SOS Computer Experts provides managed IT helpdesk, Microsoft 365 administration, proactive monitoring and managed cybersecurity for small and midsize businesses in Greater Vancouver. The service combines day-to-day user support with ongoing management of devices, identities, email, cloud collaboration, security controls, patching and backup.
Ongoing managed IT and helpdesk service is available in North Vancouver, Vancouver, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Richmond, Surrey and Langley. Standard helpdesk coverage is delivered during the support hours defined in each client agreement. Systems can be monitored continuously, while 24/7 security monitoring and response depend on the selected MDR licensing and service-level agreement.
Request a free 15-minute IT baseline to identify support gaps, Microsoft 365 risks and monitoring priorities.
One accountable team for users, Microsoft 365 and security
Separating helpdesk, Microsoft 365 administration and cybersecurity between unrelated suppliers can leave gaps. A user may report a suspicious email to one company, request an account change from another and rely on a third provider to investigate the endpoint alert.
SOS coordinates those responsibilities through one managed service. The same team can connect a user’s support request with identity activity, endpoint health, Microsoft 365 settings, email protection, backup coverage and business priorities.
- Remote helpdesk for employee technology issues
- Microsoft 365 user, licence and service administration
- Endpoint and server monitoring through managed RMM tools
- Operating-system and supported application patching
- ESET endpoint protection, XDR and optional 24/7 MDR
- MFA, Conditional Access and privileged-access reviews
- Email-security controls, including anti-phishing, SPF, DKIM and DMARC
- Microsoft 365 and server backup with documented recovery procedures
- Vendor coordination, technology planning and environment documentation
IT helpdesk support for small and midsize businesses
Employees need a clear place to request help when email, computers, printers, applications, remote access or collaboration tools stop working. SOS provides remote-first helpdesk support backed by local onsite service when the issue cannot be resolved remotely.
Typical requests include Microsoft 365 sign-in problems, Outlook and Teams issues, password and MFA recovery, new-user setup, device performance, software access, printing, file permissions, VPN connectivity and coordination with application vendors.
Support scope, hours, escalation paths and response targets are documented in the client agreement. Critical after-hours response is available when included in the applicable SLA. This keeps the service promise clear instead of treating 24/7 monitoring and 24/7 helpdesk coverage as the same thing.
Microsoft 365 management and ongoing support
Microsoft 365 is more than email. It contains business identities, files, communication, sharing permissions, administrator roles and security controls. SOS manages the platform as an operational system rather than leaving it as a collection of licences.
Microsoft 365 responsibilities may include:
- Exchange Online, Outlook and mail-flow support
- Teams, SharePoint and OneDrive administration
- User onboarding, role changes and offboarding
- Licence assignment and renewal coordination
- Entra ID identities, groups and administrative roles
- MFA registration and Conditional Access policies
- External-sharing and guest-access reviews
- Anti-phishing, impersonation and email-authentication controls
- Retention, DLP and security configuration where licensed and required
- Independent backup and recovery planning for Microsoft 365 data
Microsoft documents how Conditional Access can combine signals and access requirements. These policies should be designed around the organization’s actual users, devices and emergency-access needs, then tested before broad enforcement.
Learn more about SOS Microsoft 365 and Azure services.
Proactive monitoring, maintenance and patching
Helpdesk support responds when a user experiences a problem. Proactive management works to identify risks before they interrupt the business.
Managed monitoring can identify unhealthy devices, failed services, storage problems, missed security updates, backup failures and endpoints that stop reporting to management tools. Alerts require defined ownership: the service must state who reviews them, what creates a ticket and which conditions require escalation.
Patch management should cover supported operating systems and agreed applications, record failed deployments and provide an exception process for systems that cannot be updated immediately. Unsupported systems should be documented with a replacement or risk-reduction plan.
The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security baseline controls recommend maintaining inventories, patching operating systems and applications, protecting information and preparing recovery capabilities.
