Not every business needs to hand over full control of its IT to an external provider. Many organizations already have internal IT staff who know the business, understand the environment, and handle day-to-day operations reasonably well. The gap is not internal competence. It is depth, capacity, or specialized expertise that an internal team of one or two people cannot realistically maintain across every area of modern IT. That is exactly where co managed IT services come in, giving growing businesses a way to strengthen their IT without starting from scratch.
Rather than replacing an internal IT team, a co-managed engagement supplements it. The internal team handles what it does best. The external provider fills in where internal capacity or expertise runs out. The result is a model that gives growing businesses the best of both worlds without the cost or disruption of a full managed IT transition.
This guide covers what co managed IT services actually include, how they differ from fully managed IT, the signs that a co-managed model might be right for your organization, and how Resolute Technology Solutions delivers co-managed IT to Canadian businesses across Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Ottawa, and Montreal.
What Are Co Managed IT Services?
Co managed IT services are a partnership model between a business’s internal IT team and an external managed service provider. Rather than outsourcing all IT responsibilities to a single provider, the business retains its internal IT staff and works with an MSP to cover the areas where internal capacity or expertise is limited.
The division of responsibilities varies depending on the organization. Some businesses use co-managed IT to offload helpdesk volume so their internal team can focus on projects and strategy. Others bring in an external provider for cybersecurity, backup management, or compliance, areas that require specialized skills the internal team does not have. Others use co-managed IT to cover after-hours support, so their internal staff are not on call around the clock.
What defines co-managed IT is the collaborative structure. Both the internal team and the external provider operate within the same environment, using shared tools and documented processes. The lines of responsibility are clearly defined. Neither party is working in isolation.
Co managed IT is sometimes called hybrid IT support, blended IT support, or supplemental IT services. The terminology varies but the model is the same: internal team plus external partner, each handling what they do best.
How Do Co Managed IT Services Differ from Fully Managed IT?
The core difference is who retains control and responsibility for the IT environment.
In a fully managed IT relationship, the external provider takes complete responsibility for the IT environment. The business has no internal IT staff, or hands off all IT functions entirely to the MSP. The MSP becomes the IT department. This model suits businesses that have no internal IT capability, do not want to manage IT internally, or are too small to justify hiring dedicated IT staff.
In a co managed IT relationship, the business keeps its internal IT team and adds an external provider to fill specific gaps. The internal team retains ownership of the environment and the overall IT strategy. The external provider supports specific functions, services, or time windows where the internal team needs help. This model suits businesses that already have internal IT capability but need more depth, more capacity, or more specialized expertise than their current team can provide.
Neither model is universally better. The right choice depends on the size of your organization, the capability of your internal team, the complexity of your IT environment, and the budget available for IT support. Resolute delivers both fully managed IT services and co-managed IT engagements, and the starting point for either is a structured IT assessment that clarifies which model actually fits the organization.
→ Not sure whether fully managed or co managed IT services is the right model for your business? Contact Resolute for a no-obligation consultation and we will help you figure out which approach fits your situation.
What Do Co Managed IT Services Typically Include?
The scope of a co-managed IT engagement is flexible by design. Common areas where businesses bring in external support alongside an internal team include:
Helpdesk overflow and after-hours support.
Internal IT teams are often stretched thin by helpdesk volume. A co-managed provider absorbs overflow tickets and provides after-hours and weekend coverage so the internal team is not permanently on call. Resolute’s bilingual 24/7 IT helpdesk integrates directly with a client’s existing ticketing system in a co-managed arrangement.
Cybersecurity.
Security is one of the most common areas where internal IT teams need external depth. Endpoint detection and response, SIEM and log management, advanced email filtering, security awareness training, dark web monitoring, and incident response planning all require specialist expertise and tooling that most internal teams cannot maintain in-house. Resolute’s IT security services are available as a co-managed layer on top of an existing internal IT structure.
Patch and update management.
Keeping every device, server, and application current across a complex environment is time-consuming and easy to deprioritize when the internal team is handling higher-priority issues. A co-managed provider takes ownership of patch management so nothing falls through the cracks.
Backup and disaster recovery.
Backup management and disaster recovery testing are critical but often neglected in environments where internal teams are managing too many competing priorities. A co-managed provider ensures backup integrity is verified, recovery procedures are tested, and the organization has a documented disaster recovery plan.
Cloud and Microsoft 365 management.
Many internal IT teams have strong infrastructure skills but less depth in cloud environments and Microsoft 365 configuration. A co-managed provider can own cloud management, Microsoft 365 optimization, licensing, and security configuration while the internal team focuses on on-premises infrastructure and end-user support.
IT consulting and strategic planning.
Internal IT staff are often too focused on day-to-day operations to spend time on technology strategy, roadmapping, and vendor evaluation. A co-managed provider with a dedicated IT consulting practice adds strategic depth without requiring the internal team to step back from operational responsibilities.
