Success Story
The 3 AM phone doesn't ring anymore.
How 24×7 NOC coverage turned midnight emergencies into next-morning updates.
What it is
Reserve the hours. Draw on them as needed.
Some work calls for senior Linux expertise on tap: a project to push through, a migration to run, a tricky problem to solve, or an emergency to handle. That's true whether your own team runs Linux day-to-day or we already manage it for you under Proactive.
TLC Reactive Flex Time gives you that expertise on demand. You commit to a recurring monthly block of hours, or a larger annual block, and draw from them whenever work comes up that needs an expert. Monthly hours stay available for 60 days from the month they're allocated, so there's room to accumulate a bit if you don't use them right away. No lengthy procurement when something urgent comes up, and no hourly-billing paperwork every time we open a ticket.
The result is simple: expert Linux help, done right the first time. No hiring, no training, no ramp-up, just senior engineers who solve the problem and move on. Use your hours for one-off projects, routine ticket support, or emergency break/fix work, and get your team's time back for the work that actually grows the business.
What reactive covers
The kind of work we handle.
Reactive hours can be applied to almost any authorized Linux engineering work. Some of the common uses:
Configuration changes
Emergency troubleshooting
Migrations and upgrades
System remediation
Documentation and discovery
Software programming
Project management
IT consulting
New user and computer setup
Special projects
Security remediation
Other Linux work you authorize
The real payoff
What’s in it for you.
01
Senior expertise on tap
- Reach engineers who've run Linux in production for decades
- Skip the cost and lead time of a full-time senior hire
- The same people over time, so they learn your environment
- Escalate a tricky problem without starting from scratch
02
Budget you can plan around
- Pre-purchased blocks at rates set in your quote
- A discounted hourly rate on the monthly term
- Overage billed cleanly the following month, never a surprise
- One predictable line item instead of ad-hoc invoices
03
Flexibility, no lock-in
- Use the hours for projects, changes, or emergencies
- Adjust your monthly commitment with advance notice
- No managed-services relationship required to get started
- Pairs with TLC Proactive when you're ready for more
04
Help when it actually counts
- A bench that's already in place when something breaks
- Work inside or outside business hours as needed
- No scrambling to find a specialist mid-incident
- Your team stays focused while we take the hard parts
Two terms
Pick the one that fits.
Both terms draw from the same bench of engineers and cover the same scope of work. The difference is how much you use, how often, and how you want to plan for it.
Option 01
Monthly Term
For teams that use expert Linux help regularly. Predictable monthly cadence, discounted hourly rate.
What you get
-
✓
Minimum: 5 hours per month Small enough to be practical, big enough to make sense.
-
✓
Discounted hourly rate Rates specified in your quote. Best available for reactive work.
-
✓
Hours available for 2 months From the month they're allocated. Room to accumulate a bit if you don't use them right away.
-
✓
Adjust your commitment Increase or decrease monthly hours with advance written notice.
-
✓
Overage handled cleanly Work above your allocation is billed the following month at your quoted rate.
Option 02
Annual Term
For teams that use expert help less frequently but want a longer window to draw from. Standard hourly rate, more flexibility on when to use it.
What you get
-
✓
Minimum: 15 hours One block, one commitment, one year.
-
✓
Standard hourly rate Rates specified in your quote.
-
✓
12-month usage window Use your hours whenever they're needed, up to a year from purchase.
-
✓
Auto-renewing Renews annually so your bench is always in place. Cancel with advance written notice.
-
✓
Automatic overage If your usage exceeds the purchased block, overage is invoiced automatically at your quoted rate.
Expecting a heavier month? Ask about our Prepaid Block Add-on. Additional hours can be added to either term at discounted rates for periods of higher utilization, then used alongside your regular allocation.
Coverage windows
Linux doesn't always break during business hours.
Reactive hours can be used inside or outside business hours. Rates vary based on when the work happens.
Window 01
Business hours
Weekdays, business hours (MT)
Planned work, scheduled maintenance, day-to-day project work. Standard hourly rate applies.
Window 02
After-hours
Evenings & early mornings, scheduled
Maintenance windows, migrations, and deployments that can't happen during business hours. Must be scheduled in advance.
Rate:
Elevated rate applies. Details in your quote.
Window 03
Emergency
Unscheduled, 24×7
For production outages, security incidents, and other unscheduled emergencies outside normal or after-hours windows.
Requires:
24×7 NOC Access Add-on. Premium rate applies.
Challenges we address
Problems Reactive is especially good for
Challenge
Limited Linux Expertise
Senior Linux help for teams that can't justify hiring a full-time engineer for the work.
Read moreChallenge
Infrastructure Migrations
Moving off old platforms, upgrading old distributions, standing up new environments.
Read moreChallenge
Security & Compliance
Audit response, hardening projects, remediation of security findings.
Read more
Other engagements
Explore our other engagements.
There are a few different ways to work with us. Here are the other engagements you can explore.
Ongoing · managed
TLC Proactive Managed Services
Continuous, scheduled care of your Linux: monitoring, patching, backups, and maintenance across Basic, Standard, and High-Security tiers.
Read about TLC Proactive One-time · flat fee Get Me Out Of TroubleFast, best-effort help for an urgent one-off problem at a fixed price, with no ongoing commitment.
Read about GMOOT Add-on · 24×7 24×7 NOC AccessRound-the-clock emergency response with a 1-hour SLA on critical issues. Layers on top of Proactive and Reactive coverage.
Read about NOC Access Ongoing · clusters Cluster ManagementProactive management of your container platform clusters: upgrades, node ops, observability, and incident response.
Read about Cluster Management For partners White LabelLinux engineering delivered behind your brand for MSPs and IT firms. You own the client relationship; we do the work.
Read about White Label Add-on · recovery DR ManagementTurns the backups in your proactive scope into a documented, validated recovery: runbook, agreed targets, backup validation, and readiness reporting.
Read about DR ManagementStart the conversation
Need a Bench of Linux Experts?
A 30-minute conversation is enough for us to understand your workload, recommend the right term, and give you an honest estimate of the block size you'd need.