ManageEngine has launched MSP Central, an integrated platform for managed services. It claims that this new platform will help MSPs streamline service delivery and improve what they deliver. As a centralised service, it consolidates MSP functions into a single UI to enhance usability and monitoring.
Mathivanan Venkatachalam, Vice President at ManageEngine, said, “With MSP Central, we’re bringing together the best of ManageEngine’s proven IT management and security capabilities in a platform designed from the ground up for MSPs.
“While each of these modules stands strong on its own, together they form a truly unified platform—delivering a single, connected experience for service providers. This approach lets MSPs consolidate their operations, eliminate tool sprawl, and enable their teams to work more efficiently and effectively—all from a unified console.”
What is MSP Central?
It is a cloud-based service that integrates all the tools an MSP needs in one place. That means the PSA, RMM and Cybersecurity tools they use can now be viewed in a single dashboard. To make that possible, MSP Central has a modular architecture. That allows MSPs to plug in the tools that they use on a daily basis.
That ability to extend the platform will appeal to MSPs who have a wide range of tools that they struggle to manage. They already struggle with multiple interfaces, but there is a caveat. ManageEngine has said it is doing this with open APIs and pre-built connectors. To get MSPs started, it has already integrated 20 tools.
For many MSPs, however, there is no guarantee that those connectors will cover the products they need. That means they need to do their own coding. To help promote that, ManageEngine says that MSP Central is built for integration into cloud marketplaces and partner ecosystems. Will MSPs take advantage of that? Will ManageEngine offer incentives to persuade them to write integrations?
Can built-in tools wean MSPs off other solutions?
While some MSPs will have their own RMM and PSA tools, MSP Central comes with its own RMM and PSA tools that are integral to the solution. ManageEngine will hope this will persuade MSPs to drop tools from other vendors.
Another key component is AI-powered automation. This is an area where Zoho, ManageEngine’s parent company, has been investing heavily. With MSP Central, there are two levels of AI. The first is GenAI, which creates ticket summaries and recommendations. The second level involves using it to create custom workflows and then automating them. It will be interesting to see what conflicts this causes with AI embedded into other MSP tools.
The platform also includes endpoint security. Many MSPs offer a range of options here, and it will be interesting to see what happens. Will they promote ManageEngine over other products? Will they integrate those other solutions into MSP Central?
Enterprise Times: What does this mean?
ManageEngine is targeting a challenge that many MSPs face, how to integrate multiple solutions. Some MSPs have built their own platform, while others have invested heavily in trying to integrate into other platforms. That has still left them with multiple platforms and the problem of training staff and managing multiple solutions.
For smaller MSPs who have yet to build an integrated platform, this offers them an out-of-the-box solution. It will give ManageEngine an opportunity to offer new capabilities to customers and compete with larger MSPs.
By making MSP Central feature-heavy, ManageEngine hopes to persuade MSPs that there is an alternative to DIY. To do that, it will also have to convince them to switch to its RMM, PSA, automation and endpoint security solutions. If it succeeds, it will deliver a significant boost to its MSP partner business.
