MSP Day 2023: impressions and considerations.

MSP Day 2023: What It Is

As anticipated in a previous article of mine, I attended the MSP Day event, which this year took place on June 8 and 9, 2023, in Riccione.

MSP Day is the Italian event dedicated to MSPs (Managed Service Providers), i.e., companies and professionals that deliver managed IT services, and was organized by Achab, the Italian distributor of security solutions specialized in MSP solutions.

The event has now reached its sixth edition (the 2020 and 2021 editions were held online), which this year had approximately 350 participants and about 100 more people followed the presentations online.

Impressions

The impression I had was excellent, and for me, as it was my first time, it was a very engaging and intense experience: the day and a half was packed with sessions, some in the main hall and others in parallel in secondary rooms.

Several sponsors were present, divided by level of importance (Executive, Business, Premium, and Smart) based on the budget spent and the visibility requested, and therefore there were various desks of different sizes with many gadgets and direct company staff from the sponsoring company.

I had numerous contacts with interesting and pleasant people, exchanged opinions, and acquired knowledge of which I was completely unaware.

I have confirmed, if further confirmation were still needed, that the cloud is now dominating every sector and commercial offering in the IT field. Notably, some Italian companies are heavily focusing on data protection and security, offering a 100% “Italian” cloud (Italian company, Italian data centers) in compliance with Italian and European privacy regulations (GDPR) and other more specific regulations issued by ACN (Italian National Cybersecurity Agency).

To be cited with pride, Aretek, the Italian distributor of security, remote access/support, backup, and other solutions, which had a shared booth with AnyDesk, the German provider of remote access and support solutions. With great courage and determination, Massimo Iannilli, founder and CEO of Aretek, chose to participate and received a strong response from partners interested in the solutions distributed by his company.

I also note that another Italian company, NANOSystems, a producer of remote access and control software and backup services, has had its own booth with qualified staff and is offering excellent solutions with a good balance between price and performance.

Regarding cloud storage services, I would like to highlight the presence of Wasabi, an American company offering highly competitive cloud storage services for partners who need to provide this type of service to their customers (for example, backup storage space) at clear prices and without additional costs, with S3 standard interoperability.

The organization was excellent on the part of the Achab staff, and a highly positive note certainly goes to the catering: the quality, taste, and abundance of food and beverages were nothing short of phenomenal!

Reflections

The MSP sector is very interesting; personally, I have never truly delved into the topic, but there has certainly been growth in the number and quality of services offered, in proposals from new providers, and many companies offer complementary services.

I will try to deepen, within the limits of my abilities (I do not have in-depth technical training), my knowledge of services offered in MSP mode to understand their advantages and challenges, so as to build a clearer picture of the landscape and be ready to propose potential consulting and support services in this area.

For me, it was an exciting and constructive experience: every meeting, environment, and novelty stimulates new ideas and projects and enriches me personally and professionally.

2024 Edition

The seventh edition will take place on June 6 and 7, 2024, and reservations are already open for those interested on the event's website.

Personally, I will also try next year to be present and meet interesting people.

Ideas, suggestions, or questions? Feel free to leave a comment or contact me.