experience providing IT support to companies in many industries, including:
You can read about our case studies below.
You can find Ntiva on Microsoft’s website here.
Microsoft provides multi-layered security with built-in tools and controls in Azure. Some of these features include:
Although many of these features are built-in, they still require varying degrees of setup from users. With many of these features, only an experienced Azure technician will be able to properly set them up.
Although these features offer significant levels of security, they often aren’t enough to keep your company entirely secure. For example, many cyber attacks are directed at employees. The idea is to trick your employees into sharing sensitive information or clicking on a malicious link. This lets cybercriminals bypass all the built-in security features.
Additionally, many compliance regulations (e.g., CMMC, NIST, HIPAA) require additional security measures in place such as a security operations center (SOC) that monitors your network 24/7.
Ntiva helps you fill in the gaps of Microsoft’s security features with services such as:
If you (or an employee) actively deletes a file stored in any of your Microsoft accounts, you will only be able to recover it within 30 days. This can be an issue for a couple of reasons:
In any case, outlining the right data backup and disaster recovery (DB/DR) plan can save you huge amounts of time and money in the long run — and ensure that your company can actually recover after significant data loss.
Ntiva has many years of experience helping companies in many different industries create detailed DB/DR plans. In some cases, we’ve even helped companies enact those plans and witnessed them flourish after the disaster.
We can help you find the right DB/DR plan for your company and budget.
Ntiva can help you get the most out of the entire Microsoft 365 platform, including SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive, and more. However, our services don’t stop with Microsoft products. We provide a full suite of advanced IT services and solutions, including:
Many MSPs charge per device or charge by how much bandwidth you use in a given timeframe (for cloud solutions). This quickly adds up and makes it difficult to plan for the future. That’s why Ntiva services are offered for a flat-rate fee based on how many users need support.
You can visit our pricing page for more information.
Bryles Research, a qualitative research company, was using an on-premise remote desktop server to access their files. The problem with this was that only one employee could access a file at a time and they couldn’t access data from mobile devices. Plus, employees were downloading files, making changes, and not backing up the new version of the file.
Ntiva helped them solve all of these issues by migrating to more modern solutions using Microsoft 365 applications.
“Bryles Research has been working with Ntiva for more than 11 years. They’ve been proactive. Anytime I’ve had any kind of issue, they’ve been very good about addressing it. We are very happy with Ntiva's ability to provide strategic advice beyond the tactical ‘break-fix’ service that many other MSPs provide.”
— Scott Bryles, CEO
Leading Authorities, Inc. Case Study
Leading Authorities, Inc., an event management agency, had employees working out of many different locations with many different devices. Their outdated systems and the disparate workforce was starting to affect productivity and was causing security issues.
Ntiva helped them update their systems including implementing a remote virtual desktop solution.
Destra Capital, a financial firm, was days away from moving their entire office to a new location when they realized there wouldn’t be room for their servers in the new office.
They called Ntiva to help them migrate to the cloud in time for the move.
“Their help desk is very responsive … they worked their tails off to get us moved to the cloud in a timely manner. We were under the gun. They came up with a great solution, quickly."
— James Yount, President and Senior Managing Director
Jackson Clinics, a physical therapy practice, was quickly acquiring new locations to keep up with demand. However, each new location had its own servers and IT systems in place which made it difficult to collaborate across locations.
Ntiva helped them consolidate all their data in a cloud database while maintaining HIPAA standards.
If you’d like to learn more about how Ntiva can help you grow your business while cutting the cost of IT, book a consultation today.
Accenture specializes in digital transformation for large companies.
Their services include:
Avanade was built by Microsoft and Accenture to provide support for Microsoft products, including Azure infrastructure.
Their services include:
Cloud Direct is an Azure expert MSP with expertise in migration to Microsoft cloud platforms.
Their services include:
PC Connection is an MSP whose specialization is in managing PaaS (platform-as-a-service) solutions (e.g., Microsoft, AWS, Google).
Their services include:
Softchoice is an Azure partner that specializes in cloud solutions and IT asset management.
Their services include:
Whether you’re looking for just Azure support or a full suite of IT services, Ntiva can help. We’ve worked with companies in many different industries to grow their business with technology and meet compliance requirements. Book a consultation to learn more.
Want to learn more about Managed IT Services for your business? See Ntiva’s Managed IT Services.
Managed IT Services and Support
Managed Backup & Disaster Recovery Service
IT Support for Employee Onboarding & Offboarding
IT Help Desk Services and Support
Managed IT Procurement Services
Network Monitoring & Management