Managed threat detection and response
Endpoint protection can prevent many common threats, but businesses also need a process for investigating suspicious behaviour and responding to high-severity alerts.
SOS offers ESET endpoint protection and XDR, with 24/7 managed detection and response available through eligible ESET MDR licensing. MDR adds continuous security monitoring, expert investigation and response support outside normal business hours. It does not mean that every ordinary helpdesk request receives 24/7 coverage.
A managed security program should clearly identify:
- Which computers and servers are enrolled
- Who monitors high-severity alerts
- Whether responders can isolate a compromised device
- How identity, email and endpoint evidence is reviewed
- How business leaders are contacted during a serious incident
- Which response activities are included in the selected licence and SLA
Explore SOS managed cybersecurity and MDR services.
Email security, MFA and identity protection
Email attacks often combine impersonation, stolen passwords and urgent payment requests. Effective protection needs several coordinated controls.
SOS helps businesses implement MFA, Conditional Access, anti-phishing policies, administrator protection, sign-in reviews and email-domain authentication using SPF, DKIM and DMARC. Finance, payroll and executive users may need stronger protection because they are frequent targets for business-email compromise.
Technical controls should be paired with a simple reporting process. Staff need to know how to report a suspicious message and whom to contact after entering credentials or approving an unexpected MFA prompt.
Healthcare-focused IT and cybersecurity
Clinics depend on reliable access to email, scheduling, files, endpoints, networks and third-party medical applications. SOS supports healthcare practices with managed IT, Microsoft 365 administration, endpoint security, segmented wireless networks, encrypted backup and vendor coordination.
Security work can include MFA and Conditional Access, restricted administrative privileges, device encryption, email protection, backup testing and incident-response planning. Controls are scoped to the clinic’s environment and operational requirements; technology services do not replace legal or privacy advice.
See the SOS healthcare IT and clinic cybersecurity service.
What businesses receive during onboarding
A managed service should begin with a documented baseline. SOS onboarding can include an inventory of users, devices and cloud services; administrator and vendor-access review; security-tool deployment; Microsoft 365 configuration review; backup verification; and documentation of important support and recovery procedures.
The resulting service plan identifies ownership, priorities and known exceptions. It also gives the business a clearer record if employees change, suppliers are replaced or an incident occurs.
Service area and delivery model
Ongoing managed IT, Microsoft 365 administration and helpdesk services are available only in North Vancouver, Vancouver, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Richmond, Surrey and Langley.
In Victoria, Calgary, Edmonton and Toronto, SOS provides fixed-scope enterprise cybersecurity assessments and defined security projects only. Managed IT, general cloud administration, networking, infrastructure and helpdesk services are not offered in those cities.
Frequently asked questions
Does managed IT include Microsoft 365 support?
Yes. SOS managed IT can include Microsoft 365 user administration, Exchange Online, Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, licensing, MFA, Conditional Access, email security and ongoing support, according to the selected plan.
Is the SOS helpdesk available 24/7?
Standard helpdesk coverage follows the hours and response targets in the client agreement. Critical after-hours response is available when included in the SLA. Continuous system monitoring and 24/7 MDR are separate services.
What is the difference between monitoring and MDR?
RMM monitoring tracks device and service health, while MDR focuses on security threats. Eligible MDR services provide 24/7 security monitoring, investigation and response support. The exact coverage depends on the selected security licensing and agreement.
Can SOS replace an existing IT provider?
Yes. SOS can assess the environment, document current systems and access, coordinate the handover and implement a structured onboarding plan designed to reduce disruption.
Does SOS provide onsite support?
Yes. SOS uses a remote-first model and provides onsite service within the seven-city managed-service area when the issue or project requires it. Response arrangements depend on priority, location and the client’s SLA.
Request a managed IT baseline
A short baseline review can identify unclear support ownership, Microsoft 365 risks, missing monitoring, incomplete backup coverage and security gaps.
Contact SOS Computer Experts to request a free 15-minute managed IT baseline for a business in North Vancouver, Vancouver, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Richmond, Surrey or Langley.