• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

THE ENTERPRISE GUIDE TO MANAGED SERVICES INTRODUCTION Whether you’re considering using managed services for the first time or looking to get more value out of your existing relationships, “The Enterprise Guide to Managed Services” has you covered. THE ENTERPRISE GUIDE TO MANAGED SERVICES 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS THE WHAT, WHY, HOW AND WHO OF MANAGED SERVICES 4 MANAGED SERVICES IS LIKE ICE CREAM 5 ARE MANAGED SERVICES RIGHT FOR YOUR BUSINESS? 6 BUILD OR BUY: THE NETWORK MANAGER’S CONUNDRUM 7 DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE: 8 37 QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE SIGNING A MANAGED SERVICES CONTRACT HOW TO MANAGE MANAGED SERVICES 12 FOUR WAYS TO GET THE MOST FROM YOUR MANAGED SERVICES 13 THE ENTERPRISE GUIDE TO MANAGED SERVICES 3 THE WHAT, WHY, HOW AND WHO OF MANAGED SERVICES WHAT ARE MANAGED SERVICES? Managed services refers to the outsourcing of the day-to-day management of a specific function. Managed services are available for a wide range of a number of IT-related activities. Unlike IT project work or break/fix support, managed services provide proactive support and maintenance on an ongoing basis. WHY USE MANAGED SERVICES? The proactive management of IT resources enables organizations to keep IT services operational and up-to- date, minimizing problems and downtime. But this requires resources that strapped IT departments may not have. Managed services provide organizations with a cost-effective way to supplement their IT resources, allowing them to free up employees to focus on activities with the highest strategic value. It also enables companies to take advantage of: • Lower total cost of ownership (TCO) thanks to economies of scale they may not be able to achieve on their own; • Cost-effective access to enterprise-level support; • Access to deep domain expertise they may not have in-house; and • Predictable operating costs via fixed monthly fees. HOW DO MANAGED SERVICES WORK? Managed service providers (MSPs) typically offer a subscription model and charge a monthly fee. There will be a service-level agreement (SLA) that spells out the performance and quality metrics that can be expected. The MSP will monitor and proactively manage the components it is responsible for remotely. Additional offerings may be included depending on the type of managed services provided. WHO BENEFITS FROM MANAGED SERVICES? The fact is just about any organization can benefit from managed services. Small and medium-sized business that do not have large IT staffs can cost-effectively expand their IT capabilities without adding expensive headcount. And large enterprises can leverage managed services to scale for growth and maximize the efficiency and productivity of their IT resources. THE ENTERPRISE GUIDE TO MANAGED SERVICES 4 MANAGED SERVICES IS LIKE ICE CREAM “Managed services” is a general term referring to the outsourcing of day-to-day management of a function, often in the IT arena. But like ice cream, managed services come in many flavors. Here are some common managed services offerings. MANAGED CONNECTIVITY A managed connectivity provider will ensure that your organization’s multiple sites are connected with sufficient bandwidth and availability. This entails selecting the right solutions, tying them together, monitoring them, detecting problems and immediately initiating remediation actions. MANAGED WIFI Wireless access can make employees more productive and offer added value for customers and partners. But setting up a well-designed, secure network and keeping it up and running requires specific knowledge. The managed WiFi provider delivers this expertise and manages software and firmware updates on an ongoing basis. MANAGED NETWORK/ROUTER Network and router services can be complex installations. A managed network/router provider will configure deployments to meet your organization’s specific requirements and will be able to monitor performance and troubleshoot problems. MANAGED VOICE A managed voice provider will manage your communications systems including installing the equipment, training users, managing updates, and monitoring and supporting the system on an ongoing basis. MANAGED SECURITY It is critical to ensure the security of your organization’s network and data. A managed security provider will deploy and manage the full range of security solutions – including firewalls, intrusion detection systems, vulnerability assessment tools, antivirus solutions, etc. – needed to safeguard your business. And the provider will be able to stay on top of the latest vulnerabilities so your IT staff doesn’t have to. MANAGED BUSINESS CONTINUITY Having a business continuity/disaster recovery plan in place is critical, but many resource-strapped IT organizations move it to the bottom of the priority list because, unlike many other activities, it doesn’t have a “right now” impact. A managed business