What managed IT support includes, and what to ask before you sign

Managed IT support means that a provider looks after your devices, accounts and systems on a regular basis, instead of fixing things only when they break. The label covers a wide range of services, so two quotes with the same name can be very different.

What a good arrangement usually includes

• A help desk you can reach by phone, with a named team that knows your setup.
• Monitoring of servers, network equipment and key services, with someone who acts on the alerts.
• Updates and maintenance on a schedule agreed with you.
• Setting up new staff, closing the accounts of people who leave, and resetting passwords.
• Backups that are tested, and a written plan for recovery.
• Regular reports and a yearly look at what needs replacing.

Ten questions to ask before you sign

1. Who answers the phone, and when? Is out-of-hours help included?
2. Which systems and devices are covered, and which are not?
3. How quickly will you hear back about a problem? Is that written down?
4. What happens when something is outside the agreement?
5. Who owns the passwords and the documentation?
6. How are backups tested, and when did you last restore one?
7. How do you protect the accounts you use to manage our systems?
8. What do you report to us each month?
9. How do we end the arrangement, and how do we get our information back?
10. Can you give us a written plan for the first 90 days?

Our managed support is built around these points. We agree the scope in writing before we start, and we are happy to explain any line of it.