Key Pointers:
Ignoring Software/Firmware Updates: Leads to zero-day vulnerabilities and preventable breaches.
Weak Cybersecurity Foundation: Lacking endpoint protection, MFA, and network detection makes systems vulnerable.
Improper Data Backup & DR Readiness: Risks ransomware damage and missed RTO/RPO targets.
Relying on Legacy Systems: Unsupported OS and apps become performance and security liabilities.
Choosing Providers Based on Price: Inexperienced MSPs may compromise long-term reliability.
Lack of Employee Cybersecurity Training: Human error remains a top cause of breaches.
Outdated or Nonexistent DR Plans: Increases downtime and recovery complications during outages.
Unclear SLAs: Leads to service confusion, delays, and unmet expectations.
Poor Vendor Risk Management: Unchecked third-party tools introduce serious security risks.
Disjointed Systems Across Departments: Creates inefficiencies and data silos.
No Proactive Network Monitoring: Delays issue detection and violates SLAs.
Neglecting Mobile/BYOD Security: Opens unsecured access points to sensitive data.
Compliance is Treated as One-Time Task: Results in fines, legal issues, and contract breaches.
Lack of Scalability Planning: Causes system crashes and limits business growth.
No Regular IT Audits: Hidden issues remain unresolved, hurting performance and compliance.
Technology’s continual advancement makes the process of managing IT environments more complicated. Looking ahead to 2025, both small and large organizations are turning more frequently to Managed IT Service Providers to cut costs, scale their talent pool, and keep IT services reliable. Whether searching for IT Managed Services Near Me or a top-tier Managed Security Service Provider, selecting the right partner is crucial.
Even so, organizations sometimes unknowingly reduce the gains of Managed IT Services through avoidable mistakes in areas like infrastructure planning and cybersecurity. This documentation examines the top 15 critical errors organizations should avoid for maximum advantage from Managed IT Services, explaining each mistake technically, discussing their actual effects, and providing remedial actions.
1. Routine neglect of software and firmware updates is a major security concern.
Issue: Running routers, firewalls, and servers with outdated software or firmware puts your infrastructure at risk.
Technical Impact: If Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures are ignored, your infrastructure is susceptible to zero-day attacks. Systems are frequently targeted by attackers via vulnerabilities that are already well known.
The ProxyShell vulnerability in Microsoft Exchange Servers affected thousands in 2021 mainly because patching was delayed.
Action Plan:
- Schedule automatic OS and software patching processes using WSUS, SCCM, or remote monitoring and management tools provided by your Managed Security Service Provider.
- Construct patch management guidelines according to the standards prescribed in NIST SP 800-40.
- Develop a policy to ensure that firmware on firewalls and access points is updated at least once a month or every quarter.
2. Neglecting Cybersecurity Fundamentals
Issue: Failure to establish cybersecurity as a fundamental part of the organization’s infrastructure.
Technical Impact: When endpoint security, IDS/IPS solutions, and live logging are missing, threats can easily operate undiscovered.
Key Vulnerabilities Include:
- Insecure RDP ports
- Lack of MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication)
- Some firewall configs may be weak, while Geo-IP filtering is missing.
https://csrc.nist.gov/publications/detail/sp/800-40/rev-4/final
Solution Stack:
- Put NDR (Network Detection & Response) and EDR (Endpoint Detection & Response) in place to enhance your defensive strategy.
- SIEM platforms—Splunk, LogRhythm, or Sentinel—can provide continuous threat analysis in real time.
- Engage in penetration testing and link SOC-as-a-Service to ensure nonstop monitoring is in place, especially through a specialized Managed Security Service Provider.
3. Insufficient attention given to data backup and DR readiness.
Issue: Backups do not follow the procedures for regular testing, isolation, or being made frequently.
Risk: Often, ransomware attacks are intended to hit local backups prior to spreading further. When organizations are not ready for DR, they do not meet their RTO and RPO targets.
Solution Strategy:
- Follow the 3-2-1 backup rule: Data should exist in 3 copies, on 2 types of storage, with 1 backup kept offsite.
- Store your backups immutably through WORM (Write Once Read Many) technology for greater security.
- Frequently execute DR drills by leveraging Veeam Orchestrator or Zerto as platforms.
4. Using Legacy Systems That Are Not Scheduled for Upgrade
Issue: Legacy operating systems like Windows Server 2008 are still used, as well as databases like SQL 2005 that are no longer supported.
Impact: There are no security patches, compatibility issues with current software, and a risk of poorly performing systems.
Remediation:
- Take an inventory of systems with the help of CMDB tools, for example ServiceNow.
- Pay close attention to equipment that faces EOL soon and arrange for upgrade or a replacement.
- Virtualize legacy systems by utilizing containerization or VM snapshots, as long as dependencies remain.
5. Contracting IT Services is Prioritized by Price, Rather Than by the Provider’s Expertise.
Issue: Most organizations pick MSPs only due to the most competitive price quote.
Impact: Service agreements often provide little assurance, responses come slowly, and there is little focus on strategic IT planning.
Checklist for Evaluating MSPs:
- Is a dedicated vCIO (Virtual CIO) available from them?
- Can the MSP guarantee help from Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 teams when needed?
- Can they provide verification that they comply with such standards as SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, or HIPAA?
When searching for IT Managed Services Near Me, look beyond price—choose providers who can demonstrate operational maturity and are also certified Managed Security Service Providers.
6. Inadequate IT Training for Employees
Issue: Employees often struggle to identify phishing and might treat organizational data unsafely or choose to repeat weak passwords.
