Break/fix support and managed IT, compared.
Most companies compare technicians. The bigger difference is the model they work under: who is responsible, when problems are found, and what you can see.
The two models are paid for different things.
Break/fix support is paid per visit or per hour, after something has broken. Nobody is paid to prevent the next problem, write down the last one or plan ahead.
Managed IT is a monthly fee to keep a defined environment working, under written service levels. Every problem that doesn't happen saves time for you and for us, so we want the same outcome you do.
Break/fix isn't wrong for everyone. A small office with simple needs may only want someone to call, and we also work per hour for that.
What changes in practice
The same questions, answered for each model.
| Question | Break/fix support | Managed IT with Double Backslash |
|---|---|---|
| Who is responsible | Whoever you call, for the problem in front of them. | One team, for the whole environment, under a written agreement. |
| When problems are found | When someone at your company notices and reports it. | Often before anyone notices, through continuous monitoring and routine checks. |
| Documentation | Rarely written down. It leaves when the technician does. | Every device, account and configuration documented, and owned by you. |
| Security | Depends on who set up each device, and when. | One standard everywhere: updates, protection, access control and tested backups. |
| Getting help | A phone call or a WhatsApp message, then a wait. | A ticket with a priority, a target and a history, in the client portal. |
| Reporting | Usually nothing beyond the bill for the visit. | A monthly SLA report, an asset register and site-visit reports. |
| Planning | Decisions get made when something fails. | Renewals, ageing devices and improvements planned ahead in regular reviews. |
Who is responsible
- Managed IT with Double Backslash
- One team, for the whole environment, under a written agreement.
- Break/fix support
- Whoever you call, for the problem in front of them.
When problems are found
- Managed IT with Double Backslash
- Often before anyone notices, through continuous monitoring and routine checks.
- Break/fix support
- When someone at your company notices and reports it.
Documentation
- Managed IT with Double Backslash
- Every device, account and configuration documented, and owned by you.
- Break/fix support
- Rarely written down. It leaves when the technician does.
Security
- Managed IT with Double Backslash
- One standard everywhere: updates, protection, access control and tested backups.
- Break/fix support
- Depends on who set up each device, and when.
Getting help
- Managed IT with Double Backslash
- A ticket with a priority, a target and a history, in the client portal.
- Break/fix support
- A phone call or a WhatsApp message, then a wait.
Reporting
- Managed IT with Double Backslash
- A monthly SLA report, an asset register and site-visit reports.
- Break/fix support
- Usually nothing beyond the bill for the visit.
Planning
- Managed IT with Double Backslash
- Renewals, ageing devices and improvements planned ahead in regular reviews.
- Break/fix support
- Decisions get made when something fails.
Ready to stop calling someone every time something breaks?
Your IT shouldn't depend on us to keep working.
We build on open, standard, well-documented systems and hand you the keys. It's a business decision.
- Open source where it fits
- Proven open-source platforms carry no licence fees for the software itself, no vendor deciding when you must upgrade, and a wide pool of engineers who already know them.
- Standard setups
- We choose widely used platforms and configure them in documented, conventional ways, so any competent engineer can pick them up.
- Commercial when it suits you better
- When a commercial product is the better choice for your business, such as Windows Server, VMware or Fortinet, we use it.
- Yours to keep
- Documentation, configurations and credentials belong to you. If you leave, they leave with you.
Platforms we work with
- Linux (Ubuntu, Debian, RHEL)
- Windows Server
- Proxmox VE
- VMware ESXi
- Hyper-V
- pfSense
- OPNsense
- Fortinet
- Cisco
- TrueNAS
- Nextcloud
- Bitwarden
- Docker
- Kubernetes
- Google Workspace
- Cloudflare
Some of the companies we work with
See our clientsQuestions about choosing an IT partner
Is managed IT more expensive than calling a technician?
The monthly fee is predictable. Break/fix costs aren't, and they don't include the time your team loses while something is down. We quote from your real environment, and small or occasional needs can still be handled per hour.
How should we choose an IT partner?
Ask who is responsible for the whole environment, whether response targets are written down, what you'll be able to see, who owns the documentation and credentials, and what happens if you leave. Clear answers to those matter more than a list of certifications.
Do you only use open-source software?
No. We prefer open, standard platforms because they keep you independent, but we use commercial products such as Windows Server, VMware, Fortinet and Google Workspace whenever they suit your business better.
We already have an IT person. Does this still apply?
Yes, as co-managed IT. Your IT person keeps the day-to-day relationship with your team, and we take on monitoring, infrastructure, security and escalations behind them, so the company no longer depends on one person.
See how managed IT would work in your company.
Tell us how IT is handled in your company today. One of our engineers reads it and gets back to you. The first conversation is free and doesn't commit you to anything.
What happens next
- You tell us about your environment
- We review your needs
- We schedule a conversation
- We propose the right approach