Co-Managed IT: Supplement Your Internal IT Team with Enterprise-Grade Support
Your IT team is good. But they cannot monitor 24/7, run a SOC, manage compliance, and still keep the lights on. Co-managed IT fills the gaps without replacing anyone — giving your internal team the tools, expertise, and backup they need.
BBB Accredited Since 2003
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23+ Years in Business
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2,500+ Clients Served
Q: What is co-managed IT? Co-managed IT is a partnership model where an external MSP works alongside your internal IT team. Your staff handles day-to-day operations while the MSP provides specialized services like 24/7 monitoring, cybersecurity, compliance, help desk overflow, and strategic planning. It extends your team's capabilities without replacing anyone. See all PTG IT services →
Is Co-Managed IT Right for Your Organization?
Co-managed IT is designed for businesses that have an internal IT team but need additional expertise, coverage, or specialized capabilities.
1–5 Person IT Team
Your IT staff is stretched thin across daily operations, projects, and escalations. Co-managed IT provides the depth and coverage they need without adding headcount.
Compliance Requirements
You face HIPAA, CMMC, PCI DSS, or SOC 2 requirements that require security expertise your IT team was not hired for. We bring the compliance knowledge and tools.
After-Hours Coverage Gaps
Your IT team works business hours, but threats and outages do not. Co-managed IT provides 24/7 monitoring, alerting, and response when your team is off the clock.
Rapid Growth
You are growing faster than you can hire IT staff. Co-managed IT scales instantly — no recruiting, interviewing, or onboarding. Just immediate access to more expertise.
Security Maturity Gaps
Your IT team keeps systems running, but your security posture needs work. We layer in SOC monitoring, EDR, vulnerability management, and incident response capabilities.
Project Backlog
Your team has a growing list of infrastructure projects they cannot get to because daily operations consume all their time. We handle the operational load so they can execute strategic projects.
Your Team + Our Team = Complete IT Coverage
Co-managed IT is fully customizable. You choose which functions to keep in-house and which to hand off. Here is how most organizations divide responsibilities:
Your Internal IT Handles
- Day-to-day user support and onboarding
- Hardware procurement and deployment
- Application-specific support (LOB apps)
- In-person deskside support
- Project management and planning
- Vendor relationships and negotiations
- Budget management and IT strategy
Petronella Provides
- 24/7 network and endpoint monitoring (NOC/SOC)
- Cybersecurity operations (EDR, SIEM, threat hunting)
- Patch management and vulnerability scanning
- Backup management and disaster recovery
- Help desk overflow and after-hours support
- Compliance management (HIPAA, CMMC, PCI, SOC 2)
- vCISO services and security leadership
- Escalation support for complex infrastructure issues
Flexible Co-Managed IT Engagement Models
Start with the tier that matches your needs today. Scale up as your organization grows or requirements change.
Foundation
- 24/7 network and endpoint monitoring
- Endpoint detection and response (EDR)
- Automated patch management
- Backup monitoring and alerting
- Monthly security reports
- Email and phone escalation support
Advanced
- Everything in Foundation, plus:
- 24/7 SOC with SIEM monitoring
- Help desk overflow support
- Vulnerability management program
- Compliance readiness (HIPAA/CMMC/PCI)
- Quarterly business reviews
- Disaster recovery testing
- Security awareness training platform
Enterprise
- Everything in Advanced, plus:
- Dedicated vCISO engagement
- Full compliance program management
- Penetration testing (annual)
- Incident response retainer
- Technology roadmap and budgeting
- Board-level security reporting
- Priority SLA (10-minute response)
Getting Started with Co-Managed IT
Discovery Call
We assess your current IT environment, team capabilities, pain points, and compliance requirements to design the right co-managed engagement.
Environment Audit
Our engineers audit your network, endpoints, security posture, backup systems, and policies. You receive a detailed findings report within one week.
Integration
We deploy monitoring agents, configure SOC integration, set up shared ticketing, and establish communication protocols with your internal team.
Ongoing Partnership
Your team and ours work together daily. Quarterly reviews ensure alignment. We adjust scope and services as your needs evolve.
Why Co-Managed IT Over Hiring More Staff
Hiring a single cybersecurity analyst costs $85K–$120K in salary plus benefits. A SOC engineer runs $100K–$150K. A compliance specialist adds another $90K–$130K. To build these capabilities in-house, you are looking at $300K–$500K+ in new headcount alone — before tools, training, and turnover costs.
Co-managed IT gives you access to an entire team of specialists — SOC analysts, security engineers, compliance consultants, network architects, and help desk technicians — for a fraction of what a single senior hire would cost. And you never have to worry about vacations, sick days, or turnover disrupting your coverage.
Your internal IT team benefits too. They get access to enterprise-grade tools (SIEM, EDR, vulnerability scanners), a knowledge base of proven solutions, and a team of senior engineers they can escalate to when they encounter issues beyond their expertise.
Co-Managed IT Benefits
- Extend your team without extending your payroll
- 24/7 coverage without night shifts or on-call rotations
- Enterprise-grade security tools at MSP pricing
- Instant access to specialized expertise
- Reduce IT burnout and turnover
- Compliance readiness built into operations
- Predictable monthly costs with no surprise invoices
- Scale up or down as business needs change
Co-Managed IT: Common Questions
What is the difference between co-managed IT and fully managed IT?
With fully managed IT, Petronella serves as your complete IT department — handling everything from help desk to security to strategy. With co-managed IT, we work alongside your existing internal IT team, filling specific gaps rather than replacing them. You choose which functions to keep in-house and which to delegate.
Will co-managed IT replace my internal IT team?
No. Co-managed IT is specifically designed to complement and strengthen your internal team, not replace them. Your IT staff retains ownership of day-to-day operations, vendor relationships, and strategic decisions. We provide the specialized capabilities, 24/7 coverage, and depth of expertise they cannot deliver alone.
How do your team and my team communicate?
We integrate into your existing workflows. This typically includes a shared ticketing system, a dedicated Slack or Teams channel, scheduled stand-ups (weekly or biweekly), and a named account manager who serves as your single point of contact. We adapt to your communication preferences, not the other way around.
Can I start with just one service and add more later?
Absolutely. Many clients start with 24/7 monitoring and SOC coverage — the most common gap for internal IT teams — and then add services like compliance management, help desk overflow, or vCISO as needs evolve. Our tiers are guidelines, not rigid packages. We will customize the engagement to your exact requirements.
How much does co-managed IT cost?
Co-managed IT pricing varies based on the number of users, endpoints, and services selected. Most engagements range from $2,000–$15,000 per month, significantly less than hiring even one additional IT staff member ($85K–$150K/year including benefits). Contact us for a custom quote based on your specific needs.
What if my IT person quits?
This is one of the biggest advantages of co-managed IT. If your internal IT staff leaves, we immediately step in to maintain operations while you recruit a replacement. There is no gap in coverage, no scramble to find a contractor, and no risk of systems going unmonitored. Some organizations also choose to transition to fully managed IT at that point.
Do you work with internal IT teams of any size?
We work with internal IT teams ranging from a single IT administrator to teams of 10+. The engagement model adjusts based on your team's size, capabilities, and the specific gaps you need filled. Whether you have one IT generalist or a full team that just needs security operations, we adapt to fit.
Give Your IT Team the Backup They Deserve
Schedule a free co-managed IT consultation. We will assess your team's capabilities, identify gaps, and design a partnership that makes everyone more effective.