Do you have any idea when the last time your copier was serviced? Do you know if the software your business depends on has been updated and patched? If you have no idea about the answers to these questions, you may be staring disaster in the face. This month we thought we’d discuss how you can ensure that your technology is managed and how you can keep your business from being jeopardized by a catastrophic operational problem.
To keep your IT working for you, you need control over it. You need to know when a piece of hardware was purchased, who set it up, and when it was last maintenanced. You need a strategy to protect the hardware and the data. You need these because you have made huge investments into this technology and it is easier to have all the answers on record rather than having to do a full-scale inquiry every time you need to know something about your technology.
Today, IT professionals deploy the technology you use and keep it maintained and managed; and, can also keep a very detailed inventory of every wire, every piece of hardware and software, and every action taken to maintain those systems. Managed IT services providers also use state-of-the-art technology to ensure that your systems are patched, updated, and running proficiently.
In the course of accomplishing this, a lot of documentation is created. Some of the records that need to be kept include:
- All network-attached devices you have, from your networking devices to every company-owned endpoint and peripheral that attaches to it.
- The proper configuration for each of these devices.
- The date that each of these devices was installed.
- The licenses that your business needs to maintain, and the status of the ones you have.
- A comprehensive history of all service that each of these devices has received.
This record of events provides the MSP (or your onsite IT administrator) with a guide to effectively manage a business’ technology while understanding how your business functions through it. Your IT administrator can refer to this record to explain any issue that has happened with any piece of your existing technology.
Managed IT Works for You
If you have questions about how to get a thorough record of your IT systems and maintenance--and would like to learn more about how Grove Networks can provide you with more effective technology--call our IT professionals today at (305) 448-6126.
