Modern IT leaders face challenges far different from those of a decade ago. It’s safe to say, that most businesses that see IT as an integral component to its success have already moved one or more services to the cloud. This means that what was once hallowed and protected ground, the server room, now hosts far less hardware than before, and admins manage services via cloud dashboards, from various locations.
With that in mind, it’s therefore illogical to maintain the same structure of IT team as ten years ago. Businesses no longer need in-house specialists in every field, such as storage, security, intranet, website, networking, device management, and more. What businesses need now is very different, and many are turning to managed service providers to fill those skills gaps.
To navigate a managed service offering, IT leaders are advised to view the portfolio much like they would have viewed that in-house structure of old; or the diagrams below:
There is a noticeable similarity between the old structure of IT teams, to the new. Both rely on a solid first line service desk, with second- and third-line escalation points to the various specialities. Also, both structures are underpinned by security specialists; a component we think will always be fundamental. The area between the service desk and the security layers also has some similarities. However, what is interesting is the crossover of skills in today’s IT workforce, meaning one employee might manage Exchange Online, SharePoint Online and Azure Active Directory, where before those roles might have been managed by two or three individuals.
Outsourcing IT Services
To navigate a Managed Services portfolio this way, IT leaders can align their team to the needs of a modern workplace to identify skills gaps, using managed services to supplement the in-house staff.
Many businesses choose to retain an in-house service desk and management of end user services, but might outsource security to an MSP, as generally the skills and experience of MSP teams far outweigh that of in-house teams, due to the greater exposure to scenarios and industries. The advantage of retaining in-house service desk capabilities, for smaller businesses at least, is the familiarity end users experience.
In contrast, due to the global crises in recent years, maintaining effective in-house teams to provide excellent customer service, which is a key factor in any IT strategy, has become increasingly difficult. This is due to the shift to remote working, that crossover of skills, and of course, the rising costs of not only maintaining the team, but ensuring holidays and sickness are covered.
This is where managed services fill those spaces. Any effective IT leader will know where their team is weakest. Outsourcing key IT components to Managed Service Providers creates resilience within teams for a fraction of the cost.
No two businesses are alike. A managed service desk is not the right option for all businesses, but it is for many. Just as outsourcing critical second- and third-line support services is the ideal solution for modern businesses that see the value in resilience. But wherever you sit, by using the diagrams above to identify your team’s strengths and weaknesses, you’ll be on the right path to identifying where managed services could underpin your in-house teams.
Adopting managed services effectively is just as important as selecting which managed service to adopt. And that’s why selecting an MSP with experience is vital. Over the past year, Core has been running a pilot End User Compute service for a customer. We used that initial period to demonstrate the capabilities of Microsoft solutions, overcome internal challenges, and of course, gain stakeholder buy in. We are now moving into phase two, rolling the solution out to the next two-thousand users. As a Microsoft Cloud Solutions Provider, we are more than happy to take this methodical approach. It means that our customer is happy, and our team is confident of success.
If you’d like to discuss the managed services available to you, and where an MSP might compliment your in-house team, get in touch for a complimentary consultation. Email us at hello@core.co.uk, or call us on +44 20 7626 0516.