Project delivery and staff augmentation.
When a major IT project needs to be delivered, internal teams often lack the capacity or the specialist skills required. Resolute’s IT staffing practice provides project resources that integrate with the internal team for specific engagements without disrupting the ongoing co-managed relationship.
→ Wondering which of these areas your internal team needs the most support with? Ask Resolute for a complimentary IT assessment and get a clear picture of where the gaps are.
Signs That Co Managed IT Services Might Be Right for Your Organization
Your internal IT team is always firefighting.
If your IT staff spend most of their time responding to helpdesk tickets and resolving recurring issues, they have no capacity for strategic work, security monitoring, or proactive maintenance. Co-managed IT absorbs the ticket volume so the internal team can focus on higher-value work.
You have one or two IT staff covering everything.
A single IT person or a small team cannot maintain deep expertise across infrastructure, cloud, cybersecurity, Microsoft 365, networking, backup, and helpdesk simultaneously. Co-managed IT fills the expertise gaps without requiring the business to hire additional permanent staff.
Your security posture has not kept up with the business.
Cybersecurity requires continuous attention, specialist tooling, and current threat intelligence. Most internal IT generalists do not have the depth to run a complete security program alongside their other responsibilities. Co-managed IT brings dedicated security expertise into the environment without replacing the internal team.
You are growing and IT complexity is increasing.
As a business scales, its IT environment becomes more complex. New locations, cloud workloads, remote teams, and additional applications all add management overhead. Co-managed IT scales alongside the business without requiring the organization to hire proportionally more internal IT staff.
You need after-hours and weekend coverage without burning out your team.
Internal IT staff should not be on call around the clock. Co-managed IT provides 24/7 coverage for after-hours incidents and weekend support so the internal team has defined working hours and sustainable workloads.
You are preparing for compliance requirements or a security audit.
Compliance frameworks, cyber insurance applications, and client security questionnaires often require documented security controls, formal assessments, and evidence of ongoing monitoring. A co-managed provider with compliance experience can build and document the program required without the internal team having to develop that expertise from scratch.
You want to retain your internal team’s institutional knowledge.
Your internal IT staff know your business, your users, and your history. Replacing them entirely with a fully managed provider means losing that knowledge. Co-managed IT keeps the internal team in place while adding the depth and capacity they need to operate more effectively.
→ Do any of these situations sound familiar? Talk to Resolute about co managed IT services and find out whether a blended model is the right fit for your organization.
How Resolute Technology Solutions Delivers Co Managed IT Services
Resolute Technology Solutions delivers co managed IT services to Canadian businesses across Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Ottawa, and Montreal. The Resolute approach to co-managed IT is built around the internal team rather than around replacing it.
Starting with an IT assessment.
Every Resolute co-managed engagement starts with a structured IT assessment that covers the current state of the IT environment, the capability and capacity of the internal team, the gaps in coverage, and the security posture. This assessment produces a risk-ranked set of findings and a recommended division of responsibilities between the internal team and Resolute. The co-managed engagement is built around what the organization actually needs, not a standard package.
Defined lines of responsibility.
The most important element of a successful co-managed IT relationship is clarity about who owns what. Resolute works with the internal team to document responsibilities across every IT function. Ticket routing, escalation paths, change management processes, and on-call coverage are all defined before the engagement begins. This eliminates the grey areas that create friction in poorly structured co-managed relationships.
Shared tools and visibility.
Resolute integrates with the internal team’s existing ticketing system or provides its own platform depending on the preference of the organization. Both the internal team and the Resolute team have visibility into the same environment. Nothing operates in a silo.
Cybersecurity as a core component.
Resolute’s managed security services are available as a co-managed layer for organizations whose internal teams handle day-to-day IT but lack the depth to run a complete security program. This covers endpoint detection and response, advanced email filtering, SIEM and log management, security awareness training, dark web monitoring, firewall management, and incident response planning. Over 3,000 devices are currently secured through Resolute’s security practice nationally.
Flexible scope that grows with the business.
A co-managed engagement does not need to be a fixed scope forever. As the business grows, the internal team’s needs change, and the division of responsibilities between the internal team and Resolute can evolve. Organizations that start with co-managed IT for helpdesk overflow may add security services, cloud management, or project delivery support over time without needing to renegotiate the entire relationship.
Local presence across Canada.
Resolute delivers co-managed IT services to organizations across Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Ottawa, and Montreal with both remote and onsite support available. Internal IT teams get the accountability of a local partner alongside the depth of a national managed IT practice.
→ Ready to talk to an IT partner that will work alongside your internal team rather than replace it? Fill out the Resolute contact form and our team will reach out to start the conversation.
Co Managed IT Services vs Fully Managed IT: Which Is Right for Your Business?
The right model depends on your organization’s specific situation. Here is a straightforward way to think about it.
