If you're a defense contractor shopping for CMMC 2.0 Level 2 compliance help, you've probably heard the pitch from a dozen MSPs: "We'll get you compliant!" But here's the uncomfortable truth most contractors discover six months in: many MSPs are just selling you consulting hours, not actually building your compliant infrastructure.

The question isn't whether your MSP knows what CMMC requires. The question is: Who's actually doing the technical work to meet those 110 CMMC requirements and 320 objectives?

Spoiler alert: In most MSP arrangements, that's still you.

What Most MSPs Actually Deliver

Let's be clear about what a typical MSP engagement looks like for CMMC compliance:

  • Assessment and gap analysis – They'll tell you what's wrong
  • Recommendations document – They'll tell you what to fix
  • Project plan – They'll tell you when to fix it
  • Consulting support – They'll answer questions while you fix it

Notice a pattern? You're still doing the actual work.

Sure, they might help you configure some security tools or review your System Security Plan. But the fundamental infrastructure: the NIST-compliant servers, the network segmentation, the 900+ hardening steps, the continuous monitoring: that's all on you to build, implement, and maintain.

MSP consulting vs CPE Level 2 complete solution comparison for CMMC compliance implementation

For small defense contractors with limited IT staff, this creates an impossible situation. You're paying an MSP thousands per month while still scrambling to figure out technical implementation details that require specialized expertise you don't have.

The Technical Heavy Lifting Problem

CMMC 2.0 Level 2 isn't a checklist: it's a complete security architecture. Meeting all 320 objectives means:

  • Building or migrating to NIST-compliant server infrastructure
  • Implementing proper network segmentation for CUI data
  • Configuring advanced logging and monitoring systems
  • Establishing incident response workflows
  • Maintaining continuous compliance validation
  • Documenting everything in audit-ready formats

Traditional MSPs will guide you through these requirements, but they rarely provide the actual infrastructure. You're still responsible for purchasing servers, configuring systems, and maintaining the environment.

And here's where it gets expensive: Most contractors end up spending $11,800 to $130,150 just on the initial hardware, software, and security services: before they've paid a dollar to their MSP for consulting.

What CPE Level 2 Actually Includes

CPE Level 2 takes a fundamentally different approach: We do the work, not just tell you what needs doing.

When you deploy CPE Level 2, you get:

  • Complete NIST-compliant server infrastructure – Already built, already hardened
  • 900+ CPE-specific hardening steps – Pre-configured into the environment
  • 1,500+ compliance checkpoints – Continuously validated by automation
  • Full network segmentation – Properly isolating CUI from your general business network
  • Managed security services – 24/7 monitoring, patching, and incident response
  • Backup and disaster recovery – Built into the solution
  • vCISO support – Expert guidance without the consulting bill
  • Audit support – Documentation and evidence already prepared

Planet Security's Cybersecurity Protected Enclave

The difference is stark: With CPE Level 2, you're not buying advice on how to build compliance: you're buying the compliant infrastructure itself, fully operational and maintained.

The Infrastructure You Actually Get

Let's talk specifics about what "complete infrastructure" means.

Traditional MSP Approach:

  • You purchase servers (physical or cloud)
  • You configure Windows Server or Linux
  • You implement security controls one by one
  • You document each configuration decision
  • You validate controls are working
  • You maintain everything ongoing

Timeline: 12-18 months of implementation work
Your IT burden: Massive and continuous

CPE Level 2 Approach:

  • We provide NIST-compliant servers pre-configured
  • Security controls already implemented and tested
  • Network architecture already designed for CUI isolation
  • Documentation already prepared for audit
  • Monitoring and maintenance handled by our team

Timeline: 4 weeks to full deployment
Your IT burden: Minimal: you focus on your business

CMMC 2.0 Level 2 compliant cybersecurity infrastructure with network segmentation and security shields

The infrastructure isn't theoretical: it's physical (or virtual) equipment that's been purpose-built to meet every technical requirement of CMMC 2.0 Level 2. You're not building a compliant environment; you're moving into one that's already compliant.

