What are Managed IT Services, and Why Do So Many Businesses Use Them?

What are Managed IT Services, and Why Do Businesses Need Them?

Managed IT services involve contracting third parties known as managed services providers to handle the daily operations of a company’s information technology (IT) needs. As BMC Blogs accurately states, businesses usually seek out managed services providers for a myriad of reasons:

• To provide more options and functionality to their customers.
• Allow internal IT to focus on more needed IT endeavours.
• Free up employees to focus on core business ventures.

What is a managed services provider?

Red Hat defines a company that offers managed services, including managed IT services, as a “managed service provider (MSP)” These MSPs offer an invaluable service to business owners because they allow businesses with less developed IT departments to enjoy the benefit of working with IT professionals with years of experience.

How Managed IT Services work

Whether a small or medium-sized business, unless they possess a formidable IT department with years of experience with technical support, they are at a disadvantage when interacting with and smoothly operating information technologies. IT and IT services are vast and varied. They require a considerable amount of sustained effort to reap the financial rewards. Many cannot reasonably achieve that level of effort, especially for small and medium-sized businesses or businesses in an industry that does not directly correlate with IT. This is where Managed IT Services come in.

Businesses usually contact MSPs and form a service level agreement (SLA) which manages the specific provisions of what services are provided and how they are administered. With the SLA, both parties know what to expect and are reassured that their needs are being met. MSPs learn what services to provide and under what circumstances. The MSPs clients know that any IT deficiencies are covered and have access to cost-effective technical support.

What managed IT services are available?

The field of managed IT services is extensive with a diverse pool of services and products. However, there are significant services that businesses tend to gravitate towards.

• Disaster recovery — Despite a company’s best efforts, computer systems sometimes run into problems, accidents, and hardware failure. Most times, these problems are minor and are easily rectified. However, sometimes catastrophe strikes and issues appear beyond the scope of everyday IT problem-solving. These rare but terrible events can cause significant damage to your business and put your bottom line in jeopardy. Managed IT service providers can provide businesses with a disaster recovery plan that usually involves data backups and advanced recovery processes.
• Remote monitoring and management — This is the ability to observe and control computers and computer systems remotely. Usually, these programs are used by MSPs to quickly fix network issues without having to be on site. However, it can also be used by businesses whose products have an IT component. This service can maintain client systems, install software, manage updates, and administer hotfixes.
• Infrastructure management — MSPs can assess network infrastructure to determine whether the existing structure is sufficient for the company’s needs, can handle any increased future traffic, is operating as efficiently as physically possible, and if any expansion or outright replacement is needed. Any network is only as effective as its weakest link.

Conclusion

Managed IT services should be a crucial tool for any modern business. Especially if any of the following apply:

• If they use IT systems to support their core business practices.
• Do not have a highly trained IT department or the time or ability to deal with the extensive maintenance required by a robust IT system.
• They want cost-effective service with a high level of quality.