continuity provider performs business impact analyses and risk assessments, builds and manages the plans, and executes the plan in the event of a business disruption. Like ice cream, there’s a managed services offering for just about any taste or need. And like ice cream, you don’t have to pick just one flavor – you can combine as many as you want based on what makes the most sense for your business. THE ENTERPRISE GUIDE TO MANAGED SERVICES 5 ARE MANAGED SERVICES RIGHT FOR YOUR BUSINESS? IT systems are critical business enablers in any industry, yet the ability to procure and maintain a competitive infrastructure is becoming increasingly difficult for many enterprise organizations due to budget and resource constraints. Savvy service providers are stepping up to the plate to offer their expertise in the form of managed services, but it can be difficult to know if and when it makes sense to outsource enterprise IT functions. Here are a few scenarios where managed services can help: • You need to roll out a new initiative and you lack in-house expertise – Maybe you’re getting ready to launch a big data initiative, or you want to build a flexible network that can quickly adapt to support new applications and services. You know what you need, but your team doesn’t have the time or expertise to get you there, and it costs a fortune to hire and train new staff. • Your business is growing quickly, and you need to support branch offices – Whether your business is expanding due to organic growth or acquisition, it’s critical that every office has access to the same scalable, high-performance network services to facilitate communication. But it can be a challenge to manage an array of different networks, powered by service providers with varying network services. • Your IT systems have become unwieldy to manage – With multiple offices and increasing demands on your IT staff, your team is spending more time putting out fires than focusing on strategic business initiatives. At the same time, technology is evolving rapidly, and it’s time-consuming and tedious to keep required software and hardware up-to-date. You need to free up your team, and streamline your operational costs. If any of the above scenarios describe your situation, it may be time to investigate your options. With managed services, your organization can gain access to IT services and technologies that are managed and maintained by a qualified team of professionals – without having to make a capital outlay, or hire and train staff. This can provide a cost-effective way to supplement your IT resources so you can free up employees to focus on activities with the highest strategic value, and allows you to better predict operational costs. THE ENTERPRISE GUIDE TO MANAGED SERVICES 6 BUILD OR BUY: THE NETWORK MANAGER’S CONUNDRUM Your network is taking a pounding from the company BYOD initiative, and you’ve noticed increased latency and other performance issues as various business units take full advantage of easy-to-access cloud services. Not to mention your own efforts to leverage the cloud and virtualize services. It’s clear your corporate wide area network (WAN) needs an upgrade, and now it’s decision time. Are you going to build a next-gen WAN to keep pace with increased bandwidth requirements, or are you going to lease a managed private network from a service provider? Before you get started, you’ll want to do the following: Forecast your bandwidth requirements: You’ve almost certainly got an idea of how much bandwidth you need to meet your current needs, but what about three to five years from now, or even 10 years out? You’ll need to get the full picture from the C-suite about what’s in the plans in the near and long term so you know just what kind of services you’ll need to provide. Consider the economics: Whichever solution you choose, costs are involved. You need to have a full understanding of your company’s financial status. Are you expecting significant growth? If you choose to build your own network, will you have the cash to make the initial fiber, hardware and software outlay and to support associated maintenance and upgrades? Assess your manpower: Does your team have sufficient training to manage a private next-gen network or will you need to train and/or hire? If you’re considering managing your own private network, make sure your team has (or you have the budget to hire) folks with specialized skillsets, and the ability to fund their ongoing training, so you and your network can keep pace with new technology as it comes to market. If you’d rather your team focus on innovation for the business, rather than managing a corporate WAN, you may want to consider a managed service. Determine how much control you require: Depending on your industry, you may be subject to a host of industry and privacy regulations, or you might require the ability to fine-tune your network to achieve lowest latency and maximum competitive advantage.

Load more

  14

Copy Link