Best Co-Managed IT Providers in Orange County

You already have IT staff, and you want to keep them. You just need backup: someone on call at 2 a.m., security monitoring your team can't staff, or extra hands for a big project. This guide compares 13 co-managed IT providers serving Orange County businesses, based on what each one says it covers and how it works with your team.

By Riley Hermstad, Marketing Manager at HD Tech · Last updated October 5, 2026

Who's included, and what we compared

We included providers that list co-managed IT on their own websites and serve Orange County businesses from an office in Orange County or a neighboring community. Everything below comes from each provider's co-managed page. If a provider doesn't say something, we mark it “not stated” rather than guess. If what we found was contradictory, unclear, or only described a different service (such as their fully managed plans), we didn't count it, and that provider's profile says what we left out and why. If you'd rather hand off IT entirely, see our comparison of Orange County managed IT providers.

For each provider, we recorded:

What the provider says it covers alongside your team
Whether your IT staff get access to the provider's tools
How they describe splitting the work
How tickets and escalations pass between teams
Who they say co-managed IT is for
Co-managed pricing, if published

At a Glance

What co-managed IT providers cover alongside your IT team

Provider	Based in	Tool access for your IT	Reviews
Advanced Networks	Los Angeles	Stated	Google
AllSafe IT	Pasadena	Stated	Google
BRITECITY	Irvine	Stated	Google
Buzz Cybersecurity	Irvine	Not stated	Google
CAL IT Group	Huntington Beach	Not stated	Google
CyberDuo	Glendale	Not stated	Google
Greenlight Cyber	Irvine	Not stated	Google
HD Tech	Seal Beach	Not stated	Google
Intelecis	Fullerton	Not stated	Google
KaufmanIT	Irvine	Stated	Google
Skyward IT	Laguna Niguel	Not stated	Google
SugarShot	El Segundo	Not stated	Google
Technijian	Irvine	Stated	Google

= the provider's co-managed page says it covers this. = not stated there, which doesn't mean they can't do it. Ask them directly. If a provider's information was contradictory, unclear, or couldn't be verified on its own co-managed page, we didn't count it; each profile lists anything we left out and why. Scroll sideways on small screens.

Start with what you need

Each list below comes straight from what providers publish. If a provider appears here, its own website lists that service, framework, or term.

Provider Profiles

How each co-managed IT provider describes its offering

Same template for every company, alphabetical. Quotes are word for word from each provider's co-managed page.

Advanced Networks

Los Angeles (also Irvine, San Francisco)Founded 2004Managed IT provider (security included)

Website Google reviews

Often a fit for

Companies of roughly 50–500 employees with one to five IT staff who want a written responsibility split plus after-hours, patching, security, and backup coverage.

Worth weighing

No co-managed rates are published; the FAQ says pricing is per-device or per-user depending on the split, so request a quote for your scope.

Co-managed offering: Co-managed IT page
What they say they cover: Help desk overflow · After-hours support · Security monitoring · Systems monitoring · Patching · Projects · Compliance · Backup & recovery · On-site support · Vacation / absence coverage
How they split the work: “Every co-managed engagement starts by drawing the line together: your team keeps what they do best and want to own (usually line-of-business apps, user relationships, and day-to-day priorities), and we take what burns them out — the 2am alerts, the patch cycles, the ticket overflow, the security stack, the documentation nobody has time to write.”
Hand-offs and escalation: “Your team sees every ticket in the same PSA we work from. Changes route through your lead’s approval before they touch production. Escalation paths are documented, with named engineers and defined severity levels.”
Tool access for your IT staff: “Your IT lead gets our full toolchain as part of the deal: the same RMM, EDR, documentation, and ticketing platforms we run — tools that would cost more than a salary to license alone.”
Who it's for (as stated): “Typically 50-500 employees with one to five internal IT staff — big enough that one person cannot cover everything, not big enough to build a full 24/7 department internally.”
Co-managed pricing: Not published

AllSafe IT

Pasadena (also Newport Beach, Los Angeles)Founded 2005Managed IT provider (security included)

Website Google reviews

Often a fit for

Organizations with a capable but stretched internal IT team that wants to keep control of strategy while adding monitoring, patching, security, and overflow help desk support.

