Hardware Configuration Management

IT consultants are a valuable investment and can help you identify your business’s needs. A consultant has the IT knowledge that can guide your company to be more productive by increasing your return on investment (ROI). Here are just a few ways that an Information Technology consultant will help transform your business:

1. They are cost effective. Consultants are usually hired to tackle a particular issue within a specific timeframe, which makes for a more cost effective use of time. Remember, paying for wages, work space, benefits, and other expenses to a full time employee can be very expensive.
2. Increased security. Cyber security threats have only risen in recent years, which means both large and small corporations are at risk for suffering a cyber-attack. An IT consultant that specializes in cyber security can conduct an evaluation of your network to pinpoint susceptible network points. They will also use established data security protocols to help develop a data retrieval solution in case of a disaster.
3. Increased productivity and efficiency. The job of an IT consultant relies on aiding companies in meeting their productivity and output goals. Some IT strategies that may help in reaching these goals are: using a centralized database, decreasing server downtime, securing mobile platforms, and many others.
4. Increased employee satisfaction. Poorly configured IT systems that lead to downtime usually results in unhappy employees (and employers!).  An IT consultant can solve this issue and increase workplace satisfaction simply by executing the right IT solutions.

There are several obvious signs that your business is in need of an IT support service or a consultant:

1. When IT issues start to affect your operation. For example, some of your team members miss out on a deadline due to confusion about where the information was stored, or they didn’t have a backup of their data. You will need IT professionals on board to assist you in tackling the problem.
2. Particularly complex business needs.
3. The need to upgrade your hardware but aren’t familiar with enterprise-level configurations.
4. The need for data back ups.
5. Not knowing how to leverage current technical solutions to help your bottom line.

A hardware upgrade can sometimes fix a slow-running computer. Some hardware upgrades to consider are:

1. Adding more RAM
2. Larger hard drive
3. Newer graphic cards
4. Processor upgrade (make sure you have enough RAM!)

The most vital question to ask yourself before doing any hardware upgrade is whether the upgrade is practical for the system in question. As your computer ages, and you want to determine if you need to upgrade a specific component or buy an entirely new system, you can ask an IT consultant to guide your decision making process.