Technological resources are one of the most fundamental parts of any company. Most industries cannot function properly without computers, servers and a stable internet connection. All of this falls under the concept of IT availability.
This availability, as you can imagine, consists of the company's ability to maintain access to technological resources, irrespective of any eventuality.
For this, several preventive measures must be taken, ranging from small human errors to natural disasters. It may not seem necessary at first, but you'll feel the brunt of the loss of these structures once they're gone.
If you have any doubts about how to maintain IT availability in your company, regardless of external factors, don't worry. Here are six ways to keep your technological resources working, even in the event of an accident. Check out:
1. MULTIPLE LOCATIONS BACKUPS
Keeping extra copies of any document, software or even entire machines is already a common and necessary attitude for IT professionals. However, it is not enough that these copies are in different folders within the same server. It is necessary to expand this idea, placing your information in other locations, such as in the cloud or in a cloud computing system.
The main reason for this is the greater possibility of recovery. If appropriate measures are taken, information will hardly be lost from more than one backup at the same time. In addition, used hardware is also vulnerable to damage, whether due to an accident at work or due to a disaster. Therefore, having copies in more than one location can avoid many problems.
2. HYBRID STORAGE EMAIL
Email is one of the most used tools within any company. And that's why you should pay full attention to both its storage and its practicality. If access is very slow and contains several errors, employees will hardly be able to complete all their tasks throughout the day.
To ensure the greatest availability of IT in e-mail, the ideal is to use hybrid storage, which means that the oldest messages are archived in a cloud computing system, while the most recent ones are stored in the form of a cache inside the machine. of user. This increases access speed and reduces the possibility of losing the most recent contacts in the event of a failure.
3. EQUIPMENT REDUNDANCY
In addition to having recovery systems for data and software, there must also be containment plans for hardware. When a server is damaged or infected by a virus, for example, it cannot be used. Without spare hardware, all work will have to be interrupted, which causes a huge loss in the company. The same goes for other equipment such as desktops and notebooks.
Of course, it is not possible to acquire or store twice the equipment necessary for the company to function. The total cost would not be worth it. But it is perfectly reasonable to keep a reserve for the most critical equipment.
Main servers and top management computers, for example, are critical items for the best functioning of the business. It is important that all these equipments have the same brand and configurations as the original ones, thus avoiding compatibility problems.
4. KEEP AN UP-TO-DATE INVENTORY
Knowing what resources are at your disposal is critical to maintaining IT availability. Many companies delay recovery from accidents by making unnecessary equipment purchases or believing they have the right hardware. These are issues that can be easily resolved by maintaining an IT inventory.
The process can be a bit time consuming, as a mid-sized company may already own a very large amount of equipment. However, after completing the first inventory, it is enough for it to be updated in the face of any change.
That way, you will always know if a machine is undergoing maintenance, if you need to buy a new part or if you can make a replacement with what you already have available.
5. REPLICATION OF VIRTUAL MACHINES
We've already mentioned that you should keep your data and documents backed up, but you may need to replicate entire systems and machines to ensure IT availability.
Fortunately, it's possible to virtualize all of a computer's data inside your server, allowing it to be accessed from different locations. All you need is remote or direct access to the company's central server. Cloud computing solutions, for example, can help a lot here.
If access to certain information is entirely machine dependent, there is a high chance that all accumulated data get lost if a problem occurs. However, with access through a shared server, any machine within the company can act as a gateway to that same data. With no dependency on the machine, the risk of loss is much lower.
6. TRAINING TO PREVENT HUMAN ERRORS
In many cases, IT availability depends on team actions. When the company's professionals are not trained to use the system properly, avoiding malfunctions, the chances of a problem resulting from human error are much higher. Malware infection and data loss are just a few examples.
This is not necessarily any individual's fault. Technological advancement is increasingly accelerated and requires everyone to relearn basic functions of their tools. And we can't always keep up with this evolution. So taking the initiative and teaching your team how to best preserve your systems and equipment can be a great investment.
The way in which these trainings occur can vary greatly. Simpler procedures, such as checking content and attachments in emails, only need a consistent mention.
Already forms of operate and organize files so that they are always accessible to all team requires more time and information. If necessary, promote group meetings and classes where all involved members can follow this information and ask questions when they need to.
Now you better understand why and how to maintain IT availability within the enterprise. Do you want to continue receiving our tips? So, subscribe to our newsletter and always stay on top of our news.
