It’s important to constantly self-evaluate your IT architecture and processes. As the driving force behind most companies, your IT should be continuously monitored and streamlined. There are a few simple signs to look for that may be bogging down your systems. Even regular, simple fixes can make a big difference in the long run. This article will serve as a guide and a reminder of what to look for and correct along the way.
Inferior Technology
Obsolete Technology
One major setback to your IT Architecture may be your old or obsolete equipment. Your IT is certainly a place to invest your resources. Regular maintenance, updates, and upgrades are key to productivity and innovation.
When you let your software and equipment become outdated, you not only risk downtime and latency issues, but you also set yourself behind the competition. The more obsolete your equipment is, the harder it is to maintain with the best systems and interfaces. It also leads to higher IT maintenance costs and emergency repairs.
Bare-Minimum Maintenance
When you use workarounds and do the bare minimum to keep your technology together, you are putting your company’s productivity and data at risk. When you solve only immediate problems, you create fragile systems. Much like keeping old equipment, equipment that is not well kept increases risk of downtime. The more problems that you solve with duct tape and superglue, the more costly the repairs and the more likely emergencies will be in the future. It’s far better to spend the money for regular maintenance and thorough repairs than to let your business technology rest on the brink of breakdown.
Redundancies
Applications
Redundant Applications may not seem like an issue that needs much attention. After all, business applications help solve problems. However, redundancies does not mean that you are more covered in the areas you need. Instead, they drain IT resources away and waste money money. Software licenses, updates, rekeying – all of these tasks are unnecessarily duplicated with additional apps.
Data
Similarly, redundant data can can mean wasted time, space, and energy. Often times, various applications require the same data. It’s important to sift through your data and applications regularly to remove redundancies. You can also begin backing up old data or data that is rarely needed to its own drive to keep the more mission critical drives efficient.
Interfaces
A problem that goes hand in hand with redundant data is having too many interfaces. The more systems and databases you have, the more interfaces you end up building to store and feed information. While they are important to have, they too can bog down your system and make it more fragile. More interfaces also means more time and money spent managing them. It is better to regularly build new functionality than to create too many interfaces.
CCNY Tech is an IT sales and services company. For over 25 years, CCNY Tech has been supplying IT equipment as well as providing maintenance and IT recycling services. Partnering with some of the top brands in the industry, they are experts in equipment and custom configurations. CCNY Tech IT professionals provides custom solutions to businesses of all sizes. Learn more at ccnytech.com.