Hi Nathan
Sorry to hear your MSP fell below the bar. I work for an MSP and endeavour to find all faults for our clients (even using my own free time to do so in numerous instances - I hate it when clients feel they’re not getting the service they expect - it looks bad on me as the lead and my team)
Whilst I can’t speculate on you or your companies situation and agreements with your MSP, it sounds like the setting was, as you pointed out, clearly overlooked.
A bit about the other side of the fence for MSPs:
MSPs depending on the size and how they operate take very different approaches to training staff. Some have a very high turnover for various reasons - some employees use them as stepping stones to get experience and start their IT careers (so only spend a year or two in place before moving on) others operate a very tiered Helpdesk system, where unless you get through to third line, you never get to the bodies that know the intricacies of the hardware involved.
Their skill base is incredibly diverse (they’ll cover everything from user passwords to virtual machine deployments, antispam solutions, ISP reselling, to managing proxy clusters - and partner up with the company vendors to gain both knowledge and provide the vendor Services. sometimes, because of that diversity and because they’re a third party who may not of provided the original firewall you have in place (they may of inherited it) they won’t necessarily be the fully knowledgeable of the devices quirks. Which is why most MSPs will suggest a brand they deploy upon starting a contract with a client.
Continuing On the hardware side of things. Again this one depends on the agreement with your MSP, if you paid for the device outright you do have a right to operate the equipment, even if your MSP supplies the broadband.
if it’s part of a complete broadband package provided by your MSP and leased that’s where things get a little more complicated as if a change is made by a 3rd party, your MSP does usually have a right to charge for correcting the issue. And there could well be stipulations in your contract stating you never own the router, which at the termination of service (or even agreement of termination of service in some instances) Discussions /plans should of been made and put forward to you to either swap out the device for your own asset or negotiate a used price for your firewall presently in place.
Additionally usually it’s good practice to provide a hand over document which covers all necessary documentation and notes of caution regarding your services to you (if you’re the incoming supporting body)
With regards to your MSP being “butt hurt”
It’s sounds like he may of grown with your organisation but shouldn’t of taken it personally upon you giving notice. MSPs gain and hand off clients daily - it’s part and parcel of being an MSP. we’ve had clients that have been with us for years but purely due to cost cutting had to find alternatives. Holding resentment doesn’t help anyone and just makes the inevitable transition bitter. At the end of the day you’re the client and you have a right to go elsewhere.
Either way, due diligence and basic throttling should of been checked as standard practice given the symptoms you described.
I’m glad you were able to rectify your issue and establish good footing with staff within your new role. Sounds like a very promising start.
Wishing you All the best!
