As more and more companies outsource their IT support to managed service providers (MSPs), it leaves others to wonder, “what’s the big deal?” What’s so much better about third-party IT management than your in-house support system?
Today on the Binatech blog, we’re talking about what managed IT services providers can offer a company like yours. Beyond improving efficiency, an MSP helps you concentrate less on technical difficulties and more on what really matters: growing your business.
Before we dive too far in, let’s level-set. What are Managed IT Services?
What Are Managed IT Services?
First things first: what services are provided by an MSP? What’s it all about?
Managed IT services include the coverage, management, and augmentation of your business’s entire technology infrastructure. A third-party IT consulting team firm comes in to oversee and handle a variety of elements, including (but not limited to):
- Managing your local and remote access networks
- Data center and cloud computing services
- VOIP and telecom phone systems
- Workstation fulfillments
- Disaster recovery services
- IT emergencies
- General hardware and software maintenance
- Fixes and patches for your machines and devices
Although an in-house IT support department could certainly take care of these tasks, their time, skills, and capacity are limited. IT management should never feel like an overwhelming responsibility for your in-house support. A third-party IT company can empower your ability to manage the technology infrastructure and keep it cutting-edge.
In this post, we’ve outlined five crucial services MSPs and Managed IT Service Providers offer businesses.
1. Increased Cybersecurity Strategy and Execution
Perhaps the most important service offered through managed IT services is advanced cybersecurity implementation and defense. With online threats growing exponentially, it’s more important than ever to ensure your walls are strong and your safety protocols are thorough.
Because today’s hackers are systematic, they rely mostly on bots to run their attacks. This means they can attack at any time from any place. These criminals target distracted, unprepared teams - and if you don’t have the right cybersecurity measures in place, you’re an easy target.
In just the first half of 2020, data breaches exposed more than 36 billion records. Malicious emails, scams, and hacks are only the tip of the iceberg, and we expect to see threats continuously evolve in 2021 and beyond.
A managed IT services provider will keep your defenses high – and your stress levels low. Not only will they keep up with the latest threats and cybersecurity news, but they’ll also test your boundaries for weaknesses and act at the first sign of vulnerability.
You can’t plan for every breach or attack, but you can fortify your business with an MSP that knows cybersecurity like the back of its hand. They’ll find gaps in your current defenses and identify any bad business security practices immediately.
2. Frequent Offsite Backups Through a Cloud Management Platform
The second significant benefit of managed IT services: frequent offsite data backups.
It doesn’t matter what kind of security you have in your office. You need to know that when things go wrong – whether it be a natural disaster, breach, or human error – your data center will be safe and quick to restore.
Did you know that up to 60 percent of backups are incomplete? And another 50 percent of all data restores fail?
With the right offsite backup solution from an MSP, you’ll have the benefit of complete backups on a daily basis. If your data is compromised in one location, you still have it secured and protected at a secondary location off-site to get you back up and running in no time.
3. Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Plans for your IT Network
The third most valuable managed IT services product? A comprehensive disaster recovery plan (DRP).
When you partner with a managed IT service provider, you’ll receive a documented approach to an unplanned incident. In the event of an unforeseeable accident, you’ll have a structured plan for resuming work as quickly as possible. If you want to minimize your data loss and maximize your system recovery, you need to have a DRP in place today.
A thorough disaster recovery plan will consist of a step-by-step process for resuming mission-critical functions. A managed IT service provider will determine what needs to be involved in the process by analyzing your business continuity needs, then conducting a business impact analysis (BIA) and a risk analysis (RA).
Disaster can come without warning, and you need “insurance.” A DRP can serve as that insurance in the event that a natural disaster occurs, hardware fails, or one of your employees makes a dire mistake. At least 93 percent of companies without disaster recovery plans, of whom suffer a major data disaster, are out of business in just one year.
When someone forgets to hit “save” or accidentally destroys valuable data, you’ll be glad that you have an MSP on your side to implement an immediate recovery plan.
4. Network Cabling and IT Organizational Management
What happens when your network cables are disorganized or malfunctioning? Typically, the result is downtime - something no business wants to deal with.
A managed IT services team will step in to ensure your network/cable organization is conducive to a productive work environment. They’ll identify weak spots, as well as design, install, and test structured cabling setups. The MSP’s goal is to keep your employees, partners, and teams connected at all times.
Between troubleshooting problems and optimizing for low-voltage design installations, a great deal goes into managing your network. By working with a managed IT service provider, you’ll free up time and energy to focus on more pressing matters, rather than dealing with tedious network concerns.
5. Cloud Support and Cloud Computing Services
Lastly, managed IT services grant you access to highly valuable cloud support.
It doesn’t matter if you’re looking to schedule a hassle-free move to the cloud or if you’re already using cloud storage solutions - having cloud experts on your side is essential. As the “cloud” continuously evolves and adapts, you need increasingly efficient, secure technology to keep your data safe.
That’s where MSPs come in. A managed IT service provider will facilitate your staff’s cloud needs, decide which programs are better in the cloud or on-site, and protect your information from online threats. Nowadays, you should be able to access your data from anywhere at any time, and a customized cloud setup will allow you to do that.
An MSP will also help you determine which cloud model is right for your particular business. There are plenty of online storage providers and systems out there - it’s a complicated process to determine exactly which setup will benefit your team.
By partnering with a managed IT service provider, you’ll receive access to the cloud and the knowledge you need to stay in-tune with tech innovation.
Contact Us Today
At Binatech, we guarantee you a human response. Our professional managed IT services ensure that technology never gets in the way of good business. We want you to spend less time troubleshooting and more time focusing on what really matters.
Are you ready to experience the most valuable benefits of managed IT services in Hamilton? Don’t hesitate to reach out. Contact our team online or call 844-353-5725 to schedule a free network checkup and meeting with our IT consulting team.
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