MSPs and IT teams in this decade have been forced to adjust to the new reality of serving a distributed network of users across a patchwork of remote and hybrid workplaces.
As a result, the way we support our users has changed significantly. It involves integrating network operation tools to support remote and hybrid users. It also includes troubleshooting networks outside of our control that we really didn’t have to in the past.
To keep pace with evolving IT, MSPs must invest in resources so the end users they support can work remotely without delays, disruptions, or security threats. Outdated end user hardware often causes problems that limit the remote user experience. Network bottlenecks and software failures can also impede worker productivity. These issues may stem from weak home Wi-Fi setups, network latency for enterprise applications, or intermittent coverage from internet service providers.
Automating IT Management to Reduce Network Downtime
When a user calls the MSP help desk to report the dreaded, “My computer is slow,” or, “My network is slow,” MSPs are forced to react despite having a clear lack of network visibility and control.
Steve Petryschuk
If the MSP lacks the needed context about where a user is based or what device is being used, it creates layers of friction before the user issue can be resolved. Any such reactive help desk ticket also incurs a cost for an MSP. Enabling the MSP to receive fewer help desk tickets and resolve them faster allows that team to pursue more proactive work for the organization.
MSPs can take several approaches to overcome these challenges. The best solution is to deliver a simple frictionless IT experience for users through a combination of network monitoring, management, and automation. In this state, the constant change of IT environments minimizes disruption. Instead, it drives the organization’s potential for growth.
Traditional network monitoring solutions track on-premise networks over time, providing data on inventory, performance stats, and comprehensive maps. Such a granular level of automated, proactive monitoring produces a radical simplicity that allows network administrators to quickly identify and mitigate failures.
It is time to evolve these traditional network monitoring solutions to the modern, distributed workforce. We must apply these concepts of simplicity of network management for distributed users.
That means automating the same insights to historical network performance, change history, and visualizations of a user’s network. It also means automating repetitive IT tasks that drive efficiencies and cost-savings, such as by automating SaaS discovery, and seamless onboarding and offboarding distributed employees.
A Better Transition
The shift to automated processes for the distributed workforce allows an MSP or IT team to embrace future changes. They also will be able to quickly deploy newer technologies, such as next-gen SaaS applications or generative AI tools.
Taking a consistent strategy to automate software patches and updates enables a service provider to focus on higher-level pursuits. For example, they can provide strategic guidance or harden clients’ security posture.
Frictionless IT enables an MSP’s end users to work uninterrupted without a need to contact the help desk. This ensures continuous uptime and dependable security. We may not make the change overnight, but we can work toward it as our clients’ needs evolve.
This article was updated on May 13, 2026.
Steve Petryschuk is a director, network security and management expert, and tech evangelist at Auvik. He has over a decade of industry experience, specializing in identifying and resolving the challenges faced by network and IT administrators.
Featured image: iStock
