Without data, there is no business. Proper management of your business’ IT infrastructure is critical to maintaining productivity and remaining competitive.
However, opt for a proactive IT infrastructure strategy instead of adopting a reactive approach and dealing with problems after they occur. This approach can strengthen your infrastructure against technical issues and prevent them from becoming costly emergencies.
Pros and Cons of Managed IT Services (MSPs)
If your business or organization has IT requirements that a traditional IT department cannot meet or plans to reorganize staff and refocus personnel toward other duties, managed IT service providers may have the solutions you need. Before deciding, learn the pros and cons of relying on managed service providers for your IT needs.
Pros
- Proactive management: Experienced MSPs know that the most effective approach to IT management is proactive. They work to prevent your digital infrastructure from experiencing problems rather than fixing them after they happen. Proactive management includes real-time hardware and software monitoring and technical reports notifying you of any issues or abnormalities.
- Technology provided: Depending on the plan you purchase, your managed service provider can offer you a complete technology package that includes workstations, cabling, servers, software, plus installation and configuration.
- Highly experienced teams: It is common for small business IT departments to consist of just one person who may have knowledge gaps regarding your infrastructure. With an MSP, you have access to an experienced team of dedicated specialists who can troubleshoot any IT issue you encounter.
- Disaster recovery plans: Disaster events can be catastrophic to businesses without a robust continuity-of-operations plan (COOP). An MSP can help you manage the IT side of that plan with data backups and recovery measures.
Cons
- Remote management: Unless your MSP is local to your business or offers on-site support, most of the services MSPs offer are typically remote or off-site, meaning they can only troubleshoot technology and equipment they can reach remotely.
- Service costs: Though MSP service costs depend on the package you select, you should expect to spend a significant amount of money every month, not counting upfront fees and on-site visits. However, in the long term, MSPs remain more cost-effective than internally-managed IT departments.
- Scope: Although managed IT service providers can troubleshoot nearly any aspect of technology your business deals with, their scope is limited to the hardware and software they support. They may not be as helpful if your business uses custom equipment.
MSP Models to Choose From
ASi Networks offers customers two management models: fully-managed and hybrid (or co-managed), each suitable for businesses looking for different managed service options.
Fully-managed model
The fully-managed service solution is ideal for new, small and medium businesses or companies that do not possess an IT department.
With ASi Networks’ fully managed service plan, management of your IT needs and infrastructure are 100% outsourced to our dedicated experts, allowing you to focus on running your business and core operations. ASi’s team of IT specialists effectively becomes your remote IT department, available 24/7/365.
The primary advantage of this solution is cost-effectiveness. You don’t need to hire or train IT staff, and the only employees on the premises are the ones focused on your business.
Hybrid / Co-managed model
The hybrid (or co-managed) service model may be a more beneficial solution for larger businesses or companies in highly specialized fields where an on-premises IT department is necessary.
ASi Networks’ hybrid plan allows companies to partially outsource some of their IT needs, allowing our team of engineers to assist on-site staff in meeting their requirements.
For example, this solution may be the best fit for a company that employs custom or highly-specialized equipment that only on-site IT staff can troubleshoot. In that case, our hybrid model allows you to retain this talent while outsourcing other IT needs like video conferencing and data recovery to us.
FAQs Regarding Managed IT Services
If you are unfamiliar with managed IT services or service providers, these essential questions can help you shed some light on what they can provide and whether they can help you.
What are managed services?
A managed service is any task outsourced to a third-party entity, such as an external organization or company, instead of being handled by a first-party entity like an internal department within an organization. For example, managed IT services are handled by an external IT specialist instead of an IT department.
What is a managed service provider (MSP)?
A managed service provider (MSP) is a company that specializes in providing managed services. For example, ASi Networks is a highly experienced MSP specializing in business IT solutions.
Why do businesses need an MSP?
Outsourcing specific tasks to specialized third-party entities helps a business reduce risks and costs, especially if the required skills fall outside the company’s sector or area of expertise.
How to choose an MSP?
Besides service costs, the three most important factors to consider when choosing an MSP are 24/7/365 availability, fast response times, and data backup and disaster recovery solutions.
Digital Infrastructure Management Made Easy
ASi Networks is an experienced managed IT services provider based in Los Angeles, California. We have over 20 years of experience providing secure, enterprise-grade solutions to businesses of all sizes and types. Contact us today for more information.
