Why IT Outsourcing Is More than Managed Services

All businesses today rely upon technology, but not many are technology companies. That’s why organizations often look for outside help with their IT requirements so that they can direct most of their resources to their core competencies.

There are compelling benefits to be gained from working with an IT provider, but what’s the best approach — managed services or IT outsourcing? Although many consider these terms to be essentially synonymous, they are actually quite distinct.

There is some common ground. In general, both approaches involve gaining access to expertise, skill sets and intellectual property at a manageable cost. However, where a managed-service approach typically revolves around basic monitoring and maintenance functions, an IT outsourcing engagement involves end-to-end management and operation of your information systems.

The truth is that there are thousands of companies, large and small, that will promise to remotely monitor and troubleshoot your servers and desktops. That’s a commodity approach that has some merit but also has real limitations. Managed services tend to be highly task-focused with an emphasis on a break-fix approach to IT issues.

Outsourced IT refers to a far more comprehensive approach. Whether serving as your entire IT department or as an extension of your staff, the goal of an outsourced IT provider is to deliver best-in-class technology to help you become more productive, profitable and efficient. Outsourced IT services are designed to support every aspect of your business requirements – day in, day out.

That includes all the system support, monitoring and maintenance you’d expect in a managed services engagement. But it also means access to IT executives and engineers who can help you develop an overarching IT strategy designed to match very specific business requirements.

For example, Atlantic-IT.net’s certified and experienced engineers have the expertise to complete network assessments, infrastructure design, project management and implementation, and ongoing support. This comprehensive approach ensures network performance, reliability and scalability, and simplifies management and troubleshooting. As a result, customers receive the greatest possible returns on their network investments.

Additionally, Atlantic-IT.net helps ensure that the network infrastructure can support mission-critical applications and services, including IP-based voice and video communications. We maximize availability of Internet connectivity through redundancy and automatic failover, and ensure that the LAN, WAN and wireless networks are secure, performing optimally and delivering the quality of service needed to support voice and video. We can also enable mobility and campus connectivity through enterprise-class wireless network solutions.

Data protection is another key area that benefits from the comprehensive approach of an outsourced provider. For example, Atlantic-IT.net has a portfolio of onsite, offsite and cloud-based backup options to meet a wide range of needs. Our data protection solutions include expert services to ensure backups are performed accurately and on schedule and that data can be recovered should disaster strike.

Outsourced security functions also makes sense for organizations with scarce resources. Providers such as Atlantic-IT.net offer a range of tools that help close security gaps, including penetration testing, log monitoring, web application firewalls and more. The ability to remain current with the latest enterprise-grade security measures can help organizations meet the challenges of dynamic, multistage cyberattacks.

At Atlantic-IT.net, we understand that we’re not just supporting computers — we’re supporting your business. We strive to earn your trust through prompt, professional service and rapid problem resolution. We love what we do, care about your IT needs and have the experience to deliver. That’s a powerful combination.