Summary:
- Having an IT strategy is essential for ensuring that your business’s technology supports its long-term goals, including infrastructure, security, compliance, and scalability.
- In-house IT can provide direct control but is costly, resource-intensive, and may lack the expertise required to address evolving cybersecurity threats and industry regulations.
- Managed IT services offer specialized expertise, cost efficiency, and scalability, making them a better fit for many businesses as technology costs and compliance demands increase.
- Co-managed IT provides a flexible option for companies with internal IT teams, allowing them to offload routine tasks while gaining access to expert support and advanced security.
- The costs of insufficient IT support can be severe, including downtime, security breaches, and compliance failures. This makes proactive IT support a critical investment.
A strong IT strategy keeps your business competitive, secure, and prepared for future growth. But when it comes to executing that strategy, should you build and manage it in-house, or work with a managed services provider (MSP)?
The answer isn’t always cut and dried. In fact, it depends on the unique needs of your business, the sector you work in, and—increasingly—the way IT trends are changing across many different industries.
This guide from our team at Revotech explores the key differences between developing an IT strategy internally and partnering with an MSP. We’ll break down the costs, efficiency, security, and long-term benefits of each approach so you can make an informed decision about what’s best for your company’s future.
What Is an IT Strategy?
An IT strategy is essentially a blueprint for how your business will use technology to achieve its goals. It includes:
- Infrastructure planning (hardware, software, cloud solutions)
- Cybersecurity measures and risk management
- IT budgeting and cost optimization
- Compliance with industry regulations
- Scalability for future growth
Without a well-structured IT strategy, your business can face inefficiencies, security risks, and costly downtime. But how should you develop and maintain that strategy? Let’s compare the two primary approaches.
Different Approaches to IT Strategy: Managed vs. In-House
In-House IT: An Established Strategy—But Increasingly Obsolete?
Say you choose to have all your IT needs met by your own in-house team. That means everyone who upgrades, maintains, and troubleshoots their business technology is an employee of your company. It’s the oldest approach to IT—but that doesn’t necessarily make it the best in every case.
Companies that embrace this approach often do so because of a sense that they “own” their talent and technology, instead of having to “rent” it from a third party. But this notion is misleading. IT solutions aren’t tangible things you can buy; they’re responsibilities you have to fulfill. And trying to do that without expert assistance can be well beyond the capabilities of many businesses.
As you can imagine, keeping people on salary to deal with outages or cyber security threats can get expensive fast. With this approach, you’re also responsible for purchasing and upgrading the technology your business needs. If something breaks or becomes obsolete, your company is on the hook for it.
That need to pay for everything yourself affects almost every metric for how your IT environment performs—from scale and speed to security. Your technology projects become limited by the number of staff you can afford to hire and the equipment you can afford to purchase outright. You might not be able to attract or retain talent with all the expertise required to meet the needs of your business. And in cases where the cybersecurity of your company is on the line, that can be extremely risky—your ability to respond to threats essentially depends on the power of your pocketbook.
Managed IT: Better & More Affordable than It Used to Be
Working with an MSP used to be considered a major investment—not just of capital, but also of trust. That’s because you’re handing care of your network over to people from outside your organization. It’s like hiring a live-in housekeeper or gardener for your home.
But things have changed drastically in recent years. Not only have many MSPs become more affordable to work with as they scale up to meet an increase in demand for their services, but the IT costs for many businesses are rising due to new technologies that also bring new cyber threats and regulations.
That means working with an MSP isn’t just more affordable than it was a decade or two ago—in many cases, it’s actually far less expensive than paying for your own in-house IT staff and equipment. And since MSPs are experts who focus specifically on IT solutions, you’re getting seasoned experts at a fraction of the price it would cost you to hire the same kind of talent.
The kind of support you have access to is scalable with an MSP as well—once you’ve partnered with them, they work to understand your needs and allocate resources accordingly, even when those needs change. That makes your IT scalable and responsive, which puts you in a better position to respond to threats adequately and successfully grow your business. MSPs like Revotech even provide Hardware-as-a-Service, which provides you with cutting-edge equipment on a subscription basis instead of forcing you to purchase new technology out of pocket whenever you need to upgrade. The money you save from this alone can help working with an MSP pay for itself.
Co-Managed IT: Expert Support to Complement In-House Teams
Co-managed IT is an approach that helps businesses acquire expert support to fill gaps in their existing IT infrastructure or hand off specific responsibilities while retaining in-house employees. Working with an MSP in this way provides flexible and scalable support for the experts you already have, allowing you to keep leveraging the skills and experience they’ve developed while working for your business.
This is a more collaborative IT strategy that essentially makes the MSP an extension of your team instead of a replacement for it. But you’ll still experience the advantages of working with a company that can provide expertise and hardware to meet your specific needs.
