AI Battle: Testing DeepSeek V3, Claude 3.5, and GPT-4 - Which Is Best for Your MSPs/MSSPs?
Why This Matters for Your MSP
In the flood of AI news and hype, one question keeps coming up in MSP circles: "Which AI model can actually improve our operations and client service?" While everyone's buzzing about the latest releases - Claude 3.5 Sonnet, ChatGPT-4, and DeepSeek V3 - we needed to cut through the noise and test these models with real MSP scenarios. No fluff, just practical results.
The Contenders
- Claude 3.5 Sonnet: Anthropic's latest powerhouse, released with enhanced analytical capabilities
- ChatGPT-4: OpenAI's established market leader.
- DeepSeek V3: The ambitious newcomer making waves in the AI space
Our Test Drive
We put these AI models through a critical MSP scenario - handling a ransomware incident in a healthcare environment. Why this scenario? Because it combines everything MSPs deal with daily: technical depth, compliance requirements, client communication, and emergency response capabilities.
Here's what we asked them:
"As an MSP managing a 200-bed hospital's IT infrastructure, create a detailed incident response playbook for the first 4 hours after detecting a ransomware attack. The hospital runs Epic Systems EMR, has 1,000 endpoints, and operates 24/7. Include initial assessment steps, critical stakeholder communication templates (including HIPAA requirements), system isolation protocols, evidence preservation steps for cyber insurance, and prioritized recovery sequence for critical systems."
To make the responses more actionable, we asked each AI to distill their response down to the three most critical actions in the first 30 minutes.
The Results
ChatGPT-4's Response
Top 3 Critical Actions in the First 30 Minutes
1. Isolate Affected Systems – Immediately disconnect infected endpoints from the network without powering them down to prevent further spread of ransomware and data encryption.
2. Activate Incident Response Team (IRT) – Notify internal IT security, hospital leadership, and key stakeholders (Epic Systems Admin, Biomed team) to coordinate response efforts and ensure critical patient care remains uninterrupted
3. Implement Emergency Access Measures – Enable Read-Only Epic Systems Mode (if available) and activate manual backup workflows to ensure continued access to patient records and critical hospital operations.
Claude 3.5 Sonnet's Response
1. Isolate affected systems while preserving critical care operations
Immediately segment the network but maintain essential clinical systems like life support and patient monitoring.
This stops the spread while keeping critical patient care running
2. Activate downtime procedures for Epic EMR and switch to paper charting
Ensures continuous patient care can proceed without interruption.
Gets clinical staff immediately operating under known backup procedures.
Alert relevant authorities and activate incident response team
3. Notify FBI, HC3 (Health Sector Cybersecurity Coordination Center), and cyber insurance provider
Early notification speeds up support resources and meets compliance requirements
Time is critical for both investigation and potential data recovery
DeepSeek V3's Response
Top 3 Critical Actions in the First 30 Minutes
1. Isolate Affected Systems
Immediately disconnect infected endpoints and critical systems (e.g., Epic EMR servers) from the network to prevent ransomware from spreading laterally and encrypting more data.
2. Activate Incident Response Team (IRT)
Notify the IRT, including IT, security, legal, and hospital leadership, to coordinate a swift and organized response while ensuring compliance with HIPAA and other regulations.
3. Preserve Evidence
Capture logs, memory dumps, and disk images from compromised systems for forensic analysis, ensuring you retain critical information for investigation and potential legal action.
And The Winner Is...
In this healthcare MSP scenario, Claude 3.5 Sonnet emerged as the winner. Here's why:
- Healthcare-First Mindset: While all models provided solid technical responses, Claude demonstrated superior understanding of healthcare operations by prioritizing patient care alongside technical measures
- Practical Implementation: The emphasis on paper charting and known backup procedures shows real-world understanding of hospital operations
- Regulatory Awareness: Including specific authorities like HC3 demonstrates deeper knowledge of healthcare cybersecurity requirements
- Balanced Approach: Successfully balanced technical needs (isolation) with operational continuity (maintaining critical systems) - a crucial consideration for healthcare MSPs
However, both ChatGPT-4 and DeepSeek V3 brought valuable perspectives to the table. ChatGPT-4's technical specificity about Epic Systems and DeepSeek V3's emphasis on forensics demonstrate their unique strengths.
Important Takeaways for MSPs
Context matters more than AI brand names - your results will vary based on your specific environment and requirements. Be cautious of AI dependence, as models often provide generic rather than contextual solutions.
The key is integrations
The more real data an AI model has about your specific environment and operations, the more these differences between models diminish. When AI truly knows your context, brand choice becomes less critical.
The Bottom Line
The AI landscape is evolving rapidly, with each model showing distinct strengths. For MSPs, success isn't about picking the "best" AI - it's understanding how to leverage each model's strengths for specific use cases. Test different models with your scenarios, use their output as frameworks rather than solutions, and maintain the balance between AI efficiency and human expertise.
Remember: AI is a tool in your MSP and MSSP toolkit, not a replacement for sound judgment and experience. Use it wisely, and it can help elevate your service delivery while maintaining the human touch that clients value.
The real winner? MSPs and MSSPs who learn to effectively integrate these powerful tools into their operations while maintaining their core expertise and client focus.
How do you see AI fitting into your MSP's future? We'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences. www.verityx.ai