History of Geeks – from Break fix MSP to CSP

IT has always been an industry characterised with fast paced change and none more so than over recent years with the advent of cloud computing and the ways this is revolutionising the IT industry. In 2019 the debate is firmly centered around the changes new Cloud technology has had in the IT industry, and what it means for both us, as a Managed Service Provider (MSP), and our clients, as we look to meet their needs and requirements over the coming years.

What’s changing here at Geeks?

Our business has seen many changes since we started out over a decade ago. Back then, Computer Geeks’ main focus was as a prepaid ‘break-fix’ IT supplier, we began supplying servers and domain networks; we had four members of staff and moved into our first office in Bristol. We’ve evolved to define ourselves as a Managed Services Provider (MSP), offering unlimited support, specialising in virtualisation and managed services, security, storage, servers, domain networks and Office 365. We’ve moved into our own premises with a team of 15 members of staff, rapidly growing from a local to a national supplier, with clients established all over the UK.

We’ve also seen some big changes that have happened in IT over the past decade including:

• Operating System Evolution – Server and Client OS are hugely more powerful and useful
• Hardware Evolution – Computers and Laptops are super-fast with minimal moving parts
• Comms Evolution – Gigabit internet speeds, Ultrafast Datacentres
• Cloud Adoption – Most UK business use the Cloud
• Software Evolution – Software has become highly sophisticated, platform agnostic and mobile
• Mobility Evolution – People work on the move using smartphones
• Social Media & Chat apps – Communication is now in real time
• Cyber Security – the threat landscape is incredibly complex now

These changes, and the advent of Cloud computing are now also, by their very existence, changing the way we work and how we do business. How we define ourselves and our services is also changing..

MSP or “Managed Service Provider” is a term that’s been around for some time now and has become “the” standard term to use for IT companies like us. However, in more recent times and since the advent of cloud technology, there has been a shift in the way IT businesses, the media, and industry experts describe IT companies.

Companies like IBM and Microsoft are also starting to coin a new phrase and starting to use the term ‘CSP’ or ‘Cloud Service Provider’ to describe IT companies, like us, who are installing and delivering cloud services to their customers.

So, how do we feel about this new definition?

With cloud services becoming a clear standard for IT companies, the term ‘CSP’ does have some merit. Microsoft is making a strong push to the cloud with its entire product suite and is encouraging users to make the shift as well. Most software companies have provided IT companies with “as a Service” cloud-based solutions and the cloud movement doesn’t appear to be slowing down.

Certainly, one of the biggest changes we’ve seen over the past ten years, with the advent of the cloud, are companies starting to move their server requirements away from a traditional ‘bricks and mortar’ server room, to cloud based solutions that adapt to their changing requirement.

So, could everything be serverless?

Well, we certainly would not advise our clients to throw away their servers just yet! The migration to the cloud is something that should be done at the right time for each business and for many it will be a transitional few years ahead. Many companies have invested heavily in their infrastructure so moving to the cloud is not going to be an overnight change. There are however, many benefits of moving to the cloud that cloud experts and suppliers like us at Geeks can help to advise and implement for our clients.

Computer Geeks as CSP?

Whether all Managed Service Providers will become Cloud Service Providers remains to be seen. We’re certainly happy with the term and see it as part of our evolving identity and it does better define ourselves as we look to the years ahead and as we are increasingly involved with delivering and advising on cloud-based solutions for our clients.

We’re Microsoft Certified as a Cloud Solutions Provider, which means we’re qualified to supply hosted services through Microsoft. We’re also authorised and certified with a variety of other Cloud Services Providers. We’ll make your journey to the cloud effortless and pain-free. Get in touch with us today on 0117 325 0370 and see how our Cloud based solutions can really enable your business to be nimble, efficient and cost-effective.