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26.10.2026
Cloud services, mobile workplaces, higher security requirements and new regulatory requirements are expanding the responsibilities of IT in small and medium-sized businesses. This article presents three operating models and shows in the model check which one suits your own starting situation.
Many business managers and IT managers therefore face a central question: How much IT do we want to operate ourselves and where is the support provided by an external partner useful?
The contribution provides an overview of the basics of managed IT services. „What are Managed IT Services?“.
Based on this, this article determines which operating model fits the given situation.
Four developments are shaping the situation for many companies:
Skills shortage: In Germany, there are currently around 79,000 IT professionals lacking [Bitkom, 2026]. Despite the decline compared to previous years, filling IT positions remains difficult for many companies.
Security situation: In its 2025 report, the BSI assesses the situation as tense. Approximately 80 percent of the cyberattacks reported, including ransomware attacks, targeted small and medium-sized companies [BSI report, 2025].
Regulatory issues: Since December 6, 2025, the NIS2 Implementation Act [NIS2UmsuCG] has been in effect. It expands the obligations regarding risk management and reporting channels and places greater responsibility on management.
Grown structures: Systems have been developed over the years, often without centralized documentation. Routine tasks such as patches, updates, and tickets consume resources that are otherwise needed for projects.
Basically, there are three models for organizing IT operations:
In five short questions, we give you an initial orientation on which operating model suits your specific situation.
The table shows how the two models differ in practice and what is important when implementing them.
| Full Managed IT | Co-Managed IT | |
|---|---|---|
| Suitable for | Companies that want to largely outsource the ongoing IT operation to an external partner | Companies with their own IT team that would like to complement their capacity or expertise |
| IT operation | The managed service provider takes over the entire operation, from infrastructure and the cloud to workstations and support | The internal team and the providers share the tasks |
| Control | The provider assumes operational management within jointly defined requirements and service levels | The internal IT management retains control |
| Costs | A monthly fixed price for ongoing operation | Fixed price per selected component; the costs of internal IT remain the same |
| IT security | Security services are integrated into the ongoing operation | Targeted enhancement, for example through security monitoring or additional security services |
| Typical advantage | Less internal effort for the ongoing IT operation | Internal know-how remains intact and is being specifically supplemented |
Accomio implements the two models in two products that run on the same platform and follow the same standards. A later switch between the models is therefore possible without any re-engineering:
accompio is certified according to EN ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC 27001.
In both models, you will be accompanied by a dedicated Technical Service Manager from accompio. He is the point of contact for technical questions and, if necessary, coordinates the collaboration with the relevant specialist teams. Due to the regional accompio locations, on-site service is also available if needed.
Whether it’s self-managed IT, co-managed IT or full managed IT: The right choice depends less on the size of the company than on which tasks should remain internal and where capacity or specialized expertise is lacking. Companies without their own IT department usually benefit from full managed IT, while companies with their own IT team prefer co-managed IT.
The onboarding process can be done gradually. The model check in this post provides a first direction; the personal conversation clarifies the details.
Your IT works. At least mostly. But how much does it really cost? Who takes over when your IT manager is out of action? And who takes care of cybersecurity, compliance, and NIS-2 in addition to day-to-day operations? Do you manage the IT in-house or do you work with an external partner for IT support?
In our free webinar „In-house IT or external partners? Costs, obligations and security in check“ on November 17, 2026 at 11 a.m., we will review, question classic IT structures and show when internal IT, when managed services, or in which case a hybrid model is the better decision for you.
In Full Managed IT, a managed service provider takes full responsibility for the ongoing IT operations. In Co-Managed IT, the internal IT department remains in charge and specifically assigns individual tasks to a partner.
Yes. What matters is which tasks should remain internal. If the in-house IT team continues to control or take over parts of the operation, a co-managed model is often a good option.
If the internal team has sufficient representation, security expertise, and time for projects. Even then, it may be beneficial to delegate individual tasks, such as monitoring outside of working hours.
Yes. If your requirements change, the operating model can be adapted accordingly, for example in the event of growth, new structures, or changes within the internal IT team.
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