Schools require a lot from their IT networks, especially if they are implementing BYOD programs or one-to-one initiatives. For these programs to be successful, it may require schools to upgrade their current network and infrastructure, which can be a confusing and lengthy process. You are currently at point A and need to be at point B, but there are several ways to get there. Upgrading and managing your school’s network can be a maze full of obstacles and wrong turns.
Outsourcing some of your network services can rescue your IT staff, allowing them to focus more so on IT requirements in the classroom. With a managed network service, a trusted third-party provider helps maintain your network, so you do not have to. They can take care of service management and carrier services to allow your IT team to focus on other core business activities.
Related: IT Challenges Plaguing Modern Schools
3 Benefits of Outsourcing Some Network Services
1) A lack of tools or time will not get in your way. When networks used to be simple, it was possible for IT staff to fix problems and keep that engine maintained. Now, networks are anything but simple. With this high degree of complexity, sophisticated tools are needed to upkeep networks. IT staff are smart individuals, but complex networks can get the best of anyone. They may not have the required tools or enough time to keep it running smoothly. It is important to talk with your trusted value added reseller (VAR) partner to understand if they have these solutions or services to help monitor the health of your network and fix problems quickly.
2) You get more with less effort. A school’s network needs to run consistently to deliver quality education. To do so, a lot of moving parts are involved. A network needs to be designed well, have the appropriate infrastructure in place, and then needs to be properly maintained. However, it is not practical for your IT team to take care of all these moving parts–it’s too much work. Leveraging your VAR can help in building and supporting a reliable, healthy network that will meet your needs for a reasonable cost.
3) You spend less on training and certifications. No education is cheap. A single online class can be expensive. With networks and solutions constantly changing, it can be hard to keep your IT staff knowledgeable and up to date on the latest and greatest. If you have one IT employee dedicated to your network, it will be next to impossible for him or her to keep up to speed with technologies that can benefit your school. VARs, on the other hand, have certified staff that are often specialized in different IT disciplines. If you need to talk to someone who specializes in disaster recovery, they will have someone. Instead of constantly spending money to train your IT staff, you can use an experienced professional who’s been certified on someone else’s time and dime.
IT administrators are smart people. It takes an intelligent person to fix wireless problems and manage the network for an entire school division. However, it’s impractical for one IT team to take on a complex network. That’s how leveraging your VAR partner for onsite, remote, or even managed network services can benefit you. If you team up, they will help you navigate the maze that is your school’s network.
