To Host or Not to Host: Where should your client's applications and services live! | EP130

Is hosting your own servers as an MSP still worth it in 2025? In this episode of All Things MSP, Justin Esgar and Eric Anthony tackle one of the most polarizing topics in the IT services world: whether managed service providers should still host their own on-premise servers for client workloads like email, QuickBooks, and application hosting.

They explore real-world horror stories (yes, including a backup server on a yacht), the modern risks of managing hardware infrastructure, and the ever-increasing reliability of cloud-based alternatives. From QuickBooks hosting to paper cut servers and multi-terabyte NAS setups, they break down the costs, complexity, and hidden time-sinks of on-prem hosting—and who, if anyone, should still be doing it.

Packed with hard-earned lessons, relatable tech fails, and battle-tested advice, this episode helps MSPs evaluate server hosting decisions through the lens of ROI, scalability, and technical liability. If you’re running backups, dealing with client server crashes, or thinking about spinning up Linux boxes in a colo—you need to hear this.

👉 Perfect for MSP owners, techs, and anyone who’s ever yelled at a Mac mini in a data center.