3 IT Expansions Worth Your Dime

                So you’ve got a little bit of extra funding in your IT budget. Sure, you could eat at a fancy restaurant for the next few weeks, redistribute the funds, or get yourself that dirt bike you’ve had your eye on for the last few months. But since things went a little bit better than you expected on the IT side of things, why not take the money and re-invest it in the department? There is always work to be done and improvements to be made, and investing in your IT department has one of the highest potential returns when it comes to your business’s working efficiency and productivity. But that doesn’t mean that you should just blindly dump your money into some aspect of your IT sector. You want to aim for something which will produce a notable improvement in your company. Here are three ideas for tech expansions which will actually be worth your time and dime.

Computer Deployments

Many small businesses that are just starting to build up their IT resources start out with a number of different computers supplied by different manufacturers. These computers are often different models, separated in capacity by a few years of technological innovation. It’s not uncommon for employees to bring their laptops from home to work on. A good alternative to this is supplying your employees with one standardized computer model stocked with the same programs and configurations. Large scale computer deployments are proven to be affective in streamlining the collaboration process and minimizing the headache for IT coordinators. Networking is made easier and manageability is a breeze; computers with management tools and a networked connection let IT coordinators manage, diagnose, and fix problems without chasing around the entire building.

A Dedicated Server

This dovetails from computer deployments. If you don’t have your own server already, consider this one of the most valuable investments you can make in your IT sector’s success. A dedicated server is great for a variety of reasons. First, the security benefits are unparalleled. You know where your data is and who can access it, cutting out the middleman of third-party hosting. Second, a dedicated server can store data and network individual computers, allowing for increased accessibility, collaboration, and data sharing. Third, a server will eventually return the investment by cutting the cost of third party hosting.

Increased Server Ram

Increasing your server’s RAM (once you have one!) can be the quickest way to jumpstart your IT department’s core system. Increasing RAM will allow for faster hosting services, increasing the amount of digital workspace you and your employees have to work with on the server. Our IBM I-Series server greatly benefitted from the addition of two eight gigabyte memory modules. Oftentimes, these modules are sold as sets. Our EM16-8202 modules allowed for a full 16 gigabyte memory increase, which is a great benefit for servers. So there you have it, three great ways to reinvest that excess budget back into your IT department.

Managing Multiple Computers

                Every IT professional knows the headache managing dozens of computers can cause. While stocking a computer at every desk is a great way to maximize employee productivity, oftentimes it translates into hundreds of man-hours spent chasing around and closing random tickets, installing and uninstalling programs, and attending to numerous other requests. In an effort to streamline the process, technology has evolved to allow for entire networks to be controlled with relative ease. If you are looking into ways to manage your entire network of computers, there are several different approaches you might consider taking. It is important to remember that the best approach is one which will maximize on efficiency, saving your IT department time from the busy-work and allowing them to focus on more important matters. Beyond that, an effective method will actually consist of several smaller methods coming together with that common goal in mind. Here are the simple steps you can take to make certain your business’s computers are running with proper management.

Host Your Own Server

Having your own server is the most important when it comes to allowing for the efficient management of dozens of computers across a network. Establishing a server onsite will allow you to maintain accessibility to multiple computers at once. Storing information for your business, be it client data or product information, necessitates you exercise control for access and entry of that data. A server will allow you to control which computers can access what files, and will allow your employees to collaborate at a central virtual location without any problems. Tethering all of your individual computers to one central server is a lot like leading a pack of dogs by leash – it’s certainly easier than trying to get each dog to “heel!”

Set User Restrictions

If you decide to use a server, it is important to have a firewall and restrict access to sites. Virtually all businesses restrict access to inappropriate content, but many also choose to block sites like Facebook or Reddit, allowing for specific business relevant applications. Your employees may not like it, but it’s proven to increase efficiency. You might also choose one hour of the day, perhaps the lunch hour, to allow those social media sites.

Remote Access

Dell was one of the first companies to catch onto the need of IT professionals for remote access, and designed the Dell Optiplex 755 with that end in mind. Remote control is an important tool for IT professionals, allowing onsite or offsite management. Imagine you have a problem with your computer, and your IT professional is on another floor in his office. Instead of filing out and submitting a ticket with IT, wouldn’t it be easier if the IT guy could just remote control your computer and fix it from his desk? That’s exactly what Dell allowed for. The Optiplex GX755 was a perfect computer for large-network applications, and was built with that purpose in mind. Just remember that managing multiple computers can be a time and money consuming process unless it is streamlined. With IT budgets as tight as they are, saving money on time and man-hours should always be a priority.

Three Ways to Conserve on Your IT Budget

                Times are tough and money is tight. The recession has hit everybody hard, and if you’re a business owner, you know that fact very well. Saving money is a necessary part of any business, and you’ve probably been trimming the budget a little more than you’d like to over the past few years. But you’ve gotten by, so congratulations! Making it through the recession isn’t as simple as just wreathing a single storm – and budgeting doesn’t stop at the end of a fiscal year. As we all know, technology can be one of the most expensive overhead costs when it comes to owning and operating a business. Trimming up the IT budget can be an effective way to increase your profit margin, but how should you go about this? Here are three simple steps you can take to ensure your business’s IT sector is running efficiently and at relatively low costs.

Host From Your Own Server

If you have a website or are currently paying a third party service to store business information, then you may need to consider getting your own server. The advantages are two-fold. First, a privately owned server can be used to host your website, onsite. This allows for increased manageability of your website and provides you more security in knowing that your presence on the web is solely in your hands. Second, a privately owned server lets you and your employees share data, send emails, and collaborate on projects all in one central and easily accessible location. While a server can be a large initial investment, paying a hosting service means your business is hemorrhaging money slowly.

Hire Interdisciplinary

When you’re looking to hire new employees, give a strong consideration to employees with experience or education in the field of IT, even if they are being hired in an unrelated field. Multi-tasking is an important part of any position, and being able to work across multiple disciplines only further demonstrates an employee’s commitment to making themselves a marketable candidate. The more IT problems you can resolve in-house the better; third party consultations and tech house-calls can be very expensive.

Computer Quantity Purchases

If you’re expecting to have several computers in your office, there is no need to go out and individually purchase the most powerful and expensive computers on the market. Oftentimes, basic configurations will provide nicely for most business applications. Our office is currently stocked with HP DC7600 desktop computers. Though these computers are somewhat dated, they serve nicely for the word processing, emailing, and product-tracking we do. The best part, of course, is the affordability. Refurbished, we purchased these models for $90 per unit. You can save money on computers by buying in bulk.

Your IT budget need not be a lead weight tied around your neck. There are many affordable solutions on the market today, and by following the three tips above, you will be well on your way toward securing your business’s financial security. With frugality and proper research, your technology will be a cost-effective asset in your business.