Who does not love a great duet? Simon and Garfunkel, Diana Ross and Lionel Richie, Daft Punk. Co-managed IT (stay with me on this!) is the business version of a duet, with the company's in-house IT team and a Managed Service Provider (MSP) each bringing their own specializations to the performance.
The strategic partnership at the core of co-managed IT is designed not just to supplement existing IT functions, but to resonate with the growing and shifting needs of the business. It is a model that scales and adapts to changing tempos and enhances the company’s resilience and capacity for innovation in the digital landscape.
What is Co-Managed IT?
Co-managed IT is a service model that combines the strengths of an in-house IT team with the expertise and resources of a Managed Service Provider (MSP).
Both internal and external players work together to keep your systems running smoothly and securely.
Three common co-managed models are:
- Blended: This is a team effort where the MSP and your internal IT staff work side by side, with each taking on specific roles, such as help desk support or cybersecurity. The MSP complements your team's expertise, while your internal staff maintains control over specific core operations. Each partner has clearly defined roles within the organization.
- Collaborative: Here, the IT Director partners with the MSP, combining their knowledge and skills. The MSP lends its resources and expertise, supporting the IT team on specific tasks and projects. Responsibilities can shift based on emerging business needs.
- Negotiated: This model focuses on a cooperative approach where the MSP works closely with a company's internal IT staff. This partnership focuses on enhancing the internal team's capabilities through expert support from the MSP. It is characterized by active involvement and negotiation between both parties, ensuring that internal IT leaders are integral to the decision-making process. This collaboration is dynamic, often involving thorough discussions and alignment on administrative access, which serves to harmonize the tools and resources for a unified operational effort.
Co-managed IT represents a strategic alignment between your in-house IT capabilities and the specialized expertise of a Managed Service Provider. This collaborative partnership not only strengthens your technological infrastructure, but also empowers your business to navigate the complexities of the digital landscape with greater agility and confidence. This model is about creating a collaborative relationship that is customized to your business's unique needs and goals, ensuring that you are well-equipped for the challenges and opportunities of the future.
Benefits of Co-Managed IT
There are many benefits of co-managed IT, especially since it is a strategic partnership that not only fortifies a company's technological backbone, but also elevates its capacity to innovate. Co-managed IT enables your business to respond to the ever-changing digital landscape.
1. Improved IT Performance & Reliability
The MSP can be used to address coverage gaps or add specific experience to the in-house IT team. This can lead to a more proactive approach to IT management, with regular monitoring and maintenance to identify and resolve potential issues before they cause downtime.
Additionally, the MSP's access to advanced tools and technologies can help optimize your IT infrastructure for better performance and scalability.
2. Reduced Costs
While there is a cost associated with using an MSP, co-managed IT can save your business money overall, by avoiding the need to hire additional in-house staff or invest in expensive hardware.
3. Increased Flexibility
Co-managed IT can make your business more agile and adaptable to change. The MSP can provide you with access to the resources and expertise you need to quickly scale your IT infrastructure up or down to meet your changing needs. For example, if you experience a sudden surge in business, the MSP can enable you to quickly provision additional resources to support your increased workload.
4. Enhanced Security & Compliance
Cybersecurity is a major concern for businesses of all sizes. Co-managed IT can help you to improve your security posture by providing you with access to the MSP's expertise and awareness of cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities. Additionally, the MSP can help you to comply with industry regulations and data privacy laws. (Link to NSS)
5. Improved Employee Productivity
By taking care of routine IT tasks, co-managed IT can free up your employees to focus on more strategic work. Collaborating with additional experts at an MSP who understand your business' infrastructure allows your in-house IT team to significantly improve their skills and capabilities. A lot of bidirectional learning happens when IT teams get together to solve problems!
6. Access to a Wider Range of Expertise
One of the key benefits of co-managed IT is that it gives you access to a wider range of expertise than you might have in-house. MSPs employ a team of IT professionals with a variety of skills and experience.
At Net Friends, our technical staff has a wide range of technology certifications and an average 10 years of experience.
Additional Recommended Reading: How Experienced Are Your Techs?
Why Co-Managed IT Services?
The long-range benefits of co-managed IT include sustained improvements in operational efficiency, enhanced cybersecurity over time due to continuous monitoring and expert support, and long-term cost savings from optimized resource use. This leads to improved scalability, allowing businesses to grow and adapt more readily to market changes, and contributes to a culture of innovation through the strategic use of technology.
When considering co-managed IT services, take a measured approach. Evaluate your current and future technology requirements to identify the best MSP fit for your company.
Compare offerings and costs and establish a clear Service Level Agreement (SLA) to outline the mutual expectations. Challenge your MSP finalists to describe to you what they think makes a successful co-managed arrangement.
Co-managed IT is about harmonizing your IT operations with your business objectives. The internal team brings a deep understanding of the company's unique rhythms, while the MSP contributes a symphony of broader IT knowledge and resources, allowing both to work in concert. It is a mutual commitment to using technology as a catalyst for business growth, ensuring smooth IT operations so you can focus on propelling your business forward. Are you interested in exploring co-managed IT with Net Friends?
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