Yoo-Jin AI: The Automation Advantage

Here's where CPE Level 2 gets even more interesting: Yoo-Jin AI handles continuous compliance validation that would otherwise require a full-time security team.

Unlike generic AI tools that can't be trusted with sensitive client data, Yoo-Jin AI uses AI-obfuscated data to maintain security while providing:

  • Automated compliance checking across all 1,500+ checkpoints
  • Continuous monitoring of security configurations
  • Drift detection when systems deviate from compliant baselines
  • Automated remediation for common security gaps
  • Audit evidence generation that's always current

Traditional MSPs might use generic security tools, but they're not providing AI-driven automation specifically designed for CMMC validation. You're still manually checking configurations, reviewing logs, and hoping everything stays compliant between quarterly reviews.

With CPE Level 2, that continuous validation happens automatically. The system doesn't just tell you if something's wrong: it maintains the compliant state actively.

The Real Cost Comparison

Let's talk money, because that's where the MSP vs. CPE Level 2 comparison gets really interesting.

Traditional MSP + Self-Built Infrastructure:

  • Initial infrastructure investment: $11,800 – $130,150
  • Monthly MSP consulting: $3,000 – $8,000
  • Internal IT time: Hundreds of hours
  • Ongoing maintenance: Your responsibility
  • First year total: $47,800 – $226,150+

CPE Level 2:

  • Initial infrastructure investment: $0
  • Monthly cost for up to 20 users: $1,299
  • Internal IT time: Minimal
  • Ongoing maintenance: Included
  • First year total: $15,588

The pricing difference isn't just about dollars: it's about who's actually responsible for maintaining compliance. With the MSP model, you're still on the hook. With CPE Level 2, we're contractually responsible for providing and maintaining a compliant environment.

And here's a bonus: Choose an 8-week deployment instead of the standard 4-week, and your monthly cost drops by $100 to $1,199/month. You get the same comprehensive solution with slightly extended timeline to fit your business schedule.

CMMC compliance timeline comparison: traditional 12-18 month MSP path vs 4-week CPE Level 2 deployment

Who's Really Doing the Work?

This is the question that matters most: When the C3PAO assessor shows up for your CMMC audit, who built the environment they're evaluating?

With a traditional MSP:

  • You built it (with their guidance)
  • You configured it (with their recommendations)
  • You maintain it (with their support)
  • You own all the technical risk

With CPE Level 2:

  • We built it (to exact NIST specifications)
  • We configured it (with 900+ hardening steps)
  • We maintain it (with continuous monitoring)
  • We share responsibility for the technical compliance

The MSP model makes sense for large defense contractors with mature IT departments. They have the staff, expertise, and resources to implement MSP recommendations. But for small to medium defense suppliers, the MSP model just shifts the problem: it doesn't solve it.

The Bottom Line

Most MSPs aren't lying when they say they can help with CMMC compliance. They absolutely can: if you have the resources to do the actual implementation work they're recommending.

But if you're a small defense contractor without a dedicated security team, paying an MSP to tell you what to build is like hiring an architect when what you really need is a fully constructed, move-in-ready building.

CPE Level 2 is that building. It's not consulting: it's the complete infrastructure, already built to CMMC 2.0 Level 2 specifications, ready for you to use in as little as 4 weeks.

The difference between an MSP and CPE Level 2 isn't just philosophical: it's practical: One tells you how to be compliant. The other makes you compliant.

For $1,299/month for up to 20 users, you get everything included: hardware, software, security services, monitoring, maintenance, vCISO support, and audit readiness. No massive upfront costs. No years-long implementation projects. No wondering if you've missed something critical.

You get compliance that's already done: not homework on how to get there.

That's the real answer to "Who's actually doing the work?" With CPE Level 2, we are. And that makes all the difference.

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