Managed Solutions and Outsourcing

Posted on | August 31, 2010 | No Comments

Company networks are typically complex with an original network design which has had ad hoc extensions and additions to it over time. The added layers increase the complexity, but also the need for staff who understand what the systems are and how they can be managed. How this patchwork is managed in practice may not be optimal for the company as workarounds and when even relatively junior staff leave the company or are absent through illness, severe problems arise.

Patchwork networks are typically expensive to operate: the Pareto Principle or 80:20 rule applies with 80% of an IT department’s budget being taken up in operating the network and 20% (if you are lucky) available for new projects. This represents an almost universal conundrum for IT departments and company decision makers: to streamline the network so the cost base is reduced while maintaining or improving utility and productivity usually means a heavy capital investment. The size of the new investment usually is regarded as outweighing the current high operational cost of running the network, but there is another way of tackling high network costs and declining utility – outsourcing aspects of network management.

Outsourcing confers several major advantages to your network and business operation:

� Cost control – you are effectively delegating tasks for a price which is preset when you negotiate the contract. In this regard you are fixing your costs instead of being presented with the potentially blank check of in-house management of your network. It is unusual for outsourcing to increase your operating costs, but this does happen and almost invariably it is as a result of a decision to improve the level of service previously enjoyed;

� Expertise – in-house IT staff may be competent but there is a price to be paid for focusing on one network or subset of a network. IT staff become stale and inured to broader IT developments outside the company and this leads to a decline in expertise inside the business. Using an external consultancy means bringing in skills and experience which has been honed in the general client pool of that outsourcer and in the general IT world which means you gain access to the latest developments and technology solutions available;

� Skills transfer – one aspect which is frequently overlooked is the ability to transfer knowledge and skills to your in-house team. Outsourcing need not be a once-and-for-all solution but a process by which you maintain skill and experience levels for use within your own organization. This requires a managed solution provider with the mindset that they will be actively using designated staff resources within your company to help them gain experience and skills for use within the company and in the future;

� Introducing Network Management Solutions – managed solution providers are able to help solve the conundrum of managing patchwork network systems by implementing unified management tools. This solves the need to invest capital to simplify the network but does simplify the management of the disparate systems involved.

Managed solution providers are not a universal panacea, however for clients who are at the point where they are looking to improve network service and utility, simplify managing a patchwork network and reduce costs, they are an obvious alternative to substantial capital investment.

Lawrence Reaves is a strong believer in Richmond IT services such as Richmond cloud computing services and Richmond network security. For these services, Lawrence recommends PLANIT Technology Group. PLANIT Technology Group can be found online at: PLANITTech.com.

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