An Exploration of 8 Key Types of Managed IT Services
In a previous blog post, we explored what managed IT services are and why they’re beneficial. However, managed service providers (MSPs) offer different types of managed IT services. Most will offer more than one type, but not all will offer all types.
| “You may have heard about the benefits of managed IT. While these benefits are valuable, there is a catch. That catch is your need to select the right types of services to meet your needs.” – Mike Walsh, Chief Operating Officer, DKBinnovative |
For this reason, you need to recognize the differences between different types of managed services. Knowing these differences can help you choose an MSP who is more likely to meet your needs. Once you understand your business goals, you can explore various types of managed services that can help you meet them.
That’s what this article is here to help you understand. We will explore 8 key types of managed IT services, how they can benefit your operations, and what the best use case for each service offering is.
8 Types of Managed Services
1. Co-Managed IT Services
Co-managed IT services let you combine your internal IT team with outside support from a managed services provider. The MSP fills gaps in expertise, staffing, or availability while still giving the internal team control over day-to-day IT tasks.
This model is a cost-effective option for companies that have IT staff but need help with scaling, specialized skills, or 24/7 coverage. It’s also a good fit if your team is falling behind on strategic initiatives due to constant break/fix work.
This service contrasts with the typical MSP model that involves full outsourcing. Filling in skill gaps is the usual use case for choosing co-managed over fully managed IT, but it’s not the only one. Here are some more example use cases.
| Fully Managed IT | Co-Managed IT |
| No internal IT staff is available or planned | An internal IT team exists but needs extra support |
| The business wants to fully outsource IT operations | The team handles daily tasks but needs help with larger projects |
| Leadership wants to offload all IT responsibilities | The IT team needs help managing advanced infrastructure or security |
| There’s no time or budget to build and retain an in-house team | Current staff lacks specific certifications or deep expertise in certain technologies |
| The company needs consistent IT coverage without managing shifts or coverage gaps | In-house staff is overloaded with support requests and can’t focus on improvements |
| Business requires a single point of accountability for all IT services | The team wants to maintain control while accessing scalable resources when needed |
| The company prefers a turnkey solution with predictable pricing | The business has seasonal needs that temporarily exceed internal capacity |
2. Virtual CIO (vCIO) Services
Virtual CIO services give companies access to executive-level IT guidance without hiring a full-time chief information officer. A vCIO helps set long-term IT strategies, plan budgets, align technology with business goals, and oversee major projects or decisions.
vCIO services are ideal for small to mid-sized businesses that don’t have in-house strategic IT leadership but still want to make smart, forward-looking tech decisions. It’s especially useful during periods of rapid growth, mergers, or while replacing outdated systems.
3. Managed Security Services
Some providers specialize in data protection as their sole business model. These providers are known as managed security service providers (MSSP). However, many MSPs also offer powerful threat detection and response capabilities that are on par with MSSPs.
Any organization of any size or in any industry can benefit from managed security services, whether from an MSP or MSSP. Cyber threats are evolving rapidly, but organizations that trust an expert partner with their cybersecurity lower security costs by 27% and detect emerging threats 76% faster.
Minimize Downtime by Minimizing Disruptions |
4. Cloud Management Services
Cloud management services help businesses run and optimize their cloud computing platforms. These services include cloud migration, cost tracking, security controls, performance monitoring, and day-to-day management of hosted applications or services.
Businesses moving off legacy systems, expanding into remote work, or adopting SaaS tools benefit from this service. It’s especially useful for teams that don’t have cloud expertise or need help managing spending across multiple platforms like Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services, or Google Cloud.
Furthermore, this type of service can also simply be a way to free your internal team from the burden of managing your cloud infrastructure.
5. Compliance & Risk Management Services
Compliance and risk management services help businesses meet regulatory requirements and manage operational risks related to IT systems. The MSP reviews policies, systems, and user behavior to identify gaps and support documentation efforts.
Having this help can both reduce your risk of mistakes and expedite the process. For instance, CloudSecureTech notes that CMMC certification can take 6 to 18 months to complete. This is a long time to wait if you need that certification for certain business deals.
While you mustn’t rush the process to the point where you make careless mistakes, the help of an MSP can make it happen faster.
| Learn More About How The Right IT Partner Could Help You |
6. Device Lifecycle & Infrastructure Management
Device and infrastructure management covers the full life of IT assets. The MSP keeps inventory records, standardizes configurations, and monitors health and performance. This service also includes help desk support for device issues, warranty tracking, vendor coordination, and upgrade planning.
Having this service is particularly important for growing companies that need consistency across remote teams, rely on hybrid work models, or don’t have time to manage aging hardware and infrastructure on their own.
7. Patch Management & System Updates
Patch management covers the testing, scheduling, and installation of security patches and system updates across a business’s devices and software. The MSP tracks new releases, applies them in a controlled way, and verifies that updates don’t cause system conflicts.
Businesses with limited IT staff or those using a wide mix of applications and operating systems benefit the most. It’s also important for any company under pressure to prove they’re actively reducing risks tied to outdated software.
8. Managed Backup & Disaster Recovery (BDR)
Most organizations understand the value of regularly backing up their data. The problem is that many data backups are not tested. 25% of organizations test their data backups once a year or less, which means they are at risk of the backup not working when it’s truly needed.
The right MSP can take on this task on your behalf. The MSP sets the backup schedule, stores the data in secure locations, and tests recovery plans on a regular basis. The goal is to recover systems quickly with minimal data loss and avoid extended interruptions to business operations.
This service is essential for any company that can’t afford data loss or long periods of downtime. It’s especially valuable for industries with service-level agreements (SLAs), sensitive customer data, or strict uptime requirements.
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Enjoy All 8 of These Different Types of Managed IT Services From DKB
As mentioned, not all MSPs will offer all types of managed IT services. This article also only listed 8 of all the different types out there. However, if you feel like these 8 services could all benefit your organization, an MSP that provides them all is available.
That MSP is DKBInnovative. Our team will help yours increase operational efficiency by optimizing your technology’s functionality through real-time monitoring and support. Choosing our services ensures that you always have a team on hand who is ready to help you with your next step.
Reach out to book your consultation today!
