I Have an IT Staff – I Don't Need a Managed IT Partner to Help Secure and Manage My Network

Your business, our business, your competition's business, everyone's business today relies on a secure, scalable IT network and an IT infrastructure that supports business goals and allows a company to thrive.

Offices that don't secure their networks and business information are putting their existence at risk.

Many business leaders think of information technology – IT – as a single skill.

It's not. 

Within IT, there are a huge array of professions – from cybersecurity to data backup to network management to workflow automation to big data and more.

Each career path requires expertise and knowledge. Of course there are generalists and jacks-of-all-trades who can juggle multiple tasks for a company – backing up the data, troubleshooting PCs for users, patching and updating network servers and software, etc. 

That's where many business leaders stop thinking about IT – I've got staff, why would I need to outsource managing any of it? That's just going to be an unnecessary expense, right?

Let me ask you a few questions about your current information technology infrastructure.

Do you see IT as a cost or as a business booster? Companies with leaders who view IT as an element of a successful business rather than a cost of doing business are more successful. 

Are all of your network security and anti-virus programs completely up-to-date? Software needs to be updated to cover weaknesses exposed by hackers. IT teams often fall behind on keeping software updated.

Do you have a plan in place to restore access to your business information in the case of a disruption (fire, flood, ransomware hack, server crashes, etc.)? If you don't have a cloud backup option, your downtime could be measured in days, not hours; and downtime carries real costs. 

Are you planning for your future IT needs? Just because your IT pros are great at troubleshooting and keeping the lights on doesn't mean they have the business acumen or knowledge to guide you to the best software and hardware choices

Do your IT folks sleep, get sick, take vacation, and are generally unavailable 24/7 – at least sometimes? What happens when your network crashes or when an employee opens a phishing email and allows ransomware into your network and you can't get in touch with your IT staff?

Have you had a hard time finding qualified staff for security? You're not alone, there's a global cybersecurity hiring gap because there simply aren't enough qualified IT professionals to fill the current openings.

If any of the answers to these questions make you nervous about your office's operations, they should.

The fact is, most internal IT teams are overworked and don't have the time to do everything.

Outsourcing some or all of your IT operations to a managed IT partner is one way to have positive answers to these questions.

Managed network services provide 24/7 monitoring and response to network attacks and downtime. Proactive monitoring and patching keeps everything up-to-date and secure. A virtual CIO will help you develop and IT strategy and road map to keep up with your office's IT needs as you grow. 

Download our free IT Kit for Outsourcing to learn how to make your life easier and your office more secure with managed network services.