How to Choose Between
Outsourced and In-House IT

It doesn’t have to be all or nothing.

With co-managed services, it’s possible to have the best of both worlds. Yes, organizations are increasingly searching for more efficient and cost-effective IT solutions, but that doesn’t mean you have to give over complete control to a fully outsourced IT services provider. Instead, opt for co-managed IT services, where the Managed Services Provider (MSP) will complement your internal IT resources and provide as much support as required.
Co-managed IT services involve a hybrid relationship between the Internal IT resources of an organization and the MSP provider. At the core of this relationship are the Services, Tools, Methodologies, and Portals (STMPs) provided by the MSP. Depending on the unique co-managed IT agreement, the MSP will work with the internal IT team to manage the ecosystem of the organization. An example of such an agreement could be a situation where the MSP takes care of the servers and infrastructure, while the internal IT team is responsible for end users.

What are your IT options?

Before you make a decision about whether to outsource your IT, it’s important to know what your options are and what the pros and cons of each option is.

Co-managed IT services

BENEFITS

RISKS

Traditional MSP

BENEFITS

RISKS

Internal IT

BENEFITS

RISKS

Co-managed IT helps organizations and IT departments like these overcome issues every day:

If these issues resonate with you, co-managed IT services may be for you.

The relationship between MSPs and internal IT

The reason why many successful businesses opt for a co-managed approach to IT is the fact that they are able to utilize the strengths of their own IT resources while also gaining high-level support and expertise from their MSP. By joining forces, the internal IT teams and MSPs are able to complement each other, leading to a “best of both worlds” outcome for businesses. Here’s what MSPs and internal IT departments bring to the table in a co-managed IT arrangement.
MSP
Internal IT
MSP
Internal IT

Co-managed IT

Different types of co-managed IT

When selecting an MSP, you can choose what your IT partner will focus on. These are the service options:
SERVERS
The MSP handles the servers and infrastructure and your internal IT handles the workstations and users.

Best suited to:

WORKSTATIONS
The MSP handles the workstations and end users, and your internal IT handles the servers and infrastructure.

Best suited to:

BACKUP SUPPORT
Your internal IT team is responsible for all IT issues but adopts the MSP’s Servers, Tools, Methodologies, and Portals (STMPs).

Best suited to:

What a co-managed agreement looks like:

Security matters

No organization can afford to drop its guard when it comes to cybersecurity. All the more reason to make sure all bases are covered by utilizing the unique skill set of a trusted IT partner. As MSPs focus solely on IT and more so IT security, they possess a high level of expertise on current threats. With their experience in dealing with cybersecurity, they have had the opportunity to find, test, and build better security options for small to medium-sized businesses with small budgets and limited resources, leveraging this level of support means that they can compete with much larger business competitors. Along with technology, MSPs can also be an authority for education and experience by providing training and educating users on security best practices.

Experience the best of both worlds with Umbrella’s co-managed managed IT

Full-time IT support is expensive! It can be difficult to compete with bigger organizations offering higher salaries or more engaging technology infrastructure. But, it doesn’t have to be this way.
When you partner with us, here’s what you can expect:
You can elevate your IT output by harnessing the strengths of your internal IT resources while Umbrella provides additional support where needed. Get in touch with us now!
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Umbrella and IT Solutions Join Forces

We are pleased to announce a new partnership with IT Solutions Consulting, a managed services provider headquartered in Fort Washington, PA. IT Solutions has a robust reputation in the IT industry and is backed by 25+ years of experience. Together, we’ll continue to deliver top-tier service with our combined team of technology professionals under the IT Solutions name. Click here for more details.