Mentoring on a strategy and market segment for for a DevOps-centric MSP

MSPs seem to over rely on expensive tooling, nebulous monitoring, and have a break-fix mindset, while underdelivering. We could perhaps determine if there is any market for a DevOps-centric MSP, bring the benefits of enterprise to SMBs, and what identify the client base. The deeper I get into tooling, the more I realize how much I don't know, Dunning Kruger certainly applies. I feel there is an opportunity to disrupt the current market with standardized open solutions that could be deployed at a much lower price point and allowing for higher margins. Improve uptime, less labour inputs, focus on relationship with the customer, perhaps monthly lunches after the pandemic (if it doesn't mutate forever), offer niche applications for line-of-business solutions (i.e. a $10 / month DigitalOcean VM), internal wikis, identity management, and security. Not everyone can afford the 95% solution with enterprise gear, but they may be able to afford the 85% solution at a third of the price point, or implement a solution that covers more of their bases for the same cost, disrupt the market, but manage customer's feelings, even if they don't have a big enterprise name on the products. The first phase, identify a list of elements, some potentials: - Finding a local individual who could generate leads, market the business, commission basis - Rate structure, recurring revenue, monthly on-call rates, but incentivize automation for the client and the service provider - Remote support software for a two-technician provider, with room for growth, the license agreement for NoMachine seems to license their remote solution for free for service providers - How to bring identity management to smaller organizations, if they don't have the classic Microsoft AD / Azure architecture - Opportunities to convert customers running legacy POTS phones to IP phones The past six months, for my toolbox: - Zabbix monitoring system, templates, discovery rules, triggers, alerts, media types and push messaging, Python, API queries, JSON, XML, YAML, SNMP, MIBS, PKI, no license costs, even a Windows Defender template, no specialized AV required - Built a soild understanding of Linux, shell scripting, parsing streams, have been using Ubuntu - restic and Backblaze B2 for blob storage, Duplicacy on the radar, scripted Windows system state with PowerShell, Windows Backup, local and remote repository, combination of either Duplicacy or restic and Backblaze B2 would be orders of magnitudes less expensive - pfSense firewall offering, intermediate to expert knowledge, managed a few clients with Snort VRT ruleset, protection between VLANs, performance testing of Snort with iperf, real-time blacklists, GIDs / SIDs, nightly backup of configuration and other elements not in the config file, previously worked with Palo Alto, but the barrier to entry and price point are high, compared to a fanless PC with multiple Intel network interfaces, better performance than the competition and lower recurring costs, $299 USD per year for Snort VRT ruleset - Azure AD Connect, source anchors, synchronization, scripting, waiting for events, confirming that authentication is successful with scripted new accounts Existing experience: - Windows, Exchange, PowerShell scripting, IP phone systems, Digium 177-extension deployment - Twenty-two years experience in IT, 32 with the 9.54 MHz turbo XT and BBS, healthcare experience, systems integrators, 11 years at a university, 2.75 years at a Ministry funded site I could work for someone, but improve service and response times, save more than your salary in costs, and it's never enough. I literally automated and documented myself out of a job, but ethics first. I'd rather keep some of that than give it all away for no credit, but still provide better service for the dollar. Help me find the niche, so I don't have to be the corporate dude. This is about six months out. Target is @ $200, flexible.