The world of information technology (IT) can be a scary place, especially to someone who has other priorities to ensure their business is successful. With new software updates and technology upgrades constantly being released, the tech world becomes increasingly more confusing to navigate.
Businesses rely on their computers working properly and their data being safely backed up. Managed IT Services allow businesses to meet these benchmarks and ensure business continuity.
As a definition, Managed Services is the practice of a business outsourcing their IT operations to a service provider, known as a Managed Services Provider (MSP). The MSP then assumes ongoing responsibility for monitoring, managing, and resolving issues for the computers, network, and IT systems of the business.
How Break-Fix Services Turned Into Managed IT Services
Break/fix refers to a fee-for-service model where IT solutions are only resolved after a problem occurs. IT professionals eventually developed a procedure of periodically coming on-site to check logs and look for potential issues. The problem with this model was that the IT staff could only see what was happening on that particular day. Additionally, the only professional test of a backup was on their date of visit, which resulted in many days in a row of missed backups. This reactive model of managing IT services quickly became outdated as it puts your business at risk.
Signs Managed IT Services Might Be Right For Your Business »
Managed IT Services provide a 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.
Proactive IT Services for Small- & Medium-Sized Organizations
If you are a small- or medium-sized organization with an older server or workstation, you may be looking to keep them for a while longer as a cost-effective solution. However, if not properly maintained, the outdated equipment can leave you vulnerable to data theft or loss due to failing drives or unpatched security holes, costing you thousands of dollars to fix.
With Managed IT Services, your organization can stay up-to-date with the latest business technologies, updates, and patches for only a few dollars per machine per month. Proactive monitoring provides fixes to problems before they happen, as well as monthly reports to show you what can be improved. Find out what updates were performed and when, and even when your internet was slow, or down. You can even find out which websites were most frequently visited by your staff that month.
When you choose Imagineering as a Managed IT partner, we will install monitoring agents and Anti-Virus software to ensure your network is protected. You will work with familiar consultants each time — a primary and secondary engineer will be assigned, so that each time you call for support or receive your monthly report, you will communicate with the same person or people.
Hiring a Managed IT Services provider simultaneously boosts employee productivity as well as increases business security, so what are you waiting for?