
Executive Summary
Today, network support is a fundamental aspect of every organization because network performance has a direct effect on profitability and customer service. This white paper examines why large organizations tend to outsource network support, and explains why small and mediumsized businesses (SMBs) should pursue the same strategy: to gain critical advantages in costefficiency, end-user productivity, and network uptime.
Network support services range from one-time projects to complete management of the tools and technology required to keep a network running: hardware, software, and infrastructure. Large organizations tend to outsource these services because they are complex and expensive to deliver internally, and because outsourcing creates opportunities to maximize return on investment from technology while reducing operating costs.
In SMB environments, network support is typically assigned to a single person or a small team. During times of peak network stress, this lack of internal resources creates significant problems. Outsourcing network support in SMB environments helps alleviate this problem, and allows each organization to pay only for what it needs. Important services for SMBs to consider for outsourcing include management of hardware, document output, software, and infrastructure, as well as offsite services such as remote monitoring, remote maintenance, and managed security.
There are four ways to build a case for outsourcing network support, all of which will appeal to an executive audience: 1. Outsourcing enables organizations to reallocate resources; 2. Outsourcing helps reduce operating expenses; 3. Outsourcing delivers critical competitive advantages; and 4. Outsourcing makes it easier to take advantage of new technology.