How has your IT environment changed over the last year? There are so many annual changes to the software, services and technologies we use that it can be overwhelming. It’s challenging to know which strategic updates and upgrades are worth your time and money and which are best left alone.
If used correctly, these updates can facilitate greater productivity, flexibility and security, making your business more competitive as we enter the new year. However, unnecessary upgrades and software that you just don’t need can be a burden. How will you know how to get it right?
A managed IT services partner is the best resource for questions like these. They can help you develop a list of strategic resources to consider for the upcoming year and walk you through their successful installation and setup.
Strategic Move to Consider with Your Managed IT Services Partner
So, which are the best strategic initiatives our experts in IT support in Nashville recommend? Depending on your business priorities and company goals, plenty of investments will pay dividends by setting you up for a more stable, secure and productive future.
Here are some of our best strategic IT recommendations for 2023.
1. Opt for a serverless environment
Tired of dealing with the hassle of an on-premises server? This approach works for many businesses, but ongoing maintenance and poor redundancy planning can make it a liability. Instead of relying on a server, you have to monitor and maintain, opt for a serverless environment by migrating your file server to SharePoint.
This approach offers ongoing secure access from anywhere, which is extremely useful when your staff wants to work from home. Plus, it provides robust version history and backup protection, making it easy to know when you have the latest version of any document or file.
2. Hardware investments
Many businesses enter the new year and immediately wonder whether they should purchase new workstations. Determining the right time to switch can be complex and lead to days of setup and troubleshooting where the workstations simply aren’t available for use, putting everyone behind.
A managed IT services partner can provide a helping hand during this time, working with you to expedite and manage the transitions so you can enjoy and use your new hardware sooner.
3. Long-term strategic planning
If your workplace uses machines other than workstations, you should be setting aside an annual amount to ensure that paying for their eventual replacement isn’t a hugely disruptive expense.
The best way to do this is through an equipment replacement plan, which lays out how much of your revenue or budget you’ll allocate to equipment replacement, and under which circumstances they’ll be replaced. A trained managed IT services expert can work with you to develop this plan as your Virtual Chief Information Officer.
4. Enable privileged access management
Privileged access management (PAM) is a type of plan or tool that guards and confirms the identities of users passing through your system. It’s responsible for vetting users that need to access information on your system and ensuring they are who they say they are.
If you don’t have this enabled already, making the change in 2023 can help facilitate ongoing security and productivity, making it easier for authorized users to navigate your system while keeping out bad actors.
5. Evaluate admin rights and safe lists
The new year is also a fantastic time to evaluate admin rights and safe lists. Failing to update these regularly can leave you with out-of-date lists that will put your system’s cybersecurity at risk. Keeping these lists reliably updated is a great job to give your managed IT services partner.
6. Software updates
Regular software updates are critical. If your business doesn’t have a strategic plan to ensure these happen regularly and on time, the lapse in security could jeopardize your business. Ensuring these updates are handled correctly in 2023 is essential.
Tech Squared Offers Superior Managed IT Services in Nashville
We love to work with Nashville businesses to help them develop a technology strategy that keeps them safe in 2023 and beyond. If you have questions about strategic technology investments, updates or changes you’d like to make in 2023, we are here to help.
Tech Squared is your strategic IT partner who will help you make good decisions for IT initiatives in 2023. Book a meeting with us today to set yourself up right for the new year and beyond.
