10 IT Pain Points
“My machines manage me,
rather than the other way around”
Chasing problems from machine to machine is not only maddening, it’s grossly inefficient. A doctor would never simply treat symptoms. They practice preventative medicine in an effort to give their patients the best quality care. IT management should be tackled in the same way A proactive, preventative approach boasts efficiency, performance and availability.
Systems management products allow administrators to head off problems before they occur by ensuring all systems are maintained and updated regularly. By preventing train wrecks and fire drills, systems management products makes IT management manageable, allowing you and your staff to reduce manual, tedious administration and focus on more important, revenue-generating projects.
“Running to many different types of management software”
IT infrastructure is growing increasingly complex as technologies such as virtualization, cloud computing and distributed computing continue to permeate the industry. These solutions can help grow your business exponentially but require much more attention from administrators than traditional architecture. Unfortunately, many organizations rely on a ‘silo’, management strategy, deploying multiple point products that manage each network or layer separately.
Systems management products provides complete and clear visibility throughout your IT infrastructure, giving you a holistic management view as well as the ability to drill down to individual systems or groups of systems. Kaseya’s single, consolidated IT automation solution replaces the jumble of management tools many currently use, reducing complexity and cost.
“I have no idea what is installed
on my machines”
Not knowing what is out on your network exposes the organization to serious risk. Unlicensed software installed by users is illegal and could lead to lawsuits or heavy fines. Unlicensed software is also unsupported, which could lead to security, performance and compatibility issues. On the flipside, over-provisioning — while safe — is an expensive and wasteful strategy and takes up much needed bandwidth and server capacity.
System management products can automatically audit the entire IT infrastructure and find machines whether they are connected to the network or not, giving you unparalleled visibility and access into all systems. You know exactly what is out there, what is being used, what is not being used, what is secured and what is vulnerable. You can even go in remotely and delete unwanted software, uninstall unnecessary hardware components and keep legitimate software updated. This allows you to secure the network, maximize resources and reduce risk.
“Is ‘doing more with less’ even possible?”
Some say it just can’t be done. Some say it’s a myth. Others claim it’s a phrase that
the accountants made up to drive IT departments crazy. But there is no denying the pressure to reduce costs and headcount at the same time responsibilities are growing.
System management products can do just that. By embracing the use of automation to improve efficiencies, increase performance and reduce risk, by using a System management product eliminates much of the tedious manual tasks associated with IT maintenance, allowing you to reallocate resources to other, more important projects.
“I have to tell users to get a coffee
while I work on their computer”
Time is money, and the time it takes to load a patch, download new software or backup someone’s computer is money the organization is losing down the drain. But there’s nothing you can do. Two people can’t use a computer at the same time, can they?
With System management software, they can. Basic administration through System management software using a Web-based console is done remotely, in the background and allows the user to keep working right through periodic maintenance. It’s non-disruptive and ensures that not a second of wasted productivity can be attributed to the IT department. That’s good for those 99.9999 percent service level agreements you agreed to, enhancing IT’s reputation and making the suits happy.
“I need to get new users up and running quickly”
Setting up new hires is a pain. They need a new computer, a new user name, a new email address and access to the files and applications they need for their job. Then they need to be trained and educated on the organization’s IT policies and procedures. And everything needs to be done quickly so they can get started right away with their new responsibilities. Not only is this a major time suck but information about access rights needs to come from the hiring manager and HR—information that is essential but not
System management Products have the ability to streamline the process, letting you apply pre-configured user profiles to new employees. Through scripting technology, you can build user profiles (ie. Accountant Level 1, Engineer Level 3, etc.) and automatically apply them to new users, making sure they have access to the tools and information they need from day one and the tutorials to learn how to use them. Instead of being hunched over a workstation entering a laundry list of applications and security clearances that need to be configured while the new user hovers over your shoulder, you can do this remotely with the push of a button—and from the comfort of your own cubicle—allowing you and the new employee to move on to more
“Experience does matter”
It seems that every “IT hobbyist” who’s taken a computer science course in college thinks they can conduct their own backups, install patches, update software and run security scans. Just stop. Please. IT maintenance is a serious business, we’ve spent years in the IT industry and ultimately, if someone downloads a virus that wipes out the SQL server, it’s not fun and games where playing this is a serious matter and can be very costly in downtime to any business.
System management software provides a central, Web-based console that you can use to monitor, administer, back up and secure all systems on the network. Unlimited control allows you to block illegal downloads and lock computer settings and profiles. That way, you can ensure that hardware, software and user maintenance is standard across the entire organization without being a nuisance or disruption to those who are letting you do your job.
“Remote Security and Backups are
a pain in the butt and are extremely important”
Business opportunities are becoming more distributed every day as customers and users are spread around the world. Therefore, IT infrastructure is widely distributed as well. Unfortunately, your IT staff isn’t—and, frankly, shouldn’t be. However, remote workstations, servers and mobile devices need to be backed up and secured as reliably as machines in the office next door.
Recognizing that today’s distributed architecture is more vulnerable than ever, a good System management product centralizes the management of your data protection and security strategies. Backups and end point security can be conducted from the system management software Web-based console manually on demand or automatically – and anyone who works on laptops disconnected from corporate networks as well as the desktop machines hardwired to the company LAN. Alerts can be routed through email or text message to ensure failed cycles and security breeches are dealt with swiftly and efficiently.
“I know I need to embrace virtualization
but don’t have the time or budget”
Business needs dictate that IT resources (server capacity, applications, storage, etc) need to be pooled across the organization and shared between geographically-diverse users. This new architecture can increase productivity, save money and create efficiencies, however, it can also be quite complex and expensive to maintain.
Most system management products centralizes IT management and gives administrators a holistic view of all IT resources, arming your organization with the visibility to efficiently distribute resources as demand ebbs and flows. system management software makes virtualization and cloud computing cost-manageable without having to add more staff or expertise.
“The boss may not know the first thing about IT Structuring”
The Pain: Corporate decision makers don’t always understand IT, leading to miscommunication, misunderstandings and missed opportunities. It is essential that you articulate the work your team has done, the current state of IT and what you need to support business goals. Like it or not, politics does play a role in budget planning and priorities. If no one understands what you’re doing, it’s likely no one has your back in these closed-door meetings.
System management software produces easy-to-read reports that help you keep the decision makers informed of current status, future needs and IT’s value to the business. They also help you plan for scheduled maintenance, upgrades and expansions. Reports can be run at the push of a button in simple, explainable language that the operations staff can understand—and more importantly—appreciate.
A Closing Note
Managing IT infrastructure doesn’t have to be thankless. Nor does it have to be difficult or require tons of overtime. Embracing the right system management product for your business and regain the precious time back so you can spend time working on your business and less time working in the business. IT Automation Framework allows you to manage your IT assets more efficiently without being a nuisance, helping you to do your part to improve productivity and raise your reputation within the company.