Sabtu, 15 Maret 2014

How To Make Good Use Of Your IT Support Team

By Dave Cummings


When computers started to be used in the workplace, the IT support was extremely limited. The main task for the support technician was to ensure that regular backups of the systems were made. This technician could usually be found in a very small office, with broken printers and computers littered all over the floor and work surfaces, usually with cables and circuit boards hanging from them.

In a lot of companies at that time, users would often attempt to fix any problems themselves, rather than call for help. This has all changed now. Networked systems, and sophisticated software, have meant that the support engineers have to be highly skilled, and understand many different systems.

As the complexity of the IT systems grew, the manpower required in the team needed to increase. There was a requirement for people with various skill sets in order for the department to cope with the variety of technologies used within a single company. However, there was still the legacy equipment to look after, along with its inherent compatibility problems.

IT support procedures have had to change to keep pace with the new ways in which businesses work, especially as a great many are spread over different time zones. Departments have to be on call 24-hours a day, and it is usual for a company to have a team based on one site, and only one member of the service team at each location. Any faults are generally reported via the company intranet using a ticketing system.

Raising a ticket, or a request for help, may seem a bit extreme to a user who is just having problems with an e-mail account. However, this information can then be targeted at an engineer who is experienced in such problems, and therefore, be able to rectify the situation quickly. They might also find an underlying fault in the system due to this single report.

What seems like a simple localized e-mail failure report could actually be a symptom of a greater problem. The same fault might have been reported by individuals scattered all over the world. The fault might actually be traced back to a system server problem, this is why a mixture of skill sets in the team is very advantageous. With the technicians all working together, a fault can be escalated, and solved quickly.

The systems that need supporting these days can be extremely complex, and a large number of businesses use external companies, rather than keep the department in-house. These consultancies will then call on freelancers local to the company in question to help rectify the problem. The cost-effectiveness of using this method depends on many different factors, such as the budget and size of the business.

IT support has had to change a lot to keep pace with technology. It is unrecognizable from from its humble beginnings. It is looked upon in a different light by companies and their employees, and is no longer the butt of jokes. The engineers and technicians that work in these departments have to be highly skilled individuals, and up-to-date with the latest technologies.




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