There’s a moment in nearly every Linux outsourcing conversation where someone says,
“We just want it sorted.”
And I get it. You’ve got too many platforms, too few people, and too many things going wrong at once. Outsourcing your Linux support seems like an easy win. Offload the stress. Hand over the monitoring. Clear your team’s backlog.
And in principle? I agree.
Outsourcing Linux support can make a lot of sense – commercially, strategically and technically.
But there’s a line I think more businesses need to hear:
Outsource the work. Not the thinking.
Let me explain.
Not all Linux support is created equal
When someone tells me they’ve outsourced their Linux to “an IT provider,” my next question is usually: “Do they actually do Linux?”
Because while Linux is everywhere – powering cloud infrastructure, databases, custom applications – proper Linux support is still a niche skillset.
If your support partner is mostly focused on Microsoft, with one Linux engineer looking after a dozen clients, there’s a risk.
- Patches get delayed.
- Issues go undiagnosed.
- Fixes get applied without root cause analysis.
- Worst case, nobody realises something’s broken until your users do.
Your judgement matters in selecting a provider who’s actually qualified to do the job.
Outsourcing isn’t a ‘set and forget’ solution
I talk to a lot of companies and MSPs. One thing I hear is, “We just assumed they were looking after it.” Usually when something’s gone wrong.
Outsourcing doesn’t mean abdicating responsibility. You still need:
- Visibility into what’s being monitored and why
- Clarity on patching, performance, and escalation
- Confidence that someone’s not just watching dashboards – but understands what they’re looking at
A good provider will help you stay in the loop. A great one will proactively advise you when something needs to change.
The hidden cost of switching off your judgement
Outsourcing Linux might save you budget. But if it costs you visibility, control, or trust, it’s not a saving.
I’ve seen companies:
- Lose weeks chasing vague performance issues
- Get caught out by patching gaps
- Miss out on improvements because their provider wasn’t proactive
And often, these aren’t technical failures – they’re communication failures.
A lack of shared understanding. No clear roadmap. No strategic input.
All of which could have been avoided with better questions upfront – and a provider who welcomes the interrogation.
What smart Linux outsourcing looks like
The businesses that get the most value from outsourcing Linux support have something in common: they stay involved. They ask the right questions. They expect clarity. They want things done properly – not just “done.”
Here’s what that tends to look like in practice:
- A team that lives and breathes Linux – not one who “can probably handle it”
- Proactive monitoring – so issues are spotted before they cause downtime
- Clear ownership – so you’re never left wondering who’s doing what
- Commercial understanding – so support aligns with your goals and priorities
My boss likes to say that if you have to “tell your IT provider that something’s gone wrong”, e.g by raising a ticket, “then they’ve already failed.” I think that’s an important mindset shift.
Own the decision, even if you don’t own the work
Linux outsourcing can absolutely deliver ROI. It can free up your team, reduce risk, and improve reliability. But only if you apply the same level of judgement to your support partner as you would to an internal hire.
At Tiger Computing, we don’t just “do Linux” – it’s all we do.
And we work with both internal IT teams and MSPs to make sure Linux support is done right – with visibility, clarity, and zero guesswork.If that sounds like something your business could use, let’s talk.
