As the way we do business continues to evolve, you may start to seek additional help from outside vendors. Maybe you are wondering if Managed IT Services are right for your business. Or maybe you are wondering what Managed Services are.
Managed Services relate to the practice of outsourcing IT operations to a Managed Services Provider (MSP). The MSP assists the business in monitoring, managing, and resolving issues for their computers, network, and IT systems.
But how do you know if your organization will benefit from Managed IT Services? The following signs might be a clue that it’s time to sign onto a little extra help with Managed Services:
Little-to-No IT Support
Oftentimes, we see organizations with IT staff that may be stretched thin, or without IT support at all, as it is not financially viable for the company. If this sounds familiar to you, you may be a great candidate for Managed IT Services, which can start at a cost of a few dollars per machine per month.
If you have only one person on your IT staff, they may be getting pulled in too many directions or they may not have the knowledge to handle certain tasks. This can leave your business open to security threats if ongoing updates and security patches are not addressed in a timely manner. If they are addressing those updates, it could become clear that the long-term planning for the success of your business could suffer.
If your business already has external IT help, think about the turnaround time for support requests, and how it aligns with your business goals. If you work in a fast-paced environment where IT plays a necessary role to continue to operate successfully, you may need to consider a company that can complete your requests as soon as possible. If your business is growing and becoming more flexible but your technology is not, it may be time for a change.
Outdated Hardware
If you are working with an older server or workstation, you may be looking to keep it for a while longer as a cost-effective solution. However, if not properly maintained, outdated equipment can leave you vulnerable to data theft or loss due to failing drives or unpatched security holes, costing you thousands of dollars to fix.
Not only is outdated hardware a security issue, but it could also be a contributing factor to slow computers which directly impact your team’s productivity. We use numerous programs at one time to get our work done, and we need our workstations to run as fast as our world works. If it doesn’t, we become distracted, discouraged, and disorganized.
Slow Software
Software also plays a vital role in ensuring your hardware continues to work smoothly. When the “Updates Available” pop-up appears in the corner of your computer screen, do you install the updates right away, or do you push it off until the next day?
Ignoring these software updates for months at a time leaves you open to cyber-attacks. By ensuring all workstations are running on the same, up-to-date operating system, your business will be more secure toward external threats. With Managed IT Services, you won’t have to worry about those pesky notifications, and will have peace of mind that all of your updates have been taken care of.
Patches are Manually Updated, or Not Updated at All
IT security experts believe the most important way to prevent a data breach is patch management — the process of applying updates to your computers and software programs. This ensures your software and systems are fully functional and secure. Patch management is a process that you or your team can do manually, but such an important task should now be handled automatically.
Recently, Microsoft released a series of updates in order to plug at least 120 security holes in its Windows operating system. Among the vulnerabilities was a flaw in which an unauthenticated attacker could gain administrative access and run any application on your machine. With Managed IT Services from an MSP, your operating system would be quickly patched up behind the scenes to secure your business from these threats.
Managed IT Services provide a cost-effective and proactive approach to business IT needs. With the use of 24/7 monitoring, Managed Services make it possible to fix problems before they happen. Instead of waiting for a problem to arise, areas that are vulnerable are identified and fixed before a larger problem occurs or business is interrupted.
Take our free survey to find out if Managed IT Services are right for your business, or take the next step and get your free assessment today.
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