Worth weighing

The page doesn't publish co-managed pricing or detail which specific tools or access levels your internal staff receive, so confirm both during evaluation.

Co-managed offering: Co-managed IT page
What they say they cover: Help desk overflow · After-hours support · Security monitoring · Systems monitoring · Patching · Projects · Compliance · Backup & recovery · Vacation / absence coverage
How they split the work: “Your team maintains control over IT strategy and operations. We handle the specialized tasks that pull them away from high-value projects.”
Hand-offs and escalation: “When your internal IT staff encounters a complex security challenge, they have experts to consult.”
Tool access for your IT staff: “Your internal IT staff gets access to tools, expertise, and support services that would cost significantly more to build in-house.”
Who it's for (as stated): “You have an internal IT team that’s capable but overwhelmed.”
Co-managed pricing: Not published

BRITECITY

IrvineFounded 2007Managed IT provider (security included)

Website Google reviews

Often a fit for

In-house IT teams of about two to five people wanting overflow help desk, after-hours monitoring, security, projects, and vCIO support at a published month-to-month rate.

Worth weighing

The published $157/user rate carries a $2,500 monthly floor, so smaller teams should check whether that minimum fits their size and scope.

Co-managed offering: Co-managed IT page
What they say they cover: Help desk overflow · After-hours support · Security monitoring · Systems monitoring · Projects · Strategic planning · Compliance · On-site support
How they split the work: “With co-managed IT, your internal team stays in charge. We fill gaps: overflow tickets, after-hours coverage, security expertise, cloud projects, and strategic planning. You decide what you need help with.”
Hand-offs and escalation: “Critical alerts get escalated to your team with full context, not raw noise.”
Tool access for your IT staff: “Working-level admin access to every tool involved in managing your environment, SentinelOne, Cisco Umbrella, Check Point Harmony, ConnectWise RMM, ScreenConnect, IT Glue, Mac device management, and more.”
Who it's for (as stated): “Your team of 2-5 gets the depth of a 35-person engineering organization.”
Co-managed pricing: $157 per user/month with a $2,500/month minimum, month-to-month

Buzz Cybersecurity

Irvine (also Corona)Founded 2011Managed IT provider (security included)

Website Google reviews

Often a fit for

Businesses with an internal IT person or small team who want a security-focused partner for monitoring, MDR, after-hours coverage, and heavier infrastructure work.

Worth weighing

Co-managed is described only in short sections without a dedicated page, so ask how responsibilities, escalation, tool access, and pricing are defined.

Co-managed offering: Not published
What they say they cover: After-hours support · Security monitoring · Systems monitoring · Strategic planning
How they split the work: “Your internal team keeps the day-to-day and the projects they know best, and we take monitoring, after-hours cover, security operations, and the heavier infrastructure work.”
Hand-offs and escalation: Not published
Tool access for your IT staff: Not stated
Who it's for (as stated): “We offer fully managed IT or co-managed partnerships for businesses that already have someone handling daily operations.”
Co-managed pricing: Not published
Not counted, and why: Projects: Its pages conflict: one says your team keeps the projects it knows best, another says Buzz handles infrastructure projects.
Patching: Patching is listed for its managed IT service, but its co-managed sections don't say whether it's included.

CAL IT Group

Huntington BeachFounded 2016Managed IT provider (security included)

Website Google reviews

Often a fit for

Organizations with an in-house IT department that want to hand off routine maintenance, patching and onsite or remote support while keeping their own staff.

Worth weighing

The page doesn't describe how tickets are escalated between your staff and theirs, or whether your IT staff get access to their tools, so ask during evaluation.

Co-managed offering: Co-managed IT page
What they say they cover: Systems monitoring · Patching · On-site support · Strategic planning · Backup & recovery
How they split the work: “Our co-managed IT services enable your internal staff to focus on high-value activities by offloading routine and time-consuming IT tasks to our expert team.”
Hand-offs and escalation: Not published
Tool access for your IT staff: Not stated
Who it's for (as stated): “We provide a wide range of co-managed IT services to businesses of all sizes.”
Co-managed pricing: Not published
Not counted, and why: Security monitoring and after-hours support: The page's search description mentions 24/7 monitoring, but the page itself doesn't.

