A good way to set clients’ expectations and reduce confusion about server updates and patch management is for your IT consultancy to use this customizable TechRepublic Server Update and Patch Management Policy.

Whether responding to downed email servers, failed VPNs, malware outbreaks, broken printers, dead terminal servers, or other critical issues, technology consultancies frequently resemble an emergency room where all injured parties want immediate attention. This flowchart is a great resource for consultants dealing with clients’ crises.

Going to the cloud might make a lot of sense for your organization — but only if you choose a secure, reliable data center that can handle your needs. Erik Eckel runs through 10 essential criteria for data center evaluation. This download is also available as an entry in our 10 Things blog.

Choosing the wrong ISP can spell doom for many businesses today. Making the right choice involves careful analysis of many factors, from uptime to capacity to equipment to field response. This download is also available as an entry in our 10 Things blog.

Eliminating malware requires a systematic process with no missed steps. This checklist will make it easier to do an effective, thorough job. Visit our IT Security blog for more information on combating viruses, spyware, and rootkits.

Optimizing a slow-performing system requires a number of diagnostic and repair steps, often with interruptions along the way. This basic checklist will help you cover all the bases. Visit our Network Administrator blog for more networking resources.

IT consultants should complete the fields within this checklist to catalog critical client network, workstation, and server information, identify weaknesses and issues that must be addressed, prioritize the issues the checklist reveals, and assign cost estimates to needed upgrades and repairs.