9 top tips for reducing IT disruption.

Crusade Computer Solutions 9 Top Tips.

1. Patch Management and Anti-Virus updates: Make sure to always download all critical application updates when they are released to ensure all your users are protected from all of the latest threats such as spam, spyware, hackers and viruses.
2. Anti-Virus scanning: You should manually run a virus scan(or have it automated by your IT team) using your Anti-Virus software eg. Kaspersky to scan for threats such as spam, spyware, hackers and viruses. You should do this on every computer at least once a week. Ideally though, you should do it daily. A clean workstation and server is a happier, more stable environment for productive work with interruptions.
3. Workstation and Server Optimisation: On a basic level this can include: All users to delete or backup and archive emails older than 28 days. Workstations and server to consolidate data and remove fragmented information. Defragmenting data to prolong hard disk lifecycle - this should be undertaken once a month.
4. Check license compliance: Make sure all software licenses are up-to-date and you must remember whenever you create a new IT user all your licensing will need considering. This includes Microsoft, CRM, Sage and Anti-Virus.
5. Check tape back-ups: Make sure that the full data backup has completed succesfully, then ensure that the tape is stored in a safe location, ideally away from the site every day. There is absolutely no point in doing a data backup process if you are only going to leave it in a drawer next to the server, only for a fire or flood to wipe out both of them. Or, you could backup your data to the cloud and do away with manual tape backups altogether. Find out more about our cloud backup options.
6. Performance monitoring: This can help maximise the perfomance of your databases and key applications whilst enabling you to discover potential issues before they actually occur.
7. Enforce key policies with your workstation users: Do not install any new programs to your workstation without administration approval, No downloading video, music or unauthorised material, No unauthorised use of USB connected devices.
8. Implement a disaster recovery plan: This means you asses the risks of downtime and disasters. Consider how you will overcome them. Implement a process to protect your server and important business data.
9. Training, Training and more Training: Keeping your users up to date with the latest training can save your business up to 1 hour a day of productivity as well as keeping your business secure in regards to spam emails.

What are the core benefits?

If the above actions are followed and implemented rigorously on a weekly basis, businesses like yours can expect to:

• Reduce downtime
• Improve IT security and compliance
• Control IT maintenance and administration time and costs
• Keep your business safe