Managed IT services are expert IT support and administration services provided by a third-party specialist. Typically, managed IT service packages are designed to provide a turnkey solution for organisations without in-house IT support teams.
If you want to discuss a custom-managed IT services solution, don’t hesitate to contact the MicroRentals team anytime during regular business hours. In the meantime, you will find more information about managed IT service packages below.
What you can expect from Managed IT Services
The exact nature of a managed IT service package will depend on the service provider and the package in question. However, comprehensive managed packages will frequently include the following core services:
- Security — A vital component of a professionally managed IT service package is security, more specifically, the design, implementation, monitoring and maintenance of effective network security systems and protocols.
- Web hosting — Almost all managed service providers include basic web hosting maintenance and administration as part of their managed IT service packages. Experienced providers may also offer additional web hosting management services such as cloud hosting setup and administration if desired.
- Performance optimisation — If you’re happy with the existing performance of your IT systems, you may elect to omit this service from your managed package. However, most organisations are keen to ensure their IT systems continue to operate at maximum efficiency and therefore opt to include performance optimisation in their managed IT packages.
- Backup/disaster recovery — A comprehensive managed IT service package should include a detailed backup/disaster recovery plan. Even if you already have one in place, it is well worth asking your managed service provider to recommend a more effective alternative.
- Compliance audits — Audits to ensure compliance with relevant industry standards often require a tremendous amount of human resources annually, which is why many organisations ask for compliance audits to be included in their managed IT service packages.
- Software maintenance and upgrades — To ensure that all systems and applications continue functioning as intended, it’s a good idea to include software maintenance and upgrades in your managed IT service package. Typical managed IT service packages cover the maintenance of both operating systems and critical applications.
- Hardware maintenance and upgrades — IT management packages designed to offer long-term support also often include services covering the management and implementation of hardware maintenance and upgrades.
- System analysis and reports — You can expect a fully managed service package to include regular analysis of critical system performance metrics, presented in monthly and annual reports. An experienced team of IT support specialists can also make specific recommendations based on the analyses contained in these reports on request.
- IT desktop support - Many companies choose to include IT desktop support services in their managed service packages. Desktop support services may be onsite, offsite or a combination of the two. Most established service providers are happy to offer their clients a flexible desktop support service tailored to meet their specific requirements.
In addition to the above core IT managed services, you may also elect to include optional managed services such as cloud networking and storage, communications infrastructure management and 24/7 network monitoring.
What Managed IT Services can do for your company
With a comprehensive managed IT service package, your organisation can outsource responsibility for the administration and maintenance of its corporate IT systems and equipment. There are many benefits to outsourcing these key IT functions, the most important of which include the following:
- Enabling staff to focus on other, more profitable activities — By handing over responsibility for the day-to-day maintenance and administration of your corporate IT network and assets to a third-party specialist, you can free up your in-house IT team to focus on more profitable software development activities. Many organisations find that managed IT services positively impact their bottom line.
- Productivity improvements — With 24/7 network monitoring and optimisation services, you can look forward to significant performance gains when handing over responsibility for managing your corporate IT systems to a third-party specialist. These performance gains may well lead to productivity improvements across the board.
- More effective network security — Reputable managed service providers typically have an in-house team of cybersecurity specialists capable of implementing the latest IT security protocols across a wide variety of corporate networks and systems.
- Round-the-clock monitoring of your corporate network — In addition to the obvious safety advantages that 24/7 network monitoring provides are a number of other important benefits. Perhaps the most useful of these is a far more efficient troubleshooting strategy. By constantly monitoring key performance metrics, your managed service provider will be able to identify potential issues in real-time and address them before they have a chance to impact network performance negatively.
For more details on the managed IT services we provide in Australia, feel free to call or message us today. Our support team will be delighted to provide you with all the information you require and make an appointment for a free initial consultation if desired.