Stat: Verizon’s 2024 DBIR shows that, in 85% of breaches, humans played a significant role.
Training Recommendations:
- Conduct quarterly phishing simulation campaigns.
- Training platforms for short, interactive cybersecurity lessons include KnowBe4 and Infosec IQ.
- Ensure those working at your company electronically sign agreements that outline the AUP.
7. No DR plans exist, or current ones are no longer current.
Issue: The organization has DR documentation created, though it has never been tested or updated.
Risk: Outages may continue longer than acceptable, with a higher risk of failover malfunctions and problems restoring data.
Critical DR Components:
- RTO/RPO calculations per application
- Runbooks for infrastructure reboots
- Organizations may use DRaaS solutions in the cloud, such as AWS, Azure, or Veeam.
8. There is uncertainty or gaps in existing SLAs.
Issue: No specific metrics for assessing performance, commitments for uptime, or process for escalating problems are identified.
Result: Unclear SLAs lead to confusion at the time of outages, delay problem resolution, and can result in a gap in what teams expect.
What to Include in SLAs:
- Make sure your SLAs mention both MTTR and an uptime guarantee, ideally a value like 99.9%.
- Support Tiers and escalation matrix
- Incident priority definitions (P1, P2, P3)
9. Weak Vendor and Third-Party Risk Management
Issue: Shadow IT and unmanaged SaaS tools bypass security controls.
Impact: Supply chain attacks, like the SolarWinds breach, show how third parties can be exploited.
Mitigation Measures:
- Perform Vendor Risk Assessments (VRA) quarterly.
- Monitor vendor activity via CASB (Cloud Access Security Broker).
- Ensure vendors sign Data Processing Agreements (DPAs) and comply with GDPR/CCPA.
A reliable Managed Security Service Provider can assist in monitoring and managing third-party risks.
10. Siloed IT Systems and Departments
Issue: Finance uses one ERP, Sales another CRM, and neither system talks.
Impact: Data fragmentation, duplication, and inefficient workflows.
Solution:
- Integrate systems via APIs or iPaaS platforms (MuleSoft, Zapier, Boomi).
- Centralize data in data lakes or warehouses.
- Promote DevOps + BizOps culture for collaboration.
11. Inadequate Network and Infrastructure Monitoring
Issue: Reactive, not proactive, approach to network performance.
Result: Downtime, SLA breaches, and unnoticed security intrusions.
Recommended Tools:
- NMS like PRTG, Nagios, or SolarWinds
- Syslog Servers for log aggregation and event correlation
- SNMP traps and NetFlow analyzers for bandwidth visibility
Looking for Managed IT Services Near Me that include proactive infrastructure monitoring is a smart step forward.
12. Neglecting Mobile Device and BYOD Policies
Issue: Employees use personal devices for work without proper safeguards.
Impact: Unencrypted data, unsecured access, and uncontrolled app usage.
Controls to Deploy:
- Mobile Device Management (MDM) with solutions like Intune or MobileIron
- Require containerization of corporate data
- Enforce device encryption and remote wipe capabilities
13. Overlooking Regulatory and Industry Compliance
Issue: Many MSPs and clients assume compliance is a one-time activity.
Consequences: Legal fines, contract loss, or suspension of business operations.
Best Practices:
- Map compliance needs: HIPAA, PCI-DSS, GDPR, SOC 2
- Perform Gap Assessments and internal audits
- Maintain Data Classification Policies
The right Managed Security Service Provider will ensure that your IT posture supports ongoing compliance.
14. Lack of IT Scalability Planning
Issue: IT architecture doesn’t support business growth, leading to system crashes and delays.
Strategy:
- Design with horizontal scalability (e.g., container orchestration via Kubernetes)
- Use cloud auto-scaling groups in AWS or Azure for peak demand
- Regularly update the capacity planning documentation
15. Not Conducting Regular IT Audits and Assessments
Issue: Lack of ongoing assessments leads to hidden vulnerabilities and inefficient processes.
Ideal Audit Frequency: Every 6 to 12 months
Key Areas to Audit:
- Network topology and firewall rules
- License compliance (Microsoft, Adobe, etc.)
- Storage performance, IOPS analysis
Conclusion: Accept IT Management Strategies for Safeguarding Your Digital Future.
For Managed IT Services to be a powerful enabler of digital transformation, they must be introduced with clear vision, aligned strategies, and constant attention to detail. Whether you’re searching for IT Managed Services Near Me or a trusted Managed Security Service Provider, avoiding these 15 major mistakes while installing a technically solid IT governance framework can help your business achieve higher uptime, improve security postures, and remain competitive in the current market.
FAQs
Managed IT Services involve outsourcing IT management and support to specialized providers to maintain and optimize IT operations, including security, infrastructure, and user support.
A local provider ensures faster on-site support, regional compliance familiarity, and better relationship management.
Look for certifications like SOC 2, HIPAA, or ISO 27001, proven experience, tiered support, and a dedicated vCIO.
At least annually or after any major infrastructure or operational changes.
Keep 3 copies of data, on 2 different media types, with 1 copy stored offsite.
Yes. They lack updates, are incompatible with modern solutions, and pose significant security and performance risks.
It reduces human error, phishing success rates, and enforces secure behavior among employees.
It’s a cloud-based Security Operations Center provided by a third party to monitor, detect, and respond to threats in real-time.
It reveals hidden vulnerabilities, ensures license compliance, and keeps infrastructure running efficiently.
Yes. They often include tools, audits, and processes that support HIPAA, GDPR, PCI-DSS, and other regulations.