Having an in-house IT team doesn’t mean they have to handle everything alone.
As technology becomes more complex, even experienced IT professionals can find themselves stretched thin. Cybersecurity threats are increasing, cloud platforms continue to evolve, and businesses expect their technology to work without interruption.
That’s where co-managed IT services can help.
Co-managed IT allows a business to keep its existing IT team while bringing in an outside IT provider for additional expertise, resources, support, or coverage.
It’s not about replacing your IT team. It’s about giving them more support when they need it.
What Is Co-Managed IT?
Co-managed IT is a partnership between your internal IT team and an outside managed service provider (MSP).
Instead of handing over your entire IT operation, your business works with an IT provider to fill specific gaps.
For example, your internal IT team may handle day-to-day employee support while an outside IT provider handles cybersecurity, Microsoft 365 management, backup and disaster recovery, or larger technology projects.
The exact arrangement can be customized around your business and your existing IT resources.
Think of it as adding another set of experienced IT professionals to your team without having to hire an entire department.
When Does a Business Need Co-Managed IT Services?
Every business has different technology needs, but there are several situations where co-managed IT can make sense.
Your IT Team Is Overwhelmed
Your IT team may be capable of handling your normal workload, but unexpected issues and larger projects can quickly pile up.
An outside IT partner can provide additional resources when your team is overloaded, helping prevent important projects from constantly being pushed back.
You Need Specialized Expertise
Your IT team doesn’t have to be an expert in every area of technology.
Cybersecurity, Microsoft 365, compliance, cloud infrastructure, networking, and backup solutions all require specialized knowledge.
A co-managed IT provider can bring in expertise where your internal team needs it most.
Cybersecurity Has Become a Bigger Responsibility
Cybersecurity isn’t something that can simply be checked off a list.
Businesses need to continually monitor threats, protect accounts and devices, manage security tools, train employees, and respond to potential incidents.
Your internal IT team may handle some of these responsibilities while an outside provider supplements their capabilities with additional cybersecurity tools, knowledge, and monitoring.
You Have Major IT Projects Coming Up
Large technology projects can take significant time away from your normal IT operations.
Examples include:
-
- Microsoft 365 migrations
- Server or network upgrades
- Cloud migrations
- Office moves
- New security implementations
- Backup and disaster recovery projects
- Technology upgrades following business growth
Co-managed IT can give your internal team additional resources to complete these projects without neglecting their everyday responsibilities.
You Need Additional Coverage
Your IT team can’t be everywhere at once.
An outside IT provider can provide additional help desk resources, remote support, monitoring, or other coverage depending on your arrangement.
This can be especially helpful when your business is growing or your technology needs are becoming more demanding.
What Can a Co-Managed IT Provider Handle?
One of the biggest advantages of co-managed IT is flexibility.
Your business doesn’t have to outsource everything. Instead, you can determine which areas your internal team handles and where outside support makes sense.
A co-managed IT provider may help with:
- Cybersecurity: Security monitoring, endpoint protection, threat detection, employee security awareness, and other cybersecurity needs.
- Microsoft 365: Support and management for Microsoft 365 applications, users, security, and cloud services.
- Backup and Disaster Recovery: Helping ensure your critical business data and systems can be recovered when something goes wrong.
- Help Desk Support: Providing additional technical support for employees when your internal team needs backup.
- Network Management: Supporting network infrastructure, connectivity, and performance.
- IT Projects: Providing additional resources and expertise for larger technology initiatives.
- Compliance and Security: Helping businesses address technology requirements related to regulations, security policies, and risk management.
- Strategic IT Planning: Providing guidance on technology decisions, budgeting, cybersecurity, and long-term IT planning.
The goal isn’t to take control away from your internal IT team. It’s to give them the resources they need to do their jobs effectively.
Co-Managed IT vs. Fully Managed IT
Co-managed IT and fully managed IT are different approaches, and neither one is automatically right for every business.
With co-managed IT, your internal team remains an important part of the equation.
You decide where your team needs support and where an outside provider can add value.
The Benefits of Adding an IT Partner to Your Existing Team
The biggest benefit of co-managed IT is that you’re not limited to the skills and resources available within your current team.
An outside IT partner can help your business:
Expand Your IT Expertise
Your internal team gains access to additional knowledge and specialized experience without having to hire for every technology specialty.
Improve Cybersecurity
Additional security resources can help your business address threats and strengthen your overall security strategy.
Keep Projects Moving
Instead of choosing between daily IT support and important projects, your team can have additional resources to help keep both moving forward.
Reduce Pressure on Internal IT
Your IT professionals can spend more time on strategic initiatives instead of constantly reacting to support requests and urgent problems.
Scale IT Support as Your Business Grows
Your technology needs may change as your business adds employees, locations, applications, and systems. Co-managed IT can provide additional resources as those needs evolve.
How Does Co-Managed IT Work?
There isn’t one standard co-managed IT arrangement.
The first step is understanding how your current IT environment works and identifying where your team needs additional support.
From there, responsibilities can be divided between your internal team and your IT partner.
For example:
Your internal IT team might handle:
-
- Employee support
- Hardware management
- Application support
- Internal technology projects
Your IT partner might handle:
-
- Cybersecurity monitoring
- Microsoft 365 security
- Backup and disaster recovery
- Network monitoring
- Compliance support
- Strategic IT planning
Or the arrangement could look completely different. The key is to establish clear responsibilities so everyone knows who handles what.
Is Co-Managed IT Right for Your Business?
Co-managed IT may be worth considering if:
- You already have an internal IT employee or team
- Your IT team is stretched thin
- You need additional cybersecurity expertise
- Large IT projects keep getting delayed
- Your business is growing
- You need specialized technology expertise
- You want additional support without completely outsourcing IT
- Your internal team needs a partner for strategic IT planning
You don’t have to choose between doing everything yourself and completely outsourcing your IT.
Co-managed IT gives your business another option: keep the team you have and give them the support they need.
Give Your IT Team a Bigger Bench
Your internal IT team knows your business, your employees, and your technology environment.
An experienced IT partner can complement that knowledge with additional resources, specialized expertise, and support.
At Third Coast IT, we work with businesses that already have internal IT resources and need additional support. Whether you need help with cybersecurity, Microsoft 365, IT projects, network management, or strategic planning, our team can work alongside yours.
Your IT team doesn’t have to do it all alone.
Learn more about Co-Managed IT Services or contact Third Coast IT to talk about where additional IT support could help your business.
frequently asked questions
What is co-managed IT?
Co-managed IT is a partnership between an internal IT team and an outside IT provider. The provider supplements your existing team with additional expertise, resources, or support instead of taking over all of your IT responsibilities.
Is co-managed IT only for large businesses?
No. Co-managed IT can work for businesses of different sizes that have internal IT resources but need additional support or specialized expertise. The services can be scaled around the size and needs of your business.
What services can a co-managed IT provider provide?
A co-managed IT provider can assist with cybersecurity, Microsoft 365, network management, backup and disaster recovery, help desk support, compliance, IT projects, and strategic IT planning. The specific services depend on where your internal team needs additional support
What is the difference between co-managed IT and fully managed IT?
With co-managed IT, an outside provider works alongside your existing IT team and fills specific gaps. With fully managed IT, the provider typically takes responsibility for most or all of the business’s IT operations.
How do I know if my business needs co-managed IT services?
Co-managed IT may be a good fit if your internal IT team is overwhelmed, lacks expertise in a specific area, needs help with cybersecurity, or doesn’t have enough resources for larger IT projects. An IT assessment can help identify where additional support would be most useful.
