What Is Co-Managed IT? A Guide for Businesses With In-House Staff

It's not always possible or feasible to acquire any extra full-time IT staff. That's where co-managed IT can offer an alternative. When IT services in Greensboro, NC are co-managed, it is rather an extension of an internal IT team and includes outsourcing some skill sets and resources.

Co-managed IT services can offer flexibility and allow businesses to keep control of key IT systems for businesses with in-house IT teams who need extra help.

What Is Co-Managed IT and How Does It Work?

Co-managed IT services offer a system where an organization's internal staff manages its IT infrastructure along with an outsourced MSP (Managed Service Provider).

There are various examples of a co-managed IT solution that can include:

• The day-to-day support for internal IT issues and resolving problems.
• The monitoring and response to cyber breaches.
• Backup and disaster recovery are essential.
• 24/7 system monitoring.
• Help desk support.
• Support with large IT projects.
• Manage hardware and devices.
• Aids with compliance and security support.

A business may only call an MSP with services one or they can use the MSP for more than one part of their IT environment.

Why Are Businesses With In-House IT Teams Choosing Co-Managed IT?

For many small and medium-sized IT departments, technology is too big to specialize in all aspects.

Co-managed IT support can be identified as the solution when businesses require:

• The ability to consult with specialized cybersecurity, cloud, networking, or compliance professionals.
• Support resources from outside the office if there are not enough people within.
• 24/7 monitoring and support.
• Support with large technology projects and migrations.
• Centralized protection safeguarding new cyber challenges.
• Scalable support for expansion of the business.
• Assist in controlling complex technology environments

Another benefit from this is that these teams that are internal can be more focused on high-value activity.

What Services Are Typically Included in Co-Managed IT?

Co-managed IT services will adapt to an organization's current infrastructure. Not all businesses have to let go of tasks that they can do.

Common services include:

• Cybersecurity: Threat monitoring, endpoint protection, vulnerability management, security assessments, incident response support.
• Network management refers to the processes involved in keeping the network infrastructure in a place monitored, maintained, troubleshot, and optimized.
• Cloud services, Cloud migrations, Azure infrastructure (management), support of Microsoft 365 and cloud security.
• Help desk support: Other support and help with employee technical problems and requests.
• 24/7 monitoring: Continuous surveillance and monitoring of critical infrastructure for any issues or suspicious activity.
• IT projects: Provide technology upgrades, migration, new sites, and system implementation.
• Compliance support: Managing the security controls, documentation, and security-related needs.

It's not always going to be a task to mimic those of the internal team.

What Are the Main Benefits of Co-Managed IT for Businesses?

80% of small businesses rated cybersecurity as essential for the growth of their business. There are several other benefits that can be gained by an organisation that already has its own IT staff when it comes to co-managed IT.

These can include:

• Expertise: Companies can connect with specialized professionals.
• Scalability: When expanding by adding new locations, new employees, implementing big IT projects, etc., external resources can be added.
• Enhanced security: External security experts can offer extra threat detection.
• Lower pressure for the internal IT: Offers the internal staff the time to focus on internal projects.
• Improved continuity for the business: Professional backup, monitoring, and disaster recovery services can minimize technology failure impacts.

They can offer flexibility if they use an environmental manager like Cyber Husky, depending on the provider's branding, so it's not a total outsourcing where an entire company moves to a hosting environment, but rather one specific part of the company moves to that type of environment.

What Challenges Should Businesses Consider Before Choosing Co-Managed IT?

Co-managed IT support is flexible, but is not necessarily the best option for every business.

• Unclear responsibilities: Ensure both teams understand who's answering help desk calls, etc.
• Communication issues: Whether a problem with the inside or outside team, they require effective communication pathways.
• Not selecting the right provider: Look at an MSP's experience in the industry.
• Inadequate documentation: User accounts, applications, any hardware/equipment, taxation clouds, security systems, and vendors.
• Double handling by internal staff and by the MSP may lead to redundant, wasted work and confusion.

Communication and establishing goals and objectives early on can help avoid many of these obstacles and help stay everyone on the same page, working toward similar goals.

Conclusion

Instead of full outsourcing or being dealt with by the company's internal IT team, the company can opt for co-managed IT. Leveraging internal resources with the skills of an external partner ensures that organizations do not lose organizational control while maximizing knowledge and skills.

Co-managed IT could be the practical approach for organizations with capable IT staff that need extra resources, and it offers them the ability to enhance their technology operations and get ready for future development.