The Easy Guide to Setting Up Your Business IT System
Felix Triller
Any business now needs some kind of IT setup. However, whereas many small business don’t require much, others need something more sophisticated. If your company is becoming reliant on having a full system, even if it’s on a small scale, you need to set it up. A lot of small businesses aren’t able to have an IT department. Because of this, it can be left up to the business owner to arrange all the computer systems. They won’t necessarily be particularly knowledgeable about what they need. If you need to get your system organized, read this guide for the essential elements you need.
Networking
You may already have a network in place for your small business. You need it in order for your employees to communicate with each other and access the same data. You can choose between either a wired or wireless network. Although, more businesses are starting to go for wireless ones. You don’t want to look for anything too complicated when you don’t have IT specialists to manage your network for you. Look for options to “plug and play”, where it’s as easy as connecting each device and getting on with your work.
Servers
At first you may not need a server, but once you have a few computers on your network, you will find it’s necessary. You need it to perform a number of functions, including storage. If you approach a provider of dedicated server hosting, you can get one that will service 25 users for a good price. However, remember you also need to have a backup server to protect you if anything happens to the first one. It might be confusing trying to work out how many servers you need to have. To get hundreds of users on one server, you need a lot of money. It’s more likely that you’ll need one server for every ten or so people using the network.
Storage
Most businesses will need plenty of space to store their data. You have quite a few options to choose from, depending on your needs. You can use external hard drives, NAS systems and more to store data on-site. However, another option that’s becoming increasingly popular is using cloud storage. Some businesses run almost entirely using cloud computing. It can make your IT system cheaper and more efficient. You can access your work anytime you have an internet connection. This makes sharing and collaborating much easier
Outsourcing IT Support
If you can’t afford to have a dedicated IT department, you could consider outsourcing the work. You don’t have to have technicians in the office full-time if you don’t need them. You could have someone on call, in case anything goes wrong or you want to make any changes. It can be a more cost-effective way of managing your computer network until you’re ready to expand.
You might not need an enormous operation when it comes to your computer systems. However, every business needs to find the most appropriate tools for them.
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