If you’re an MSP managing Microsoft environments with native tools alone, you already know how powerful the Microsoft ecosystem is. You also know how much work it takes to manage it effectively. I’ve lived both sides of the story—first as a technician working my way up to managing service teams at an MSP, and now as a Sales Engineer at Nerdio.
I can tell you this: Everything you need to run a cloud-first, Microsoft-powered IT business is already there in Azure and Microsoft 365. But the reality for most MSPs is that getting the most out of those platforms takes deep expertise, time, and a lot of patience.
That’s where Nerdio comes in. Not to replace Microsoft, but to make it work harder, smarter, and faster for you.
The limits of native tooling
When I was in previous roles at MSPs, we were doing most of it manually. This would always involve logging into multiple portals, writing PowerShell scripts, digging through blades and settings trying to remember where that one obscure checkbox lived, you name it. If you had someone on staff who knew the Microsoft stack really well, you could get by. But more often than not, it felt like we were duct-taping workflows together.
This wasn’t because Microsoft tools aren’t good. They’re excellent. But they’re also complex, and they assume a level of expertise that not every Level 1 or 2 tech has. That means either your senior engineers get stretched too thin, or your newer techs are limited in what they’re allowed to touch.
Onboarding a new user? That might require bouncing between Entra ID, Exchange Online, and Teams admin centers. Giving access to a file share? Now you’re digging into SharePoint permissions. Even simple changes could snowball into time-consuming tickets.
Nerdio makes the Microsoft Cloud easier to use
When I joined Nerdio, I quickly realized it wasn’t doing anything “magical.” Everything the platform enables can technically be done with native tools, but only if you have time, someone to pave the way, some predefined scripts, or deep product knowledge. What Nerdio does is simplify all of that.
Nerdio gives you a unified, GUI-driven interface for tasks that would otherwise require command-line knowledge or portal-hopping. It’s the difference between sending a senior engineer into Azure to provision a VM with custom policies or having a Level 1 tech do it with a few clicks using a pre-approved template and workflow guardrails.
This isn’t about taking control away. It’s about giving it structure, consistency, and speed.
With Nerdio’s built-in RBAC and workflow approvals, you can delegate more to your lower levels without compromising security or consistency. That means your Level 1s can take on more responsibility, your Level 3s can focus on strategy, and your customers get faster service across the board.
See the chart below for a detailed breakdown of common management tasks performed with and without Nerdio Manager.
Operational gains that actually scale
Once you adopt Nerdio, the difference shows up in the day-to-day. You stop firefighting and start scaling.
Instead of reacting to a flood of repetitive tickets, you build repeatable processes. Your techs stop guessing where settings live and start working from a single pane of glass. I’ve seen teams completely reorganize how they staff and schedule because Nerdio freed up so much time across roles.
And it’s not just anecdotal. Kite Technology, an MSP focused on independent insurance agencies, was juggling complex Microsoft environments across clients. Managing policies, updates, and user access natively was slow and inconsistent.
With Nerdio Manager, they centralized everything—cutting down the time and effort it took to deploy, secure, and maintain Microsoft cloud environments. “We have confidence that it’s the same across the board for all our clients,” said CTO Adam Atwell.
The result? Faster response times, fewer errors, and more time to focus on strategy instead of admin tasks.
You can do it without Nerdio—but why would you?
If you’re running a Microsoft-focused MSP, you absolutely can do it all natively. But just because you can doesn’t mean you should.
You don’t need Nerdio to be successful with Microsoft. But if you want to be more efficient, more profitable, and more scalable without hiring a room full of Azure engineers, Nerdio is going to get you there faster. Think of it this way: Microsoft gives you the engine. Nerdio gives you the dashboard, the cruise control, and the GPS. Same car, but smoother ride.
Want to see what IT in the fast lane really looks like? Download our latest playbook to learn how MSPs are using operational efficiency powered by centralization, standardization, and automation as a growth strategy that scales.
