IT policy vital for businesses<\/p>\n
Vishu Mahmud, Contributor, Jakarta, vmahmud@yahoo.com<\/p>\n
When I was still an IT web consultant, people would always
\ncomplain to me about computer problems. Their PCs would crash,
\napplications would freeze up, e-mails would not go out, and
\ninternet connections would go down. They look at me (then a sales
\nconsultant for websites) to fix it all!<\/p>\n
Computers have come a long way into the office world. Back in
\nthe \"old\" days, computers were too expensive except for Fortune
\n500 corporations. Everything was done on paper, filing cabinets
\nand the post office. Now, an internet connection, e-mail account
\nand perhaps Local Area Network (LAN) are the minimum requirements
\nfor running a business in this highly competitive world.<\/p>\n
Small and medium enterprises are also getting into the act.
\nThese businesses that have 5 to 50 staff members also need to
\nshow they can continue to be a going concern without having their
\ncompetitors take them to the cleaners. Client databases,
\nfinancial data and payroll information are just some items that
\nare now almost exclusively stored on computers.<\/p>\n
However, businesses should not make the mistake of not
\nplanning for their IT investments. Downtime always means money.
\nThose who choose the most inexpensive and poorly planned method
\nof setting up their LANs and computers will eventually pay for it
\nin the end. Computer crashes, system failures, viruses and other
\nills can now be minimized, if not avoided completely, should the
\ncompany prepare adequately to invest in their future.<\/p>\n
Here are a few tips to make sure your computer systems, and
\nmore importantly your data, are secured.<\/p>\n
Make sure everyone logs in. This may be a strange thing to say
\nbut by making sure everyone logs in with their own user ID and
\npassword, you can ensure that only authorized personnel are
\naccessing company data. Enforce a company rule to ensure
\npasswords are keep confidential and changed periodically. Also,
\nwith the right software, system administrators could also track
\ndown what specific employees are doing on their computers. If
\nsomeone is downloading client records en masse, it may be a good
\nidea to find out why.<\/p>\n
Get licensed. No joke. The copyright law in Indonesia will
\nsoon be implemented and all business must have licensed copies
\nfor their software. By purchasing legal software, you would not
\nonly eliminate the risk of legal liabilities, you would also
\nobtain extra benefits such as product support or installation
\nassistance. Contact your local software vender if they have
\nflexible licensing plans or packages for small businesses.<\/p>\n
Establish a company IT policy. Ever wonder why the e-mail
\nserver is so slow? It could be because the person next to you is
\nmass mailing a funny 2-megabyte video file to the entire office.
\nFor an office of 50 people, it would mean that the e-mail is
\ntaking up 100 megabytes of server space, as well as consuming
\npower to copy it! In addition, make sure that employees are
\nrestricted from installing their own software. All software
\ninstallations should be done by systems administrators to make
\nsure that nothing \"illegal\" is stored on a company PC. Hammer out
\nan IT policy to ensure office facilities are used for office
\npurposes.<\/p>\n
Install an anti-virus program. Make sure you have the latest
\ndata files of virus signatures to allow the anti-virus programs
\nto track down and eradicate the newest computer \"malware\". Always
\nupdate the signature files and ensure the software is always
\nrunning. Some popular anti virus software brands are McAfee
\nVirusScan (www.mcafee.com), Symantec's Norton AntiVirus
\n(www.symantec.com) and Computer Associates eTrust EZ Antivirus
\n(www.my-etrust.com). You can download trial versions from their
\nwebsites. You may never need them until a small virus takes out
\nall your data.<\/p>\n
Finally, hire a full time IT administrator. It will be their
\nresponsibility to make sure the servers are online, the internet
\nconnection active and the office data backed up. Or, if that is
\nnot an option, hire a professional consultant to evaluate the
\ncurrent IT infrastructure at the office and discuss
\nrecommendations. Make sure the documentation of the evaluation
\nand recommendations are handy and appoint someone to ensure the
\nsystems run smoothly. It would be easier to troubleshoot once you
\nhave a map of the company's complete IT facilities.<\/p>\n
These suggestions are just some of the basic features that
\nmust be considered for a business that has or is planning to
\ninstall IT infrastructure. Information is now the main asset of
\ncompanies; lose that and you may as well close up shop. Making
\nsure the information is safe and readily accessed would help a
\nbusiness compete effectively against their rivals.<\/p>\n
Whether it is a 3 computer network or a network of multi-
\ntiered file servers, properly planning your IT facilities will
\nensure you don't have unpleasant surprises down the road. Luck
\nalways favors the prepared.<\/p>",
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