Technology is evolving and improving at breakneck speeds. One might think that cybersecurity would keep pace with those improvements, too. And yet, the number of security breaches continues to increase year after year.
Businesses can no longer afford to neglect their cybersecurity. Hackers seeking lucrative payouts from ransomware attacks are working to compromise information technology systems every day. So how do businesses fight against this plague of security breaches?
The solution is managed IT services. Managed IT support provides professional information technology specialists for your business's cyber needs.
In this article, we'll discuss what managed IT is, and the services it includes for your business.
What Are Managed IT Services?
As the name implies, managed IT services allow you to outsource your IT needs to professionals. Managed IT services can provide any of the in-house services you might come to expect from a homegrown IT team. Here are just a few of the services you can expect:
- Ransomware protection and prevention
- Backup and disaster recovery
- Cloud computing
- Hardware virtualization
- Network security
- Email solution
Who Are Managed IT Services For?
The short answer is everyone! Even seasoned IT professionals may resort to managed IT services to take the load off their own shoulders.
Managed IT is an excellent solution for small to medium businesses. Many businesses may not have the know-how or resources to build their own IT. A managed IT company offers its expertise for a fraction of the overhead you might incur if you were to do it yourself.
With that established, let's focus on some of the key features that managed IT support may include. Please note that a managed IT company will build a plan customized to your business. The following items come standard in most IT solutions.
1. Monitoring and Support
A key function of any Security Operations Center is to keep an eye on the situation at all times. Bad actors attack at inopportune moments, especially during off-hours when regular staff isn't around. Even without such behavior, a situation may arise that requires professionals to act in a timely manner.
A proactive managed IT team can help to mitigate damages, too. They can isolate affected systems, secure backups, and do server maintenance. Their efforts may alleviate what could otherwise be a disastrous cyberattack.
Put simply, someone needs to man the ship at all times. Managed IT services often work 24/7 to keep your system in prime condition. They keep close contact with you throughout any developing situation.
2. Disaster Planning
There's a saying in the information technology industry: it's not a matter of if they hack you, but when. The sad reality is that every system has vulnerabilities. OS and software engineers push patches to prevent exploits, but they can't stop them all.
Managed IT services can help you plan ahead of a disaster. This can come in many forms:
- Establishing a backup routine
- Shoring up the weaknesses of vulnerable systems
- Creating air-gapped systems to keep critical systems isolated
- Establishing an emergency protocol during and after a cyberattack
- Finding ways to keep your system up and running
- Finding ways to get your system up and running again if it crashes
A good plan can make all the difference when a breach happens. Many companies employ a reactive approach, which in the end,
costs them a lot of money—and their reputations. A disaster plan will pay huge dividends, and managed IT can take the hassle of building it out of your hands.
3. Cloud Computing
Cloud computing allows many companies to run applications and services via the cloud. These may be productivity tools, data storage, and other resources based online. Many services have relocated to the cloud for convenience's sake—making them an ideal target for hackers.
Managed IT services can help you manage, streamline, and secure cloud computing. These essential services are a prime attack vector for ne'er-do-wells. It's not enough to rely on provider assurances that their services are secure.
IT support can advise you about the services you are using, and warn you about risks and vulnerabilities.
4. System Optimization and Hardware Virtualization
Smooth system operation isn't just about convenience, it can streamline productivity and strengthen customer loyalty. But with information technology, that's easier said than done.
You're often working with a lot of disparate systems that interact in novel ways. A managed IT team can troubleshoot issues and squash bugs, making sure your regular staff does not see their work interrupted.
Hardware virtualization, to put it simply, is a means of more effectively using your system resources. It involves partitioning your servers into smaller fragments that can divide operations. Hardware virtualization can reduce costs and prevent you from having to purchase more hardware when you don't yet need it.
5. Information Technology Expertise
In addition to services, managed IT provides you with the knowledge and prowess of industry professionals. It's important not to understate this: information technology is a rapidly advancing field. Those who work in the industry must constantly obtain new certificates and training.
Managed IT services provide support and security to businesses of all kinds. They've seen it all, from small businesses to large companies with sizable digital footprints.
They've been in the trenches for all types of situations and worked with systems of all kinds. This sort of experience is invaluable. Not only does it mean that they've likely handled a certain situation before, but also that they know how to pivot in the face of new challenges.
Hire Managed IT Services Today
Managed IT services provide businesses of all sizes with outsourced information technology support. They scale up depending on your needs and can provide just about any of the services that you require. Know that when you hire an IT support team, the above features will likely come included.
Scale Technology provides managed IT and other services to companies like yours. Request a consultation today and see for yourself the relief that a managed IT company can provide.
