Modern businesses can ill afford interruptions to their service in 2017. Downtime costs money and a reduction in revenue can lead to debt. As arrears mount up, the company can suffocate under the pressure of finding a solution. It’s no wonder modern organisations rely on information technology.
However, IT isn’t infallible and disturbances do occur from time to time. Of course, it’s vital to stop them from happening at all, which is why a need for speed is necessary. Just putting together a team of IT pros isn’t enough, however. To maintain a high rate, the business has to keep its foot on the throttle.
Here’s how to boost and maintain IT speed throughout your business. Hopefully, the following will be enough never to waste money again.
Increase Supplier Bandwidth
When you agree on a deal with an internet provider, they offer a certain amount of bandwidth. Firstly, it’s essential to know how much this is because lots of businesses don’t have a clue. Secondly, it’s doubly important to understand how your current bandwidth levels affect the company. At the moment, it may not be enough to keep up with your ever-growing requirements. As a result, the server and systems will slow down and crash. All it takes is one phone call, and the bandwidth can increase and solve all of your problems. Even if the current amount is okay, it’s smart to think about the future. Should the company exceed expectations, a backup plan is a wise move.
Build A Bigger Server
The server powers the entire system, which means the amount of RAM has to be big enough to power everyday tasks. To a lot of people, the last sentence may sound like gibberish. But, it’s pretty easy to understand. RAM is the memory function, and a server with too little won’t be powerful enough. The good news is servers are not set in stone. In fact, it’s possible to build and introduce new add-ons depending on the company’s needs. Just be careful not to go overboard. A large server will need that much energy it could fry the circuits. As always, add enough to take care of your current and future needs, but no more. It’s easy to invest in additional RAM further down the line.
Reduce Hardware
Companies today have hundreds of electrical appliances throughout the office. Sure, some don’t have internet capabilities, but lots do, even the ones which seem impossible. From a printer to a TV, it isn’t uncommon to connect a plethora of electrical devices to the company Wifi. As cool as it is, it’s also a sure-fire way to slow down the firm’s connection. For every device which links to the internet, there is more work for the router. Sync too many appliances and the connection will slow down to a crawl. The fix is simple: don’t link appliances or reduce the number. For instance, a printer isn’t a requirement any longer. Not only will going paperless free up bandwidth, but it will also save energy and money. It’s a win-win.
Encourage Work From Home
Lots of you will think “I can’t reduce the number of appliances because they’re necessary.” And, it isn’t an exaggeration to say iPads and laptops are vital to a firm’s success. Being able to work from anywhere in the world keeps productivity high as well as output. However, plenty of companies don’t utilise the mobile nature of the industry. Every now and again, they let employees work from home, but usually, everyone is in office. By sending them home, you can free up internet space on the router. For every person who works at home, there will be one less device in the office. Plus, there is the bonus of instilling workers with a sense of trust and flexibility. Of course, not everyone should get the luxury because otherwise there is no point in an office. But, the senior members of staff who are trustworthy are perfect candidates.
Amplify The Power
None of the above will help if the office’s power capabilities are not up to scratch. Business owners never think of it, but some premises have less power than others. It is easy to assume every building is the same, which is why companies can struggle. If you are on the lookout for new office space, make sure to ask about the specifications. For those of you who are on a long-term lease, an emergency electrician should be the first port of call. Among their many talents, an electrician can analyse the weak areas and find a suitable solution. For example, they may re-wire the electrics to bypass features in the office. That way, the power will go directly to the essential appliances. Another trick up their sleeve is to remove resistance. Then, the electricity can move freely without interruptions. Barring a sparky, you can buy or rent tools which tell you about the flow of energy in the building. As a rule, it’s best to leave it to the professionals.
Offline Backup
Hopefully, there are contingency plans in place should the server crash. The thing is the typical backup plans revolve around storing info online. Usually, a business will sync their data and place it in a different part of the server. Although it helps with security, there are no IT advantages. The system still has to deal with additional clutter and this lowers the speed. Offline backup, however, is different. In basic terms, the data gets transferred from the server to a portable hard drive. Then, the info which is on the system can disappear. The extra space means the connection isn’t as unstable, plus the data is secure. Okay, a break in is possible but less so than a data breach. Alternatively, hiring third-party cloud services is an option because they store the info on their servers. The only issue is security because the host isn’t private in the majority of cases.
A dedicated team of IT experts is the first step, but it’s only the beginning. To keep the business up to speed, you must reduce hardware and increase the bandwidth.