Business IT can be a tricky thing to get right. Not only do you need functional, powerful devices, but you need ones that won’t completely blow your budget. Now that everything is digital, and most interactions with customers happen online, you can’t afford to have IT that might let you down. From data losses to file incompatibilities, having the wrong IT can give you unnecessary headaches a huge list of problems that are often very easy to avoid. You might have gone out and bought the latest specs and software, but that won’t solve your problems either. You can’t just rely on good consumer tech anymore – it needs to be robust and of a business standard.
Storage
The majority of your business relies on where your data is, and how it works for you. From customer details to product information, your data is the lifeblood of your business. So, you need to know exactly where it is, how it’s being stored, and when you can access it. It might sound easy, but this can be a hard task to tie down. To comply with most legal regulations, you need to store your data in three different locations: this might be in the cloud, on tape and in a data center.
However, storage doesn’t just mean your data. You need to think about where all your IT infrastructure will sit. How close by do you need your data center? Do you need your servers to sit near it? If you’re only running a small business, you won’t need to worry about your infrastructure for now. However, if you decide to expand, you’ll need the power and robustness that comes with business-class servers.
Data back-up and protection
If the worst happens and you lose your data, what will happen to your business? First impressions of the disaster might not seem that bad, but a ripple effect will soon start. Your customers will worry about the private information you’ve lost about them, and slowly they’ll turn away from you. Similarly, it’s much harder to get investment if you’ve been hacked or suffered a data loss.
So, you need to be ready. Find secure ways to back up your data: in the cloud and in hard drives. Protect it with strong anti-virus software. Finally, have a plan in place in case you do lose it. Know how you’ll get it back and how long it will take to do so. You might want to look at getting a specialist involved here: for example, the Secure Data Recovery professionals can jump into action almost immediately, and get your data back for you.
Cloud-based apps
Nearly everything in business happens in the cloud now. From file sharing to making calls, your clients will expect you to have the latest apps – and know how to use them. Not only do cloud-based apps help you save costs, for example by using VoIP calls rather than installing a phone line – but they help you do things quicker and save on resource.
Technology for your business is a solid investment; therefore, make sure to spend reasonable money on devices and software. If you’re yet to migrate to the cloud, do so, and if you’re data is secured appropriately, protect it today.