CyberDuo

Glendale (also Irvine, San Diego, San Francisco, New York City)Managed IT provider (security included)

Website Google reviews

Often a fit for

Mid-market businesses with an internal IT leader or team that need extra capacity, after-hours coverage, or Microsoft cloud and security depth.

Worth weighing

The page doesn't say whether your IT staff get access to CyberDuo's ticketing or monitoring tools, so ask how shared visibility works.

Co-managed offering: Co-Managed IT – Internal Augmentation
What they say they cover: Help desk overflow · After-hours support · Projects
How they split the work: “Internal IT keeps strategic ownership, while CyberDuo adds bandwidth, specialized knowledge, and execution support where the organization needs it most.”
Hand-offs and escalation: Not published
Tool access for your IT staff: Not stated
Who it's for (as stated): “For mid-market businesses, this model is often the best fit when leadership values an internal IT presence but knows the team needs backup.”
Co-managed pricing: Not published
Not counted, and why: Security monitoring: It mentions security operations but doesn't say that includes monitoring.

Greenlight Cyber

IrvineFounded 2010Security-first provider (MSSP)

Website Google reviews

Often a fit for

Organizations with internal IT that want a security-focused partner (an MSSP) adding monitoring, maintenance, IT strategy and compliance guidance alongside their team.

Worth weighing

The page doesn't spell out help desk, after-hours, or escalation responsibilities between your staff and Greenlight's, so confirm the split during evaluation.

Co-managed offering: Co-managed IT page
What they say they cover: Systems monitoring · Strategic planning · Compliance
How they split the work: “Our team seamlessly integrates with your internal IT staff and business leadership, establishing clear communication channels and collaborative workflows.”
Hand-offs and escalation: Not published
Tool access for your IT staff: Not stated
Who it's for (as stated): Not published
Co-managed pricing: Not published
Not counted, and why: Patching: Its page mentions “routine updates and maintenance” but not patching specifically.
Security monitoring and after-hours support: It lists 24/7 monitoring without saying whether that's security monitoring or after-hours support.

HD Tech

Seal BeachFounded 1995Managed IT provider (security included)

Website Google reviews

Often a fit for

Businesses with a small internal IT team that want after-hours, security, and compliance coverage, plus help hiring when an IT seat opens.

Worth weighing

Co-managed pricing isn't published separately, and the site doesn't say whether your IT staff get access to its tools, so ask during evaluation.

Co-managed offering: Co-managed IT page
What they say they cover: Help desk overflow · After-hours support · Security monitoring · Systems monitoring · Patching · Strategic planning · Compliance · Backup & recovery
How they split the work: “typically HD Tech handles after-hours issues, overflow when your team is slammed, and anything requiring specialized security or compliance expertise, while your internal IT keeps ownership of day-to-day and strategic work.”
Hand-offs and escalation: “a written responsibility map agreed with your IT team and signed off by both sides”
Tool access for your IT staff: Not stated
Who it's for (as stated): Not published
Co-managed pricing: Not published

Intelecis

Fullerton (also Irvine, Long Beach, Riverside, Del Mar)Founded 2010Security-first provider (MSSP)

Website Google reviews

Often a fit for

Stretched in-house IT staff in Orange County who want someone to handle routine updates, patches and monitoring, plus day-or-night backup.

Worth weighing

The page doesn't detail how responsibilities, escalations, or tool access are split with your internal team, so ask for specifics during evaluation.

Co-managed offering: Co-managed IT page
What they say they cover: Systems monitoring · Patching · After-hours support · Strategic planning
How they split the work: “At Intelecis, we don't replace IT teams, we reinforce them.”
Hand-offs and escalation: Not published
Tool access for your IT staff: Not stated
Who it's for (as stated): “Intelecis Co-Managed IT Services give in-house teams relief, security, and round-the-clock backup across Orange County”
Co-managed pricing: Not published
Not counted, and why: Security monitoring: Its co-managed page mentions 24/7 monitoring but doesn't say it's security monitoring.

