Introduction
Computer management plays a vital role in maintaining the security and performance of your IT systems. A well-managed system experiences fewer issues and less downtime, leaving your employees able to get on with their work without the headache of IT problems.
The importance of computer management
Effective computer management keeps your system up-to-date and functioning well. It includes reviewing, installing and maintaining software, keeping hardware drivers and firmware up to date, applying security patches and monitoring antivirus measures.
Patching is a critical component. Patches are software updates created to fix bugs, improve performance or address security issues. Failure to apply security patches leaves vulnerabilities in software and exposes a system to greater risk of viruses and hacking.
With the increase in cyber security threats, it is vital to keep software, operating systems and drivers up to date. Outdated software can leave your business open to cyber attacks, resulting in a loss of time, money and reputation. Proper computer management and patching reduces the risk of a cyber breach by protecting against known exploits.
This helps to protect your data, and the data you hold on others, supporting your efforts on compliance and GDPR.
Effective maintenance has productivity benefits too. A well-maintained system with up to date software functions better, reducing compatibility issues and downtime. This can free staff up to do what they do best, without having to deal with computer glitches.
Improved security and productivity saves money in the long run.
A professional approach to computer management
Initial preparations
The first step is to prepare each computer for remote management. Remote management enables all computers to be dealt with at the same time and in the same way, without needing physically to visit each workstation every time.
We remove local admin rights to prevent individual users from adding (or removing) software which could compromise the system, for example if an employee inadvertently installed a virus or an unwanted or unsafe piece of software.
Installing remote monitoring and management (“RMM”) tools enables us to access and manage the computer as if we were there, allowing us to install software and deploy patches remotely.
Assessing risk
We audit your existing software applications to determine whether they are safe or whether they pose a risk to your system. We use each application’s CVE score to assess its risk profile. CVE stands for Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures and the score provides a rating showing the risk of contracting a virus or malware through that application.
We remove any unwanted or high-risk software.
Installing applications
We install any new applications that are required, which ensures that they are safe, genuine and from a legitimate source. We can deploy them to multiple computers at once, at a time and in a manner that causes the least disruption to your business.
Where non-standard software is requested, we first seek consent from the nominated client contact, ensuring that only approved software is installed.
Being vigilant about the software that is installed on the system improves compatibility and reduces the risk of viruses.
Patching vulnerabilities
We keep up to date so you don’t have to. We deploy all critical and security patches for common applications from popular providers like Microsoft, Google, Adobe, etc.
With RMM, each computer in our customer base is checked twice daily for updates. If updates are needed, they are automatically installed. For customers with Cyber Essentials, we enforce reboot policies to ensure patches are installed within the required 14 days. For those without, we recommend regular reboots but do not enforce them
Another advantage of RMM is the ability to generate reports, identifying computers that fail to install updates or encounter patching issues. The support team can then address these problems, often due to systems being turned off, such as when users are on holiday. Microsoft patches are delayed for a few days to ensure stability before installation. All processes are automated and managed through RMM software, provided free to clients with RMM. Without RMM, we cannot manage or control patching.
Outdated software increases the risk of a virus or cyber attack, so staying on top of updates helps to reduce the risk and keep your systems safe.
Security while you sleep
We deploy software on your computers to encrypt them while at rest. It uses powerful encryption to secure your data. When the computer is switched off, the only way to access data is by using a valid username and password.
Monitoring your antivirus
We ensure that all your computers run a powerful antivirus, which we keep up to date. We monitor the antivirus software daily to review any threats and update you with any matters of concern or action required.
Security tailored to you
We can tailor protocols to fit your business needs, taking into account the way you work and any vulnerabilities we identify in your security. For example, we could lock down USB ports to prevent viruses being introduced by compromised memory sticks or restrict certain access privileges to authorised personnel only.
We can adapt security policies and roll them out as and when required, responding to changes in your business and the wider cybersecurity landscape.
A partner you can trust
A well-managed computer is much more secure than one that isn’t. Every business should have a plan to manage its computers, but it can be hard to keep up with developments and to stay on top of things if you try to do everything in-house.
By outsourcing your organisation’s computer management to professionals, you get access to knowledge, expertise and resources, and you gain the peace of mind, and the time, to focus on running your business.
You don’t have to do it all alone, we’re here to help.
If you’d like to discuss how your organisation could benefit from professional computer management, Contact us.
