Over the past decade, the average person has had their accounts comprised about 116 times. Since 2010, there have been at least 40,650 data hacks.
As a business owner, you understand that the reputation of your company depends on protecting your customers’ data. You might wonder what your options are to keep your data secure.
That’s where managed IT services in business technology comes in. Read this guide on what managed IT services are and how they can help your business today.
What Are Managed IT Services?
When it comes to data protection, outsourcing your IT services should be a top priority. Managed information technology companies will provide you with various services, including protecting your data, transferring the data to the cloud, and more.
Many of them even offer 24/7 hour services. While your internal team might punch out at 5:00 pm, if a problem occurs or you need help troubleshooting, the external company could help.
There’s an increase in demand for managed IT services due to:
- An increase in the number of cyber attacks
- Organizations needing to stay up-to-date with the latest technology
- Internal teams not having the experience necessary
How It Works
You’ll pay a yearly, quarterly, or monthly fee to have this outsourced company manage your technology. They’ll go over what services they’ll provide to you and even customize the plan to meet your needs.
This will increase the amount of time that your internal team will have so that they can focus on other matters. You’ll be able to focus on managing your company while having also having the security increased.
Things to Consider
Be sure that they help you with strategic IT planning. It’s about managing your infrastructure, and also keeping your business objectives and goals in mind.
As you look into managed service providers in your area, take a look at their past experience and how they helped them. Have them mention what companies they’re currently working with. They shouldn’t hesitate to allow you to reach out to a current client and see what they’re happy (and not so happy) with.
Once you find a few companies, have them perform an audit. This will give you a better idea of what managed IT services are and how they work.
When they perform a system audit, it’ll also help you decide if they have the experience and support that you need. Be sure that they understand the hardware and software that you have. If they have trouble working with your system during an audit, it’s not a good sign for the future of working with them.
Cloud vs Managed Services
Keep in mind that not all cloud providers offer managed services. Many managed service providers do offer cloud services, though.
Depending on your needs, managed IT services can vary from specific to general. They could offer remote monitoring, systems management, the maintenance of equipment, the management of servers, and more.
Why Use Managed IT Services?
Effective managed service providers will use the latest tools and software on the market. They’ll be able to provide you with the same amount of services with less staff.
Some tools allow them to keep your data secure and fix various problems before you or your team even know about them.
Cost-Effectiveness
If you don’t have an outsourced team, you’ll need to pay for a help desk, break/fix models, and more. You also might be spending money on an internal team, including healthcare, salaries, etc.
For external services, you pay for a subscription at a flat rate. You’ll also know how much you’ll need to pay each month instead of unexpected expenses along the way.
Subscription Technologies
You have options such as PaaS (Platform-as-a-Service), Infrastructure-as-a-Service (laaS), and Software-as-a-Service (Saas). This can provide you with more when it comes to security, scalability, and saving money.
Business Management Options
First, think about what kind of services you’ll need, whether it’s cloud computing, security, etc. Hosting is another common option.
System Upgrades
One of the ways IT companies help is through upgrades and system design. They take a look at the different changes in the industry that occur.
They can also monitor your current system and platform. This allows you to focus more on your business since you don’t have to worry as much about technological losses.
Security
They’ll protect your business from cyber attacks. Security management, maintenance, and software patching are a few options. Cyber criminals never stop working, and neither do we. Syxsense.com enables a sixth sense for our customers through complete endpoint visibility and predictive technology. In a rapidly changing digital landscape, Syxsense is putting companies at the fore font of a security revolution.
In case anything ever occurs, they help with disaster and backup recovery. Backups are vital to ensure that your data is saved in case of an emergency.
Network Performance
They’ll take a look at your network performance and let you know how you could improve. Ask them for evidence of what they’re saying and how you can improve.
Remote Monitoring
Your managed service provider (MSP), will be able to take a look at what’s wrong in-person or remotely. This allows them to answer questions with troubleshooting no matter what time it is. When they monitor your network, they’re making it less likely for threats to enter.
Understanding Managed IT Services and Business Technology
After exploring this guide, you should have a better idea of business technology and managed IT services. Find a company that offers you options such as transferring you to the cloud. It’s best to also find one that offers you 24/7 support in case of an emergency.
Would you like to read more educational content with your business in mind? Be sure to check out the other articles on our site today!
Wayne Probert is a senior reporter at Zobuz, covering state and national politics, and he is a grantee with the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. Before joining Zobuz, he worked as a freelance journalist in Kentucky, having been published by dozens of outlets including NPR, the Center for Media.
