The network behind your cameras, finally accounted for.

Questions buyers ask us

FAQ

How is managed IT for security infrastructure different from a generic MSP?

A generic MSP runs the corporate network, mailboxes, and laptops. Cameras, access control, and recorders are often labeled out of scope or hand-waved as "low-voltage." Tec-Tel's managed IT covers the same corporate baseline plus the security stack: NVRs, cloud bridges, access controllers, door panels, the camera VLAN, and the endpoints that admin them. Single SLA, single vendor matrix, single ticket queue.

What does managed IT cost on a per-device or per-site basis?

Per-device fees in the security-aware managed IT market generally run $35 to $150 per device per month depending on tier and after-hours coverage. Per-site retainers for 50 to 250 device sites typically land in the $1,500 to $6,500 per month range. The wide spread reflects after-hours coverage, on-site response SLAs, and how much of the camera and access-control fleet sits inside scope versus break-fix.

Do you patch and monitor cameras and access control, not just laptops?

Yes. The patching cadence covers the major camera and VMS platforms plus the major access control platforms. Cloud platforms patch themselves, but firmware on edge appliances, controllers, and recorders still needs a rollout plan. We test on one site before rolling fleet-wide.

Who answers the phone after 6 PM if a camera goes offline?

After-hours coverage is a tier decision. The base tier covers business hours Monday through Friday with email and ticket triage outside that window. The mid tier adds a 24/7 monitored alert pipeline that pages an on-call engineer for high-severity events. The top tier provides 24/7 live phone coverage with a fast response target on critical alerts. We name which tier fits, and the response terms, during the consultation.

Does managed IT include vendor management for the camera and access control side?

Yes. We hold the vendor relationships and open the support tickets directly with the camera, access, and networking manufacturers in your stack. The customer does not get bounced from one TAC line to another to figure out whether it is a network problem or a camera problem. We escalate inside the right vendor portal with the logs already attached.

Can you take over an existing security stack you did not install?

Almost always. The consultation walks the network, pulls the device list off the recorder and access controller, checks firmware levels, validates retention, and documents the credential matrix. From there we either onboard the existing stack as is, or flag the parts that need replacement before they cause an outage. We do not insist on rip-and-replace as a precondition.

How does managed IT handle compliance like NDAA, CMMC, and HIPAA?

Vendor selection inside the managed scope respects the customer's compliance posture. Federal-touching customers get an NDAA Section 889 vendor matrix with no Hikvision, Dahua, or Lorex anywhere in the bill of materials. CMMC defense customers get NIST 800-171 physical-access controls aligned to PE-1 through PE-6. Healthcare customers get retention windows and BAA coverage for cloud video.

What is the contract length and exit clause?

Contract length and exit terms are set in the agreement you sign. We document the customer's environment from day one in a runbook the customer owns. If the relationship ends, the runbook, credential vault, and asset inventory transfer on exit so the next provider is not starting from scratch.