Monitoring IT, network, server, and computers is an important element of modern day business environments. It helps small businesses detect potential issues and problems related to their business network and can prevent failure of communication between clients and employees, hence eliminating downtime and associated issues.
Apart from this, IT monitoring helps businesses keep track of vital business operations, such as printer supplies, contract due dates, software installations, hard drive space, and other network functions. This enables your business to solve any issues, while also gaining a competitive edge over other businesses. For more information, let’s take a look at a few common IT monitoring mistakes you should avoid:
Not Scheduling Regular Checks
This may sound a bit clichéd, but nevertheless the biggest mistake any business can make is not scheduling regular IT, network, and server checks. Not only does this result in downtime in case of a breakdown, but also leads to loss of productivity. To prevent this, it is imperative you set up a monitoring system to watch over your infrastructure, including printers, workstations, laptops, and servers. Usually, a 10-minute reporting interval is advised, but to get accurate information the trick is to schedule 1-minute checks.
Not Monitoring Your Servers
This goes hand-in-hand with the first mistake. You need to perform regular checks to monitor your server and ensure everything is running smoothly and efficiently. Keep in mind your servers are the most important part of your business, hence it is vital to place a ‘watchdog’ for them. Otherwise, you may suffer from numerous frequent and unexplainable problems that could hinder the performance of your network and lead to a halt in crucial business operations.
Not Configuring the Correct Notification Types
Another mistake IT managers or departments make is not configuring the appropriate notification types of servers, computers, and other IT devices. This leads to problems being left undetected, exposing your business to numerous viruses, Trojans, and even insider threats. As a result, avoid using common email notification for critical information and ensure all alerts are sent via push notifications, voice calls, or SMS.
Not Setting Adequate Timeouts
The speed at which your network responds to clicks or interactions plays an important role in ensuring your clients and employees stay in touch. However, not setting adequate timeouts could directly result in failure of quick navigation or client bail due to slow responses. Keep in mind a time out of more than 3 seconds can prove dangerous for a business. So, don’t focus on setting timeouts too low or too high and instead focus on tweaking the timeout till you get the perfect number which suits your servers and networks.
Not Paying for the Right Services
Last, but not the least, avoid paying too much for server monitoring tools that don’t provide enough features and functionalities to help you manage your networks. This mistake could lead to long-term budgetary issues and downtime, both of which are dangerous for your business. Conduct significant and extensive research on the tools you plan on using for monitoring IT.
So, if you want an efficient running IT system, avoid these above mentioned mistakes.
