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Fully Managed IT vs Co-Managed IT: What's the Difference?

Written by Mindy Gallagher | Sep 27, 2021 4:00:00 AM

Data breaches keep many IT workers up at night -- and for good reason. In addition to the potential for a hit to the corporate bottom line there's also the risk of a damaging blow if customer confidence is adversely impacted.

So it goes without saying the companies need to be proactive when it comes to warding off attacks and the fallout stemming from them. You can tackle this problem by going the fully managed IT route or the co-managed IT route.

But which one is best for your business? There is no one-size-fits-all answer of course. Even so read on to learn what each option entails and what the differences are. This will help you choose the best option for your company.

Managed IT

Not all companies have enough -- or any for that matter -- in-house IT professionals. That's where managed IT services come into the picture. Such services providers are third parties that can take on a company's IT duties.

The types of IT services they provide include 24/7 monitoring reporting and issue resolution.

Co-Managed IT

Some companies have IT professionals on their payrolls but they may still need additional help. Finding a co-managed IT services provider can help.

If you're in this situation you might want to have your in-house IT department focus on say helpdesk support while hiring a co-managed IT services provider to handle things like network security or other important areas.

So the co-managed IT services route is a way for companies to supplement the in-house IT staff they already have in place.

Which One is Best for You?

Understanding how important it is to protect your corporate network you'll naturally want to find the best IT management services provider you can. What follows is a look at fully managed vs co-managed IT.

In-House IT Staff

You can look at managed IT vs co-managed IT by considering whether or not you have in-house IT staff. If you go the managed IT route you won't need to have IT staff on your roster since the third party will do all the work.

But if you choose to go the co-managed IT route you will need IT staff on your roster since the co-managed IT option supplements your own internal IT staff.

Responsibility

When you sign an agreement with a managed IT services provider the third party will shoulder full responsibility since it's in full control of the IT duties.

But if you hire a co-managed IT services provider responsibility will be divvied up between your company and the service provider.

Flexibility

When you look at the managed or co-managed IT services debate from the perspective of flexibility you can argue that both offer flexibility.

If you sign on with a co-managed IT services provider you'll be able to choose the level of help you receive. If you sign on with a managed IT services provider you'll be able to focus your energies on core competencies.

So Which Will It be -- Managed or Co-Managed?

You'll have to decide whether the managed IT services option or the co-managed IT services option is the best one for your company.

Whether you want co-managed IT services or managed IT services we're here to help.  Get in touch to learn more about how we can help with your corporate network. 
 
Our technological expertise and extensive experience allow us to work with virtually any system enabling you to meet your specific goals and objectives–no matter how complex they may be. We pride ourselves on offering sophisticated solutions that other smaller IT firms simply cannot offer outfitting your company with a reliable support system as your needs expand and evolve. Alura Business Solutions provide services including but not limited to: Carrier Solutions Bandwidth Solutions Phone Solutions Wiring Solutions Client Access IT Solutions