01 / Services
A Full IT Department That Shows Up Before Problems Do
Managed IT services means a single provider takes ownership of your technology, monitoring it around the clock, fixing issues before they spread, and keeping every device patched and accountable. SOL-I.S. operates as your virtual IT department, so you get the structure of a full in-house team without the payroll of one. We serve businesses across the Twin Cities South Metro, from Bloomington and Edina to Apple Valley and Lakeville.
Is your IT only there after something breaks?
Reactive IT looks cheaper until the day a server goes down, payroll cannot run, or a forgotten patch becomes the door a ransomware crew walks through. Every hour your team spends waiting on a fix is revenue, trust, and momentum you do not get back. The real cost of break-fix IT is not the repair bill, it is everything that stops while you wait for one.
How we deliver it
A disciplined approach, start to finish.
01
We monitor everything, all the time
Our tools watch your servers, workstations, and network 24/7 and alert us the moment something drifts out of line. Most issues get caught and resolved before you ever notice them, which is exactly the point. You should be running your business, not babysitting your technology.
02
Help desk that answers like a teammate
When your people need help, they reach a real technician who knows your environment, not a queue and a ticket number that disappears. We treat your team like our own and we measure ourselves on how fast we get them back to work.
03
Patching and lifecycle on a disciplined schedule
Updates and security patches go out on a tested, predictable cadence so you are never running software that attackers already know how to break. We track every device from purchase to retirement, so nothing falls through the cracks and nothing runs past its safe life.
04
We manage your vendors so you do not have to
Internet provider, line-of-business software, phone systems, copiers. When something breaks across those lines, we make the calls, hold the vendors accountable, and own the outcome. One number to call. One team that finds a way.
What's included
Everything you get with Managed IT Services.
- 24/7 proactive monitoring of servers, workstations, and network devices
- Unlimited help desk support for your team during covered hours
- Automated patch management and security updates on a tested schedule
- Asset inventory and hardware lifecycle planning
- Vendor management and coordination on your behalf
- Network and infrastructure documentation kept current
- Regular health reporting so you can see what we are doing
- Onboarding and offboarding workflows for new and departing staff
The outcome
- Predictable monthly IT costs you can actually budget around
- Less downtime and fewer surprises that derail your day
- A team that can focus on work instead of fighting technology
- A documented, accountable IT environment you can trust
The difference
Reactive break-fix IT versus proactive managed IT
| Break-Fix IT | SOL-I.S. Managed IT | |
|---|---|---|
| When we act | After it breaks | Before it breaks |
| Your cost model | Unpredictable per-incident bills | Flat, budgetable monthly fee |
| Downtime | You absorb it while you wait | Prevented or resolved fast |
| Security patching | Easy to forget | Scheduled and tracked |
| Who owns the outcome | You, every time | We do |
Answers
Managed IT Services: common questions
What is the difference between managed IT and just calling someone when something breaks?
Managed IT is proactive, break-fix is reactive. With managed IT, we monitor and maintain your systems continuously so most problems are prevented or caught early, and you pay a flat monthly fee instead of an unpredictable bill every time something fails. Break-fix only shows up after the damage is done, which usually costs more in downtime than the repair itself.
Do you replace my internal IT person or work alongside them?
We can do either. For many small businesses we become the entire IT department. For companies that already have internal staff, we offer co-managed IT that adds senior expertise, tools, and coverage without replacing your person. We will recommend the honest fit based on what your business actually needs.
What size of business do you work with?
We focus on small and mid-sized businesses across the Twin Cities South Metro. Our model is built to give smaller organizations world-class expertise on a local scale, the kind of IT department that larger companies pay full salaries for, delivered as a service that fits your size.
How fast do you respond when something goes wrong?
Our monitoring runs 24/7, so many issues are addressed before you report them. When you do reach out, you talk to a technician who already knows your environment. We prioritize getting your people back to work quickly because we understand that downtime is the real cost.
Are you local to the South Metro?
Yes. SOL-I.S. is based in and serves the Twin Cities South Metro, including Bloomington, Edina, Burnsville, Apple Valley, Eagan, Lakeville, and Northfield. We were founded here in 2009 and we show up for the businesses in our community.
Let's talk about IT
Find out where your technology actually stands.
Start with a free, no-pressure technology assessment. A real conversation about your security, infrastructure, and risk, from a team that has done this since 2009.