In an attempt to keep business expenses at a minimum, owners commonly take on the burden of managing some or all of their computer networks. However, the ideal focus of day to day operations really needs to be business productivity.
While it can be economical to self-manage, there are drawbacks -- one of which is the stress factor. Even when knowledgeable about computer maintenance, unavoidable glitches happen. Sometimes, troubleshooting them can take hours or days -- drastically cutting into time for business operations.
Unexpected outages and bugs are inherent in computer usage. When using managed service providers, most of the computer-related stress disappears. The following are three advantages to outsourcing computer maintenance:
Data Preservation
Ensuring the availability of mission-critical files is best done by keeping backup copies of them. Hardware failure and computer virus damage are common reasons to keep backups. Theft and disasters are good reasons to keep backups off-site, however.
Depending on the configuration of programs being used, backup and restoration can be complex. Managed service providers can handle all the above by performing scheduled backups, storing them off-site, and restoring them when necessary.
Quality of Service
Businesses using networks for collaboration between employees can benefit from the management of QoS, or quality of service. It's a standard used for optimizing network speed -- party by prioritizing certain functions and programs on the network. Trained technicians who remotely monitor network activity can make adjustments and repairs when performance is not ideal.
Update Management
Computer programs and operating systems such as Microsoft Windows and Apple macOS are frequently updated by their makers. Operating systems have built-in functions for downloading and installing the updates. Programs have built-in functions for doing the same.
In general, the updates can be installed manually or automatically. However, depending on what programs are being used, or how the network is set up, installing updates can be troublesome.
Sometimes problems occur during the installation process. Other times, the updates themselves can cause problems--some of which can be quite detrimental. Managed service providers can install and manage them more efficiently than average DIYers.
Moving Forward
Computer technology is a rabbit hole. It's generally more feasible to use managed service providers than self-manage. With the stress factor mostly taken away and efficient handling of computer resources, business owners can focus on managing employees and engaging in productivity, which matters most.
