Don’t Let Your Business Be Put on Hold by an IT Issue

When trying to determine if a certain piece of technology should be replaced or just taken away entirely, you should first ask yourself if the technology affects your products or services in any discernible way. If the technology is something that helps with productivity and efficiency to aid in the production or delivery of said product or service, then it’s worth investing in.

That said, it’s not always a simple process. Let’s discuss ways you can tell that your technology is on its way out and what you can do about it.

Server Hard Drives

Your average computing environment will likely utilize hard disk drives, or HDDs, to a certain extent. They have a good three-to-five years in them before they start showing signs of failure. Here are a couple to look out for:

• The disk drive is making strange noises (clicking, whirring, humming). 
• Repeated crashes and software errors.
• Repeated disk errors. 
• Strange computer behavior.

If it gets to this stage in the process, well, you waited too long to address the issue and it is likely now impacting your business in some way. If you have an IT administrator actively monitoring your network, however, they can detect warning signs before data loss or downtime can occur.

Another option to consider is the solid state drive, or SSD for short. SSDs tend to last longer, around five-to-seven years, specifically because they are not mechanical in nature and have fewer moving parts to worry about for failure. That said, because of how they are made, you don't get many of the telltale signs that you would get from a failing HDD. SCW can use software to monitor the status of your SSDs, though, so never fear.

Other signs that an SSD is on its way out come in the form of error messages constantly popping up, files that cannot be opened or edited, and frequent crashes during the boot phase. If you upgrade your hard drive or solid state drive before these issues occur, then you can prevent a lot of downtime and data loss from plaguing your business.

Networking

If you encounter a major networking problem with your business, know that it can be just as devastating as any other issue. Losing access to critical information or applications can mean considerable downtime, and if your services also go down, it can mean a significant loss in revenue and capital generated. If you are having problems staying connected to the Internet, for example, it could be a matter of getting more bandwidth, different hardware, or other parts of your networking infrastructure.

If you don’t have the hardware to replace such important parts of your infrastructure, you can be in for a world of hurt when you do encounter issues with your network. SCW can help you better manage your company’s wireless networks, mobile computing management systems, and other important technological assets to maintain access at all times.

An IT infrastructure that is constantly failing or causing you headaches can be remedied. To learn more about how, contact us at (509) 534-1530.