Mission Critical IT Departments must provide availability of applications and data when needed by their customers. These systems are kept running with redundancy strategies and strict monitoring should there be some type of failure.
Your laptops and desktop computers along with mobile devices make up your home IT department. They are depended on to complete financial transactions, provide entertainment and control a variety of connected appliances. Most importantly they may be the focal point for receiving teaching by way of on-line classes along with research and homework. These systems need to be available just like those of a mission critical business. To guarantee readiness, being proactive is key. Begin by ensuring the hardware is up for the job. Consider the age remembering that older equipment most likely will be slower performance wise. A newer computer will have much faster processors built on the latest technologies.
In addition, solid state drives provide faster read and writes of data with better reliability. Often over-looked is the speed of the network card that connects to your internet provider. Networking protocols have changed over the years so see how close you are to the latest. If not sure what’s in your computer, use your favorite search engine to find what commands display this information. The version of operating system is important too. Version 10 is most current for Windows. If not on that version understand why.
For example, the computer may not be able to run it efficiency or perhaps it’s just a personal preference. Virus and adware protection software must be sufficient too. Confirm it gives the level of defense required and performs efficiently. Mismatches can cause performance issues. Also confirm there is disaster recovery strategy (backups) whether to a local disk or to the cloud. If everything was suddenly gone, how would you recover?
Check printers to be sure they are adequate. Wireless printing is very common and allows the printer to be centrally located so it can be reached by everyone who needs it. Lastly, review your internet provider’s upload and download speeds. Use an online speed test to check. The common household has multiple devices connecting to the internet. Be sure there is plenty of bandwidth available.
A little equipment and budget planning will go a long way in preventing frustration and ensuring your household is mission critical ready.
Ted Saul is a business coach that assists with Business Plans and Project Management. He holds a master certificate in project management and has earned his MBA from Regis University. Ted can be reached on LinkedIn, TedS787 on Twitter or emailing TedSaulBiz@gmail.com.
