Michalina Staszewska
Directing technological activities is not an easy process. Even more so when the IT team you work with deviates from your expectations. After all, we know that process optimization through the implementation of management services is an effective part of business operations, and as a result, every enterprise strives for it. Without them, companies would not be using their full capacity, and as a result, service delivery would be significantly delayed. In addition, work on a specific solution could take much longer and cost much more. It is for these reasons that IT processes are most often handled by external providers. The services most commonly used in streamlining technology operations are: IT Outsourcing and Managed Services otherwise known as Server Administration or Server Management.
At the outset, it should be noted that despite the frequent use of these terms interchangeably, the services are different. The similarity is the use of third-party IT service providers by both services, but the differences are in the type and level of services performed.
Outsourcing is a term that in its meaning includes any service outsourced to an external company. Suppliers take care of the outsourced part of the work that the company delegates due to the lack of readiness of internal processes, resources or adequate IT systems. Outsourcing services provided are characterized by short deadlines and a narrowly defined scope.
IT outsourcing is understood as IT activities aimed at supporting enterprises in carrying out strictly defined tasks in the IT area. Performing activities in-house is impossible for many reasons, so an external provider should be chosen with care. It is recommended to select a company with extensive technological experience, which will effectively undertake the correct implementation of tasks.
When discussing the issue of the outsourcing model, it is important to mention its types. Some of the more important ones include onshoring, nearshoring and offshoring. Onshoring involves outsourcing the service to a third-party company within the country. In nearshoring, the order is handed over to a company outside the country, but operating at the maximum within the country’s borders. Services are managed in EU countries, for example. In the case of offshoring, the order is performed by service providers far beyond the country’s borders.
Managed Services (Server Administration) are considered an advanced part of IT outsourcing services. They provide the added benefit of state-of-the-art technology, the use of which creates a comprehensive service. Managed service providers become part of the company – collaborating and making changes within one or more areas that require patching. Managed Services provide continuous monitoring and support in case of unexpected failures. The main element of the new management technologies is to help achieve business goals as much as possible by minimizing undesirable situations and maximizing profits through cost reduction.
The Managed Services model does not assume only patches of given system components. It’s also about maintaining the infrastructure, extending it, adjusting it to current changes or creating the design of a completely new server environment. The service provider undertakes to provide comprehensive services to the company.
When comparing outsourcing and managed services, it is important to be aware of the commonalities as well as the differences that divide the two solutions. Note that Managed Services are an advanced version of outsourcing. To understand this, it is necessary to know all the common elements as well as the differences regarding services.
In the model Managed Services accountability of the changes implemented and the speed of response to undesirable actions play an important role. In the case of services managed by a third-party provider, they will be the first to detect a worrisome situation, which they will inform you of immediately. Minimizing the occurrence of failures is a priority in managed services, even more so in today’s age when cyber threats lurk at every turn. Environmental security is the most desirable issue when operating in a networked environment.
Multifunctionality, as well as appropriate adaptation to change, is a key element when choosing Server Administration. The people responsible for managing your services are watching over the changes taking place in your company. In the case of outsourcing, attention is focused on a specific outsourced issue. Going beyond the scope of a given order must be top-down.
Reporting is another of the primary benefits of Managed Services. By choosing them, you get regular updates on the performance of your service or application. Trained administrators will also prevent you from implementing erroneous updates. With outsourcing, service providers only have visibility into certain services.
Unlike outsourcing, the Managed Services service is long-term. Schedules and goals are set for the long term. On occasion, suppliers are looking to the future, helping customers tailor operations to different time periods. It’s a broad approach that works for many companies. Using outsourcing, we will not distinguish multiple functions at different times. IT outsourcing provides for focusing on one function according to an agreed approach in a short-term approach.
When you know the main differences between managed services and outsourcing, you will be better prepared to make decisions about your business. However, choosing one of the technologies can cause a lot of problems.
Some companies need total vendor support, and some only partial support. The IT outsourcing model is most often chosen by companies with their own IT team. In such a situation, the company needs only partial assistance regarding IT systems, for example. In the Managed Services model, the main need is the comprehensive handling of your resources and often the lack of specialized personnel. The use of Managed Services brings financial benefits to the company (e.g., in the form of minimizing costs related to services or IT personnel), but also benefits referring to time savings and optimization of working time.
Nowadays many companies opt for technology support from IT services, if you too are looking for help in improving your processes then we have great news – Qlos offers Managed Services.
We guarantee to take the hassle out of optimizing your IT operations, with us you will never have to worry again. 24/7 monitoring ensures constant control of your infrastructure operations, giving you the opportunity to focus your attention on other elements of your business. As part of Managed Services, we offer not only to take care of your services, but also to plan your infrastructure and audit it. Creating a new environment or eliminating current problems improves the company’s operations in terms of security and efficiency. In our opinion, its comprehensive nature meets the requirements of many clients and is preferable to IT outsourcing.
The choice of the services described above mainly depends on your priorities. If you need comprehensive support in the form of management of your IT systems environment, Managed Services is worth considering. It will provide you with high quality service, using and securing each component of your server infrastructure. However, if you are only interested in a one-time service from third-party providers, then IT outsourcing will be appropriate.
The choice is yours, but remember that a one-time solution to a problem will not always make it go away completely. When it comes to technological measures, you need to be guided not only by what is now, but also by what will be later.
