Is Your Computer Network Ready for 2017?

By Dennis Rosenthal


Almost everything we do in a modern office today is based on data - sales, marketing, accounting, manufacturing, creative and design - and is done on a PC or a Mac. If you throw in tablets and smart phones, we are entirely dependent on PCs, the internet, and the cloud, almost as much as we are dependent on air and water. Is that an exaggeration? Perhaps, but not by much. So why is it that we take all of these electronic devices that run our lives for granted? The answer is because they are so ubiquitous and reliable. We look at our PCs and expect them to work. But what if they stopped working? Then what?

It is 2017. The start of a new year. What can we do to assure that these ubiquitous, reliable devices we use 24 x 7 stay reliable so that on Monday morning we have a job to go back to? What follows are a few things to consider as you review your plans for 2017. Apply any or all of them to your network and you will be taking positive steps to keeping your systems humming throughout 2017.

Organizations need to focus on three primary areas:

  1. Data Security Review
  2. Network Upgrades
  3. General Housecleaning

Here are five things your organization should be doing related to data security, regardless of the time of year:

  1. Prepare a data back-up plan that includes periodic testing to be sure your data is being backed-up accurately and completely. You also should test that you can restore the backup data should it be necessary for you to do a recovery.
  2. Take an inventory of where your data is stored on your network. Is certain data on certain PCs (i.e., customer data on the customer service department PC, financial data on the accounting PC, etc.) and other data on other PCs? Or is it all on the server?
  3. Check to see if all of your workstations, PCs, laptops, tablets, etc. have antivirus software installed and being updated regularly.
  4. Make sure that everyone has high-security passwords on their PCs. “PASSWORD” or “12345” are just not acceptable.
  5. If you have a network, you have routers and switches in the back room or closet. Has the firmware been updated? Have any security bulletins been released from the manufacturer regarding vulnerabilities that need to be addressed?
When upgrading your network, keep the following what, when, and why tips in mind:
 
The What and the When:

  • Any PC that is seven years or older (this is a conservative and practical standard. Some experts say that three years is the time to replace equipment). Any PC this old will be running Windows XP, which is no longer supported by Microsoft or by any company making PC software.
  • Any server seven years old should also be replaced. The operating systems on a server that old are obsolete and not supported by any vendor.
The Why:

  • Devices this old tend to degrade and are not as reliable. Just like a seven-year-old car does not perform like a new model, you can lose data with a hard drive failure.
  • An older PC also runs slower and is less productive. It does not have the newest, fastest software and will boot slower. All of these things make your staff less productive. In a conservative example, an assistant making $11 per hour working 7.5 hours per day earns $82.50 per day. If his or her PC runs 10% slower because of the issues mentioned above, he or she has effectively lost $8.25 per day. Multiply that amount by times five days per week, then by 50 weeks per year then by however many assistants you have and you can see how much money is being lost. That is perhaps enough to upgrade your complete network.

Lastly, these general housecleaning tips can make a difference:

What is the condition of your data closet? Do you have a data closet?

  • Generally, this is a small space with too much equipment jam packed into it. It may not be practical to move the entire closet. A good alternative is a New Year’s cleaning. Consider a careful vacuuming of the space without touching any of the equipment mounted on the walls or in the racks.
  • Get rid of any extraneous items that are stored there, but not related to your computer network.
  • Make sure that the air conditioning is working properly (usually a spring or summer thing) by changing the filters.
  • Good air flow, regardless of season, is also essential. Have building maintenance make sure the vents are clear and that air is flowing into the space.

What is the condition of your wiring?

  • Nobody says that you should replace wiring but you should have your IT or cabling consultant do an audit to determine if it is working satisfactorily at all work stations. Sometimes a bad cable connection can cause a technician to misdiagnose a computer problem.
In conclusion, the start of a new year is a good time to do the things necessary to keep your network humming. Take care of your network and your network will take care of your business!

 

Dennis Rosenthal is President of Jonkeith Communications Consultants, Inc., a Manhattan-based IT services and solutions company specializing in a wide range of computer, networking, security and related services. Dennis can be contacted at drosenthal@jonkeith.net.