Shadow IT poses significant risks to organizations, often flying under the radar of IT departments. Employees seeking quick solutions may unknowingly introduce vulnerabilities by using unauthorized software or cloud services. This creates potential security breaches, data leaks, and compliance issues.
Managed Service Providers (MSPs) offer a powerful solution to this growing problem. MSPs can help organizations gain visibility into shadow IT usage, implement effective control measures, and provide secure alternatives that meet employee needs while maintaining corporate security standards. Their expertise allows for a balanced approach between enabling productivity and mitigating risks.
Key Takeaways
- MSPs provide visibility and control over shadow IT usage within organizations
- Partnering with MSPs enables a balanced approach to security and productivity
- MSPs offer expertise in implementing effective shadow IT control strategies
The Role Of MSPs In Controlling Shadow IT
Managed Service Providers (MSPs) play a crucial part in helping organizations control shadow IT. They offer expertise, tools, and processes to enhance visibility and security across customer IT environments.
MSPs And Their Functions
MSPs are external partners that manage and optimize an organization’s IT infrastructure and systems. They provide a wide range of services, including network monitoring, cybersecurity, cloud management, and help desk support. MSPs use advanced tools to oversee client environments, detect anomalies, and ensure compliance with security policies.
These providers often employ teams of specialists who stay up-to-date with the latest technologies and best practices. This expertise allows MSPs to offer proactive solutions for emerging IT challenges, including the proliferation of shadow IT.
How MSPs Provide Oversight And Governance
MSPs implement robust monitoring systems to track network activity and application usage across client organizations. This comprehensive visibility helps identify unauthorized software and services that may constitute shadow IT.
They establish clear governance frameworks, defining acceptable use policies and approval processes for new technologies. MSPs work with clients to create and enforce these guidelines, reducing the likelihood of employees turning to unsanctioned solutions.
Regular audits and assessments conducted by MSPs can uncover hidden IT assets and potential security risks. This proactive approach allows for timely intervention and mitigation of shadow IT issues.
Benefits Of MSPs In Identifying And Mitigating Shadow IT Practices
MSPs bring valuable expertise in recognizing and addressing shadow IT challenges. Their experience across multiple client environments allows them to spot trends and apply proven solutions quickly.
By leveraging advanced security tools, MSPs can detect and block unauthorized applications, protecting organizations from data breaches and compliance violations. They also provide education and training to employees, raising awareness about the risks of shadow IT.
MSPs offer scalable alternatives to shadow IT solutions, ensuring that legitimate business needs are met through approved channels. This approach balances security requirements with user productivity, reducing the temptation to adopt unsanctioned tools.
How MSPs Can Leverage SaaS Management Platforms
Reputable SaaS management platforms like Josys offer powerful tools for MSPs to control shadow IT and optimize cloud application usage. These platforms provide comprehensive visibility and centralized management capabilities.
Key features often include:
- Automated application discovery
- User access management
- Spend optimization
- Security and compliance monitoring
- Integration with identity providers
How Josys Helps MSPs In Managing SaaS Applications
Josys is a SaaS management platform designed specifically for MSPs. It provides tools to help manage clients’ cloud applications more effectively.
Josys offers:
- Multi-tenant architecture for managing multiple clients
- Customizable dashboards and reports
- Automated workflows for common tasks
- Integration with popular PSA and RMM tools
These features allow MSPs to streamline their SaaS management processes and provide more value to clients.
Discovery And Inventory Of All SaaS Applications In Use
Josys uses advanced discovery techniques to identify all SaaS applications in use within an organization. This includes both IT-approved and shadow IT applications.
The platform scans network traffic, integrates with SSO providers, and analyzes financial records to build a comprehensive inventory. This gives MSPs complete visibility into their clients’ SaaS ecosystems.
Josys categorizes discovered applications by function, risk level, and compliance status. This helps prioritize management efforts and identify potential security risks.
Automated Workflows For Onboarding And Offboarding Applications
Josys streamlines the process of adding and removing SaaS applications with automated workflows. These workflows can be customized to fit each client’s specific needs.
For onboarding, Josys can:
- Create user accounts
- Assign licenses
- Configure security settings
- Integrate with existing systems
When offboarding applications, Josys ensures:
- Data is properly backed up
- User access is revoked
- Licenses are reclaimed
This automation reduces manual work and ensures consistent processes across all managed clients.
Centralized Control And Visibility Over SaaS Usage
Josys provides a central dashboard for monitoring and managing SaaS usage across all clients. This gives MSPs a unified view of:
- Active licenses and subscriptions
- User activity and adoption rates
- Costs and potential savings
- Security and compliance status
The platform allows for granular control over user access and permissions. MSPs can easily adjust settings and enforce policies across multiple applications and clients.
Josys also generates detailed reports on SaaS usage and spending. These insights help MSPs identify optimization opportunities and demonstrate value to clients.
Case Studies: Josys In Action with MSPs
A mid-sized MSP implemented Josys to manage SaaS applications for 50 clients. Within three months, they:
- Discovered 30% more SaaS applications than previously known
- Reduced overall SaaS spending by 15% through license optimization
- Improved security posture by identifying and addressing shadow IT risks
Another MSP used Josys to streamline client onboarding. They reduced the time to fully configure a new client’s SaaS environment from days to hours.
Josys helped an MSP specializing in financial services ensure compliance across all client SaaS applications. They automated regular audits and quickly addressed any issues that arose.
Conclusion
In conclusion, shadow IT presents a significant challenge for organizations, but partnering with Managed Service Providers (MSPs) offers an effective solution. MSPs provide the expertise, tools, and processes needed to identify, control, and mitigate shadow IT risks, ensuring security and compliance.
Leveraging advanced platforms like Josys, MSPs can streamline SaaS management, offer centralized oversight, and enhance visibility into IT environments. This not only helps organizations reduce security vulnerabilities but also allows them to maintain productivity while optimizing software usage and costs. Partnering with MSPs ensures a proactive approach to managing the complexities of modern IT environments.
Ready to take control of shadow IT and optimize your SaaS management? Sign up for a free Josys demo today and discover how our platform can help streamline your IT processes, enhance security, and reduce costs. Experience the benefits of centralized control and proactive SaaS management with tools designed specifically for Managed Service Providers.