What Are Managed IT Services?

For many small to mid-sized businesses, the decision to hire managed IT services can be the spark that helps them level up in size. The boost in efficiency and security can have a massive impact on many different businesses.

But what are managed IT services?

If you aren’t familiar with the term, don’t worry. We’ve got all the information you need to help make sure managed IT services goes from a buzzword that you might have heard of to a core concept of your business moving forward.

Managed IT Services vs. Internal IT Departments

Managed IT services and internal IT departments do many of the same things. The most significant difference is that managed IT services are typically outsourced.

Regardless of which route a business chooses, their IT solutions should cover everything from installing and supporting the physical equipment to the security of your data and infrastructure.

The IT support will install the workstations used by employees, ensuring that they have everything they need to do their job. The network will also be set up and maintained, WiFi included. Wire management and office infrastructure are also a considerable part of any IT support plan, as is the need for proper battery backup and redundancy in case of emergency.

While installing and maintaining the physical equipment will always be important, modern businesses realize that having a safe and secure system is critical to success.

Increased Security

Ransomware, hackers, business sabotage, intellectual property theft, we’ve all seen and read about these in the news. And if you haven’t been on the wrong side of any of these situations, you might believe that only big companies would have to worry about this.

Unfortunately, that’s simply not true.

These bad actors often target small and medium-sized companies. Ransomware is particularly nasty. What would happen to your business if you lost access to all of your computers and data? Could you even continue to operate? The amount asked for by ransomware hackers can seem astronomical, but many businesses are forced to pay it.

It doesn’t have to be like that. Security should be a significant focus of your IT support.

Disaster Recovery

Part of making sure your information is truly secure is having the ability to recover all or most of it should the worst occur. And it’s not just hackers that might require you to need to recover your data.

Natural disasters can happen at any time. Hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, even a lone lightning strike can cause massive damage. Having proper backups in place can ensure that the data is protected even if the physical equipment is damaged.

There’s also the human element that comes with any business. User error will happen, which can sometimes lead to costly mistakes. A perfect example of this is what happened at Pixar when they created the hit movie Toy Story 2.

Someone accidentally ran a command that deleted everything from the file system where the movie was stored. They realized the backup wouldn’t work for the previous month, so they called in a Pixar employee who had been working from home since the birth of her baby. Luckily, they found the files, the movie was saved, and everyone lived happily ever after.

It could have easily gone the other way, however. With proper backups, you won’t have to sit and find yourself in need of a miracle.

Automation, Integration, and Collaboration

While backups look to the past, another critical aspect of IT support is preparing for the future. And the future for business right now boils down to three things: automation, integration, and collaboration.

Automation includes anything that allows for tasks and procedures to be handled automatically. Integration allows departments to be connected and avoid duplicate data or even work. And collaboration improves the way that data is shared so that employees can all work together.

When combined, automation, integration, and collaboration mean a more efficient and productive work environment.

Who Needs Managed IT Services?

Many smaller companies work on a “break and fix” model for their IT services. They don’t need ongoing support. However, once businesses reach a certain point, any extended downtime becomes too expensive, but hiring and maintaining an internal IT department is too costly.

Many companies during this transition find that managed IT services are far more cost-effective for them. By bringing in a company to handle their IT, they can gain all the benefits from the enhanced security and boost in efficiency, and often see their business increase to exciting new levels.

Even larger companies who can afford internal IT help often find it beneficial to outsource some of their work. An IT manager can handle the day-to-day tasks and ensure the system and processes are set up correctly while partnering with a managed IT services company to handle support when needed.

Consortyo Managed IT Services

At Consortyo, we offer managed IT services to businesses throughout the Central Florida area. We help with installing and supporting the physical equipment and emphasize security to make sure that your data is protected.

We install software at each workstation to protect against ransomware and other viruses from infecting the system and keep robust backups that will prevent the complete loss of all your data. Firewalls monitor everything from the computers to your users, with automatic notifications coming directly to us here at Consortyo about any potential breaches. Even your email is protected, with the ability to scan emails and keep anything suspicious from being delivered to the user or making it to the network. Outgoing mail can also be monitored to ensure critical information isn’t improperly shared.

If you’re ready to learn more about how Consortyo’s managed IT services can help bring your business to the next level, reach out to us today for a free consultation.