If you are a small business in Northern Ireland looking at managed IT support, the first question is usually: what do I actually get for the monthly fee? The answer varies enormously depending on the provider. Some sell you monitoring software and call it "managed IT." Others include everything from patching to firewall management to user account changes.
This is what we include. Not what a generic MSP brochure says. What actually happens month to month when you have a support contract with us.
Device Monitoring
Every device on your network (workstations, servers, routers, switches, access points) is monitored for availability and health. If a device goes offline, we know about it. If a hard drive starts failing, disk space runs low, or CPU usage spikes abnormally, we get an alert and investigate before it causes a visible problem.
This is not just a dashboard we check once a week. It is automated alerting that triggers action.
Patch Management
Operating system updates, security patches, and firmware updates applied and verified. Not just "auto-update turned on." We verify patches installed successfully, check for failures, and handle the ones that need a reboot or cause compatibility issues. This includes Windows updates, browser updates, and driver updates where they affect security.
User Account Management
New starters set up with the correct access, email, and permissions. Leavers removed promptly so old accounts do not sit open with access to systems. Password resets handled. Permission changes when someone changes role. This is the kind of thing that accumulates as security debt when nobody owns it.
Firewall and Network Security
Your router firewall rules reviewed and maintained. IDS/IPS monitored for alerts. DNS filtering policies updated. If your router firmware needs updating, we do it during a quiet period and verify everything still works afterward. If a new threat category needs blocking, we add it without you needing to ask.
Endpoint Security Verification
We check that every device has:
- Disk encryption active (BitLocker on Windows)
- Real-time antivirus protection running and up to date
- Controlled Folder Access enabled (ransomware protection)
- Firewall active on all network profiles
- MFA enabled on cloud accounts
If something gets turned off or a device falls out of compliance, we fix it or flag it with you.
Broadband and Connectivity Monitoring
Your internet connection is monitored. If it goes down, we know and we contact the supplier on your behalf. If there is a pattern of drops at certain times, we investigate whether it is the ISP, the router, or something internal. We coordinate with the broadband provider so you do not have to sit in a queue explaining the problem to someone reading from a script.
Supplier Liaison
When your broadband provider says "it is not our fault," or your phone system vendor says "check your internet," or your software vendor says "ask your IT person," we are the IT person. We deal with the finger-pointing, test from our end, and identify where the actual fault sits. This alone saves most small businesses hours of frustration per incident.
Documentation
Your network is documented: what devices exist, what IP addresses they use, what passwords are set, how call routing works, what DNS settings are configured, what the Wi-Fi SSIDs and VLANs are. This documentation is maintained as changes happen. If you ever need to change provider (or if I get hit by a bus), the next person can understand your setup without starting from scratch.
What We Do Not Include (Unless Agreed)
- Hardware purchases (quoted separately when needed)
- New cabling or physical installation (quoted per job)
- Software licensing (Microsoft 365, etc. billed separately)
- Projects (office moves, new system deployments) outside normal support scope
These are additional to the monthly support fee and quoted in advance so there are no surprises.
What to Ask Any Managed IT Provider Before Signing
- What is the response time commitment?
- Who answers the phone when I call? A person or a ticket system?
- Do you manage the firewall, or just the devices behind it?
- What happens when a staff member leaves? How quickly is access removed?
- Do you deal with my broadband provider when there is a fault?
- Is my network documented? Can I see it?
- What happens if I leave? Do I get my documentation and passwords?
- Are patches verified as successfully installed, or just pushed?
- Is there a named person responsible, or a rotating team?
- What is the minimum contract term?
Who This Is For
Small businesses with 2 to 50 staff who do not have an in-house IT person. Professional services, retail, hospitality, construction, clinics, farms, and offices across Northern Ireland. Businesses that have been burned by unresponsive IT support or that currently have nobody responsible for keeping systems running and secure.
Want to Know What a Contract Would Cover for You?
Tell me what you have and what is not working well. I will tell you what support would include, what it would cost, and whether it makes sense for your business.