The pressure for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to stay competitive, agile, and secure is immense. To solve this problem, many are turning to two main solutions: managed IT, and cloud computing. These scalable, cost-effective services can provide SMBs with enterprise-level resources at a fraction of the price.
But few businesses consider how these two solutions fit together. They treat them as two separate entities, paying no mind to how they impact each other. This can be a grave error. IT infrastructure works best when every part of it functions in sync, working towards a singular goal. There is only one way to accomplish this: IT service integration.
The Benefits of IT Support for Small Businesses: Why SMBs Choose Managed Services
Those who run SMBs are often forced to wear too many hats at once, especially where IT is concerned. Day-to-day maintenance, security concerns, data management, and technical support will all need to be addressed on a daily basis, and most small businesses don’t have the resources to handle it internally. The cleanest solution is usually managed IT services. Third-party experts known as managed service providers (MSPs) provide comprehensive IT support for small businesses, handling routine tasks and unexpected incidents while internal staff focus on their jobs.
With managed IT, SMBs can:
- Reduce downtime with 24/7 monitoring and fast issue resolution
- Plan better with strategic guidance and predictable IT costs
- Improve security with up-to-date tools and proactive threat management
- Focus on business operations instead of IT troubleshooting
Why Do Managed Services Need to Integrate with the Cloud?
Modern SMBs rarely decide between on-premises and cloud-based IT. Instead, they are increasingly choosing a hybrid IT infrastructure that utilizes elements of both. This provides valuable flexibility, but can become a serious problem when MSPs are introduced into the mix. Without the ability to properly support and maintain these cloud solutions, an MSP can only provide limited assistance. The other half of the business’ IT infrastructure is left vulnerable to attacks, inefficiencies, and downtime.
IT service integration brings all solutions together to improve business processes and security, ensuring the greatest value possible for both investments. Some of the powerful benefits include:
1. Unified Management
An integrated approach allows MSPs to manage both cloud and on-premises systems at once. This simplifies their role and reduces the risk associated with overlooked updates, misconfigurations, or security gaps.
2. Seamless Scalability
As time passes, businesses may need additional storage, support, or computing power. Integrating cloud services with an MSP makes it possible to scale quickly without major overhauls.
3. Improved Business Continuity
Cloud-based backups are often an essential part of disaster recovery. Integration allows MSPs to ensure data is safe, accessible, and recoverable.
4. Cost Optimization
An MSP can help businesses optimize cloud costs based on actual usage and current priorities. This prevents waste and improves overall profitability.
An Effective IT Integration Roadmap
A successful IT roadmap involves more than simply adopting the latest solutions. It is essential to ensure IT service integration, or most of the work done will be wasted. Every good IT strategy roadmap will include a plan to keep all services aligned with each other and with overall business objectives.
An effective IT integration roadmap should include these steps:
Step 1: Assess IT Infrastructure
Begin with a thorough audit of existing infrastructure, services, and workflows. Understand where an MSP’s role might intersect with current cloud solutions.
Step 2: Define Business Goals
A clear understanding of where the business is headed is critical for any planning process. What is the goal for the next few years?
Step 3: Choose the Right Partners
Select an MSP with experience solving cloud challenges and an understanding of the unique problems that SMBs face. The ideal partner should offer strategic planning as well as hands-on support. If they offer cloud hosting services, this is even better. It is difficult for cloud solutions and IT management to disconnect when both are controlled by the same provider.
Step 4: Prioritize Security
Ensure the chosen MSP understands the importance of cloud security, and is willing to help maintain a safe environment. This is especially crucial for businesses handling sensitive data, such as law firms.
Step 5: Create a Phased Plan
Integration does not need to happen in a single day. Break the IT integration roadmap down into small, easy to implement steps. Start with low-risk, high-reward actions before moving on to mission-critical systems.
Step 6: Monitor, Review, and Adapt
Regularly confirm that the MSP is able to properly handle cloud-related tasks, especially as the business grows and both services begin to scale. Check if anything else needs to be done to improve alignment.
Read more: Your print and IT questions answered
Cloud Services that Make Management Simple
As SMBs increasingly turn to outsourced IT solutions, the need for integration has never been greater. Any disconnect between a business’ various services can lead to gaps that damage security, productivity, and profitability. Combining the strengths of managed IT with the flexibility of the cloud enables a reliable, scalable, and secure foundation for long-term success.
Instead of using separate vendors for IT management and cloud hosting, why not choose a provider who can handle both? Com Pro’s fully managed cloud services mean you don’t have to worry about a thing. We take care of it for you, solving challenges before you even notice them. Discover how we can simplify your cloud today.