There seems to be a smart version of everything these days. From coffee machines to aquarium thermometers, if you can think of a device that can benefit from an internet connection, it probably already exists. It’s not really a surprise. The IoT market is on the brink of explosion, as Intel projects 200 billion IoT devices will be added to our networks by 2020, up from 15 billion in 2015. And they’re not all for personal use.

All over the internet, there are ominous rumblings that “768K Day” is on its way—and it’s likely going to happen before May is over. And while some ISPs think this BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) milestone is being overhyped like Y2K and Cisco assures us the sky isn’t falling, that doesn’t mean we’ll all be left unscathed. If you’re an MSP who hasn’t heard about 768K Day yet, brace yourself—you could be in for a serious connectivity headache.

One of the most common complaints I hear from managed services providers is how hard it is to recruit staff. In the past month, I’ve had three MSPs ask me: With the high cost of tech talent, how can I afford to fill technical and managerial roles? When’s the right time to employ an extra tech? Why am I struggling to grow my team?

Interfaces, commonly known as ports, are a vital component of any network. Need to connect two pieces of equipment? It could be as easy as plugging in cables—but then you’re using out of the box configurations that don’t follow best practices and are inherently insecure.

One of the most frustrating service calls you’ll receive is from a client experiencing a network performance issue. The issue could be caused by any number of different things and typically would require you jumping into your car and driving to the client site. The hours drag on while you manually trace wires and test ports to troubleshoot the issue. The longer it takes you to figure it out, the longer you’re interrupting your client’s business.

I’ve just finished getting through security at O’Hare—what an adventure! There were crowds at the check-in, a long security line (luckily I had TSA pre-check), and what seemed like 500 gates I had to pass to get to my gate at the far end of the terminal. We all understand why there are security checkpoints at the airport. They ensure that only those people who belong at the gate are at the gate, and also that there are no malicious actors on airplanes. But why are there so many gates?

Recurring revenue is the Holy Grail for managed service providers. Unfortunately, it’s an area of the business that most MSPs struggle with. They can’t sell enough new clients, don’t attract the right types of clients, or can’t command the right price. I’ve devoted the last 20 years of my life to understanding, mastering, and teaching others the keys to growing recurring revenue and increasing profitability. Here’s where I see most MSPs falling off the rails.

It would be ideal if every network device you managed across all your client sites was from the same manufacturer, but for most MSPs that’s not the case—over 75% of MSPs manage four or more network vendors for their clients, and some manage upwards of 20. Even though taking care of diverse networks is standard procedure for most service providers, managing gear from multiple vendors is still, well, complex. It means handling different operating systems, different languages, and more.