The traditional Managed Service Provider (MSP) model is shifting. It’s no longer enough to “maintain infrastructure.” Clients expect providers to be strategic partners that protect revenue, reduce costs, and fuel growth.
On Heimdal’s MSP Security Playbook podcast, Dave Sobel —former MSP, vendor leader, and host of The Business of Tech— shared a clear vision:
👉 The future of MSPs lies in process consulting, smart automation, and security tied to ROI.
From Technical Support to Process Consulting
“If I were starting an MSP today, I’d build a process-oriented consultancy, engaging clients on recurring contracts to improve their business workflows.”
Infrastructure becomes hygiene; the product is the process.
- The money is in the client, not the stack.
- Compliance and security are seen as costs unless tied to revenue protection.
- Optimized processes = lower costs, higher margins, and client trust.
AI Without the Hype: Automation With People at the Center
- AI is hype; automation delivers value.
- Examples: ticket triage with summaries, automated client reports, invoice-to-dashboard extraction.
- Rule: every automation must have a measurable KPI (hours saved, errors reduced).
Threat of the Week: Void Proxy
A phishing-as-a-service platform that steals session cookies even with MFA.
How it works: malicious email → redirects → fake login proxied → session token stolen → attacker gains full access.
Why it matters:
- Evades traditional filters.
- Breaks MFA based on codes.
- Enables lateral movement and fraud.
Defenses:
- Phishing-resistant MFA (FIDO2/Passkeys).
- Conditional access by risk.
- Advanced Email Security with URL rewriting and sandboxing.
- Identity response playbooks: revoke tokens, force reauth, isolate devices.
👉 Heimdal integrates all layers: Email Security, Threat Prevention, EDR, and Patch & Asset Management.
Investment Priorities: Revenue, Talent, or Tools?
- Tools = 5–7% of P&L.
- People = 50%.
- Revenue = everything.
Guideline: Fix operations first, then invest in top-line growth, tools last.
30–60 Day Checklist
- Map and measure client processes.
- Prototype two automations with KPIs.
- Roll out phishing-resistant MFA for admins.
- Deploy advanced Email Security.
- Present ROI with before/after metrics.
Aufiero Informática, Your MSP Partner
As a Heimdal partner, Aufiero helps MSPs:
- Redesign services as process + security consulting.
- Deploy Heimdal multi-tenant with risk-based policies.
- Prove ROI in business terms clients understand.
- Train teams with incident response runbooks.
✅ Conclusion: The future MSP wins by transforming processes, automating with purpose, and tying security to ROI. With Heimdal and Aufiero, security shifts from cost to competitive advantage.
