Businesses are constantly growing, evolving and changing. It’s therefore important for business owners to perform regular checks on their hardware and technology to ensure they are secure, up-to-date and efficient. Here, we’ll discuss the checks your company might need to make.
What is Hardware?
Hardware in business includes any type of physical technology that falls into this category. This could include desktop and laptop computers, servers, printers, portable storage devices, mobile devices and much more.
Why Hardware Checks Are Important
A hardware and technology audit is an assessment of all the hardware devices that are used to organise the IT of the company. Every business needs to do checks on its technology regardless of size or industry to ensure all hardware is up to date, secure and working to the best of its ability.
There are many benefits to hardware and technology audits, which include:
- Saves time by not using outdated technology
- Identifies issues and areas which need improving
- Reveals potential security risks
- Ensures the company is compliant and legitimate
- Determines the location of your company’s sensitive information
Checks You Might Need to Make
UPS Batteries
Power usage is a top priority for many businesses, and it becomes even more of a priority due to rising energy costs. By undertaking a power audit you can analyse the efficiency of your UPS systems so that you get a better understanding of your energy usage and the design life and service life.
Audits on your power supply batteries mean you can reduce unnecessary energy usage and begin to make savings. A comprehensive UPS batter check will also establish a true power usage effectiveness rating.
Computers
Checking your IT hardware ensures everything is working as it should be. Computer checks determine the performance of each computer including RAM, CPU and hard drive usage. By identifying their performance, you can see where there is room for improvement whether that’s upgrades or replacements. Upgrading your computers can increase productivity and improve most work processes.
A good computer audit will check for disk space, clues about failing hard drives, and whether you have important Windows security updates installed.
Printers
A print audit is a careful look into the printing processes and the technology to determine how it can be more energy efficient. It’s helpful for you to see if you should continue using a printer in the business, or look to outsource your print work.
Print audits look at all aspects of printing and can end up saving you time and money by seeing how much you are spending on in-house printing services. It can also help you identify any wasteful printing habits and which machines are used the most. You can then see who is using printers optimally and who isn’t.
During the audit, you can also see which printers and services are outdated. It may be efficient to replace old printers with something more environmentally friendly that also saves you a lot of time.
Servers
Performing server checks can not only safeguard your business from critical cyber-attacks but also fuel its growth and sustainability. Checking your servers can help with a range of security issues, like protecting your customers’ information, safeguarding your network and complying with laws.
Server audits can also help you identify and resolve problems that you may not know existed. Fixing any issues early before the problem worsens means your data will remain safe and secure. it’s also a great way to monitor efficiency and overall health. If you’re using ineffective and poor-quality hardware, you’re essentially wasting resources. An audit can help you to monitor the effectiveness and make changes where necessary.