Connectivity for Managed Service Providers
Make connectivity part of your managed IT service
A connectivity partner for MSPs and IT support companies
Your clients rely on internet access for cloud applications, remote support, online backups and everyday collaboration. When a connection becomes the weak point, your helpdesk is often the first place they turn. Exascale helps managed service providers build connectivity into the wider IT solution, with access services selected around each customer’s premises and workloads.
Bring us a single office requirement or a portfolio of customer sites. We can discuss wholesale broadband, leased lines and the technical delivery model that fits your team. Agree service ownership and escalation routes alongside the design, so your customer knows who to contact and your engineers know where responsibility sits.
Match broadband and leased lines to client workloads
Start with applications, upload demand and service levels
Business full fibre broadband can suit general office use, cloud software and distributed teams. A dedicated leased line is worth considering where symmetrical bandwidth, sustained uploads and the agreed service level are central to the customer’s requirements.
Assess more than the headline download speed. Include concurrent users, cloud backups, video meetings, remote access and the effect of an outage. Review upload capacity, router and firewall throughput, installation constraints and the applicable support terms before recommending a service.
Exascale can provide connectivity over CityFibre, Openreach, ITS, Vodafone, Sky Business and Virgin Media. Availability, pricing and the service offered vary by address and network; send full site details for assessment.
Keep the delivery model aligned with your IT team
Managed Cisco routing or Layer 2 ENNI handoff
Exascale can deliver broadband and leased lines as a managed Layer 3 service using a Cisco router, or on a Layer 2 basis to an ENNI at any of our on-net data centres. Choose the model around the infrastructure you operate and the level of routing responsibility you want to retain.
A managed routed service can form the connectivity boundary for your customer’s firewall and LAN. If you operate your own network, discuss Layer 2 handoff, ENNI location and capacity with our team. Confirm addressing, routing, equipment ownership and troubleshooting responsibilities during design.
Explore wholesale connectivity delivery options. Your managed IT contract should clearly distinguish the access circuit and router from the customer’s switching, Wi-Fi, security and application support.
Design for multi-site customers and business continuity
Plan backup access and test the whole service
Customers with several offices may need different access services at each location. A head office running central systems may justify a leased line, while a smaller branch may be served by full fibre broadband. Build the design around the role of each site, its available networks and the applications that must remain accessible.
Discuss backup connections, failover behaviour and the bandwidth needed during an incident. A second circuit does not automatically provide a separate physical route: any required diversity must be checked. Router power, firewall configuration and local network equipment also affect continuity.
Use our leased line services and business full fibre options as the starting point for an address-by-address discussion.
Make client migrations and support handovers clearer
From initial enquiry to a documented cutover
Before proposing a change, gather the customer’s installation address, current service, contract end date, bandwidth needs and target go-live date. Record dependencies such as VPNs, public IP addresses, firewall rules, voice services and access to the premises.
Discuss the available networks and delivery requirements with Exascale, then agree the installation plan and support boundary. Where continuity matters, plan any overlap with the existing service and test the new connection before arranging cancellation. Lead times depend on the access product, site and installation work.
For your helpdesk, document circuit references, router ownership, escalation contacts and the checks to perform when a fault is reported. A clear handover helps your engineers distinguish access faults from local Wi-Fi, firewall or application issues.
Extend your portfolio as customer requirements grow
Voice, data centre services and network connectivity
Connectivity can support a broader conversation about a customer’s IT environment. Explore business voice services where telephone systems form part of the project, and data centre and colocation services where equipment needs a suitable hosting location. Discuss product suitability and commercial arrangements with our team.
For MSPs operating their own network or hosting infrastructure, IP transit provides internet reachability, while remote peering provides access to internet exchanges. These services have different roles and should be selected around your routing and interconnection design.
Our telecoms reseller solutions provide a wider overview for partners developing a connectivity portfolio.
Frequently asked questions for managed service providers
Start with the customer sites and workloads you already support. Exascale can discuss broadband, leased lines and the delivery model alongside your requirements. Agree the commercial terms, service scope, support responsibilities and escalation process before offering the service to a customer.
Exascale offers managed Layer 3 connectivity using a Cisco router as well as Layer 2 delivery to an ENNI at an on-net data centre. A managed service can suit an MSP that does not operate its own access aggregation network. The technical requirements and responsibility boundary should be agreed for the chosen design.
Discuss the proposed firewall and network design with Exascale before ordering. Confirm addressing, routing, NAT, VPN requirements and the handoff between the managed router and your equipment. Compatibility and the supported configuration depend on the service and design; they should be agreed rather than assumed.
Exascale can assess access options for multiple customer sites. Provide a full address list, bandwidth needs, the role of each site and any requirements for backup connectivity or private network integration. Availability and delivery options are assessed per address; different sites may need different services.
The choice depends on the site, applications, upload demand, budget and required service level. Full fibre broadband can suit general office and cloud use. A leased line offers dedicated, symmetrical bandwidth and may be more suitable for sustained uploads or critical sites. Compare the quoted service terms and available networks rather than download speed alone.
Check the current contract, target date, installation access, public IP dependencies, VPNs, firewall rules and voice services. Agree the installation and cutover plan, including any required overlap with the existing circuit. Test the replacement service and critical applications before arranging cancellation of the old connection.
The support boundary should be documented in the agreed service scope. Distinguish Exascale’s access and any managed router responsibilities from the MSP’s firewall, switching, Wi-Fi, endpoint and application services. Confirm fault-reporting details and escalation routes so both teams know what to investigate.
Provide full installation addresses, required download and upload capacity, key applications, target dates and your preferred delivery model. Include any resilience, addressing, router or ENNI requirements. Pricing, lead times and commercial terms depend on the service, network and site; ask for a tailored quotation.
Talk to Exascale about connectivity for your clients
Tell us about your MSP or IT support business and the customer sites you need to connect. Include full addresses, required bandwidth, key applications and your target installation dates.
Let us know whether you need managed Layer 3 connectivity or Layer 2 delivery to your network, plus any migration, backup or support requirements. Our team will discuss the options with you. We aim to reply within 24 working hours.