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Two Ways to Work With a Managed IT Provider
With fully managed IT, a provider acts as your IT department and takes responsibility for support, monitoring, security and planning. With co-managed IT, a provider works alongside your own IT staff, adding coverage, tools and expertise while your team keeps the work it wants to own.
Both models use the same provider team and tools. The difference is who does what. This guide compares the two and shows how to decide. For the basics, see what managed IT services are.
Fully Managed vs. Co-Managed IT at a Glance
Which Model Fits Your Business?
Fully managed IT usually fits a business with no IT staff, or where IT is the second job of someone in the office. The provider handles everything, and leadership gets one accountable partner and regular planning reviews.
Co-managed IT usually fits a business with an IT person or a small team who are stretched thin, need cover for vacations and after hours, or want help with security tools, monitoring or larger projects. It is also a common step for a growing company that is not ready to hire more IT staff. See the signs your business needs managed IT services.
How to Split Responsibilities in Co-Managed IT
- Who answers employee help desk requests, and during which hours.
- Who manages security tools, patching and monitoring alerts.
- Who has administrator access to which systems, and how access is reviewed.
- Who owns projects, vendor relationships and the technology budget.
- How tickets, documentation and changes are shared between both teams.
- How and when the split is reviewed as the business changes.
Costs and Agreements
Both models are priced on what the provider manages. At TechStarters, managed IT is priced per device, with an annual or month-to-month agreement, and the written scope of a co-managed agreement lists which services each side covers. See how managed IT pricing works.
Compare the full cost of each option, including salaries, tools and coverage when staff are away. Our guide to managed IT vs. in-house IT walks through those costs.
Switching Between Models
The models are not permanent. Many businesses start co-managed and move to fully managed when an IT employee leaves, or move from fully managed to co-managed after hiring internal IT staff. A good provider documents your systems, so the change does not start from zero.
How TechStarters Helps
TechStarters provides both fully managed IT services and co-managed IT services, with a 24/7 help desk, 24/7 monitoring, endpoint protection and security patching on every managed workstation and server.
Every engagement starts with a free IT assessment and a written proposal; see how managed IT pricing works. We support businesses nationwide from offices in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and New York.
Co-Managed vs. Fully Managed IT FAQs
What is the difference between co-managed and fully managed IT?
With fully managed IT, the provider is your IT department. With co-managed IT, the provider works alongside your internal IT staff, and responsibilities are agreed in writing.
Will co-managed IT replace our IT person?
No. Co-managed IT supports your IT staff by adding coverage, tools and specialists, so they can focus on the work that matters most to your business.
Can we switch from co-managed to fully managed IT later?
Yes. The agreement can change as your business changes, for example when an IT employee leaves or your team grows.
Is co-managed IT less expensive than fully managed IT?
It can be, because your staff keep part of the work, but the cost depends on what the provider covers. A free IT assessment and a written proposal show the cost of each option.
How do we get started?
Request a quote. We start with a free IT assessment and send a written proposal for the model that fits.
Explore Our Managed IT Services
Request a Managed IT Services Quote
Tell us about your business, your locations and your devices, and we will send a written proposal with per-device monthly pricing. Prefer to talk? Call (877) 932-0040.