IT secondment is the temporary deployment of an external specialist within your own organisation, under your direction and working within your environment. Linux secondment almost always involves critical environments: production systems, financial infrastructure, industrial or logistical platforms that need to operate 24/7.
The vacancy is open, the project can't wait, and your permanent team is already busy enough. IT secondment would then seem like the logical step. But a Linux specialist isn't a standard IT professional, and not every secondment agency understands that.
USN has been deploying Linux specialists into complex enterprise environments for over 25 years. What we see is that the technical match is rarely the only thing that matters.
The difference is in the depth
Linux is a discipline. Someone proficient on Ubuntu desktops can completely get stuck in a RHEL environment with dozens of production systems, strict change management processes, and an SLA that leaves no room for learning experiences.
The question isn't just “can this person do Linux?”, but “has this person worked in an environment like ours before?” That distinction determines whether someone is productive on day one or needs three weeks to understand the environment first.
What you need to know before you hire someone
A number of points that make a difference when selecting a Linux specialist via secondment.
- Experience with the distribution you use. RHEL, CentOS, Debian, SLES: they are not interchangeable when it comes to enterprise-level management.
- Knowledge of your security stack. SELinux, AppArmor, hardening scripts, patching processes. Those who don't know this make your environment more vulnerable, not more stable.
- Familiarity with your tooling. Ansible, Puppet, Terraform, Prometheus: a good specialist works within your workflow, not around it.
- Experience with change management. In production environments, you don't do anything without a procedure. Someone who doesn't understand that cultural difference is a risk, however good they are at the technical side.
Secondment or outsourcing: when do you choose which?
Staffing works well when you need capacity for a defined project or temporary absence. You retain control and the specialist works under your direction.
Outsourcing makes more sense if your need is structural, but you lack the internal knowledge or staffing to accommodate it. The difference isn't just in the contract type, but in who bears the responsibility. With secondment, that remains with you. With outsourcing, it lies with the partner.
At USN, we do both. We provide Linux specialists who are immediately deployable in complex environments and we take on full management if that's a better fit.
What USN does differently
Our people have years of experience with business-critical Linux environments. No juniors learning the ropes, but specialists who know how things work in practice.
We work without vendor lock-in. No mandatory tool stack, no proprietary platforms, just the best approach for your environment.
Do you need a Linux specialist in the short term, or do you want to find out if secondment is the right choice for you first? Get in touch, we're happy to help you brainstorm.
Frequently asked questions about IT contracting Linux
What is IT secondment?
IT secondment involves the temporary deployment of an external IT specialist within your own organisation. The specialist works under your supervision, in your environment and using your tools. You are hiring expertise and capacity without entering into a permanent employment relationship.
The difference between IT secondment and IT outsourcing is as follows:
**IT secondment** involves temporarily hiring IT professionals from an external agency to work on specific projects or tasks within your company. These professionals are integrated into your team and work under your management.
**IT outsourcing**, on the other hand, involves contracting with an external company to handle specific IT functions or services entirely. This could include managing your entire IT infrastructure, providing helpdesk support, or developing software. The external company is responsible for the delivery and quality of the service.
When you take on temporary staff, you work with an external specialist who falls under your direction. You retain control, but also responsibility. With outsourcing, you transfer some of that responsibility to an external party, who takes charge of management or execution independently. Which form is better suited depends on how structural your need is and how much control you want to maintain yourself.
What requirements must a good Linux specialist meet when working on a secondment?
In addition to technical knowledge of Linux, enterprise-level distribution experience is important: RHEL, Debian, SLES or CentOS are not interchangeable. Furthermore, knowledge of the security stack (SELinux, AppArmor), familiarity with common management tools, and experience with change management in production environments count. Someone who combines these will be deployable from day one.
Linux detachment is the right choice when:
Linux troubleshooting is suitable for temporary capacity needs, a defined project, or replacement during downtime. If the need is structural, outsourcing or a combined solution is often more efficient.
What is the cost of IT secondment for a Linux specialist?
The costs depend on the level of experience, the duration of the deployment, and the complexity of the environment. USN quickly provides insight into the cost of a suitable deployment for your situation based on a brief conversation.
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