The scope of an IT department has dramatically changed (and grown) over the last decade. It has evolved from simply managing computers to overseeing company-wide technology-driven initiatives as well as taking on the responsibility for data security policies and processes. With this expansion of scope came the need to grow internal IT departments, develop new teams with new skillsets, and/or turning to an increasingly popular option of outsourcing IT management. Depending on your technical needs, there are different types of managed IT service available to your organization. Let’s take a look at the common types of managed services and how they can bring value to your IT department.
IT Network Management
With this type of service, an MSP typically offers a range of support options such as establishing and maintaining LAN, WAN and other connections for your company. Depending on the level of support your business needs from a provider, services could include:
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- Mobile networking to allow your team to connect through wireless devices from any location.
- Cloud services and unified communications solutions for teams to collaborate on projects and work remotely.
- Managed storage backups and disaster recovery technology to protect information and data.
Security Management
Outsourcing security to an MSP allows companies to have more time and capacity to delegate toward innovation and meeting new goals. This is a great option for teams that don’t have a cyber security expert already on staff. Your provider will typically assess your network to look for vulnerabilities before creating a comprehensive plan for improving and maintaining your data security. To make your systems more secure, services could include:
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- Patching and maintaining software updates to prevent hacking and viruses from infecting your systems.
- Monitoring and managing of intrusion detection systems and firewalls 24/7.
- Responding to cybersecurity emergencies.
User Support Services
When members of your staff encounter issues with their technology and systems, managed IT support services offer assistance with hardware and software problems. Managed IT support services can help implement and manage programs and perform the following:
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- Completing updates and purchasing of new technology for your business.
- Acting as end user support and/ or a customer IT help desk for your company.
- Working with on-boarding and off-boarding of employees to efficiently setup or remove access to their technology and assets.
How to Get Started
If outsourcing IT management is on your to-do list, it’s important to know how to choose an MSP that is the best fit for your organization. Consider the following:
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- What type of services do you need? Are you looking to gap fill or outsource an entire department? Many MSPs offer services that are scalable to your company’s high and low demands.
- What services do not fall with the MSP’s area of expertise? While you’ll need to know what services a provider has to offer, it’s important to get a clear picture of what they can and can’t help with.
- What do you want to receive from an MSP? You want to ensure that you remain part of your IT infrastructure and the best MSPs are willing and able to provide custom or personalized strategies and communication tools based on your business’s specific needs. Do you want to have set recurring meetings to go over monthly or quarterly reports? Whether fractional support or full departments, no two businesses need the same services but a provider that can fine-tune to seamlessly integrated into your business is ideal.
Need Help?
Many companies are realizing the vast benefits of an MSP relationship and how it can bring value to their business. If you are struggling to meet the demands put upon your internal IT team, incorporating fractional IT services may be worth exploring. Learn more about our managed services or contact us today to get started.