Co managed IT services is likely the right fit if your organization has internal IT staff with solid institutional knowledge of the business, the primary challenge is capacity or specialized expertise rather than absence of IT capability, you want to retain control over IT strategy and vendor relationships, your internal team is capable but stretched too thin across too many responsibilities, or you are growing and need to scale IT support without proportionally increasing internal headcount.
Fully managed IT services is likely the right fit if your organization has no internal IT staff and does not want to hire any, the complexity of your IT environment exceeds what a small internal team could reasonably manage, you want a single point of accountability for all IT outcomes, or the cost and complexity of maintaining an internal IT team is not justified by the size of the organization.
Many organizations start with a co-managed model and transition to fully managed IT as they grow and the internal team’s priorities shift toward core business functions rather than IT management. Others maintain a co-managed model indefinitely because the internal team’s institutional knowledge is a genuine competitive asset.
Resolute delivers both models and can help organizations figure out which approach is the better fit through a structured IT assessment before any service is recommended.
→ Not sure which model is right for your organization? Speak with the Resolute team and we will walk you through the decision without any pressure to commit.
The Bottom Line on Co Managed IT Services
Co managed IT services are not a compromise between having an internal IT team and outsourcing IT entirely. They are a deliberate model that gets better outcomes than either approach alone for organizations that have internal IT capability but need more depth, more capacity, or more specialized expertise than their current team can provide.
The key to a successful co-managed engagement is clarity: clear lines of responsibility, shared tools, documented processes, and a partner who treats the internal team as a collaborator rather than a problem to be replaced. Resolute Technology Solutions delivers exactly that for Canadian businesses across Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Ottawa, and Montreal.
For more on Resolute’s approach to managed IT, see our guides to construction industry managed IT services and healthcare IT services.
→ Ready to explore whether co managed IT services is the right model for your business? Fill out the Resolute contact form and one of our consultants will get back to you with no obligations.
Frequently Asked Questions: Co Managed IT Services
What are co managed IT services?
Co managed IT services are a partnership model between a business’s internal IT team and an external managed service provider. Rather than outsourcing all IT responsibilities, the business keeps its internal staff and works with an MSP to cover specific areas where internal capacity or expertise is limited. Common areas include helpdesk overflow and after-hours support, cybersecurity, patch management, backup and disaster recovery, cloud and Microsoft 365 management, and project delivery.
How do co managed IT services differ from fully managed IT?
In a fully managed IT relationship, the external provider takes complete responsibility for the IT environment and the business has no internal IT staff. In a co-managed relationship, the business keeps its internal IT team and adds an external provider to fill specific gaps. The internal team retains ownership of the environment and overall IT strategy. The right model depends on whether the organization has internal IT capability and wants to retain it.
What does Resolute include in a co managed IT services engagement?
Resolute’s co-managed IT engagements are scoped based on a structured IT assessment that identifies where the internal team needs support. Common components include helpdesk overflow and 24/7 after-hours coverage, cybersecurity including endpoint detection and response and SIEM and log management, patch and update management, backup and disaster recovery, cloud and Microsoft 365 management, IT consulting and technology roadmapping, and project delivery through IT staffing. The scope is flexible and can evolve as the organization’s needs change.
How does Resolute approach a new co managed IT engagement?
Every new Resolute co-managed engagement starts with a structured IT assessment covering the current state of the IT environment, the capability and capacity of the internal team, gaps in coverage, and security posture. The assessment produces risk-ranked findings and a recommended division of responsibilities between the internal team and Resolute. Lines of responsibility, ticket routing, escalation paths, and on-call coverage are all documented before the engagement begins.
Does Resolute provide co managed IT services across Canada?
Yes. Resolute delivers co managed IT services to organizations across Canada including Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Ottawa, and Montreal, with both remote and onsite support available depending on the engagement.
How much do co managed IT services cost?
Co-managed IT pricing depends on the scope of services provided by the external partner, the size of the environment, and the number of users covered. Organizations typically pay less for co-managed IT than fully managed IT because the internal team absorbs a portion of the workload. Contact Resolute directly for a quote specific to your organization’s size and the areas where you need external support.
Can a co managed IT engagement transition to fully managed IT over time?
Yes. Many organizations start with a co-managed model and transition to fully managed IT as the business grows and the internal team’s priorities shift. Resolute supports both models and can manage the transition between them without disrupting the IT environment. The flexibility to evolve the engagement over time is one of the key advantages of working with a provider who delivers both co-managed and fully managed IT.
What makes Resolute a good co managed IT partner?
Resolute’s co-managed IT model is built around treating the internal team as a collaborator rather than a problem to be replaced. Every engagement starts with a formal IT assessment. Lines of responsibility are clearly documented. Shared tools and visibility ensure both teams are working in the same environment. Cybersecurity is available as a core component rather than a separate engagement. And Resolute has the national scale, with 2,000+ users supported and 3,000+ devices secured across Canada, to back the internal team with the depth and specialist expertise they need.
