‘IT as a service’ (ITaaS) is on the rise as companies realise the benefits of contracting an IT service provider for all their business technology needs. While ITaaS is not a new concept, it has become a go-to operational model for medium-to-large sized companies that need 24/7 monitoring, managing, and sustaining of company technology.
Moving to ITaaS is an operational shift, where IT is run as a business and therefore can be optimised according to business needs. Companies that run hybrid IT environments, such as private cloud, public cloud, and in-house applications, can contract services for all or just part of their technological system. Here are some leading benefits of IT as a service and why more companies are shifting to this model.
Full-time security
Hiring a full-time staff to monitor servers 24/7/365 is expensive and can eat up a lot of the IT budget. Instead, by contracting an ITaaS provider, companies can save valuable time and resources. This provider will be on-call for any disruptions of services, applications, or any website or hardware. The ITaaS provider will fix the issue and alert the company if necessary.
Since IT security is a top concern for businesses, having an ITaaS provider can take away an element of fear, as they are skilled in handling breaches such as distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks or malware issues. And especially for companies with strict compliance regulations, and ITaaS provider can ensure all requirements are met.
Efficient support for employees
Most companies have employees distributed around the country or around the world, which often means limited deskside support resources. An ITaaS provider, however, can deploy a self-service support portal, which allows employees to open support tickets, search a robust FAQ, check the status of issues, request new devices, or find any information related to the IT aspect of their position.
This type of support system is seamless for employees who want fast answers and quick relief from IT issues. It can be integrated with help desk software applications, making internal IT support easy.
Monitoring and management
All companies must monitor and update hardware for items such as antivirus software, operating system updates, etc. This process takes time and resources that could be used elsewhere. By shifting this responsibility to an ITaaS provider, companies are relieved of managing each employee’s laptop, desktop, and mobile device. The ITaaS provider ensures all devices are regularly updated with the latest operating systems and applications.
Furthermore, the ITaaS provider can remotely access each device for configurations, patching, and ongoing maintenance. If for some reason an on-site fix is necessary, the system can alert a designated technician to fix the problem. ITaaS providers also monitor and maintain virtual servers, remotely fixing any issues, to ensure regular and consistent performance.
Enhanced reporting
Many companies are bound to a service level agreement (SLA), which makes performance monitoring an important part of IT services. The ITaaS provider can monitor performance and alert technicians to when action is necessary for any hardware or device. ITaaS providers can report against enhanced SLA metrics beyond standard OEM warranty terms. For small-and-medium sized businesses, attaining these services through the OEM can be costly, which is why an independent service organization is an affordable alternative.
Interested in hearing industry leaders discuss subjects like this and sharing their experiences and use-cases? Attend the Cyber Security & Cloud Expo World Series with upcoming events in Silicon Valley, London and Amsterdam to learn more.
