What Kind of Services are Included in a Managed IT Package?

Technically, when you hire an external IT manager, they are supposed to take over all IT responsibilities on behalf of your company. However, there are differences, based on certain factors such as the spread and scale of your company’s IT requirements, the capabilities of a managed service provider (MSP), and the type of plan you have opted for. Nevertheless, the following is pretty much a standard set of services that you can expect from any reputed MSP.

Remote Monitoring and Maintenance

Remote monitoring of a company’s network and the various connected systems is a constant requirement if you wish to avoid data breaches, system slowdowns, network flaws, critical errors, and complete IT infrastructure breakdowns. You should expect your IT services provider to include all services necessary to ensure comprehensive, constant remote monitoring and real-time fixes at affordable rates.

The idea behind real-time fixing is that whenever deviance from the norm is noticed by the MSP during their constant monitoring of the client’s network and system, they will act immediately to solve the issue well before it can even turn into something truly bothersome for the client. Real-time fixes with 24×7 monitoring prevent most IT issues from ever becoming an IT disaster.

Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS)

Indeed, remote monitoring and response can considerably lower a company’s chances of ever facing a true IT disaster. However, there should also be a well-mapped, but dynamic disaster response and recovery plan in place as well. You should expect your managed It service provider to have contingency plans for IT disasters such as:

Data breach
Network and/or system security breach
Data loss from local server failure
Critical hardware failure
Data loss on account of natural disasters such as storms, earthquakes, and floods
Hacks: Phishing, ransomware, virus, DDoS attacks, etc.

Communication Lines for Client Support that Stay Open 24/7

Any IT services provider that claims to be capable of providing comprehensive IT management to their clients must be capable of doing so at any hour of the day, any day. When it comes to critical requirements, the client should not need to wait as each second can be of crucial importance to prevent a major problem from becoming a huge disaster.

Technically, the MSP itself should be able to detect any arising issue before the client and they should already be on it before the client contacts them for assistance. Nevertheless, an immediate response must be given and status notifications regarding the issue must be provided to the client in real-time to both alert and assure them.

The examples above should help you get a good understanding of what to expect, but they are by no means all that you can expect from MSPs. For smoother and more effective collaboration down the line, it is suggested that the company list all its requirements and expectations on paper first. Doing so will help you find and partner up with an IT services provider that can comprehensively meet all relevant business requirements.