Despite the usefulness and convenience of information technology, it can be a very finicky beast at times. There are all kinds of problems that can arise, especially when inexperienced users are involved. These frequent problems are one of the reasons that companies employ teams of IT technicians, as the only real solution is an expert hand. For those of you who might want to be an IT technician, you should go ahead and start familiarizing yourself with these five problems because you will encounter them a lot.
1. Lack Of Employee Knowledge
The vast majority of IT problems are the result of user error, and that is why we placed this kind of situation at number one. Most people don’t really know that much about how computers work, how the internet works, or anything like that. Obviously, they understand the surface-level aspects, but that often isn’t enough. They might know how to open up a browser and go to their favorite site, but most people have no idea how that whole process really works.
This kind of thing is just an annoyance in most cases. However, when it comes to security matters, a lack of employee knowledge can be downright dangerous. Believe it or not, most forms of cybersecurity protection are effective if used properly. Unfortunately, that last part disqualifies many people.
Because well-configured networks are difficult to penetrate, most criminals will use “social engineering” methods instead. These methods vary a lot, but most of them involve tricking legitimate users into giving up their login credentials. This is usually done through the impersonation of both people and institutions. While these “phishing attempts” are usually not that hard to spot, an unwary user can easily fall for them.
2. Outdated Hardware And Software
This is another very frequent problem. IT equipment such as desktops, laptops, tablets, servers, etc. tend to be expensive, so companies often won’t bother to replace them until a problem arises. When you are working with outdated hardware and/or software, it will eventually become so outdated as to become unusable. Unfortunately, there will be plenty of problems to handle in the meantime.
Outdated IT resources are also a security risk, as they will not have the latest security patches. Not only that, but you will certainly see reduced performance when using outdated tech. Slower computers and a slower network will directly decrease productivity, even for the hardest-working employees. This is why outdated tech should never be used for businesses.
3. Data Loss
These days, a company lives and dies by its data. Business data is important for analytics and it is also important for compliance. Businesses are required to retain certain data sets, so the loss of that data can place a company in violation of the law. Not only that, but it makes the day-to-day running of the business more difficult. More to the point…data loss can seriously cost a lot of money.
Data loss can happen in many different ways. Of course, it can be stolen or destroyed by a hacker, but accidental deletion is far more common. Sometimes, it only takes a single bad click to delete highly crucial resources. The control of deletion privileges can help somewhat, but the risk of accidental deletion will always be there.
Luckily, this kind of problem can usually be fixed, but only if it is reported quickly. You see, a computer drive works kind of like an old-school VHS tape: Nothing is really erased until you record something over the contents. Likewise, until computer data is overwritten with new data, it can still be recovered. If the data loss isn’t reported quickly enough, however, the data will be incomplete.
4. Lack Of IT Planning
This is especially common with newer companies that haven’t had time to work the bugs out of their IT setup. There are many ways to manage IT, so it really is best for the heads of the company to come up with a plan for that management. For example, how should your organization balance the need for security with the need for higher performance? It is very hard to get good security without compromising performance and usability by at least a little.
That’s just one of the questions that need to be answered, and that is why you need a dedicated IT plan. Without one, your IT technicians will be running around like chickens without heads. Sure, everyone will know who is in charge, but that is about all. On the other hand, a well-made IT plan will allow all your IT people to work smoothly towards the same goal.
5. Little To No Backup Strategy
As silly as this is, there are still a lot of businesses that don’t back up their crucial data. You can use the cloud as an easy and convenient way to back up your data, but an offsite, offline backup is the most secure option. No matter where you choose to store that data, every single business needs a data backup protocol. Otherwise, a single power surge or cyber-attack can absolutely cripple your operations with no easy way to fix the resulting IT issues.
Conclusion
No list could ever hope to cover all the problems that information technology can have, but these are probably the five most common ones. Indeed, most IT problems will fit into one of these categories. However, life and technology are not always predictable, so there is always the chance that you need to call an expert on IT support problems and solutions. That expert is PCH Technologies, and we are always ready to offer top-quality services. If you would like to know more, you can call PCH at (856) 754-7500.