What is Cloud Managed Services in 2026?

Managed services involve outsourcing the management of your IT infrastructure. But with the cloud, the service takes on a different dimension. This article explores this innovative service, its key benefits, and how it differs from traditional managed services.

What are Managed Services?

Historically, managed services referred to the practice of outsourcing the management and maintenance of a company's IT infrastructure to a specialized provider. Before the advent of the cloud, this often involved managing physical data centers, technical support, server and network maintenance, and updating on-premises systems. This model allowed companies to offload the technical aspects of their IT to focus on their core business, while benefiting from the expertise and economies of scale offered by managed service specialists.

Types of Managed Services

Managed services can be divided into two main categories, reflecting the various aspects of a company's IT. On one hand, IT fleet management deals with the daily management of workstations, software licenses like Windows, and all associated hardware. This facet often covers user support, software updates, and equipment maintenance. On the other hand, infrastructure management encompasses the management of servers, databases, and critical systems. This management focuses more on robust IT aspects, such as performance, data security, and server resource optimization, which are essential for overall business operations.

Cloud Managed Services: What is the scope?

Cloud managed services cover a wide range of responsibilities essential for the proper functioning and security of enterprise IT systems. Here are the main areas managed by a cloud managed service provider, broken down into six parts:

Financial Optimization of Cloud Infrastructure (FinOps)

Cloud managed services allow for more efficient management of costs associated with IT infrastructure. By continuously monitoring and adjusting used resources, providers help companies avoid unnecessary expenses and optimize investments based on real needs, resulting in a significant reduction in operational costs.

This is where we find the biggest evolution between historical managed services and Cloud infrastructure management. Indeed, since the Cloud allows resource usage on consumption, the achievable financial optimizations have much more impact than in the past.

Failure Risk Management

To minimize the risks of failure, cloud managed service providers implement proactive monitoring systems. These systems detect and resolve issues before they cause interruptions, ensuring maximum availability and reliability of the cloud infrastructure.

Disaster Recovery Plan and Backups

A crucial aspect of cloud managed services is the implementation of disaster recovery plans and backup management. These measures ensure that critical data is securely backed up and can be quickly restored in the event of a disaster, minimizing downtime and protecting the company's information assets.

Maintainability and Scalability of Systems

Cloud managed service providers ensure that systems are not only kept up to date with the latest security updates and features but are also capable of adapting to the evolving needs of the company. This includes adding resources or modifying services without disrupting existing operations.

Data Compliance & GDPR

With strict data protection regulations, such as the GDPR in Europe, managed service providers play an essential role in ensuring that cloud infrastructures comply with these standards. This includes consent management, securing personal data, and implementing adequate privacy policies.

Cybersecurity

Security is a top priority in cloud management. Managed service providers implement advanced cybersecurity strategies, including firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems, and regular audits, to protect infrastructures against external and internal threats.

Each area of cloud managed services is vital to ensure business continuity, regulatory compliance, and security for companies in the current digital landscape.

The Impact of Cloud on Managed Services

The impact of the cloud on infrastructure management has been particularly significant, fundamentally changing how companies approach IT management. With the cloud, the need to physically manage servers and heavy equipment is minimized, as cloud service providers handle the majority of maintenance and update tasks. This frees companies from fixed capacity constraints and costs associated with purchasing and maintaining hardware infrastructure.

Moreover, the cloud allows for a much more agile response to changing business needs. Resources can be adjusted in real-time, allowing organizations to quickly adapt to increased or decreased demand. This is particularly valuable in an economic environment where speed and flexibility are crucial for remaining competitive.

In terms of security, the cloud also offers substantial advantages. Cloud providers invest heavily in advanced security measures that can be costly and complex to implement independently. By opting for managed services in the cloud, companies benefit from a secure infrastructure that is regularly updated to counter emerging threats, reducing the risk of data breaches and other security issues.

This set of transformations has led to a redefinition of roles within IT departments. Rather than focusing on maintaining systems operational, IT teams can now dedicate themselves to more strategic initiatives, such as innovation and improving business processes, leveraging the expansive capabilities and sophisticated tools that the cloud makes available.

Cloud Providers in 2024

Major Infrastructure Providers

1. Amazon Web Services (AWS) – Leader for extensive infrastructure services, offering elastic computing capabilities, storage, and database services.
2. Microsoft Azure – Specialized in a comprehensive range of cloud services including IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS, as well as hybrid and enterprise cloud solutions.
3. Google Cloud Platform (GCP) – Known for its innovations in AI, machine learning, and data analytics, also offering Kubernetes services and other developer tools.

Regional Leaders and Niche Specialists

1. Alibaba Cloud – The largest cloud service provider in Asia, offering comprehensive infrastructure solutions with a strong presence in China and Southeast Asia.
2. IBM Cloud – Offers a wide range of cloud services, including hybrid and multi-cloud options, particularly recognized for its PaaS services.

Managed and Specialized Service Providers

1. Oracle Cloud – Excellent for data management and enterprise applications, offering tight integration with its database and enterprise application products.
2. DigitalOcean – favored for small and medium-sized businesses as well as developers, thanks to its simple cloud solutions and transparent pricing.
3. Salesforce Cloud – Specialized in SaaS for CRM and other cloud-hosted enterprise applications.

French Players

1. Scaleway – Known for its flexible and affordable cloud solutions, Scaleway stands out with its product range adapted to startups and SMEs, offering cloud infrastructure services, object storage, and containers.
2. OVHcloud – One of the largest cloud providers in Europe, OVHcloud offers a vast range of services, including public, private, and hybrid cloud solutions, adapted to the needs of large companies and public institutions.
3. Orange Business Services – A subsidiary of the Orange group dedicated to business services, offering integrated cloud computing solutions that include security, data management, and connectivity.

The Benefits of Cloud Managed Services

Cloud managed services represent a particularly advantageous solution for companies that do not have the necessary resources to internalize an operations team (Ops). This outsourcing of IT management not only allows for considerable time savings but also offers real cost optimization for structures that do not have experts to refine their IT expenses. Indeed, by adopting cloud managed services, these companies can benefit from a variable cost structure, where they pay only for the resources utilized. This eliminates expenses related to the maintenance and updating of physical servers, and reduces the need for heavy equipment investments, while maintaining a high-performing and up-to-date IT infrastructure.