This is my first post on TechRepublic. I am very interested in your reactions, insights, opinions on a situation we’re facing in our company.
We are an employee development and training company with 19 employees total. This includes 3 software developers (myself included) who have historically shouldered the full gamut of all things IT (network infrastructure/administration, network security, desktop support, database administration, backups, etc.) We do not have a dedicated network administrator.
Our clients use three distinct database-intensive web-based applications that support our training and development offerings. We have one Primary Domain controller (Windows 2003), two web servers (IIS), two SQL Server database servers, an Exchange server, a linux web server and MySQL server, 20-25 workstations, a Goldmine CRM server, a hardware firewall, Symantec A/V corporate server, an OCR form-scanning and data-capture workstation, a machine for external employees to remote into via terminal services, and a 1.75 Terabyte file server which also acts as a print server.
We’re heavily dependent on our web-based applications not only for the revenue that we derive directly from them but also for the revenue that we otherwise wouldn’t receive for various training offerings that are enhanced by and packaged with these online services.
Like so many businesses in this day and age, we’re extremely reliant upon email for our day-to-day business communications.
Our lead programmer has repeatedly made the case that a company that is reliant on IT to the degree we are for our revenue should have at least one dedicated network admin who can devote themselves full-time to network/server maintenance and proactive desktop support, etc. No action has been taken on this issue. Apparently, there is a reluctance to spend additional money for something they perceive they are getting in the form of the three developers trying to haphazardly handle whatever issues arise.
Has anyone ever faced a similar type of situation? Are there many companies who follow this approach? I?ve read some other posts in the IT Management topic in TechRepublic about staffing issues ? mainly ratios of IT help desk/techs to employees rather than the question I am asking which is: At what size does a company make the investment to formally establish a network administrative role ? in a situation where technology plays a role similar to the one I?ve described?
I look forward to any insights you may have. Your external input may even make its way to our COO.