If you’ve never heard the term “managed services provider” before, then it’s about time you got educated. A managed services provider is something like your internet service provider (ISP), except that they offer a little bit more. Most of these companies offer a wide variety of services that can make your tech management far easier at a fraction of the cost of an in-house expert. Thus, Managed services are a great solution for companies that cannot afford the kind of IT team that they really want. Instead, they can get most of the benefits at a far lower rate.
Types Of Managed Services
Before we proceed any further, let’s take a look at some of the most common managed services out there. This will give you a better idea of what is available and what you might need.
Automatic Backup Services
This managed service, sometimes called BAAS (Backup As A Service), is aimed at mitigating any sort of data disaster that may occur. When such a disaster occurs, it might be anything from a malfunctioning hard drive to a straight-up ransomware attack. Regardless of how you lose your data, a robust and well-maintained backup plan will allow you to move on with minimal trouble.
When you set up a service like this with your MSP, you will need to decide how frequently the backups are to be made. For instance, you might agree that the company will back up all your data on their servers every 1-3 hours. It isn’t that much trouble for them because the whole process can be automated, and it will allow you to greatly minimize losses.
Virtual Desktop Services
Another helpful service that you can get is DAAS (Desktop As A Service), and this one is probably going to become a lot more popular in the coming years. This is because a virtual desktop environment is a great way to ensure that all your remote workers are on the same page. Remote work is becoming a lot more common, and not just because of the recent pandemic.
So, how does it work? Well, a virtual desktop doesn’t actually exist in a physical sense (like a normal hard drive does). Instead, the computer uses some of its storage space to simulate a particular hardware/software environment. This means all employees can use the same desktop no matter where they are. It also adds some definite security benefits, as there is no physical machine to be hacked.
Business Tracking And Analytics
In many cases, an MSP won’t just help you to improve your tech setup. They can also provide detailed metrics and analytic figures, and these will allow you to make better business decisions. Every leader must be given good intelligence in order to make the right decisions, and an MSP can definitely help with that.
All Sorts Of Security Services
Managed service providers will usually offer a lot of security solutions for businesses, and these can take many forms. Collectively, they are known as SAAS (Security As A Service). It would be hard to cover all of the different security services out there, but most of them fall into one of two categories: Prevention and response.
For instance, your MSP might offer 24-hour network monitoring. This means an expert will monitor every “packet” of information that flows between your network and the outside world. If suspicious connections are detected, they can be terminated immediately. This would definitely fall into the “prevention” category. As an example of the “response” category, some MSPs can give you a way to track an intruder and find out their true identity and location.
The Advantages Of Managed Services
Let’s talk a little bit about the benefits of managed IT support services and how they can help you and your organization.
Frees Up Your IT Team For Other Things
In most companies, the IT team has to constantly fix problems and put out fires. Every time someone’s computer goes down, a team member has to be dispatched. This is part of their job, of course, but wouldn’t it be nice if they could focus on more important things? Managed services can take a lot of those mundane tasks off their hands and allow them to work on growth and improvement.
Better Security Overall
As we said, many of the most common managed services are security-related. That’s because security is a much more difficult and complex subject, and the environment is always changing as new threats emerge. That’s why network security really does require a dedicated effort, and an MSP will be able to deliver that. Network monitoring alone provides more security than even the best antivirus software.
This also includes disaster response and recovery, although some people consider those to be separate subjects. By combining BAAS with SAAS, you can create two lines of defense instead of one. To compromise the network, an intruder has to get through all those extra security measures and somehow evade detection. However, if they do manage to get through, they won’t be able to hold your data for ransom because most of it will be in the backup cloud.
Excellent Tech Support
If you are running a smaller business, your IT team might also be pretty small. In some cases, there might not even be one. No matter how good they are, you can’t reasonably expect that small team to do the job forever. Sooner or later, they will run into a problem that they cannot fix, and that is where tech support (also known as “good advice”) can do a lot of good. Most managed service providers will provide a 24/7 helpline, and you should not hesitate to take advantage.
Conclusion
If you find yourself asking, “where can I get managed it services near me?” then look no further. PCH Technologies has the best people and services in the entire state, and this article has only given you a small sample of the services that we can provide. In the information age, IT is the lifeblood of your company, and you cannot afford to neglect its upkeep. With that in mind, we hope that you will fill out the contact form below to learn more.