Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I find that when things go wrong servicing is costly? The most common grievance of all businesses and organizations is having several suppliers and service providers for their IT needs. Keeping IT under one roof safe guards the service response and knowledge needed to make your network run efficiently and cost effectively. If you have to share information with several service suppliers, keeping complete documentation of your IT inventory and network set-up will relieve interruptions & costs.

What do growing companies most frequently get wrong when when making network decisions? Too often, they ignore the future. Smaller companies examine their staffing levels, look at what is available and then spend accordingly. Twelve months down the line, the server is stretched and upgrades are needed. So plan and don’t cut corners. You also need to budget for network components, buying equipment that fits the needs of the users, not the ego of the sales person. And remember ‘the bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of a cheap price is forgotten’.

How will I know that my company needs to upgrade? Like businesses, all networks are different. However, look out for frequent network failures, lack of performance or anything that draws the users attention to the network i.e. unavailable programs or data, long waits. These symptoms are due to network downtimes or new bandwidth-intensive applications. Make sure you don’t over run the network as you expand & choose software with this in mind.

How can you ensure the cost of upgrading doesn’t over-run? Carry out a network evaluation to identify weight of use and bottle necks. Then get a range of cost estimates from network suppliers (check for a certified references). Obtain a firm document from each system change or upgrade. Try, where possible to purchase a future-proof solution capable of coping with new technology and can integrate with your existing network.

How often should I check that the network is still up to scratch? We probably service our cars, boilers and bodies more regularly than we service our networks. A periodic health check is vital. Slow networks can cause many losses in revenue and productivity. PC’s also require regular servicing to control budgets and to protect investment.