KaufmanIT

IrvineFounded 2010Managed IT provider (security included)

Website Google reviews

Often a fit for

Companies with small or overloaded IT teams that want flexible backup, from level-1 help desk and after-hours tickets to escalations, security, and IT planning.

Worth weighing

The page mentions shared monitoring tools but doesn't detail ticketing or documentation access, SLAs, or pricing, so confirm those during evaluation.

Co-managed offering: Co-managed IT page
What they say they cover: Help desk overflow · After-hours support · Security monitoring · Systems monitoring · Projects · Strategic planning · Compliance
How they split the work: “With co-managed IT, your internal team retains control over key functions while the provider fills gaps and supports your goals, rather than replacing your team entirely.”
Hand-offs and escalation: “We complement your in-house IT team, either for level-1, daily support or for escalation of complex issues.”
Tool access for your IT staff: “Improve visibility and uptime with shared monitoring tools.”
Who it's for (as stated): “Companies with small or overloaded IT teams, skill gaps, new projects, or a need for after-hours support benefit most from co-managed IT.”
Co-managed pricing: Not published

Skyward IT

Laguna Niguel (also Irvine)Founded 2011Managed IT provider (security included)

Website Google reviews

Often a fit for

Organizations with internal IT that want Skyward to take on daily IT responsibilities alongside their team.

Worth weighing

Co-managed IT is described in one sentence without listed services, responsibility split, or tool access, so request specifics in writing before deciding.

Co-managed offering: Co-managed IT page
What they say they cover: Not published
How they split the work: “Co-Managed IT takes the daily burden of IT responsibility off your internal team's shoulders.”
Hand-offs and escalation: Not published
Tool access for your IT staff: Not stated
Who it's for (as stated): Not published
Co-managed pricing: Not published
Not counted, and why: All coverage items: Its site describes co-managed IT in one sentence without listing services. Patch management and other items appear only in its managed IT plans.

SugarShot

El Segundo (also Redondo Beach, Franklin, TN)Founded 2018Managed IT provider (security included)

Website Google reviews

Often a fit for

Internal IT teams facing staff departures or overload that want outside help integrating with existing infrastructure, starting with an IT audit.

Worth weighing

The IT Teams page doesn't describe how responsibilities, escalation, or tool access are split with internal staff, so ask how the arrangement would work.

Co-managed offering: Co-managed IT page
What they say they cover: Systems monitoring · On-site support · Backup & recovery · Compliance
How they split the work: Not published
Hand-offs and escalation: Not published
Tool access for your IT staff: Not stated
Who it's for (as stated): “Your IT staff member(s) are moving on and you're looking for an outsourced solution to come plug the hole and plan the future. Or, your IT team is snowed under and in need of external assistance to augment capacity.”
Co-managed pricing: Not published

Technijian

Irvine (also Panchkula, India)Founded 2000Managed IT provider (security included)

Website Google reviews

Often a fit for

Internal IT managers who want to keep strategic control while handing off a chosen mix of help desk, monitoring, security, and compliance tasks under written SLAs.

Worth weighing

Its co-managed details are in a January 2026 article rather than a service page, and pricing isn't published, so get the scope and a quote in writing.

Co-managed offering: Co-managed IT page
What they say they cover: Help desk overflow · After-hours support · Security monitoring · Systems monitoring · Patching · Projects · Compliance · Backup & recovery · On-site support
How they split the work: “Co-managed IT is a partnership where your internal team retains control and strategic oversight while the MSP handles specific tasks like help desk support, monitoring, or after-hours coverage.”
Hand-offs and escalation: “Typically, we handle Tier 1 and Tier 2 issues and escalate to your team for issues requiring business context, policy decisions, or vendor-specific knowledge.”
Tool access for your IT staff: “We either integrate with your existing PSA/ticketing system or provide access to ours.”
Who it's for (as stated): Not published
Co-managed pricing: Not published

How co-managed IT usually splits the work

Every arrangement is different, but most fall into a pattern like this. Use it as a starting point for the written split you agree on with any provider.

