CORE Baseline — Decision Guide

Co-Managed or Fully Managed?
An honest comparison.

Both models run on the same CORE Baseline severity clock and NOC. The difference is how much of your IT operation you want to keep in-house versus hand off entirely. Here’s how to choose.

The Real Question

It’s Not About Which Model Is “Better”

It’s about what your internal team already does well, where the actual gaps are, and how much operational control you want to retain. Organizations with a capable internal IT lead who just need coverage gaps filled tend to do best with co-managed IT. Organizations without a dedicated internal IT function — or with one that’s stretched too thin to run the whole operation — tend to do best with fully managed IT.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Neither column is the “right” answer — it depends on your current internal IT capacity.

FactorCo-Managed ITFully Managed IT
Best fitYou have an internal IT team or lead you want to keepYou have no internal IT function, or want to fully offload it
Who owns strategyYour internal team, with Armorstack as a specialist benchArmorstack, in partnership with your leadership
Coverage scopeSpecific gaps — after-hours, escalation tiers, specialist skillsEnd-to-end: helpdesk, endpoint, network, backup/DR, vendor management
ToolingTypically integrates with your existing stackStandardized on CORE Baseline’s unified stack
End-user relationshipOften stays with your internal teamArmorstack becomes the primary point of contact
Pricing basisScoped to the specific coverage contracted (per-device, per-tier)Typically per-user or per-device across the full environment
SLA coverageCORE Baseline clock applies to the contracted scope onlyCORE Baseline clock applies across the full environment
How To Decide

Four Questions to Ask Yourself

01

Do we have a capable internal IT lead today?

If yes, and they’re just stretched too thin on nights/weekends or specialist work, co-managed is usually the fit.

02

Is our gap a skills gap or a headcount gap?

A skills gap (compliance, security, deep network) points to co-managed. A total capacity gap (no one’s minding IT at all) points to fully managed.

03

How much control do we want to retain?

Co-managed keeps more day-to-day decision-making internal. Fully managed hands the operational decisions to Armorstack under an agreed SLA.

04

What happens if our internal lead leaves?

If your IT operation has a single point of failure in one internal person, fully managed removes that risk entirely; co-managed reduces it but doesn’t eliminate it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can we start co-managed and move to fully managed later?
Yes. Many clients start with a scoped co-managed engagement and expand scope over time as trust builds or internal headcount changes.
Does co-managed cost less than fully managed?
Usually, because you’re paying for a specific scope rather than full-environment coverage — but it depends entirely on how large that scope is. Get a quote for your specific gap rather than assuming.
What if we’re not sure which model fits?
That’s normal. A CORE assessment maps your current environment and internal capacity first, then recommends a model — we don’t start the conversation by pitching one over the other.

Not Sure Which Model Fits?

A CORE assessment maps your environment and internal capacity first, then recommends a model — not the other way around.

Schedule a CORE Assessment →

Armorstack operates infrastructure for regulated industries: healthcare, financial services, manufacturing, and defense contractors. One contract. 24/7.