<\/p>\n
Running a business is a full-time job, and small-to-medium sized businesses (SMBs) in particular can often find their in-house IT resources stretched to capacity. As a result, it\u2019s difficult to devote the necessary time and effort to deploying and managing the latest business technologies.<\/p>\n
This is leading an increasing number of companies to outsource part or, in some cases most<\/em>, of the day-to-day maintenance of their IT operations to third-party providers. Fueled by the growth of cloud computing, IT managed service providers (MSPs) can host and manage customers\u2019 IT infrastructure more flexibly and more efficiently than ever.<\/p>\n But it\u2019s not just SMBs that don\u2019t have the time to manage their in-house IT operations, and so are opting to outsource\u2013there are several reasons why companies are moving in this direction. Whether it\u2019s to lower costs, improve security, scale their IT faster or get a greater return on their investments, an increasing number of organizations are turning to MSPs.<\/p>\n The MSP model is based on customers paying on a recurring basis for remote IT services, such as desktop and network management, applications management, remote help desk, and backup and disaster recovery. This means that as a customer, you only incur an operational expense based on your capacity and usage, as opposed to the large upfront capital investments associated with purchasing on-premises infrastructure.<\/p>\n It’s an option that has gained traction in recent years, with smaller companies especially attracted to the model\u2019s fluidity. An April 2018\u00a0survey of 1,116 U.S. SMBs by analyst firm Techaisle<\/a> shows that 46 percent of SMBs currently outsource their IT, and another 29 percent plan to do so.<\/p>\n \u201cSMBs are dealing with an ever-expanding portfolio of increasingly complex applications and platform technologies. At the same time, these firms are struggling to rein in IT-related expenditures, including staff-related costs,\u201d Techaisle\u2019s chief analyst and CEO, Anurag Agrawal, tells Tom\u2019s Hardware.<\/p>\n \u201cThis combination of increased reliance on technology as a key element of business success, burgeoning complexity and cost constraint has created a \u2018perfect storm\u2019 for use of managed services.\u201d<\/p>\n Enlisting an MSP takes pressure off your IT department, and by outsourcing the critical day-to-day support and maintenance of your IT estate to an expert, more resources can go toward growing your business. In fact, 46 percent of the SMBs Techaisle questioned said working with an MSP helps them grow their business.<\/p>\n \u201cMany of our SMB customers are trying their best to get out of the IT business,\u201d David Huseonica, president and CEO of Georgia-based MSP Cloud AG<\/a>, tells Tom\u2019s Hardware. \u201cWith the option of cloud applications and outsourced IT, their attitude on buying, managing and maintaining their own servers has changed in that it is no longer viewed as necessary.\u201d<\/p>\n Larger SMBs, also known as mid-market firms, also often use managed services as a means of augmenting their current staff: for example, delivering on niche specialties or covering standard tasks so that in-house resources can move on to new initiatives.<\/p>\n A business\u2019 reasoning for hiring an MSP can be as simple as lacking an in-house IT department. Many small companies with just a handful of employees rely on the most \u2018technically savvy\u2019 ones to take on the role of help desk when problems arise with devices, software or the network.<\/p>\n But as Estelle Johannes, director of member communities at IT industry association CompTIA, points out, as your company grows and your IT needs become more complex, this won\u2019t cut it. You will either need to look to hire an IT person internally or hire an MSP to take on the management of your network on contract, as you would with any other utility, such as electricity or water.<\/p>\n \u201cDepending on the extent of your IT needs, a full-time, in-house person makes sense if they are utilized consistently with the wages they are being paid. But if your IT needs ebb and flow or are mostly low-grade with few major initiatives, an MSP that offers pricing commensurate with technology usage or consumption might be the more cost-effective way to go,\u201d Johannes told Tom\u2019s Hardware.<\/p>\n The push to cloud services<\/a> can also be a factor in deciding to bring managed services to your organization. Cloud AG\u2019s Huseonica tells us that while some companies choose to outsource their IT due to the initial cost savings, that\u2019s not the only driver. Many value the fact outsourcing frees them up to concentrate on other revenue-generating activities for the business. Additionally, the cloud enables them to scale their IT as per their demands.<\/p>\n Another reason for adopting managed services is to offload routine IT tasks, such as system updates, user help desk and employee changes. These activities don\u2019t necessarily require the highest skill level, but they are constant.<\/p>\n \u201cYou may find that your pet development projects seem to drag on and on because the IT department is always busy with keeping devices, networks and security running and up to date,\u201d says Johannes, referencing the Gartner bimodal IT model<\/a>.<\/p>\n According to Gartner, bimodal IT is the practice of managing two separate, coherent modes of IT delivery, one focused on stability and the other on agility.<\/p>\n \u201cRather than bring in more highly skilled and highly paid IT staff to take on Mode 1, you can offload the day-to-day tasks to the MSP, leaving in-house IT staff to take on Mode 2 and execute on the business-enabling and revenue-driving digital transformation projects stacking up in their queue,\u201d Johannes explains.<\/p>\n IT security is another area where more businesses are turning to MSPs.<\/p>\n \u201cMany companies can\u2019t compete with today\u2019s sophisticated cyber adversaries,\u201d Susie Cummings, SVP of managed services at Chicago-based IT consulting firm, SWC Technology Partners<\/a>, tells us. \u201cTo source and hire an in-house security team isn\u2019t an option for many SMBs\u2014it takes a lot of time, isn\u2019t cheap and it\u2019s nearly impossible to find the right combination of skills and expertise\u2014this has led to an increase in outsourced security. As cyberattacks continue to rise, IT security management has become even more complex and expensive.\u201d<\/p>\nWhat Are IT Managed Services?<\/h3>\n
Growing Your Business<\/h3>\n
Addressing IT Complexity<\/h3>\n
\n<\/p>\n
Credit: Shutterstock | Mark Agnor<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\nOffloading Day-to-Day IT Management<\/h3>\n
Filling the Cybersecurity Skills Gap<\/h3>\n