The Complete Story about IT Managed Services
May 3, 2017
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Managed Service Providers (MSPs) are a great resource when it comes to replacing your IT department. There are several good reasons for hiring an MSP over investing more money and time into your current IT. The cloud is becoming a place where more and more companies are going to handle their day to day tasks, and their current IT teams are not adequately trained to handle the upsurge of new technologies.
The Managed Service Provider
In the days of legacy systems, companies would wait for something to break and then call some third party group to come and fix it. Today, that is too impractical. Waiting for someone to show up in the next day or two can shut a small business down until the work is finished. In the age of data, everything is stored and access via computer, so if those computers are not running as they should, then things can scream to a halt.
Companies then relied on creating their own on-site teams to handle possible problems. As IT departments were formed, and companies watched costs go through the roof, the IT departments became a serious drain on companies. Technologies advanced and companies invested in new tools that allowed them to shrink their IT staff. Still, employees had to write or submit a ticket and wait for IT to show up, which could take hours or even longer. The cloud opened up new opportunities and the managed service provider was born.
Managed service providers can do everything an IT department can do without the hassles or the costs. They employ highly trained individuals that can cover all aspects of various networks. IT teams have been redefined in larger companies, and have taken on the role to manage innovations and infrastructure.
The Necessity for MSPs
Remember when you could go to the IT department and let them know your computer was not working properly? That IT area is now vacant. The servers are now gone and the personnel has their own cubicles in a different part of the building. They are now tasked with the design and architecture of network systems within the company. They have monitoring stations where they watch over a United Communication & Collaboration (UC& C) network.
IT experts maintain local computer and devices and make sure the integrity remains fluid. When there are issues the IT personnel contact their managed service provider, and the problem gets fixed immediately. The monitoring stations they control have more to do with communication and local hardware.
The MSP manages the bandwidth, software, connectivity, backups, and virtualization. As your company grows and starts to add newer technologies to the network, or when management decides it’s time to become more mobile, then it is the MSP who makes sure everything continuously runs smoothly. MSPs will work hand in hand with your IT department to set up a disaster recovery plan in case of a fire, flood, or other disasters that can affect your network. Find out more: download the white paper: Small Business Networking
Monitoring Solutions
When considering the need for a managed service provider you must ask yourself if you are ready to take on the world. MSPs are your company’s link to a slew of technology you may not even know about. MSPs have tools to monitor your bandwidth, network traffic, server stability, and memory usage. These little tools help with the maintenance of your network through the cloud. Many of these tools your IT department may use now, but at a local level. It is doubtful that the IT department’s tools will reach into the cloud and manage bandwidth across large area networks to look for paths of least resistance to make sure your traffic maintains a smooth flow throughout the day.
Small- to medium-sized companies may not have the utilities or know how to upgrade systems in a large capacity. Their current monitoring solutions work fine at the moment, but what happens when the Internet of Things (IoT) permeates the workplace? Virtualization? Buy the book ‘Easy Prey: How to Protect Your Business From Data Breach, Cybercrime and Employee Fraud’.
MSPs and Newer Technologies
Technology is growing in the cloud at a blinding speed. Every new advancement seems to spawn two or three more ideas to try, and enterprises are investing millions of dollars in efforts to advance each of these technologies:
Why Should You Have a MSP?
Simple. Does your IT staff have the training to negotiate and maintain all the technologies we have mentioned so far? Are you willing to train them so they have this ability? How many of these technologies does your company need and how best can they serve you to move your company forward? If you don’t know all the answers to these questions (or if you do, depending on what those answers are), then you need an MSP just to help you find answers. Find out more; download the white paper: Managed IT Services For Small Businesses
How to Find the Right MSP for Your Company
Cloud service providers, managed service providers and IT outsourcing specialists are popping up all over the country. How can you find the right one, the one that will help your company grow, and which meets the integrity and needs of the company? First off you have to ask questions. Find a reputable provider that has been in the industry for a long period of time, like TOSS C3.
Below is a list of questions you may want to consider asking a new MSP before signing a contract:
Managed service providers can and do offer a new level of experience for your company. Through their experiences and expertise, service providers can help to grow your company and increase your client base. Through technologies that allow your customers reach out to you easier and data restoration programs to keep your data safe even in the case of a natural disaster, MSPs can help keep your company going strong. Get a free assessment today, and find out how TOSS can you and your business.
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