Managed IT means an IT company looks after your systems every day for a fixed monthly fee, so most problems are caught before they stop work. Break/fix means you call someone when something breaks and pay for the hours to fix it. Break/fix suits a very small office that can live with the occasional bad day. Managed IT suits any business that loses money when computers or email are down.
“MSP” is a term many Maine business owners see when they look for IT help, and most want a plain answer to one question: do I need one? This post gives the definition, the alternative, a side-by-side table and a five-question test.
What does a managed service provider do?
A managed service provider (MSP) is an IT company that runs and maintains your technology for a fixed monthly fee. Instead of waiting for something to break, a typical MSP:
- monitors computers, servers and the network around the clock;
- applies operating system and application updates on a schedule;
- runs, monitors and tests backups;
- manages firewall, antivirus and other security tools;
- gives your staff a help desk to call;
- documents your network and deals with your technology vendors;
- helps you plan what to replace and what to budget for.
The word “managed” is the point. The provider is responsible for the state of your systems, not just for answering when you call. Our managed IT services page lists what a plan with us includes.
What is break/fix IT?
Break/fix is the traditional model: something breaks, you call, a technician fixes it, and you pay for the time. There is no monitoring, no scheduled updating, and usually no backup unless someone set one up once. The provider can’t see your systems between calls.
It is not a bad model. For a two-person office running laptops and web-based software, it is often the right one. The trouble is that break/fix quietly stops fitting as a business grows, and nothing announces the change.
Managed IT vs break/fix: how do they compare?
| Break/fix | Managed IT | |
|---|---|---|
| How you pay | By the hour, when something fails | A fixed monthly fee |
| Cost in a quiet month | Close to nothing | The fee |
| Cost in a bad month | Repair hours plus lost work time | The fee, plus any work outside the plan |
| Who notices a failing drive, a full disk or a missed update | Nobody, until it stops working | The monitoring system, usually before anyone is affected |
| Backups | Whatever was set up once | Run and monitored as part of the plan |
| Security | Antivirus, if someone installed it | Firewall, antivirus and threat blocking, managed together |
| Incentive | The provider is paid when something breaks | The provider is paid a recurring fee, so prevention is part of the job |
| Usual fit | A few computers, no server, low dependence on IT | Any business where downtime costs real money, or with a server, cloud systems or compliance needs |
For the pricing side, see what IT support costs a small business in Maine.
Which one does your business need? Five questions
- If email went down at 9 AM on a Tuesday, what would it cost by 5 PM? If the answer is “annoying,” you can live with break/fix. If the answer has a dollar figure, you need monitoring and someone accountable for uptime.
- When was a backup last restored, on purpose, to check it works? If you don’t know, you don’t really know you have a backup.
- Who applies Windows and Microsoft 365 updates, and how do you know it happened? “They install themselves” is how an unpatched machine slips through.
- Do you have a compliance obligation? Medical, dental, legal, accounting, financial services or a defense supply chain. If yes, you’ll need records of what was done and when, and break/fix rarely produces them.
- Is someone on your staff doing IT instead of their actual job? That person’s time is the hidden cost of break/fix, and it is often the biggest one.
Two or more uncomfortable answers point to managed IT. One or none, and break/fix is probably fine for now. Either way, make sure the backup is real.
What if you already have an IT person?
You don’t have to choose one or the other. Many MSPs offer co-managed IT: the provider handles monitoring, backups and security, and your in-house person stays the face of IT for your staff. As our managed IT page puts it, if you have IT staff, “we can cover monitoring, backups and security so they can focus on your business applications.”
How we help Portland businesses decide
Not every business that asks about managed IT needs it yet, and a small office with simple systems may be better served by an hourly, on-call arrangement for now. The way to find out is a look at what you actually run.
That is what our free on-site evaluation is for. We visit your office, review your computers, server, network, backups and security, and talk through what is working and what isn’t. You get clear recommendations and a quote, with no obligation.
Request a free on-site evaluation or call 207-653-4143.
FAQs
What is an MSP? A managed service provider is an IT company that monitors, maintains and secures a business’s technology for a fixed monthly fee, instead of billing only when something breaks.
What is the difference between managed IT and break/fix? Break/fix means you pay to fix problems after they stop your business. Managed IT means your systems are monitored and maintained every day, so most problems are caught and fixed before you notice them.
Is break/fix cheaper than managed IT? In a quiet month, yes. In a month with a failed server or a security incident, break/fix can cost more in repair hours and lost work. The comparison table above shows where each model costs money.
Do I need an IT department to use managed IT? No. Managed IT is built for businesses without IT staff, and it can also support an in-house IT person.
How much does managed IT cost in Maine? It depends on how many computers and users are covered and what services you need. We give an exact price after a free on-site evaluation.
