Part of the role that your IT support team plays in your business is averting issues. While not every disaster can be avoided, of course, proper preventive measures can avert most issues and keep your business running smoothly.
Unfortunately, many IT teams are so busy running around putting out fires that they fail to take the time to help prevent them. Here are some of the preventive steps you should see your IT support team providing for your business:
Virus Protection:
A good IT team will be consistently running virus tests and anti-virus installs and updates. Users should be protected from any spyware infections and from spam email. Staff computers should be updated on a regular basis with MS updates. These preventive tasks are essential to protecting your revenue and privacy as a company.
Fixing Problems to Prevent Problems:
This is one of the most key roles an IT support team plays. After all, problems do and will occur. However, when the same problems keep happening, it means that the IT support team isn’t giving full fixes. Rather than simply patching up faulty systems, your IT support team should be developing or installing new software. This provides constant improvements, and prevents problems from recurring.
Back up Data:
This is a critical component of disaster prevention. You should have everything (and we do indeed mean everything, not just the ‘important’ files) backed up on your servers. In fact, you should have at least three forms of backed up data to ensure that, if one system fails and takes out your stored data with it, that you have two other locations from which to retrieve that data.
Servers and Systems Monitoring:
Your critical servers and systems should really be monitored 24/7/365. This is the safeguard that can help your IT team spot any indications of hackers, viruses, or system glitches. Not only that, but your failover and redundant systems should also be frequently tested, as these need to constantly be in full working order.
Equipment Warranty:
Is all of your equipment up-to-date with the manufacturer warranty? Keeping all of your systems and operating equipment up-to-date can drastically help to keep your systems safe from both glitches and hackers. If something does fail and it’s not up-to-date with the manufacturer warranty, who do you think will be covering the costs? That’s right. It’s you.
Offsite System Backup:
Another safeguard to help protect your business and your data. Offsite system back up means that your information and data is not only stored on servers within your building, but also in secured holdings off-site. This additional security is particularly helpful for areas prone to environmental disasters, such as earthquakes.
Having an IT support team keeping your business, your systems, and your employees well-protected from IT issues is invaluable when it comes to helping your company move forward. When issues consistently arise, it distracts and inhibits your staff from being able to achieve all that they can, possibly deters customers, and causes you a massive headache. Outsourcing your IT support can be a great way to provide the additional prevention, protection, and security that your business needs.