Monday, August 30, 2010

Smart Choice - Software Patch Management For Improved Security

With some much new technology out in the world, it just makes sense that there is an equal amount repairs needed done. Software patch management helps programs adapt to the quickly changing technological world. More often than not they can be set to run on their own whether the computer is being used or not. This rarely affects the computers ability to process things. This could be done manually. Nobody really has the time or money to pay a person to sit there and repeatedly click buttons on a multitude of computers. You would almost have to hire an extra staff just to handle all of the work. By using the built in settings to have the program do this automatically, you can save a bundle. Another problem with manual installation of patches is that some require human interaction to respond. The worker who is having their computer serviced has to wait as the IT technician waits on the patch prompts. This can all be done through scripting. Any prompts that the patch may ask for can be responded to without interaction. This way, two people are not wasting their time. Just like any other software programs, there are number of different ones for this specific need. They range from basic home editions, to ones that can manage a number of computers on various networks. Which one you choose depends on the specific needs for your company. Always research the programs before you choose one. Just because they look flashy and say they can do a lot does not necessarily mean they can do what you need them to do.

 

Patch management is a good way to protect your company from malicious attacks. Many hackers are able to manipulate the vulnerabilities in systems that have not been closed by a corrective patch. A good software will be able to scan your computers and determine which patch should be applied.

 

If your computers are not properly protected, viruses are only minor problem people and companies have to worry about. Hackers can steal company secrets, employee information, personal information. This can lead to loss of sales and profits and possibly identity theft. This type of malicious attack can be prevented by using a continuous checker. This feature would make sure that all computers on the network comply with the current patches available. If they do not then they are updated and a report is electronically generated to the system administrator.

 

The software patch management programs on the market make it easy to keep up with the countless patches for all the market software. Your workers will not even have to see the patch taking place except in a few occasions where the computer will need to be rebooted. Your IT staff as well as your office workers will appreciate being able to go about their daily duties uninterrupted by annoying software maintenance. This will increase your productivity as well as the moral of the office and your IT department. Anything that can make a tedious job faster and less intrusive is good for the company.

Friday, August 27, 2010

MSP Software, Manage Multiple Networks Efficiently And Effectively

One of the most important programs at the disposal of managed service providers today is known as MSP software. This type of software is specifically designed to assist network managers with the monitoring and managing of networks. These programs can help network managers assess the efficiency of an entire network, but it can also help network managers assess the efficiency of individual devices and programs within a network as well.

 

Due to the extraordinary demands that are commonly placed on network managers today, this software can be very useful when you need to relieve some of the burdens you are currently facing as a network manager. Network managers often face many difficulties, especially when they are managing multiple networks. If you are having trouble keeping up with the demands of your customers, you will definitely find the services and tools that are provided by MSP software to not only improve the quality of the services you provide to your customers, but you will also find that this software makes it easier for you to efficiently service the needs of your customers.

 

MSP software can provide detailed info about devices within a network. When network managers do not have access to information about individual devices within a network, they often find it very difficult to uncover the source of problems networks are facing. If you are using this software to manage your network though, you will be able to instantly access detailed info about every device within the network in order to assess the source of problems as well as solutions you can use to fix the problems your networks are facing.

 

By using MSP software, you can access information that will reveal the primary problems that are causing difficulties to arise within your network. Whether you need to access information about individual computers in a network, or you need to simply assess the overall efficiency of an entire network, this type of software can provide the information and tools you need to assess problems and find the source of problems quickly.

 

This software can even automate the process of managing a network as well. This software can provide notifications when a problem is about to arise within a network too. In this way, MSP software can help managed service providers avoid problems altogether, because the problems can be fixed before they actually cause a disruption within the communications of a network.

 

One of the most convenient features provided by managed service provider software today is the remote access portion of these programs. This portion of these programs can give network managers an opportunity to access devices from a remote location. By having instant access to the devices your customers are using, you will be able to uncover and solve problems your customers are facing quickly and seamlessly.

 

This software generally helps improve the overall efficiency of an entire network, and it can even improve the efficiency of individual devices within a network as well. Network managers can use tools provided by MSP software to assess the overall efficiency of individual devices and provide recommendations to companies about how they should proceed with their software and hardware upgrades in the future.

 

Obviously, MSP software can be used in many different ways. If you are a managed service provider, you should certainly look into how this software can improve the quality of the services you provide to all of your clients.

Monday, August 9, 2010

Cost-effective Network Management: Advantages And Benefits

Information Technology could be called the precursor to business automation. The automation extended outwards and included other linked sphere of operations related to the central business venture. Synchronisation of these disparate operations in order to be able to achieve one singular end result gave rise to networks. Managing these networks was a costly affair. In order to ensure profit margins Cost-effective network management systems became an object in demand.

A network comprises of individual objects, both hardware component and the application or software component. The plethora of objects that make up a network is to be experienced to be believed. A network administrator's job is never a post of envy but one that poses the administrator with problems uncanny.

When any one of these components faces a bug that retards or stops its working the Network Manager is the individual who is called upon to provide a solution. A complete view of the network and its operations from wherever the network manager is located becomes a necessity for providing the solution. Volatile is the market and so is the functioning of a business house to cater for these market changes. The network being used by the business house in turn also faces a rapidly changing scenario. The network map drawn on the hard board one day would turn, out of place, in a few days span. Given this scenario, there is need for such a tool that provides a continuous updated view of the complete network components to the network manager as also allow the network manager to manage the components from a remote location. One such class of software which provides the various programs that are running across a network as well as the networks hierarchical view is called Managed Services Provider programs (MSP). There are some MSP which do not need any user intervention and called fully automated MSP and there are others which need human intervention at each step. There are MSP which are a mix of these two also. The Network manager's availability and capability would decide which MSP be best suited for a client. Cost saving factor of such software requires no amplification. Rather than having individual network manager at each individual physical location trying to talk with each other, one network manager sitting remotely is able to monitor and provide solutions to the individual network system. How well and detailed does the MSP software report the network statistics and status and how wide and deep can the software report decide the power and strength of the software. Individual companies creating the MSP however add different features in their advertisement campaigns. The ease with which the software can be deployed across the entire network, how much system resources does the software demand, these and many other similar features are used by individual MSP makers in their marketing strategy. For increased profit margins a cost-effective network management system is a deciding issue to any business house. This is especially so given the 'e' factor that has attached itself in every facet of a business in today's world. A Managed Service Provider is capable of bringing down price incurred by the business house in network management, in turn assuring increased profit margin to the business house. It could therefore be concluded that MSP is a cost-effective tool.