Comparison Chart: In-House IT vs. Managed Services
| Aspect | In-House IT Strategy | Working with an MSP |
| Expertise | Limited to the knowledge and experience of internal staff. | Access to specialized professionals with expertise across multiple industries and technologies. |
| Resource Allocation | IT staff may be stretched thin handling daily operations and strategic planning. | Dedicated MSP teams handle strategy, monitoring, and support so your internal team can focus on business priorities. |
| Cost | Salaries, benefits, training, and infrastructure costs add up. | Predictable, fixed-cost pricing with scalable service models. |
| Scalability | Growth is constrained by hiring and training new staff. | MSPs can scale IT resources up or down as your business needs evolve. |
| Innovation & Best Practices | Internal teams may not have access to the latest technologies and trends. | MSPs stay ahead of industry developments and continuously implement best practices. |
| Time to Implementation | IT projects may face delays due to limited internal capacity. | Faster execution with dedicated MSP resources and proven methodologies. |
| Security & Compliance | Risk of outdated security measures and non-compliance due to lack of expertise. | Proactive security monitoring, compliance assurance, and rapid response to cyber threats. |
| Disaster Recovery & Backup | Requires internal teams to build and maintain business continuity plans. | MSPs provide disaster recovery solutions with automated backups and failover protection. |
| Focus on Core Business | IT planning and management take time away from business growth initiatives. | Businesses can focus on operations while MSPs handle IT strategy and execution. |
The Costs of Insufficient IT Support
It’s also worth noting that the upfront costs of working with an MSP versus hiring in-house aren’t the only ones you need to consider. You’ll also need to weigh the costs your business could face if your IT support isn’t sufficient to meet your needs and something goes wrong.
An IT problem can be much more than a temporary inconvenience; it often has the power to become a business-crippling crisis. Here are some sobering figures to consider:
- IT downtime costs large businesses an average of $9,000 per minute.
- The average cost per data breach for Canadian companies was $6.32 million in 2024.
- 60% of small companies close for good after being hacked.
How Common Are Cybersecurity Incidents for Canadian Businesses?
The most recent data from Stats Canada suggests that the percentage of organizations that face cyber threats every year is slightly under 20%. That means there’s a roughly 1 in 5 chance that your company could face an IT emergency this year (and the risk goes up the larger your business is).
To put that in perspective: those odds are worse than your odds at playing Russian Roulette. And if you’re not prepared, the stakes can be just as existential for your business.
Key IT Support Provided by MSPs
Partnering with an MSP often gives you access to services that would be cost-prohibitive or less efficient with an in-house IT strategy. These include:
- 24/7 Security Monitoring: Identify and respond to threats in real time instead of waiting for an in-house team to get back to the office if emergencies occur during their off-work hours.
- Advanced Threat Protection: Including firewall management, endpoint security, and intrusion detection.
- Regulatory Compliance: Ensure adherence to PIPEDA, HIPAA (where applicable), GDPR, PCI DSS, and other relevant Canadian and international regulations. Compliance is time-consuming and can often create bottlenecks for internal teams.
- Disaster Recovery & Backup: Automated backups with rapid data restoration capabilities.
This kind of support doesn’t just make breaches or outages less likely—it can also significantly reduce the potential costs associated with them, especially if you handle sensitive client data or work in an industry with specific regulatory requirements.
Making the Right Choice: When to Choose In-House vs. MSP
At the end of the day, every company has to choose the IT strategy that meets their needs and matches their resources appropriately. There are some reasons why companies might still choose to hire in-house IT teams, but the arguments for working with MSPs are becoming more compelling by the year. In the meantime, here are some guiding principles to consider when making your decision:
Keeping Your IT Strategy In-House Might Work If:
- Your business already has a highly specialized IT team with deep industry expertise.
- You have the budget to hire, train, and retain a full IT department.
- Your IT needs are relatively simple and don’t require 24/7 monitoring.
Working with an MSP Gives You an Advantage If:
- You need expert-level IT strategy and execution without the overhead of full-time staff.
- Your business is growing, and you need scalable IT solutions.
- You require strong security measures, compliance oversight, and proactive monitoring.
- Your internal team is overwhelmed with daily IT tasks and unable to focus on strategy.
However, as the technology needs of most businesses evolve, hiring in-house IT is proving to be less feasible. MSPs are able to fill gaps that dedicated employees can’t address—at a much more affordable price point for many organizations.
Partner with Revotech for Expert IT Strategy
At Revotech, we help businesses develop IT strategies that drive efficiency, security, and long-term growth. Whether you need fully managed IT services or co-managed support, our team of experts is here to make sure your technology aligns with your business goals.
Why Choose Revotech?
✅ 30+ years of IT strategy experience
✅ 24/7 monitoring and cybersecurity protection
✅ Scalable solutions tailored to your business
✅ Predictable, cost-effective IT management
Let’s build an IT strategy that works for you. Contact Revotech today for a free consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between an MSP and traditional IT outsourcing?
Traditional IT outsourcing often focuses on specific tasks or projects, while MSPs like Revotech provide ongoing support, monitoring, and strategy—acting as a long-term partner rather than a one-time service provider.
Can an MSP help businesses transition from in-house IT to fully managed services?
Yes—at Revotech, we can assess your existing IT infrastructure, create a roadmap for migration, and gradually shift your business to managed or co-managed services while minimizing disruptions to daily operations.
What factors should I consider when deciding between in-house IT and an MSP?
Beyond cost, you should consider your business’s need for specialized expertise, scalability, security requirements, and compliance obligations. Companies in highly regulated industries or those facing rapid growth often benefit the most from managed services.
