Use the following guidelines to ensure your company is following good practice for I.T. maintenance.

Do your I.T. maintenance regularly

Your business depends on an I.T. system that works without fault. Regular maintenance can ensure your system is working efficiently decreasing the chance of costly downtime for your business.

Don’t ignore I.T. maintenance

Are your software licenses all up-to-date?
Is your anti-virus programme doing its job?
Is it time to change passwords?
Regular maintenance helps you know the answers to important questions like these and makes sure you’re in control of your I.T. systems.

Draw up a schedule for your I.T. maintenance

Decide whether your schedule should be daily, weekly or monthly. The frequency depends on how critical the part is for the day-to-day running of your business. Software and hardware need maintenance, both your I.T. equipment and the software you run need regular checks.

For example, if you are a designer, your computer screens might need calibrating at specific intervals. Automate as much as possible Some maintenance tasks can be automated, saving you time. You can schedule backups to run daily and set your security software to update regularly — just make sure you check the automation is working. Presuming it is can be costly.

Keep your documentation updated

Keep a record of all software licenses plus renewal dates and the age of any hardware such as screens and keyboards. This will help you identify when software or equipment should be upgraded or replaced. Itemisation of equipment allows you to know exactly what equipment your company has making it easier to budget for I.T. Maintenance. Make monitoring part of your IT maintenance Knowing how members of staff use IT can help how you maintain it. If staff type a lot of reports, keyboards and mice might need replacing more often. Monitor and check hardware separately from software.

Check and maintain your security

Online security threats can damage your business. As part of your I.T. maintenance, make sure your firewall and security software are doing their jobs.

Keep virus and malware scanners up to date

Never think you will be ok without it. Could your business survive the downtime or loss of data as a result of not having a sufficient Anti-Virus programme installed.

Don’t overcomplicate I.T. maintenance

Regular tasks don’t have to be too arduous as long as you stay on top of them. They don’t all have to be carried out by experts either. For instance, anyone can perform simple tasks like clearing the dust out of computer fans.

Back Up Your Data

It is alarming how many companies forget to or do not feel the need to regularly back up their company data. Ask yourself how you would operate if you lost all your client contact details or all your invoices for the year. Ultimately the damage can be fatal for your business when all it would have taken was to back up regularly.

Consider outsourcing I.T. maintenance

Failing to perform regular maintenance can ultimately damage your business in the long run.

by Macwisdom