Doing more with less: How managed IT works within your tight government budget

If you run a government agency or public sector IT team, you know how challenging it can be to work with a limited budget. 

With managed IT services, however, you can get more out of your technology with fewer resources. Even better, you’ll have more confidence that your systems and data is protected with the help of your managed IT partner. 

Let’s look at how managed services can empower your agency, even if you’re operating with a shoestring budget.

Spend less per year than the salary of one in-house IT employee

When you factor in an annual salary, training, vacation time, and benefits, even a single in-house IT staff member can consume a large chunk of an already modest IT budget. This can leave your agency without enough money to invest in better software and hardware each year. In addition to the IT workforce necessary for innovation and high-level IT projects that could empower your staff. 

A managed services provider gives you access to a team of IT experts for a set fee. This means you’ll pay less but benefit from an entire team of experts with a diverse skill set.

Maximize your budget with virtualized IT services

Your managed IT partner can run multiple operating systems from one computer virtually. They can virtually manage your networks, servers, and storage. This can reduce administrative tasks and make scaling easier and more affordable. It also enhances security – a major concern for any company, especially for public sector organizations.

Government agencies are frequently targeted by hackers – in 2019 alone, there were 28,581 attacks against the government. Some high-profile attacks, such as the alleged Russian cyberattack in late 2020, impacted the Treasury and Commerce Departments. Others go unnoticed. But, with tens of thousands of attacks a year, there’s no question that cybersecurity is a major public sector issue.

With virtualized IT services, your provider offers another layer of protection. A managed IT provider can implement several techniques such as masking server resources. Sandboxing involves isolating a specific application so it can’t impact the rest of your system, and network segmentation.

A managed IT services provider with experience in the public sector will be able to offer advanced security services that align with cybersecurity regulations and compliance standards for your agency.

Boost efficiency and lower energy costs with cloud computing

Your managed IT provider can also help your agency transition to cloud computing and cloud-based communications tools. A cloud-first strategy can lead to lower energy costs, greater energy efficiency, and reduced data storage expenses because your cloud provider manages the hardware off-site.

A report from 2019, the most recent from the US Government Accountability Office, found that most of the agencies that acquired cloud services could leverage more cost-effective managed IT services. They also experienced better collaboration and information sharing, which can then enhance staff productivity.

Managed services made advanced IT possible

Don’t let a limited IT budget hold your agency back. Experience the benefits of better technology and more IT resources by partnering with a managed services provider that understands the needs of the public sector. 

When you partner with CTSI, you’ll get 24/7 monitoring of workstations, servers, and security solutions, tailored security solutions, patch management, device optimization, and more – all for a flat monthly fee. 

There’s so much to gain from empowering your teams with budget-friendly, advanced IT services.