Reflections on my First Month at an MSP

It’s been about a month since I started working at an MSP, and I’ve learned more in those few weeks than I expected to in twice the time. There’s something about managing tons of different systems at once that forces you to level up fast.

PowerShell has probably been the biggest game changer so far. I used to think of it as just an antiquated command line tool that’s just as good as a GUI, but it’s basically a superpower once you get comfortable. I really enjoy the repository of scripts that everyone contributes to, there’s so much to learn even just by reading them.

Speaking of M365, seeing how it actually works from the admin side has been eye opening. It’s not just Entra and Exchange; there’s a whole literal web of permissions and policies behind everything. Same goes for RMMs. Working inside one teaches you how important having standards and structure is. Also, one of my new favorite work pastimes has been reading and tidying up internal documentation, I’ve learned so much already just by reading what issues and solutions came before me.

Outside of work, I’ve got a few home lab projects in the queue. I’m planning to repurpose a couple of old UTM appliances: one for a main network, one as a Starlink backup/QD for road trips, and another running something like Ubuntu Server for dedicated DNS services. It’s part learning exercise, part insurance policy for when something inevitably breaks.

All in all, the first month has been a mix of problem solving, light chaos, and a lot of learning. I’m starting to see how everything ties together, from scripting to networking to real world troubleshooting, and it’s got me even more excited to keep building on it. I also sit for the Security+ exam in a month, crossing my fingers for that!