Co-managed or fully managed IT: which fits
Co-managed IT means a managed service provider works alongside your internal IT team and takes specific jobs, such as the help desk queue, after-hours coverage, or monitoring. Fully managed IT means the provider runs all of IT for you. Co-managed fits companies with an IT lead who needs more hands. Fully managed fits companies with no in-house IT. Sanapptx offers both.
How do co-managed and fully managed IT compare?
Co-managed IT
Your IT lead. The provider advises and executes.
Fully managed IT
The provider, with leadership signing off on budget and roadmap.
Co-managed IT
The provider takes the queue or the overflow. Your team keeps the escalations it wants.
Fully managed IT
The provider handles every ticket.
Co-managed IT
Usually the provider, so your team isn't on call.
Fully managed IT
The provider.
Co-managed IT
Usually the provider's tools and network operations center (NOC), with alerts and reports shared with your team.
Fully managed IT
The provider's tools and NOC.
Co-managed IT
Your IT lead, with input from the provider.
Fully managed IT
The provider's virtual CIO, reviewed with leadership.
Co-managed IT
1 or more internal IT staff who are stretched thin.
Fully managed IT
No internal IT, or one generalist who has other duties.
Co-managed IT
Lower, because part of the work stays in house.
Fully managed IT
Higher, but it can replace the cost of hiring an IT team.
Co-managed IT
Shared between your team and the provider.
Fully managed IT
The provider owns it end to end.
Co-managed IT
Roles can blur, so write down who owns what.
Fully managed IT
You depend on the provider for day-to-day knowledge, so ask for documentation and admin access.
Which one fits your company?
Co-managed IT fits when
- You have an IT lead or small team you want to keep.
- Your team spends its week on tickets instead of projects.
- Nobody wants to carry the after-hours phone anymore.
- You need NOC monitoring or security tools you can't justify building yourself.
Fully managed IT fits when
- You have no internal IT, or IT is a side job for someone in operations.
- You want one vendor accountable for the help desk, network, cloud, and security.
- Your last IT person left and took the knowledge with them.
- You'd rather pay one provider than recruit and retain IT staff.
Sanapptx runs both
We run both models from the same Texas help desk and NOC. Fully managed clients get the help desk, patching, endpoints, cloud, and security, with a virtual CIO for the roadmap and budget.
Frequently asked questions
Can you work alongside our internal IT person?
Yes. That's what co-managed IT is for. Your IT lead keeps ownership and the projects they care about, and we handle the help desk queue, after-hours coverage, and network monitoring.
Will co-managed IT replace my IT team?
No. Co-managed IT adds capacity behind your team. Your people stay in charge of decisions and the work they want to keep.
Which model costs less?
Co-managed has a lower monthly fee because part of the work stays in house. Fully managed costs more per month but can replace the salary, benefits, and tools of an internal team. Compare the total, not just the invoice.
Can we start co-managed and move to fully managed later?
Yes. With us it's the same team and the same tools, so moving between models changes the scope, not the vendor.
Who gets the alerts in a co-managed setup?
We agree on that at the start and write it down.
Does fully managed IT include security?
With Sanapptx, the same team covers IT, cloud, and security, including managed firewalls, endpoint detection and response, vulnerability scanning, and penetration testing.
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