You don't have to manage your protection software yourself.
PCW Guardian is a managed service, not simply another program installed on your computer.
Many computer users are familiar with traditional products such as antivirus programs, backup utilities, cloud storage applications, and system maintenance software. With those products, the customer is normally responsible for opening the software, reviewing warnings, checking whether backups completed, responding to errors, starting scans, managing settings, and deciding what to do when something goes wrong.
PCW Guardian works differently. The tools installed on your computer are part of a service managed by PC Warehouse. Monitoring, maintenance, security, updates, and backup functions operate in the background while PC Warehouse maintains the service and oversees the enrolled system.
With PCW Guardian, your job is simpler.
Managed Services vs. Traditional Software
The easiest way to understand PCW Guardian is to compare it with software you may already know. The important difference is not simply which program is installed. The difference is who is responsible for managing it.
Traditional Unmanaged Software
You are usually the administrator.
- You install or subscribe to the software.
- You decide how it should be configured.
- You check whether antivirus scans are running properly.
- You review warnings, pop-ups, and security notifications.
- You verify that backups are actually completing.
- You troubleshoot failed backups or software errors.
- You decide which alerts are important and what action to take.
- You may not discover a problem until you need the software during an emergency.
PCW Guardian Managed Services
PC Warehouse manages the service.
- Guardian tools are configured for the enrolled computer.
- Monitoring and maintenance run automatically in the background.
- Applicable antivirus protection is centrally managed by PC Warehouse.
- Applicable backup jobs are maintained as part of your Guardian service.
- Windows and compatible software updates can be managed in a more controlled way.
- System health information can help identify developing problems earlier.
- PC Warehouse provides technician oversight instead of leaving every decision to the customer.
- You generally do not need to open Guardian tools and manually operate them day to day.
What Happens After Your Computer Is Enrolled?
Enrollment allows PC Warehouse to configure the Guardian services selected for that computer. From that point forward, most routine functions take place automatically without requiring you to constantly open programs, start scans, or inspect backup logs.
Enroll
PC Warehouse configures the Guardian services appropriate for your plan and computer.
Operate Normally
You continue using your computer for work, gaming, browsing, email, or everyday use.
Guardian Works
Monitoring, maintenance, updates, protection, and backups run automatically according to your plan.
PCW Oversees It
PC Warehouse maintains the managed environment and reviews issues that require technician attention.
What PC Warehouse Manages
The exact services depend on your Guardian plan, but the managed-service approach applies across the Guardian platform.
System Monitoring
Looking for developing problems.
Guardian monitors important system health and stability information that can help identify slowdowns, storage concerns, failing services, excessive startup activity, and other conditions that may lead to larger problems.
Maintenance & Optimization
Routine care without another chore for you.
Maintenance tasks and supported optimizations can operate in the background so that routine upkeep does not depend on the customer remembering to run a maintenance utility.
Windows & Software Patching
Updates with more control.
Guardian helps manage Windows updates and compatible software security updates to reduce unnecessary disruption while keeping systems appropriately maintained.
Managed Antivirus
Guardian+ and Guardian Pro.
Plans that include SentinelOne provide antivirus and ransomware protection as part of the managed Guardian environment. The customer does not need to routinely open the antivirus program and manually start normal protection tasks.
Managed Off-Site Backup
Guardian+ and Guardian Pro.
Backup is treated as an ongoing service rather than simply software installed on the computer. Backup jobs are configured and maintained according to the protection included with your plan.
Technician Oversight
The part ordinary software cannot provide.
PCW Guardian combines automation with oversight from PC Warehouse technicians who work with real computer failures, malware, storage problems, update issues, instability, and performance problems every day.
What Does “Managed Backup” Actually Mean?
This is one of the biggest differences for customers who are accustomed to products such as OneDrive, Dropbox, or traditional backup software.
A Backup Program
A backup program can be installed and still fail to protect your data if it is misconfigured, stopped, signed out, out of storage, unable to reach the destination, or experiencing an error that nobody notices.
A Managed Backup Service
With a managed backup service, the backup configuration is part of the service PC Warehouse maintains. The goal is not merely to install backup software; it is to maintain an ongoing backup process for the data or system image covered by your Guardian plan.
No backup system can guarantee recovery in every possible situation. Guardian backup coverage, storage limits, protected folders or drives, and recovery capabilities depend on the plan and configuration selected for the enrolled device.
What Does “Managed Antivirus” Mean?
Traditional antivirus products are commonly sold directly to consumers. They may display renewal notices, scan results, security questions, configuration choices, advertisements, and warnings that the customer must interpret.
With Guardian+ and Guardian Pro, SentinelOne protection is part of the PCW Guardian managed service. It is intended to operate quietly in the background while PC Warehouse manages the service rather than expecting the customer to become the antivirus administrator.
Do I Need to Open PCW Guardian Every Day?
No. PCW Guardian is specifically designed so normal customers do not need to spend their time operating maintenance, monitoring, antivirus, and backup software.
Depending on your plan, you may see Guardian-related icons, notifications, or security messages from time to time. However, the normal day-to-day experience is simply to use your computer while the managed services operate in the background.
When Additional Service Is Needed
PCW Guardian is designed to provide ongoing monitoring, maintenance, optimization, update management, and plan-specific security and backup services to help keep your computer running reliably over time.
Some minor software issues may be resolved remotely through a screen-sharing support session, allowing a PC Warehouse technician to assist you without requiring an in-store visit. Remote screen-sharing support is entirely at the customer's discretion and is only used when requested and authorized by the customer. Remote support that involves technician repair or troubleshooting time is a separate service and may be subject to additional labor charges beyond your PCW Guardian subscription.
Other issues may require in-store service, such as hardware repairs, replacement parts, more extensive software repairs, or data recovery. If additional service is needed, PC Warehouse will explain the recommended next steps and any applicable costs before proceeding.
Systems enrolled with PCW Guardian receive our highest repair priority for in-store service. PCW Guardian Pro also includes in-store diagnostics for enrolled devices at no additional cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
If Guardian is managed, do I need to know how the software works?
No. You are welcome to ask questions about any component of the service, but Guardian is designed so you do not have to learn how to administer antivirus, monitoring, patching, or backup software just to receive the benefit of those services.
Can I still use my computer while Guardian is running?
Yes. Guardian services are designed to operate primarily in the background. Normal maintenance, monitoring, protection, and backup activity is intended to minimize disruption to everyday use.
Can I keep software such as OneDrive or Dropbox?
Yes. Existing cloud-sync or backup services can often continue to be used. PC Warehouse can account for existing services when configuring the backup protection included with Guardian.
Can I keep my existing antivirus?
Yes. Existing antivirus software may be retained where appropriate. However, antivirus software that is not supplied as part of PCW Guardian is not actively managed by PC Warehouse through the Guardian service.
Does PC Warehouse watch everything I do on my computer?
No. PCW Guardian’s managed system monitoring is designed to monitor technical health, security, maintenance, backup status, and other service-related information needed to operate Guardian. It is not designed to watch or observe your personal day-to-day computer activity.
If remote support is needed, PC Warehouse cannot simply begin controlling your computer without your knowledge. A notification will appear on your screen requesting permission to start the remote support session. You have the option to approve or decline the connection. Remote access will only begin after you approve the request.
This helps distinguish the background monitoring that is part of PCW Guardian from an actual interactive remote-support session where a technician can view or control the computer.
What should I do if I think something is wrong?
Contact PC Warehouse. Managed services reduce the amount of routine administration you have to do, but you should still tell us about unusual behavior, suspicious pop-ups, scams, physical damage, strange noises, or any problem you notice while using the computer.