I.T. has a unique dialect that speeds communication amongst technology professionals but can be incomprehensible to those outside the industry. In this series, we’ll try to decipher tech talk so you can understand the conversation and make better decisions. Todays term is Managed Services.
Managed Services and Managed Services Provider(MSP)
Managed services in IT refers to the management of IT systems and infrastructure, like servers, networking gear, and computers. Managed services are all of the things an internal IT department might do to keep a company’s computers, servers, and networks functioning properly and securely. The Managed Services Provider, or MSP, provides management of these IT systems and infrastructure on a proactive, subscription basis. An MSP can either replace a company’s internal IT department or support the internal IT department so they can focus on high-priority, strategic initiatives. The subscription model of managed services differentiates it from other I.T. services like break-fix, or on demand style support. This style of support is billed on an hourly basis or sold as a bucket of hours.
Typical managed service providers use ITSM, or IT Service Management, and RMM, or Remote Monitoring and Management, platforms to deliver services to their clients. These tools provide some degree of automated monitoring, alerting, and patching, as well as support ticket submission and management capabilities. They also enable a service provider to remotely access a client’s computer and fix problems. These tools allow the managed services provider to be efficient in supporting their client base and to manage the ebb and flow of support requests.
