Well-managed IT solutions are essential to any business, from automating operational processes to storing critical business applications. As technology advances, it extends many opportunities to organizations. At the same time, however, complex technological advances can make IT a hard nut to crack for an in-house IT team.
An outsourced IT help desk can be a “one-size-fits-all” model for your organization’s IT. There are two types of outsourced IT services: managed and co-managed. Both of these models have advantages and disadvantages, so it’s crucial to understand these discrepancies to select the best service for your organization.
Differences between Managed and Co-Managed IT
IT is a huge expense for companies and organizations. According to Business Wire, global IT spending is poised to grow by $3.14 billion between 2021-2025, progressing at a compound annual growth rate of 8.52% during this period. In addition, the managed services and cloud hosting sector is expected to grow by 13.3% by 2023. Going with this trajectory, most organizations find it cost-effective to outsource their IT. This outsourcing process can take the form of co-managed or fully managed IT.
Fully Managed IT Solutions
Fully managed IT means that an authorized and trusted service provider looks after all your organization’s IT. That means that your enterprise’s IT helpdesk and other IT services are handled completely by your service provider, so your IT staff won’t need additional training or responsibility. Fully managed IT is highly preferred in less technical sectors that do not have an internal access to high-level IT staff or expert technicians to diagnose and troubleshoot sophisticated problems. Managed IT is also an option for organizations lacking the relevant resources to monitor and troubleshoot security issues.
Co-Managed IT Solutions
Co-managed IT works with your organization’s in-house team to provide missing expertise. In this approach, an outsourced service provider works alongside your in-house team of IT technicians to diagnose projects that require special attention. The service providers may undertake work overflows that the in-house team doesn’t have the time to do, freeing them to work on more strategic projects. A co-managed IT functions as a co-pilot and can be helpful to cover sick or vacation days.
Advantages of Fully Managed IT Solutions
- Responsibility. One of the advantages of fully managed IT services is that they abscond you from handling IT-related tasks. With fully managed IT services, you don’t have to worry about the cost of having a fully-furnished IT department. It takes away the hassle of keeping updated with the latest tech developments. All IT-related work is taken care of by your managed service provider.
- Flexibility. Having a dedicated and trusted provider managing your organization’s IT means minimized downtimes, better responsiveness to technical issues, and improved productivity.
- Monitoring. Fully managed IT services provide 24/7 network monitoring, a function small and medium-sized companies may struggle to do themselves. 24/7 network monitoring is helpful when managing cybersecurity concerns. Cybersecurity is developing quite drastically with new cyber threats emerging at every turn.
- Cost-savings. For most organizations, IT is a huge spend. Thus, eliminating the need for an in-house department can improve operational efficiency and significant financial savings. Partnering with a trusted service provider who provides a flat-fee structure allows you to control costs while optimizing higher levels of IT support.
Advantages of Co-Managed IT Solutions
- Control. For some organizations, entirely outsourcing the IT critical functions will be an advantage. Unfortunately, for others, it’s not a suitable solution as it denies businesses control of their systems and infrastructure. Co-managed IT is more advantageous as it allows businesses to control their infrastructure and systems. Co-managed IT services support organizations in their IT strategy planning and execution, alongside providing extra help to resource-strained departments.
- Time-saving. Outsourcing level 1 and level 2 support is one approach organizations find beneficial. Outsourcing frees up your IT staff the time to focus on other mission-critical operations, like strategic tasks.
- Visibility. A co-managed IT approach means that your in-house team has better visibility of your network performance. They can more easily track the key performance indicators KPIs. You may obtain additional expertise that you may miss in-house. As with managed IT services, this can be especially useful in areas like compliance, cybersecurity, and VoIP.
- Flexibility. Co-managed IT solutions are highly flexible and scalable since new operations can be added or adjusted with changing organizational needs. Certain tasks can be scaled up and down based on changes in demand and supply. For example, to cover vacation or sick leave. In addition, it may not be financially viable for your organization to run 24/7 support, but a co-managed solution provides just that.
Disadvantages of Co-Managed IT Solutions
- Operationally inefficient. Co-managed IT is designed to work with your in-house IT team. That means you will have to maintain an in-house IT team. This is not operationally viable or efficient.
- Budgeting issues. Budgeting can be stressful with some types of managed IT. Co-managed IT services can be subject to changing costs depending on the services you need monthly – this of course depends on the fee structure. Regardless, budgeting issues can make planning a sophisticated exercise.
- Lengthy onboarding process. Setting up an effective co-managed solution that meets your organization’s IT needs can entail a lengthy onboarding process.
Bastionpoint Technology – Fully Managed IT Solutions
Bastionpoint Technology offers the convenience of a full-service IT company for businesses of all sizes and sophistication. With years of experience in managed IT consulting, Bastionpoint Technology has emerged as a robust platform for organizations looking for timely solutions in fully managed IT services.
Contact Bastionpoint Technology for inquiries and solutions in fully managed IT services.
Chief Information Officer / vCIO
I provide CIO and IT Support Services alongside a mid-sized technical support team of engineers for business. Bastionpoint Technology is a managed service provider for businesses ranging from 1-500 users! We specialize in Legal, Medical, and Professional services, but support so much more. Retail, Finance, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Non-Profits, and you’ve certainly heard of our clients. We offer unlimited on-demand services, with an on-demand price point to meet every client’s needs. Just call on us – we put your business first!
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