What are “managed services”? It’s an IT service provider that is outsourced to a company. Managed services (MSP) manage informational technology or IT solutions. An MSP that manages IT solutions usually includes:
- Software and technology infrastructures.
- Networks and services.
- Data backup systems.
- Network security and risk management.
When you outsource the management of such systems with MSP, which is also known as managed IT services, you receive round-the-clock monitoring that is more extensive. Moreover, you can do it without having to pay for internal hire personnel.
What do Managed Services include?
Every MSP provider gives various range of services. Therefore, it’s important for you to carefully review your agreement to ensure what you expect of your IT managed support services are mutually agreed upon. Such services may include:
- Network monitoring and testing
- Taking care of risk mitigation and network security
- Bandwidth and connectivity
- Data storage
- Taking care of upgrades and installations
- Making suggestions and then implementing software patches
- Offering web hosting
- Network virtualization or provisioning
- Performance reporting and monitoring
- Giving help desk technical support
- Why should you use Managed Services?
Managed services (MSP) aim to improve operations and reduce expenses. This is done by offloading general management and monitoring duties from in-house to a more robust external team.
It costs a lot to hire an in-house individual to oversee round-the-clock monitoring and systems supervision. Therefore, MSP provides 24/7 monitoring of IT systems without paying for a comparably-vigilant in-house hire.
This also takes the comprehensive security of your data and network away from a person by having it taken care of by an entire team with strict protocols and systems. It’s easy for a single person to let specific details of your IT security and monitoring fail. Therefore an MSP company is designed to oversee all manner of your systems, look out for potential and upcoming malfunctions and threats, and reduce potential risks as fast as possible with the goal of taking care of them before the risk becomes an actual problem for the company.
This also frees up time for your internal IT team. Taking care of IT is time-consuming and can cause a lot of headaches. When you pass this portion of IT management to an external team, your internal IT team can focus better on day-to-day challenges and focus on big-picture thinking.
Managed Service Provider Benefits
More robust cost efficiency Get round-the-clock monitoring that costs less than a 24/7 team.
Better expertise. You don’t depend on the minds of iii-house individuals. Instead, you benefit from what a robust outsourced MSP offers.
Better security. When you use an outsourced MSP, you often get a higher degree of protection because of the round-the-clock monitoring and not “putting all your eggs in one basket” with an individual hire.
Predictable pricing. When you purchase emergency response that an in-house IT team experiences with unplanned or urgent IT repairs typically cost more than planned and preparation managed by an MSP.
Reduced risk. An external MSP team gives you a better-prepared team with better checks and balances and a more streamlined process than an in-house team.
We have detailed service agreements. Rather than a salaried-in-house employee, who must respond to whatever emergency is most urgent, MSPs include a detailed list of deliverables rarely matched by an in-house employee.
Businesses need after-hours as well as holiday support. An individual can rarely adequately provide that. An MSP can because, just because it’s after hours or a holiday, your technology and servers still need monitoring. Therefore, an MSP gives 24/7 monitoring and support, whether on holidays or weekends.
Higher standards of certification. MSPs represent many technology vendors. Therefore, their certificates are typically more up-to-date and better serve the ever-evolving IT services and products that an in-house IT expert would need. This represents more scholarly expertise and decisions.