There’s probably never a ‘good’ time to upgrade your IT infrastructure, but given how vital it is to your business, you’ll need to address it – especially where it is interfering with your business operations, posing a potential risk to data, or causing your business to lose money.
Due to the potential investment, any upgrades or changes must be implemented correctly and efficiently. Below are some standard considerations when a system review is necessary.
Perform a system-wide IT audit
As a first step, evaluate your existing systems. Some overarching questions to ask may include:
- When was your IT infrastructure last updated?
- What operating system are you using?
- Is your network capacity sufficient?
- Has your team noted any repeated issues that have yet to be addressed?
Another aspect of this process will be to identify what you want your IT to help you achieve, and how you may need to go about that to reach your business goals.
- Will you need more storage?
- Do you want to save costs?
- Is there a requirement to upscale according to demand?
- Could there be an elevated security risk due to the need for file sharing and remote access?
Working with a trusted IT services provider to consider and resolve these questions will help identify any choke points and their respective solutions. Experienced professionals can also identify innovations that ensure your solutions are fully optimised for your workflows.
Get your business cloud-ready
If you need more storage, or a more flexible approach to handling files, cloud storage may be a suitable upgrade. In addition to the ease of accessing data, it can improve options for collaboration, enhance data security, speed up operations, and save you money.
However, the ‘cloud’ is about more than just storage. A variety of enterprise services are available from third-party providers which deliver functionality and operational capacity, without the need to set up an expensive hosted solution on-site.
Software services delivered via the cloud cover a range of essential business needs, e.g.
- Project management
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
- Human Resource Management (HRM)
- Communication and task collaboration
- Productivity tools (e.g. Microsoft 365; Adobe Creative Cloud)
Transitioning to a cloud-based infrastructure may take time to fully realise. It’s worth weighing up the net positive gains with the things you may be relinquishing, such as full control over your data.
Migrating archived and existing data to the cloud may also be a potential technical hurdle. Having expertise on-hand to assess and manage the process will help.
Ensure your network is capable
Even if you outsource some of the load on your systems, improving your internal networking infrastructure can lead to faster and more secure operations, especially if your business is reliant on web and e-commerce services that you choose to host locally.
Various options are available, such as Virtual Private Servers and colocation hosting. However, it’s important that – as you plan your improvements – your server solutions work in concert with your cloud solutions.
You may also want to consider whether a managed solution may be of more benefit to your business overall, in terms of efficacy and cost.
Broadband suited to your business
It’s also worth taking stock of your existing connectivity. Business broadband is as much a part of the backbone of your operations as your physical servers and software.
While standard broadband may be sufficient for a small business, the ability to optimise network speed and capacity can bring advantages for organisations of any size, opening the door to new ways of working, such as improved teleconferencing, remote working, and collaboration.
Broadband options such as fibre to the premises (FTTP) and leased lines bring consistency, resilience and speed benefits that can make the difference, especially when trying to provide a reliable ‘online’ service or cope with growth.
Improve your security
Cyberattacks can affect any business. Up-to-date antivirus and anti-malware software is a must. But it’s important to also think beyond software when it comes to system security.
Identifying the weaknesses in your systems should be a holistic approach. In addition to security software, you should review opportunities to reinforce or establish additional rigour through secure procedures and good practice.
Training and education
Make sure staff are aware of the fundamentals, such as creating strong passwords, periodically changing passwords, spotting email scams, and other basic elements of good data protection practice.
Establish policies and procedures
From using multifactor authentication (2FA) to securely disposing of old hardware, there are a variety of practices that can be introduced into the workplace to ensure that sensitive data is not leaked.
Restricting access
Limiting the numbers of staff able to access the network (or areas of it) can help – whether that involves physically locking server rooms or restricting admin privileges.
Monitoring
Keeping a log of network events can help establish a clear timeline in the event of unusual activity. However, traditional surveillance methods, such as installing CCTV around server locations, should also be considered.
Maintenance and updates
Making sure potential exploits are patched and that your system conforms to the latest standards is an important aspect of ensuring criminals are not provided with away to bypass your network’s non-tangible security measures.
Get your back up systems in shape
In the event of a cyberattack or physical catastrophe, having multiple up-to-date backups, air-gapped backups to protect from ransomware, and a disaster recovery plan are key to ensuring business continuity.
Policies and procedures relating to regular and secure backups will need to be in place alongside the right architecture to ensure resilience, e.g. making use of monitored onsite, offsite and cloud backups.
Good practice that prevents data loss overlaps with some of the considerations mentioned previously, such as reviews of serve capability, cloud outsourcing, and security policies. It’s another reason to think holistically when considering system upgrades or cost savings.
Finding professional assistance with IT upgrades
IT needs vary according to industry and budget, and getting it right can be a complex challenge. At Micro Maintenance, we aim to work with you to fashion the right IT infrastructure for your business.
From scoping and installing hardware and software, to daily management of systems and assessing the capability and suitability of your setup – our consultative approach and expert solutions ensure your technology serves your business vision and management goals.
If you’d like a discussion about how to update your IT infrastructure in a way that is appropriate for you, please get in touch. Our experienced team will be happy to talk you through those important first steps.
