For a single monthly fee, a managed network services provider handles your network infrastructure’s monitoring, management, and security. It typically includes LAN/WLAN management, unified communications, and more. At a minimum, a well-managed service provider will perform reactive monitoring, ensuring essential data arrives at its destination. It should also have a strong cybersecurity practice with reference clients in your industry.
Unified Communications
Cloud-based technology offers flexibility that mid-market enterprises can leverage with unified communications (UC) solutions. To access services, they can use multiple devices, including laptops, desktop computers, tablets, and smartphones. Implementing a UC system requires moderate capital investment resources and minimal operational costs. With this, mid-market companies can maximize employee productivity and streamline internal communication processes, improving operational efficiency and profitability.
Most managed network service providers offer tools and technologies that enhance business productivity. For example, they provide various assistance resources that enable companies to serve their clientele promptly and effectively. For the protection of data, they also have stringent security procedures.
Moreover, a reputable MSP provides round-the-clock support to address any technical issues. It eliminates the need for companies to spend valuable time on reactive monitoring – such as occasionally pinging the network or waiting to receive an alert when some device fails. But really, what is managed network services? It enables enterprises to concentrate on core business activities while enjoying consistent service levels and reducing the cost of infrastructure maintenance and management.
Enhanced Security
With the growth of remote and hybrid work models, seamless, uninterrupted network connectivity is more critical than ever. A high-performing network allows employees to boost productivity and focus on core business activities. A managed services provider can ensure a stable network infrastructure, helping companies grow faster. Managed service providers can also address security needs that are not easily solved with standard hardware or software alone. For example, they can use data analysis to identify traffic patterns and prioritize applications based on usage and business needs. The increased threat of data breaches and cyberattacks has prompted many organizations to seek out robust solutions that help safeguard sensitive information.
Another essential feature of a managed service is that it can reduce costs by preventing unnecessary technology investments. It means you won’t need to budget for equipment upgrades that may not meet your business’s needs or fail to deliver expected returns. The newest technology and skilled engineers are just two of the many resources that can be accessed through a managed services provider. This method saves you money and frees up team members’ time for essential tasks.
Optimized Performance
With the rise of remote work and cloud computing, companies rely more on efficient and secure network infrastructures than ever. Unfortunately, managing these complex networks requires in-house IT teams to manage and track performance constantly, which can be a significant drain on resources. As an outsourced IT solution, managed network service providers can quickly address performance issues by deploying monitoring tools and responding to network trouble tickets. It frees internal IT resources to focus on strategic initiatives that drive business growth. Furthermore, network service providers have established leverage and buying power with equipment manufacturers. It allows them to pass on lower operational, maintenance, and hardware costs to their customers.
Additionally, network service providers can react faster to shorter-term needs like seasonal traffic spikes and new product launches. They can also adjust access to network resources based on projected demand. This flexibility can reduce overall IT costs and improve performance by minimizing network bottlenecks. It is an essential benefit for organizations looking to optimize performance and maximize employee productivity.
Greater Flexibility
The right managed network services provider can help enterprises achieve greater flexibility by offloading responsibilities associated with networking infrastructure maintenance, monitoring, and optimization to the specialized provider. Internal resources can now be allocated to more strategically focused projects. As the business environment becomes increasingly digital, relying on devices within the enterprise to communicate with each other is crucial for productivity and success. When these devices fail to connect in the way they need to, everything comes to a halt. Employees can’t work, sales are missed, and customers’ needs go unmet.
A reliable managed service provider can provide around-the-clock monitoring and support, ensuring that any issues are detected quickly. These providers have the hardware and expertise to troubleshoot the problems across multiple device types, software, bandwidth providers, and other elements of a complex infrastructure. It provides companies with greater flexibility to scale their networks cost-effectively. In addition, a managed service provider has leverage and buying power with equipment manufacturers that can translate into lower technology spend. It can also simplify IT budgeting for businesses.
Greater Control
A business network has a lot of essential data flowing through it. That data could be anything from emails to customer data or internal company documents. When that information doesn’t get where it needs to be on time, productivity stops. That’s why businesses need a high network uptime 99% of the time or better. Unfortunately, maintaining a robust network is expensive and complicated. It takes specialized knowledge of the various hardware, software, and bandwidth providers to keep them operating at peak performance. Often, enterprises need more money or resources to maintain an in-house team.
Fortunately, managed service providers offer a cost-effective way to manage enterprise networking. These specialized providers are responsible for designing, installing, configuring networks and monitoring, troubleshooting, and optimizing. By delegating these responsibilities to managed service providers, enterprises can offload the burden of managing and ensuring network availability, focusing instead on their core business objectives. It allows them to reduce operational, maintenance, and service costs and minimize capital expenses associated with purchasing onsite hardware and software.
