Posted by Richard Schissler on Wed, Mar 28, 2012 @ 05:39 PM
This past week I had a chance to see the impact of an IT system failure. In this case a client who was a “break/fix” customer had their primary server melt down. The server itself was over five years old, which is not uncommon these days. Many small companies are unsure of the economy and they are choosing not to replace equipment until it fails. In this case the failure almost overwhelmed the company’s ability to operate its business on a day-to-day basis.
This client had chosen to keep their IT expenses to a bare minimum. The only time they contacted their IT provider was when their system broke. Unfortunately, they did not see the hidden cost of their ‘business being down’ when a work station or the entire IT system did not work. The other big mistake they made was not fully understanding or appreciating the value of their data. When disaster struck their business, their bare bones approach to IT system maintenance looked like a fool’s choice.
The client had chosen, again a Bare Bones approach, to save their data on a separate hard drive which they took off premises each night. The problem was that someone occasionally forgot to swap the drives out each evening. Therefore when the server crashed they lost several days of data updates.
A managed services approach to maintaining their IT system would have saved them the pain of being down for three full working days. An IT managed service provider would have been monitoring their system including their backup. The provider would have picked up on the inconsistent backups. Better yet, a good IT provider would have insisted that the client move to a more ‘automated’ back-up system that would take the human element out of the daily backup. 
It is impossible to oversell the concept of preventive maintenance when it comes to a viable business’ IT system. Every business should take a minute and calculate its costs of the ‘computer down time’ say for an hour. Knowing that number will give you a number you can use to pay for preventative maintenance. Business owners/managers must accept that the cost of IT system preventative maintenance is truly an investment not a cost.
Maintaining an old, outdated piece of equipment such as this client’s server might be an acceptable risk in a normal environment. However, I contend that this client double down on that risk by not properly maintaining the equipment. If they had invested in IT managed services the outcome could have been different.
WesTec Services, A Houston IT provider that offers a wide range of services including: Network Installation/Service, Telephone Systems/Service, Video Surveillance/Access Control and Office Equipment
CALL TODAY at (713) 682-4000
Posted by Richard Schissler on Thu, Mar 15, 2012 @ 02:47 PM
Did you ever wonder where your IT provider was when you needed him or her? Have you ever been working on an important project at midnight and suddenly your computer crashes? Or you come in on Saturday to catch up and you are unable to access your data? Where is the IT provider?
Some clients feel that their IT provider should be available 24/7. ‘When I need them, I need them right now!’ Overall we as a society have become addicted to our computing devices and when they don’t work, then we can feel that our life is somehow been ‘disconnected’ from the rest of society.
This feeling for most of us is at its worst when the ‘disconnection’ involves our business or job. We need or expect or both for our IT to work when we need or want to work. The cost of true 24/7 IT service can be overwhelming for a small business. Yes, there are 1-800 numbers that can help you solve issues with your laptop or P.C. However, if the issue is with your company network or server then these types of services are of little or no help.
One way to approach the need for 24/7 IT access is to sign up with a quality Managed Service Provider. The Managed Service Provider (MSP) makes their money by reducing your computer downtime. They have processes and systems in place that they use to monitor and make repairs to their client’s overall IT system 24/7.
Once you sign up with a MSP they go to work analyzing and strengthening your entire IT system against failures. It is a proven fact that preventive IT maintenance is much more cost effective than reactive IT maintenance. The noise or IT downtime that clients experience when their IT system is unavailable is greatly reduced by such services. And eventually the idea that, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” works all the way to the business’s bottom line. 
The conversation changes from ‘where is my IT provider, to I don’t need them since my computer system is up 99.9% of the time’.
