Managed IT vs. In-House Support: What’s Best for You?

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Hiring an internal IT team versus partnering with an MSP is a classic dilemma. We break down the true costs, coverage gaps, and scalability of both models.

As your business crosses the 50-employee mark, relying on the "most tech-savvy person in the office" to fix printer jams and reset passwords is no longer viable. You need dedicated support.

The True Cost of In-House IT

A single mid-level IT administrator costs around $85,000 annually, plus benefits, training, and downtime when they are sick or on vacation. Furthermore, an IT generalist cannot possibly be an expert in network security, cloud architecture, and end-user helpdesk all at once.

The Co-Managed IT Approach

If you already have an internal IT director, an MSP doesn't have to replace them. Co-managed IT allows your internal team to focus on strategic business applications (like ERP implementations or proprietary software) while offloading the noise (patching, backups, 24/7 security monitoring) to the MSP.

24/7 Threat Monitoring

Cyberattacks don't happen between 9 AM and 5 PM. If a ransomware payload detonates at 2:00 AM on a Sunday, your in-house IT manager won't see it until Monday morning. An MSP provides a 24/7 Security Operations Center (SOC) to isolate threats instantaneously.

This constant vigilance drastically reduces the Mean Time To Respond (MTTR), which is the most critical metric in preventing a localized malware infection from becoming a company-wide data breach.

Predictable IT Budgeting

In-house IT costs are highly variable. Beyond salaries, you have to account for recruiting fees, continuous training, software licensing for monitoring tools, and emergency overtime pay during crises. Managed Services operate on a fixed monthly operational expense (OpEx).

This predictability allows CFOs to accurately forecast technology spending while ensuring the business always has access to the latest enterprise-grade tools without the massive upfront capital expenditures.