Facts
The Velvet Systems team is currently providing the following managed services for clients in Queensland and PNG:
On-premises (in office):
- Help-desk.
- Workstations/computers.
- Security infrastructure – firewalls and network (switches, routers).
- Network infrastructure – switches, routers, internet connectivity, LAN/WAN.
- Servers – physical and virtual.
- Storage devices – SAN, NAS.
- Disaster recovery and backup infrastructure.
- Phone systems.
- CCTV systems.
Cloud
- Help-desk.
- Management of the infrastructure used to connect to the cloud (internet connection, intrusion prevention, network, workstations, etc.).
- Document and data storage – SharePoint.
- Office productivity – Office365, Microsoft365.
- Disaster recovery and backup.
- Virtual servers.
- Remote Desktop solutions.
If you have in-house IT staff there may be times when you also need:
- Additional support when staff are on holidays, long-service leave, or maternity/paternity leave.
- Staff augmentation to help during an unexpected busy period.
- Help with an IT project.
- Specialist IT consulting services.
We can help with all these too. Please contact us now for expert advice and sleep well, knowing you are covered.
Managed security services
Managed security services are embedded in all our current on-premises and cloud managed services engagements.
Disaster recovery
Managed disaster recovery services are embedded in our current on-premises and cloud managed services engagements.
What are managed services?
In a managed services arrangement:
The task of maintaining the client’s information technology is transferred from the client to the Managed Service Provider (“MSP”), relieving the client of a non-core function. This allows the client to focus on their core business.
In consultation with the client, the MSP ensures that the client always has information technology that is fit-for-purpose and is available to meet the organisation’s needs (often with an agreed service level objective).
The MSP provides deep technical expertise and ensures that any IT challenges are resolved as efficiently as possible.
The MSP brings industry knowledge to the relationship (best practices, trends, etc.) so that the client can make better informed strategic information technology choices.
The MSP brings industry standard processes and procedures for managing the client’s information technology environment, whether the client uses the cloud, on-premises systems, or both.
The MSP provides rapid scalability and flexibility to align with the client’s evolving business needs.
The MSP provides project delivery and consulting services to the client as needed.
The managed services arrangement provides the client with highly predictable costs.
It is often possible to transition a client’s in-house IT support staff to the MSP immersing them in a team of like-minded people and giving them a career path that may not be available in the client organisation.
Sometimes managed services just make more sense
If you have been wondering if managed services are right for you there are some considerations that may help with your decision:
In-house staff may not have the skills and experience to migrate your business to the cloud then support you when you are there.
Providing 24/7/365 support can be challenging with in-house staff.
In smaller companies it can be challenging to find the depth and breadth of skills and experience to provide functions like these in-house:
- Cloud systems administrator.
- Security manager.
- In-house systems and network administrator.
- Help-desk.
- Workstation support.
- Support for remote working and site offices.
- IT project management and consulting.
- Phone systems support.
- Print and photocopier support.
- IT equipment purchasing.
Even with good in-house IT support there will be challenges and new projects that will require the services of outside professionals.
Human nature is to surround yourself with what you know. With information technology that can sometimes mean that in-house staff may not be considering the most current or most appropriate technology for your business. Or they simply may not know about it.
Providing governance for a supplier relationship can be easier and less time-consuming than providing HR support for a staff member.
It can sometimes be challenging to provide the best career path for a staff member who is not part of your core business. In-house IT staff often feel overlooked for promotions, and sometimes feel like they are “just a cost-center”. Plus people with good technical skills are in high demand and the risk of losing your in-house support can sometimes be high.
Velvet Systems has been providing information technology services to clients in Brisbane (and beyond) for over 20 years. We can help you meet all of these challenges.
We can even work with you to permanently transition your in-house IT staff into our Velvet Systems team. They will be surrounded by like-minded technical people and they will have a career path that may be difficult to provide in your organisation.
Good managed IT services can be hard to find
Some warning signs that your current services provider may not be right for you:
Your internet / cloud connectivity is terrible despite repeated calls to your provider.
You are experiencing repeated security issues – hacking, denial of service (DOS, DDOS) attacks, viruses, logins not working, ex-employees not locked out, crypto locker, adware and spyware, phishing, ransomware, firewall problems, rogue software
After an incident some of your data could not be recovered, or some of your applications could not be restarted.
You are experiencing repeated unplanned outages and downtime.
Your workstations and computers are continually crashing or running slowly despite repeated calls to your provider.
You can’t connect to the internet, can’t connect to your cloud applications and data, can’t login, can’t print, can’t access documents, can’t access emails… and your provider is unable to help.
Your provider has poor communication – leaving you in the dark about incidents, security issues, and outages.
Your provider has poor follow-through – they do not do what they say they will, when they say they will.
The strategic guidance and partnership navigation meetings feel more like sales calls.
You continually feel you are not receiving value.
You like the tech who usually helps you (a single person), however, you are not happy with the provider’s team and business practices.
Get in touch today
Velvet Systems has been providing information technology services to clients in Brisbane (and beyond) for over 20 years. For expert advice contact us now and sleep well, knowing you are covered.
