Although the large-scale MSPs garner the headlines, the small MSPs have their own appeal. The polling is local, and the outsourced NOC lets the enterprise helpdesk know what's going on, and vice versa. There's a monthly fee, but no other strings are attached. It's a model that has promise for small and midsize businesses, as such providers can offer 24x7 monitoring, as well as expertise, without up-front capital. But take a closer look, and you'll discover that the MSPs are vying for the same talent pool and have the same tools you do.
People matter, but so does money.
And as the venture capital evaporates from the MSP dot-com arena, it is possible to find and keep people who know how to manage an enterprise network. Money aside, part of the people solution comes from knowing how to grow the talent needed. NOC operators need to be apprenticed and empowered. This philosophy contrasts directly with the idea that programmers and engineers should hold the keys to the kingdom, and operators should report only what they're told to. Giving operators responsibility as they earn it not only offers career paths, but creates a talent pool.