Managed Network Services: What They Include, What They Cost, and When Your Business Needs Them

What Are Managed Network Services?

Managed network services means handing over the monitoring, maintenance, and management of your business network to a specialized provider. Instead of your team (or whoever happens to be "good with computers") troubleshooting network issues, a dedicated Network Operations Center (NOC) watches your infrastructure 24/7 and handles problems proactively.

Core Components of a Managed Network

A comprehensive managed network service typically includes:

24/7 Network Monitoring: Continuous monitoring of all network devices — routers, switches, firewalls, access points — with automated alerting when something goes wrong or performance degrades.

Managed Firewall: Your firewall is your first line of defense. Managed firewall services include configuration, regular patching, threat monitoring, and rule updates as your business needs change.

Traffic Management and QoS: Quality of Service (QoS) rules prioritize critical traffic. This is why your VoIP calls stay clear even when someone's downloading large files.

Reporting and Performance Reviews: Regular reports on network health, utilization trends, and security events — plus periodic reviews to optimize performance.

Managed Firewall, SD-WAN, and Wi-Fi

SD-WAN (Software-Defined Wide Area Network): If you have multiple locations or multiple internet connections, SD-WAN intelligently routes traffic across them. It automatically shifts traffic away from degraded connections and can prioritize applications across your entire network.

Enterprise Wi-Fi Management: Consumer-grade Wi-Fi doesn't cut it for business. Managed Wi-Fi includes enterprise access points, proper coverage design, security configuration, and ongoing optimization.

The Real Cost of an Unmanaged Network

The cost of managed services is visible on your monthly bill. The cost of not having managed services is hidden until something goes wrong.

Downtime, Security, and Hidden Costs

Network downtime: Studies consistently show SMB downtime costs between $8,000 and $74,000 per hour depending on the business. Even a few hours of downtime per year quickly exceeds the cost of managed services.

Security breaches from unpatched systems: When's the last time your firewall firmware was updated? Unpatched network equipment is one of the most common attack vectors. Managed services include regular patching as part of the service.

VoIP quality issues: If your phones sound choppy or drop calls, the problem is usually network configuration — specifically, missing or misconfigured QoS. This is a solvable problem, but it requires expertise most businesses don't have in-house.

The hidden IT tax: In many businesses, network problems fall to whoever is "technical" — often someone whose actual job has nothing to do with IT. Every hour they spend troubleshooting network issues is an hour they're not doing their real work.

Compliance and Regulatory Risk

If you're in healthcare (HIPAA), handle credit cards (PCI-DSS), or work with financial data, network security isn't optional — it's legally required. Managed services providers document their security practices, making compliance audits significantly easier.

Does Your Business Need Managed Network Services?

Not every business needs full managed network services. Here's how to assess your situation:

Signs You've Outgrown DIY Networking

No dedicated IT staff: If nobody's job description includes "network management," you're running on hope.

Network issues during critical moments: Outages during important calls, slow performance during deadlines, connectivity problems with no clear explanation — these are signs your network needs professional attention.

Growing pains: Networks that worked fine with 10 employees often struggle at 25 or 50. Growth exposes infrastructure limitations.

Multiple locations: Managing network consistency across locations multiplies complexity. What works at headquarters may not work at branch offices.

Industries That Benefit Most

Healthcare: HIPAA compliance, EMR systems, and telemedicine all require robust, secure networking.

Legal and Financial: Client confidentiality requirements and regulatory compliance make professional network management a practical necessity.

Multi-location retail and service businesses: Consistent networking across locations, integrated with POS systems and scheduling software.

Any VoIP-dependent business: If your phones run over your internet, network quality directly affects how you communicate with customers.

How to Evaluate a Managed Network Services Provider

When comparing providers, ask these questions:

Is it truly 24/7? "24/7 support" sometimes means an answering service. Ask whether the NOC is actually staffed around the clock with engineers who can take action.

What's included in the hardware? Some providers include all network equipment in the monthly fee. Others charge separately. Understand the total cost.

What SLAs do you offer? Service Level Agreements should include uptime guarantees and response time commitments.

Do you also provide the internet connection? When your internet provider and your network manager are different companies, problems lead to finger-pointing. A single provider for both eliminates this.

Proactive vs. reactive: The best managed services catch problems before they affect your business. Ask how they monitor for potential issues, not just actual outages.

Simplifying Your Network with a Single Provider

Here's a scenario we see constantly: A business has internet from one provider, phones from another, network equipment from a third, and maybe an IT consultant they call when things break. When something goes wrong, everyone points at everyone else.

At Tierzero, we provide internet, voice, and managed network services as an integrated solution. One bill, one support number, one team responsible for making it all work together.

We've been doing this since 1997. If you're wondering whether managed services make sense for your business, let's have a conversation. We'll give you an honest assessment — even if the answer is that you don't need what we sell.