An Option for Business IT Support in Tampa Bay: Co-Managed IT Services

When looking for IT support in Tampa, there are typically two options – managed IT services or co-managed IT services. Co-managed services are becoming more popular. But there remain several misconceptions about this service model that keep businesses from reaping the benefits of co-managed services.

What are co-managed IT services?

Co-managed IT services are designed for businesses that need additional IT support for their internal IT team. The business must have at least one full-time IT person in place.

A managed service provider (MSP) can come alongside the internal team and provide additional IT support as needed. For example, the MSP can help during a busy season or support a special project. Co-managed services can also cover areas of the business’ IT strategy that are not currently handled in-house.

Common misconceptions of co-managed IT services

Below are five of the most common myths or misunderstanding we hear related to co-managed services.

1. They’re are expensive.

Many businesses believe that they are too expensive. However, these services can be cost-effective and save you money by reducing:

• Labor costs
• Training costs
• IT downtime
• Cyberattacks

In addition, working with a Tampa managed service provider, like Atlas, will ensure you are continually thinking about your IT strategy. This will help prevent your organization from overspending on IT equipment, subscriptions and services.

Working with an MSP will also increase your chances of getting cyber-insurance, which could save you in the event of a costly cyberattack.

2. They’re only for large enterprises.

Another myth is that co-managed services are only for large organizations with extensive IT needs and a large internal IT staff. This is simply not true. These services are available to businesses of all sizes. The only requirement is that they have one internal IT person on staff.

Businesses both large and small can reap the benefits of co-managed services by working with an MSP like Atlas. Benefits of working with Atlas include:

• Scalable IT support in Tampa that meets your changing needs
• Access to a broad range of IT experience for short- and long-term projects
• Use of our business management software to manage your IT tickets and collaboration with our team

3. They will replace internal IT jobs.

One of the biggest misconceptions about co-managed services is that the MSP will replace the internal IT team. Co-managed services are not intended to steal internal IT jobs; rather they complement the work of the internal IT team and provide support when and where it’s necessary.

Working with a Tampa managed service provider can increase job satisfaction among internal IT teams because it relieves pressure on the team. Seasonal swings, special projects and fast growth can all put undue pressure on existing IT teams. Co-managed services can support the internal IT team through these periods of growth. This enables the internal team focus on the day-to-day IT needs of the organization.

4. They make you more vulnerable to cyberattack.

This is perhaps the most unfounded claim we’ve heard about co-managed services. There is a belief that bringing in an outside party to help with your IT leaves your company more vulnerable to cyberattack. In reality, working with an MSP will improve your cybersecurity and ensure that your current IT infrastructure is protected from cybercriminals.

At Atlas, we recommend our clients (for managed service and co-managed service) take a multi-faceted approach to cybersecurity to reduce vulnerabilities and decrease the risk of attack. This includes employing the following solutions:

• Multi-factor authentication (MFA)
• Email spam filtering
• Firewalls
• Endpoint detection and response(EDR)
• Advanced threat detection (ATD)
• Advanced threat prevention (ATP)
• Virtual private networks (VPN)

5. They sacrifice quality.

If you’re used to managing all your IT in-house, it can be scary to give up control to an outside party. However, quality is not something you need to worry about. Outsourcing a portion of your IT to a trusted and reputable MSP will give you access to a broad range of IT experience and deep bench of experts.

When looking for co-managed IT support in Tampa, consider the number of experts that work for the MSP. These experts now support your business at a fraction of the cost of hiring a full-time IT team. A good MSP also invests in its people and encourages engineers to pursue continuing education courses and professional certifications.

If you’re looking for IT support in Tampa, look no further. Atlas can offer extra hours of coverage, fill gaps in experience and leverage specific knowledge for special projects.

Contact us to learn more about our co-managed IT support in Tampa.