One of the realities of operating a modern business enterprise is that eventually, you are going to run into IT problems. From defending against targeted attacks to routine service and maintenance, proper managed IT services is paramount to keeping your business operations running smoothly and effectively.
What Are Managed Services?
While some organizations have the resources to manage their infrastructure in-house, this is not a feasible or scalable approach for many businesses. Managed services are services provided by outside, third-party service providers, who assume the responsibility of maintaining and optimizing the company’s IT enterprise. Managed IT and technology services provide expert support and service for your network, so you can focus on what your business does best. The business benefits of managed services in combination with the money you can save make it a smart solution for companies of any size.
Managed services have become an increasingly attractive option for businesses who cannot afford to field a dedicated IT staff and offer numerous benefits, including:
- Predictable cost models
- Increased performance and stability
- Enhanced Scalability
- Heightened Security and Reliability
Managed Services vs. Break/Fix
Managed services offer a proactive alternative to the frequently seen break/fix models. The primary problem with subscribing to the break/fix method (i.e., fixing problems as they arise) is that it is a solely reactive model.
A problem occurs and a scramble begins to fix it immediately; every day becomes a balancing act between manpower, cost, and consistency. It puts your IT team into a state of constant fire drills, where panic and stress can quickly become the norm and burnout sets it fast. To solve these problems, modern enterprises are embracing managed services as a more proactive alternative. Utilizing managed IT services allows them to anticipate and mitigate problems ahead of time and avoid unnecessary disruption.
Types Of Managed Services
Under a managed IT services model, services are outsourced to a third party that takes on shared responsibility for sustaining, fixing, and improving the IT enterprise. This provides companies with a more comprehensive and proactive ongoing level of service. Because managed services are contracted subscription services, they also result in more predictable costs for businesses.
Remote Monitoring And Management
Remote Monitoring is the process of managing and observing computer systems from a remote location. Remote monitoring allows remotely managed service providers to supervise the activity and status of individual network components, including endpoints, networks, servers, mobile devices, and desktops. By deploying remote monitoring agents onto critical IT assets, managed service providers are able to collect vital data on how those assets are performing, and if they need to be updated or managed in a particular way. When an agent detects a problem with the asset, it generates a log and alert that IT teams can use to remediate the issue. Remote monitoring allows IT teams to do all of this remotely from a single location and can even be used to simultaneously manage many different assets all at once, saving businesses time and frustration.
Network Installation
Network installation encompasses all of the hardware and software required to build the foundation of your LAN or WAN, beginning with a server hardware platform from a top manufacturer (e.g., Dell, Hewlett Packard, or IBM). After completing the basis of your newly installed network, it should be tested for functionality and efficiency in order to guarantee smooth integration and premier performance.
Server Management
Server maintenance entails everything from monitoring server performance to managing the underlying hardware and software components. By practicing regular server maintenance, organizations protect themselves against the risk of slowdown or downtimes, ensure their architecture is scalable with business goals, and achieve greater levels of security.
Data Backup And Recovery
Businesses are storing more sensitive and proprietary data than ever before. Law firms, insurance companies, HIPAA compliant health care facilities, government agencies, law enforcement, and labor unions all have significant data security concerns. Whether an organization is dealing with customer data, health records, or confidential business data, securing that information against loss or destruction is crucial to maintaining customer trust and day-to-day business operations. Protecting this data is as much of a security obligation as it is a privacy obligation; therefore, data backup capabilities need to address two key business concerns: safeguarding valuable data, and being able to bounce back from a disaster event.
IT Assessments
Ensuring that your IT systems are running smoothly is imperative to successful business flow. If your company’s IT system is down or consistently having issues, you may need to implement regular IT assessments. An IT assessment is a thorough review of a company’s tech systems and environment. These assessments evaluate the overall IT infrastructure, showing potential security risks that allow IT teams the ability to make adjustments and improvements. These assessments are able to identify key bumps in a business’s IT system and provide a clear path in order to combat them.
Talk To The Managed IT Experts Today
TCB provides Managed IT Services to clients nationwide, utilizing remote software tools and unique cost-saving business and implementations. Having this arsenal readily available enables you to focus on what is important for your business. Talk to us today about your Managed IT Service needs.