Over the years, a lot of buzz has been generated by co-managed IT services, and not all of it has been positive. Often, in-house teams perceive the decision to engage with a managed services provider for co-managed support as a threat. In reality, when executed with integrity and skill, co-managed IT services should serve as a safety net for tech staff, with a clear focus on turning that in-house team into heroes.
One of the issues around co-managed IT is a lack of understanding. We'll be talking about co-managed IT support for internal technical teams all month, so we thought starting with a detailed Q&A about this service offering would be a great place to start.
Co-managed IT is a collaborative support model that combines your internal IT team with the expertise and resources of a managed services provider (MSP). Instead of outsourcing your entire technology environment (fully managed services model), your organization keeps internal ownership and control while partnering with an MSP to fill skill gaps, provide additional bandwidth, deliver specialized expertise, or support after-hours operations.
Co-managed IT works by dividing responsibilities between your internal IT support team and your MSP partner. Every organization structures the relationship differently based on internal strengths, business goals, and operational needs. Additionally, not all MSPs offer the same options for co-managed, so be certain to clarify your options for alignment when selecting a partner.
For example, at Exigent:
The flexibility of co-managed IT allows businesses to build a support model tailored to their environment rather than forcing them into a one-size-fits-all arrangement.
In a fully managed IT service model, the MSP manages the entire IT environment, including support, infrastructure, monitoring, and maintenance, while also informing and guiding detailed strategic planning.
With co-managed IT, your organization retains internal IT support staff while partnering with an MSP to supplement your capabilities. Internal IT and the MSP share responsibilities collaboratively, turning the MSP into an extension of your team.
Fully managed IT is typically ideal for organizations without internal IT resources. Co-managed IT is designed for businesses with in-house technical staff that need additional expertise, scalability, or operational support. Businesses that may start with fully managed IT may eventually mature into a co-managed arrangement that provides additional value because of the depth of shared knowledge of their existing technology environment.
Fully Managed IT |
Co-Managed IT |
| MSP owns and manages the full IT environment | Internal IT shares responsibilities with the MSP |
| Ideal for companies with no IT staff | Designed for businesses with in-house IT teams |
| MSP leads all projects and support | Collaboration on support, projects, and strategic planning |
| Consistent, predictable pricing | Flexible support and scalable coverage |
Not exactly. Traditional IT staff augmentation usually focuses on temporarily adding engineering personnel to handle a particular workload need or fill a skills gap. Co-managed IT is broader and more strategic.
A co-managed partnership is typically a longer engagement that delivers not only technical expertise or extra hands but also includes monitoring and strategic guidance. A true co-managed partnership requires clear alignment and documentation that defines responsibilities, ownership, operational processes, and more. At Exigent, co-managed IT is designed as a long-term partnership—not simply additional labor.
Co-managed IT is ideal for organizations that:
Co-managed works particularly well for small and midsize businesses that have outgrown a small internal IT team but are not ready to build a large enterprise-level department.
Almost any company can benefit from co-managed IT if they have an existing IT resource. That "team" may be one person or several, but the key factor is the need for additional support. Working with a co-managed provider is in no way a signal of internal support staff failure, but rather an indication that service delivery and customer experience expectations are high and more hands (or expertise) are needed to meet needs.
No. A true co-managed IT partnership is designed to support and strengthen internal IT teams—not replace them.
At Exigent, our Augment co-managed service is built around collaboration. Your internal team remains central to operations while we provide additional expertise, tools, monitoring, and support where needed most.
In fact, many organizations choose co-managed IT specifically because they value their internal team's institutional knowledge and want to help them operate more strategically and efficiently.
Co-managed IT helps internal teams in several ways, with each engagement and business working with the MSP provider to create the correct fit for their needs. Options often include:
Sometimes, taking just one area of responsibility off the internal team's plate can enable them to focus on higher-value initiatives instead of constantly operating in reactive mode.
Exigent's co-managed services are specifically designed to provide the "extra hands," safety net, and specialized support that internal teams often need during periods of growth or transition.
Many internal IT support teams are stretched thin, trying to manage support requests, cybersecurity concerns, infrastructure maintenance, onboarding, vendor management, and strategic initiatives simultaneously. Throw in strategic planning and budgets, and it can be too much.
Co-managed IT reduces pressure by sharing responsibilities across a larger support structure. With proactive monitoring, escalation support, and access to experienced engineers, internal teams gain breathing room while maintaining operational control.
This is a great question. The answer depends on the needs of the organization and its IT team. It's worth noting that the answer also depends on the MSP partner—some offer multiple options for collaboration, while others handle only help desk or project support.
At Exigent, we offer three broad areas of support opportunities:
That answer varies depending on the MSP partner—some offer multiple options for collaboration, while others handle only help desk or project support.
Examples of co-managed services offered include:
At Exigent, we offer three broad areas of support opportunities:
Cybersecurity is one of the most common reasons businesses pursue co-managed IT support. As cybersecurity—both threats and solutions—continue to grow in complexity, many internal IT teams find it overwhelming to maintain the necessary expertise and knowledge levels to protect growing businesses.
Many organizations lack the internal resources needed for:
Co-managed IT provides access to specialized cybersecurity expertise without requiring organizations to hire additional full-time security personnel. Organizations with co-managed partners also benefit from the broader viewpoint of a business technology partner working with numerous and varied businesses.
It can. In the case of Exigent Augment co-managed IT, it is actually a requirement that our monitoring tool is in place, enabling us to better support in-house IT colleagues.
Many co-managed partnerships include proactive monitoring, alerting, escalation support, and after-hours IT support coverage to reduce operational risk and minimize downtime. Exigent's Augment services are specifically designed to support organizations that need additional experts on call or off-hours coverage.
For many organizations, yes. Not only can hiring specialized engineers or cybersecurity experts be expensive, but it can also be time-consuming and frustrating to sift through candidates. Co-managed IT gives businesses access to experienced technical resources without the overhead costs of recruiting, onboarding, training, and retaining additional full-time staff.
It also provides predictable monthly costs that make budgeting and long-term planning easier.
Download our guide to help select the right co-managed fit
Co-managed IT pricing varies based on:
At Exigent, co-managed services are tailored to each organization's goals and operational requirements, ensuring businesses receive the right level of support without paying for unnecessary services.
Your organization may benefit from co-managed IT if:
Many businesses turn to co-managed support when technology complexity begins outpacing internal bandwidth.
The indicators that your IT team may be struggling to keep up with growing demands include:
Even the most skilled internal IT teams have their limits, and with cybersecurity and compliance pressure, plus the growing need for a long-term strategic approach to business technology investments, it doesn't take much for in-house staff to start to fall behind.
If co-managed IT support can help take even one of those responsibilities off your team's list, the impact can be exponential for both them and your business.
Co-managed IT is especially valuable for industries with:
This often includes:
The right co-managed IT provider should:
At Exigent, our co-managed approach is rooted in collaboration, transparency, responsiveness, and strategic alignment through The Exigent Method.
Choosing the right co-managed IT partner starts with finding a provider that works as an extension of your internal IT team—not a replacement for it. The best co-managed IT relationships are collaborative, flexible, and aligned with your long-term business goals.
When evaluating a co-managed IT provider, look for:
It's also important to ask practical operational questions, such as:
A strong co-managed IT provider should complement your internal team's strengths, provide additional expertise when needed, and support your organization with a consultative, long-term approach.
Schedule a free consultation with our team