{"id":179598,"date":"2019-06-24T13:47:00","date_gmt":"2019-06-24T18:47:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ntegrait.com\/what-is-managed-it-services-who-provides-services\/"},"modified":"2019-06-24T13:47:00","modified_gmt":"2019-06-24T18:47:00","slug":"what-is-managed-it-services-who-provides-services-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ntegrait.com\/what-is-managed-it-services-who-provides-services-2\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is Managed IT Services & Who Provides Services"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/p>\n
As managed IT services have grown in popularity, you\u2019ve probably heard the concept touted often as the answer to your business\u2019s IT woes. Still, there can be plenty of mystery on the topic. What is managed IT services, exactly? How do organizations integrate managed IT services into their existing business and workflows? Also, who provides these services? In today\u2019s business blog we\u2019ll answer these questions and more.<\/p>\n
Managed IT services is a broad term describing any scenario in which a company (that\u2019s you) partners with a vendor, called a managed service provider (or MSP), to handle some or all IT responsibilities for the company.<\/p>\n
The exact services that MPSs offer range pretty widely. Companies, too, vary widely in terms of their IT infrastructure and needs, as well as exactly which IT responsibilities they choose to outsource to an MSP. Some firms may contract with an MSP to handle absolutely everything about their IT infrastructure. More commonly, companies will outsource only certain portions of their IT workload.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a little easier to understand the concept of managed IT services by looking at some examples of how they are currently being used in several types of organizations.<\/p>\n
Businesses implement managed IT services in a whole host of ways. Here are a few examples.<\/p>\n
Some companies look to a managed service provider to handle all or nearly all its IT needs. Growing small businesses, for example, may not have much (or any) in-house IT presence. They need capabilities that they don\u2019t have, and they find it simpler and more affordable to contract with an MSP than to build out their own in-house IT team.<\/p>\n
On the other end of the spectrum, a medium or large business with an established in-house IT team might look to a managed service provider to alleviate some stress on that team. A larger firm might outsource helpdesk-level support, for example. In doing so, the company would empower its in-house team. Free from the distractions of troubleshooting workstations and managing software installs, the in-house IT specialists can focus their attention on the higher-level tasks they were hired to do.<\/p>\n
Businesses of any size can also look to an MSP to fill a specialized need. Some areas of IT have unpredictable costs, and others are simply cost-prohibitive for many smaller businesses to build on their own. Some areas can be difficult to hire for, too. Examples of specialized needs that can be met through managed IT services include cyber security, information security and compliance, and cloud services.<\/p>\n
Businesses who have embraced the managed IT services model do so for a wide variety of reasons. Some are unique to specific industries, but many are universal. Here are a few reasons it likely makes sense for your business to choose a managed service provider for your managed IT services needs.<\/p>\n
Scaling for Growth<\/strong><\/p>\n Scaling your IT infrastructure has real costs when you do it in house. You need additional equipment, additional floor space to house the equipment, and additional personnel to install, run, and monitor the equipment. Managed service providers, on the other hand, already have the equipment. They\u2019re running servers for dozens of businesses, so they have automatic capacity when you need more. They can leverage the economy of scale in a way you can\u2019t.<\/p>\n Growth isn\u2019t just measured in headcount, either. Device count continues to increase, too. Employees expect to be able to interact with systems using their work computer, laptop, tablet, and phone\u2014both on site and off. Your in-house team doesn\u2019t have the time to support all these device issues. A managed service provider does.<\/p>\n The Talent Gap Is Real<\/strong><\/p>\n If you have an in-house team, are you having trouble keeping it fully staffed with well qualified people? You\u2019re not alone. One reason is that the US\u00a0has reached full employment<\/a>, making domestic hiring more difficult than ever before.<\/p>\n