WesTec Services, A Houston IT provider that offers a wide range of services including: Network Installation/Service, Telephone Systems/Service, Video Surveillance/Access Control and Office Equipment
CALL TODAY at (713) 682-4000
Posted by Richard Schissler on Thu, Mar 08, 2012 @ 05:20 PM
What makes up the costs of an access control system? Access control is a system that can be installed on a building to give you greater control over who can enter your premises. A basic system typically consists of some type of entry system on access doors coupled with video cameras located at various points in the building. 
The costs of the access control system equipment and the cameras themselves make up the main cost of the system. The cost of installation including any cabling or wiring that is necessary makes up the balance of the initial cost. Another cost would be the access cards/fobs is used.
How can I control the costs of my access control system? The main tool to control costs is the plan. In developing the plan, you have the opportunity to review and analyze how and where you want the system to work. Many times there are areas that need a lower level of security and therefore a less expensive security device can be used. Also what areas are we do we really need to control, both exterior and interior? If both then what points, doors and other access openings, do I need to restrict access? Another question, is do you want to add video cameras to the system. The video cameras will allow you to identify the individuals who have entered/exited the premises thru the controlled access points.
A second opportunity to control costs is in picking the proper equipment for the job. Many time projects are driven by costs alone. When choosing an access control system there are many variables that need to be considered. The upfront cost only gets the system installed, then like all equipment we are left with the costs to maintain the system. Access cards used in many systems are a great example. The cost of cards or fobs can range from a dollar to many times that depending on how you want to use the card/fob. If you want a card or fob that has an imbedded chip to store user information then you will pay more each time you buy a new card/fob.
The type of equipment chosen will play into costs as well. As a general rule the more sophisticated the system, the higher the upfront costs as well as long-term maintenance costs. However, if you are looking for complete control over who enters the premises then the investment may be warranted.
In today’s business environment, business owners are faced with loss from theft as well as potential risk to life and property from other sources. Access control as part of an overall integrated security system can prevent such risks.
WesTec Services, A Houston IT provider that offers a wide range of services including: Network Installation/Service, Telephone Systems/Service, Video Surveillance/Access Control and Office Equipment
CALL TODAY at (713) 682-4000
Posted by Richard Schissler on Fri, Mar 02, 2012 @ 08:48 AM
What is your experience with your Information Technology (IT)? For many small businesses in today’s high-tech business world, IT has become a significant, important consideration. Business owners are under constant pressure to run their business more efficiently and improve the productivity of their employees, while at the same time reducing their costs. At the same time they are frustrated with difficulty in dealing with new, ever-changing technologies.
The implementation of new technologies often interferes with running day-to-day operations. Computers are hit with such problems such as spam, virus, and other security threats. 
Employees sit idly by when servers go down or email access is disrupted. The computer system often fails to run at optimal levels to fully satisfy the business’s needs. These small system disruptions and downtime add up and greatly impact the ability of the company create revenue or produce its products or deliver its services.
The bottom-line is that most companies do not experience the best performance possible from their IT systems.
These problems will not go away, just the opposite, they will continue to increase as business relies more and more on their IT systems. It is imperative for growth oriented companies to have a well-organized IT infrastructure so that they can focus on their business instead of trying to solve IT problems. However, most companies cannot afford to have a complete IT department or even one permanent employee. Fortunately, there is an emerging and quickly growing IT service known as “Managed IT Services” that is providing the solution for many of these businesses.
A Managed IT Services company can provide the business with the following basic benefits:
- Safeguard your business with 24×7 critical systems uptime monitoring (even when you are sleeping, so it works in the morning!)
- Extend the life of your IT assets (get more bang for your buck!)
- Maximize uptime and business efficiency (keep employees working!)
- Take corrective action before problems occur (reduce business downtime!)
- Configure and monitor remote data backups (just in case you need them!)
Once the IT Managed Services are in place the business can then focus on its business and leave the IT to the Managed Services provider.
WesTec Services, A Houston IT provider that offers a wide range of services including: Network Installation/Service, Telephone Systems/Service, Video Surveillance/Access Control and Office Equipment
CALL TODAY at (713) 682-4000
