Getting Started with Managed Services
How onboarding works, what's included at each tier, and how to reach us.
Getting started
Managed services don't provision a new server — we manage a server you already have, wherever it's hosted. After you sign up, we'll reach out to arrange SSH access; once that's set up we run an initial audit (checking patch level, open ports, existing backups, and running services) before turning on ongoing monitoring.
24/7 monitoring & alerts
Every plan includes round-the-clock uptime monitoring plus service and resource alerts, so problems get caught immediately rather than when someone happens to notice the site is down. This is passive on your side — there's nothing to configure or check yourself.
Patching & SSL
We apply operating system security patches monthly on every plan, and manage Let's Encrypt SSL certificates so they never silently expire. Managed and Priority plans add ongoing software updates and maintenance beyond just OS-level patches.
Firewall & backup verification
Managed and Priority plans include firewall setup and hardening as part of onboarding, plus weekly backup verification — we don't just confirm a backup job ran, we confirm the backup itself is actually restorable. Basic doesn't include this; if you're on Basic and want it, you can upgrade anytime.
Incident diagnosis & resolution
On Managed and Priority plans, when monitoring catches a problem (or you report one), we diagnose the root cause and fix it directly — not just alert you and leave it there. Basic plans get the alert; diagnosis and hands-on fixes are a Managed/Priority feature.
Monthly health reports
Every plan includes a monthly report summarizing your server's health — patches applied, uptime, resource trends, and anything we flagged during the month. It's sent to the email on file for your account.
Response times
Basic and Managed plans guarantee an 8-hour response time to support requests; Priority guarantees 2 hours and adds on-call escalation for urgent issues outside that window. Response time means how quickly we start working the issue, not necessarily full resolution — some fixes take longer than others.
Priority tier extras
Beyond the faster 2-hour response time and on-call escalation, Priority adds ongoing performance tuning and optimization, a quarterly security audit, and a dedicated account manager as your single point of contact instead of going through general support.
Works on any server
Managed and Priority plans work on any server, with any provider — it doesn't need to be a NordServ VPS. If your server already lives elsewhere and you just want someone else handling the day-to-day maintenance, that's exactly what this is for.
Questions about which tier fits? Check the FAQ or contact us — we'll recommend the right one.