Why IT Operations Fail and How to Guarantee Yours Succeeds:
Top Ten Strategies to Fortify Your IT Infrastructure
Your phone, network, email and applications are the tools your organization uses to communicate with your customers, suppliers, and employees. When you have downtime, your business loses money. Even a small business can lose thousands of dollars an hour due to downtime. According to Infonetics Research, companies experience an average of nearly 140 hours of downtime every year, with 56% of that caused by pure outages. Applications are the biggest source of downtime, accounting for roughly one-quarter of lost revenue and productivity. Other sources of downtime are network products, security products, cables/connectors, servers and e-commerce. Most downtime is caused by three key factors: • Limited expertise/experience. It’s hard for one or two IT people to know it all, and the knowledge changes frequently as most organizations replace or upgrade their systems every 3-4 years. • Reactive vs. proactive support. User satisfaction frequently takes precedence, leaving little time for important proactive measures. • Poor IT and business alignment. Technical solutions are often implemented without an understanding of true business needs. A few straightforward, proactive strategies will optimize your computers, networks and systems for their best possible performance, and keep your business running — ensuring that your IT operation does not fail.
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© 2006 mindSHIFT Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.
1.
Invest in a top-name virus protection package.
Each workstation and server should have an industry-recognized anti-virus package such as Trend Micro™ or Symantec™ installed. It is also important to configure this software to automatically download pattern and engine files directly from the Internet and to periodically check this process.
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Use encryption if you deploy wireless within your infrastructure.
The most common mistake made when deploying wireless technology is neglecting security. Make sure encryption (at least 128bit) is enabled and access point advertising, such as SSID1 broadcasts, is disabled. Steps like this will minimize the chance someone will eavesdrop on your network, either to gain access to the Internet on your dime or to access your sensitive company data. For a business-class wireless architecture, Cisco is the leader with its Aironet® product line. Avoid D-Link® or Linksys®; these are generally designed for home use.
3.
Protect your workstations with a dedicated anti-spyware/adware package.
Spyware is the silent killer for workstations. It comes in many forms and can cause varying degrees of havoc on a user’s system. This includes everything from annoying pop-up advertisements to keystroke loggers that record and distribute what is typed on a keyboard in an attempt to steal passwords. NoAdware’s NoAdware™, eTrust™ PestPatrol® and Webroot™ Spy Sweeper™ are examples of well-regarded packages.
4.
Use Category 6 cable when you install wiring in support of data, especially VoIP.
Cable used to interconnect computer systems via Ethernet is divided into categories. Category 6 (commonly referred to as Cat6) meets a defined specification that insures proper performance (speed) over a specific distance. Putting in Category 5 (Cat5) or less may be appealing from a cost perspective but may inhibit the performance of your LAN and inhibit the roll-out of future applications (e.g., VoIP), requiring the installation of higher category cable at a future date. The real cost here is not the cable but the labor to install, and then at some future date, re-install the cable.
5.
Set software updates to run automatically if you are a Microsoft shop.
Microsoft products are generally based on stable code. If this were not true Windows and Office would not be the de facto standard for businesses throughout the world. Having said that, all code needs to be “patched” occasionally to insure proper and secure operation and Microsoft is no exception. Devise and implement a patch management plan for your organization and live by it.
6.
Perform a monthly restore test if you do tape backup.
Tape backups have been integral to IT operations for years. While using tape is widely accepted it is not enough to set up a tape drive, put in a tape, configure some software and assume all is fine. Like any mechanical device, tape drives fail on occasion and tapes are not the most robust media type. If you are performing in-house tape back-ups, do three things: 1) check the logs every day to verify the backup jobs completed successfully 2) once verified, store the tapes in an off-site location that is secure and temperature controlled and 3) perform test restores on a monthly basis. This will help validate that a restore can be completed when it is most needed, which is after a disaster.
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SSID, the Service Set Identifier, is essentially the name that identifies each wireless network.
7.
Back up laptops and desktops.
A common refrain is “we have a policy that all company data is stored on a server and backed up there”. Don’t assume that just because it is written as a policy that it is being adhered to. Users store important files on their local systems for a host of reasons, including the desire to work on files while out of the office and the need to protect sensitive data from the eyes of even the IT staff. Backing up laptops and desktops protects this critical data in the event of a lost, stolen or damaged workstation. Use of a hosted solution is best for the capability. Connected® or Data Deposit Box™ are good examples of this type of service.
8.
Devise a basic disaster recovery plan.
IT Disaster Recovery planning can be a daunting prospect, with many scenarios to analyze and options to pursue. Start with the basics and add to the plan over time. Define what is important, from an IT perspective, for running your business and focus on it. This will include people, data and hardware assets (generally in that order). Start with simple things such as who is going to declare a disaster, how employees are informed that the company is in disaster mode, and how customers are reassured you are still a viable business despite the disaster. Then identify the key business processes that you would need to have functioning and the amount of time you can afford to be down. The technology solutions should meet your identified business needs; for instance, you probably don’t need to invest in a million-dollar SAN (Storage Area Network) if your business isn’t transaction- or database-driven.
9.
Invest in a decent firewall and maintain it.
Firewalls are your primary defense against the world of hackers. It is important that a strong firewall is procured, installed properly and maintained. The more restricted the rules, generally, the better. Look at a Cisco or Juniper appliance if you want to be sure you install an industry leader.
10.
Consider outsourcing mission-critical applications and infrastructure management.
With ongoing technology changes and numerous systems to manage, it’s hard for any one person, or even a few people, to have all the skills and experience necessary to run the technology components of a business. Small- to mid-sized organizations may find that outsourcing some or all components of the IT infrastructure is an attractive proposition. Instead of hiring an expensive outside contractor to deal with problems when they arise, an organization can employ a Managed Services Provider to ensure a consistent level of service for a predictable monthly cost. Using advanced monitoring tools and proven processes, Managed Services Providers can proactively manage an IT infrastructure and prevent downtime and network outages—all while keeping employees happy and productive.
Conclusion
Downtime of any type in an organization can result in lost productivity and forfeited revenue. Though the IT operation requires numerous disparate skills across a wide range of disciplines, an organization can protect its business and avoid IT failures by taking a few straightforward steps –which may be performed by your internal IT resource, an outside contractor, a managed services provider, or some combination of the three.
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About mindSHIFT Technologies, Inc.
With operations in Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Washington D.C., mindSHIFT is a leading Managed Services Provider (MSP) offering managed IT services, VoIP and professional services to small- and mediumsized organizations and law firms. The company’s portfolio of managed services provides a comprehensive solution which includes such critical services as email management and administration, electronic backup for servers and desktops, virus and spam protection, desktop support, and server management. Managed services customers are supported by both a 24-hour Network Operations Center for proactive management support and a call center which diagnoses and resolves all end-user desktop issues. For advanced and larger businesses, the company provides business application migrations, storage area network upgrades and complex hosting applications. Additionally, mindSHIFT has superior expertise and experience in meeting the complex demands of the legal community for the integration of applications such as document management. For additional information, visit www.mindshift.com.
mindSHIFT Technologies is a registered trademark of mindSHIFT Technologies, Inc. All other names are trademarks of their respective companies.
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