Why is it important to have regular maintenance on my computer?
Computers, just like cars, need to be regularly maintained to ensure optimal efficiency and the detection of potential problems before they start to affect the performance of your business. Since business in the 21st century is entirely dependent on information technology infrastructure, it is vital to make IT a top priority when budgeting for business expenses.
Here are a few reasons why preventative maintenance on IT infrastructure is necessary for your business:
Malware prevention
Malware (previously known as spyware/virus) is an uninvited piece of software that is unknowingly installed on your computer. The primary objective of this software is to gather and send away information stored on your computer to hackers or criminals that are trying to steal your money or intellectual property.
Recently, malware has become significantly more complex and has the potential to completely destroy your business - including all backups! 'Ransom-ware' once installed, encrypts every file on your computer (including attached backup hard drives) and holds you to ransom unless you pay upwards of $10,000 to release the 2048-bit encryption. No small (or even medium) business can spare tens of thousands of dollars to release their own intellectual property.
Other variations of malware may include key-tracking software; which detects every key you type on your computer with the goal of logging into your internet banking, email or business applications. Overall, malware just wants to steal your business's money!
Consequently, malware detection and removal is just one reason why Netech Preventative Computer Maintenance is a necessary step in protecting your business from criminals.
General Windows Maintenance
Over time, Windows can collect a significant amount of temporary files that can affect the performance of a computer system. These temporary files are a measure to protect your data in case of data loss, or ironically are designed to speed up software applications, however over time can begin to slow down your system as data directories begin to clog with excessive amounts of unnecessary data.
By removing these files, Windows will operate more efficiently without reference to temporary files that could've been created years ago. A few extra minutes of waiting for a computer to respond may not seem like a big deal, however this lost waiting time could add up to thousands of dollars in the long term.
Hardware maintenance
Preventative maintenance can detect issues with the hardware of a computer, before these defective parts start displaying symptoms. In order to get the maximum life out of your computer infrastructure, it should be a vital procedure to have your computers tested for hardware defects.
Think of the worst case scenario if your hardware unexpectedly broke - the loss of a few days work as the PC is being repaired, the loss of vital business information; the unnecessary delay in delivering products or services to your customers and wasted employee hours. Preventative maintenance could detect hardware faults before you are aware of a problem, and provide a resolution to these problems you didn't even know you had!
Installation of software updates
Occasionally, Windows and other application updates are unintentionally missed when installed automatically. This may be because they're classified as optional. These updates; while not critical, may prevent security issues and improve software stability. Part of a preventative maintenance service will be to ensure that all of these updates are installed.