Usually stays with your IT team

Day-to-day user support
Knowing your people and priorities
Business applications
Vendor relationships
Final say on changes

Usually handled by the provider

After-hours and weekend coverage
24/7 security monitoring
Patching and monitoring at scale
Overflow when your team is busy
Specialized escalations

Agree on up front

Who owns compliance work
Whose ticketing system you use
Admin access and credentials
Who handles projects
Coverage during vacations or a vacancy

Buyer Checklist

Questions to ask any provider

Ask every provider on your shortlist the same questions, us included. The answers will tell you more than any comparison page.

1Which tasks stay with our IT staff, and which move to you? Can we see that in writing before we sign?
2Will our IT staff get access to your monitoring, ticketing, and documentation tools, or only see reports?
3Whose ticketing system do we use, and how does a ticket get handed from our team to yours?
4Who's on call after hours, and how do you reach our IT person when something needs their call?
5Who has admin rights to our systems, and what happens to those credentials if we part ways?
6If our IT person leaves or goes on vacation, what do you cover, and how fast can you step in?
7Do you replace our existing tools, or work with the ones our team already uses?
8How is co-managed priced: per user, per device, or a flat fee? What's billed on top?

What about cost?

Most providers don't publish co-managed pricing. Of the 13 providers here, only BRITECITY ($157 per user/month with a $2,500/month minimum, month-to-month) publishes its own co-managed rate. One local provider estimates the market at about $75–$150 per user per month. For more published figures and example budgets, see how much managed IT costs in Orange County.

FAQ

Co-managed IT: FAQs

What is co-managed IT?

Co-managed IT means you keep your in-house IT staff and bring in an outside provider to cover what they can't, such as after-hours support, security monitoring, overflow help desk, compliance work, or specialized projects. Your team stays in charge of day-to-day IT. The provider adds depth and coverage.

Will a co-managed provider replace my IT person?

It shouldn't. The point of co-managed IT is to support the people you already have. If a provider's proposal moves most of your IT person's daily work over to them, ask whether you're really buying fully managed IT instead.

Who's in charge in a co-managed arrangement?

Usually your internal IT lead keeps ownership of priorities and day-to-day decisions, and the provider works within an agreed split of responsibilities. The best arrangements put that split in writing, including who handles what after hours and how tickets pass between teams.

What happens if our IT person leaves?

A good co-managed provider already knows your systems, so they can keep things running while you hire. Ask each provider how they handle a vacancy, whether they'll help you hire a replacement, and how quickly they can take on more work.

How much does co-managed IT cost?

Most providers don't publish co-managed prices; 1 of the 13 providers in this comparison do, and we list them in their profiles. One local provider estimates co-managed IT at about $75–$150 per user per month. Our Orange County managed IT cost guide has more published figures.

HD Tech wrote this page. Is HD Tech's listing treated differently?

No. HD Tech is held to the same rule as everyone else: only what our own website says. For example, our site doesn't explicitly say clients' IT staff get access to our tools, so we're marked 'not stated' just like other providers. If you think a listing is unfair, email info@hdtech.com.

Want a second opinion on your shortlist?

Whoever you end up choosing, we're happy to walk through the checklist above with you, and we'll tell you honestly if another provider looks like a better fit. You can also read more about how HD Tech works with in-house IT teams.

Book a 15-Min Call

Something out of date? If you represent a company on this page and a detail is wrong or has changed, email info@hdtech.com with a link to the source and we'll update it. Page last updated October 5, 2026.

Best Co-Managed IT Providers in Orange County

Who's included, and what we compared

What co-managed IT providers cover alongside your IT team

Start with what you need

After-hours coverage so your IT person isn't on call

Security monitoring your team can't staff around the clock

Overflow help desk for busy weeks

Help with projects and migrations

Compliance work (audits, documentation, remediation)

Patching handled for your team

Your IT staff get access to the provider's tools

How each co-managed IT provider describes its offering

How co-managed IT usually splits the work

Usually stays with your IT team

Usually handled by the provider

Agree on up front

Questions to ask any provider

What about cost?

Co-managed IT: FAQs

What is co-managed IT?

Will a co-managed provider replace my IT person?

Who's in charge in a co-managed arrangement?

What happens if our IT person leaves?

How much does co-managed IT cost?

HD Tech wrote this page. Is HD Tech's listing treated differently?

Want a second opinion on your shortlist?