Like many IT terms that are commonly used, managed services is one that is often thrown into discussion and decisions without a shared understanding of what the term means. There are several types of managed services but all of them can be understood as outsourcing day-to-day technology management for the improvement of efficiency, performance and cost-effectiveness of the organization.
There are several types of managed services:
Monitor: In this case, a company has purchased software or another type of technology solution, but they need assistance with monitoring of the system. They retain management of the technology, but they receive recommendations and alerts from a managed services provider to help them maintain the technology.
Operate: This is the next stop from monitoring, when an enterprise not only needs assistance with surveillance of the system, but also wants to outsource the maintenance of the system to a managed services provider.
Optimize: With legacy systems, companies often hired a professional services partner that would assess the condition of the technology and make recommendations for optimization. After a particular optimization objective was completed, the professional services partner would hand the keys back to the enterprise. Now, however, the constant need for optimization means that companies are outsourcing their need for continual assessment and improvement to a managed services partner.
Transform: Once you’ve established a relationship with an enterprise in which you are offering ongoing operation and optimization support, you will likely take on an ongoing managed services partner role. In this setting, you are a trusted advisor that works closely with the CIO and other IT professionals to ensure that the company is meeting its technology goals.
Managed Everything as a Service (XaaS): This, of course, is the area of managed services that holds the most potential in the future market. Enterprises are quickly embracing the benefits that come from the adoption of cloud technology, and they require a trusted partner that can come alongside them to develop custom hybrid solutions or a complete cloud migration.
Companies need assistance in fully optimizing their infrastructure, networks and software to get the best possible benefit from cloud technology. Many IT professionals identify the need for increased understanding of cloud capabilities as a central pain point for their technology plans. They understand the need for a customer-focused business plan, and cloud technology provides the user-friendly experience that edges out the competition.
Copper State Communications offers comprehensive managed services, from an initial monitoring service to full XaaS, working as a trusted partner and advisor to enterprises that want to capture the potential of cloud technology. Give us a call today at 888.550.4484 to talk about how we can help you best understand what managed services can do for your business.
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