What are managed IT services?
What are managed IT services?
If you run a business of any size and scale, then you’ll know more than anyone that you can’t do everything yourself. One of the services that many businesses choose to engage are managed services providers, or MSPs.
MSPs are there to help you manage everything that relates to IT in your business. According to Gartner, MSPs are a third party provider that can help deliver a range of IT support for networks, applications, infrastructure and cybersecurity.
They typically do this on a regular basis and actively administer their services on a third party data centre.
So, if your business requires regular IT maintenance and support, you might need to work with an MSP.
What kind of services are available?
1. Network support
Sometimes, the internet cuts out, and you don’t know why. You might even try switching the modem and router on and off again. If that doesn’t work (although it often does), then MSPs can help you troubleshoot these types of issues.
Network support also includes monitoring the performance of your network, identifying and resolving issues, and installing cybersecurity programs to help protect your business against cyber threats.
2. Data backup
We’ve all lost important files before. Perhaps the computer decides to have a meltdown at a rather unfortunate moment and you lose hours of important work. Luckily, MSPs also specialise in data backup and recovery so that your critical information and work is protected and can be recovered in case of an emergency.
3. Help desk support
When you run a business, you can’t be there for everyone’s IT issues 24/7. A team member might have trouble logging in, while another person might not be able to access the server while they work from home.
This is why MSPs also provide help desk support, which includes technical support to all of your team members throughout the workday. The plus side of this service is that it can be done either remotely or on-site, so you don’t need to worry about booking an appointment for an IT professional to physically come to your premises.
4. Software management
Running lots of different programs for your business can be overwhelming and time consuming. MSPs are there to help you maintain software licences, program updates, and install bug fixes to ensure everything is running smoothly, which allows you and your team members to get on with the workday without any major roadblocks.
5. Cloud services
We’ve all heard of the cloud, but what is it, really? Amazon defines cloud computing as the ‘on-demand delivery of IT resources over the internet.’ So, rather than buying a server to store data for your business, you could use cloud computing to back up and archive important information.
MSPs are here to not only help businesses move over to using cloud computing, but they can also provide ongoing management and support you with using cloud-based applications.
As the world and the information in it becomes increasingly interconnected and digitised, cloud computing is a great way to backup and store information which you can access from anywhere in the world.
Why should I outsource IT management?
Outsourcing IT management to an MSP is a great way to cut costs and save time on IT issues so that you can spend more time focusing on operating your business.
When you choose to engage a managed IT service provider, you can customise the service you’re looking for to suit your budget and needs. Many MSPs offer subscription-based models so that you can scale up or down as you need.
MSPs are also experts in their field, which means you don’t need to waste time or money on building an internal IT team. The extent of their knowledge is deep because they surround themselves with the latest technology and stay up to date with everything there is to know in the IT industry.
Whether it’s the latest cybersecurity policy, industry best practice, or a new program that’s just been released, MSPs have the insider knowledge to get the job efficiently done for your business. Just as you’re an expert in your field, IT professionals are experts in theirs, too.
Finally, if you work in a highly regulated industry such as finance, healthcare or education, then MSPs are best placed to help you comply with the amount of regulations and requirements you face every day.
Where can I learn more?
Visit MSP Blueshift to learn more about how we can help your organisation’s IT requirements. We are Melbourne’s go-to third party IT service provider that can manage all of your IT needs so you can get back to doing what you do best.