As a Service Provider focusing on cloud and managed IT services, CenterGrid is well-versed in a multitude of product offerings ranging from security, network, hardware, hypervisors, and all the other types of software.

Now I cannot speak for all Service Providers, but most of us use a blend of in-house and 3rd party-provided software. For the most part the various components “play nice”. But there are those times when unexpected things happen that leave us scratching our heads. There are even cases where it takes multiple departments from a 3rd party to support a single piece of software because it is so complicated. SO, what do you do?

There is no one correct way of handling this, and depending on the issue, it could span multiple products and thus numerous ways of how you could tackle it. And speaking from experience, this can leave you unsure of how to proceed with your vendors. Here is my advice:

  • If you have a support agreement with your vendors, open a support case with each one you think “may” be part of the cause.
  • If a single vendor has multiple departments, open multiple tickets with that vendor. One for each department that may have a hand in whatever the issue is. And if you have a contact that may be able to assist with correlating those tickets internally, loop them in as well.
  • Don’t be afraid to get each vendor on to the same conference call. Acting as a middleman sometimes can work, but it is usually better to let them communicate directly via a group meeting, while you provide direction and details.
  • Even if you do not have a support contract, sometimes reaching out via chat to those that offer it will result in some help in the form of articles and advice.
  • And a key point to all the above, get that communication going early! It is much better to get that ball rolling as soon as you can. You can always upload logs and add more detail to the ticket after it is opened.
There are a lot of products out there, and often there are issues where these products intersect. At the end of the day most vendors want to help. They have a vested interest in the product they offer and want it to work for you as is intended. So, don’t be afraid to loop them in, even with multiple tickets if it spans multiple facets of the product.

Dealing with these challenges can be daunting.  You may not have the time or the resources to throw at these issues.  Or, more than likely, it is not a value-added activity for your business to “herd the cats” involved in your IT issues.  That’s where we can help.  We do this every day and we’re pretty good at it!  Let’s talk about how CenterGrid can help your business with the cloud or with managing your servers and networks so that you can get back to business.