Whether you work for a company completely committed to the cloud, relying exclusively on a physical data center or utilizing a hybrid of the two, supporting the business through proper setups and maintenance makes server know-how even more critical. This checklist, written by Scott Matteson for TechRepublic Premium, provides management guidelines and solutions to many ...

Most organizations have applications, processes, and data that must be kept secure by authorized personnel. Determining the eligibility of individuals to access or administer these components can be a challenge. Whether you need to establish full access permissions to folders for the purpose of backups or you’re responsible for handling data that could adversely affect ...

Whether as standalone systems or part of a corporate Active Directory environment, chances are your company runs Windows machines, which you may be responsible for supporting, even indirectly, if you work in a different field. This checklist, written by Scott Matteson for TechRepublic Premium, is intended to provide management guidelines and solutions to many of ...

Welcoming a new employee to the office often requires the installation of a new computer workstation. This TechRepublic Premium guide and checklist, created by Mark W. Kaelin, will help you successfully complete the task of creating a new workstation for your business enterprise. Featured text from the download: SOFTWARE After assuring functioning hardware and network ...

Macs, like Windows computers, benefit from routine maintenance. Regular tune-ups help protect Macs, both desktop and laptop models, from potential data loss, needlessly slow performance, and other issues. Just what steps should a macOS tune-up checklist include? Check out the steps, created by Erik Eckel for TechRepublic Premium, to ensure you get proper, consistent results ...

Given the ever-increasing importance of data, it’s no wonder hard drive problems can produce fear and panic, especially if you haven’t conducted a recent backup. Hard drive recovery is a much more pleasant undertaking if you have steady and consistent backups to rely on during the process. Luckily, disk problems don’t necessarily mean the bell ...

No managed services provider should lock itself out of the very network switches or routers it deploys, yet such accidents occur. Network switches have become increasingly complex and sometimes route virtual local area network traffic, while routers power an ever-expanding smorgasbord of filters and services. As a result, it’s easier than ever to skip an ...

Properly deploying new servers for clients requires managed services providers to carefully plan and execute such initiatives. Keeping those servers running properly is an even bigger challenge. MSPs need to adopt methodic maintenance practices to help spot issues early and prevent problems from resulting in unplanned downtime and lost data. Servers present so many fronts ...

Among the surest method of jeopardizing employment within information technology is botching a server migration. Don’t let your career suffer a setback due to an easily overlooked detail. Instead, plan server migrations carefully and employ a checklist, like the one created by Erik Eckel for TechRepublic Premium, to ensure critically important details aren’t missed. Featured ...

Life lessons stick with you. The basics taught in Little League in the U.S. are practiced by Major League Baseball stars. Fundamentals have staying power because they work. So the next time you’re recruited to take over a new site, make a list of all the location’s equipment and take notes with some healthy skepticism, ...

Backup routines are the lifeblood of information technology. Protecting an organization’s data is a computer professional’s highest priority. Whether it’s hackers, disgruntled or confused users, a fire or flood, hardware failure, or just thunderstorms threatening the information you’re charged with protecting, a solid backup routine is at least a best practice if not a best ...

Networks, systems, and corresponding information technology elements are often overlooked in the build-up to a merger or acquisition. Yet, as soon as an acquisition or merger completes, all attention quickly turns to maximizing the deal’s value, minimizing expenses, and adding efficiencies wherever possible. Without an understanding, however, of the IT tools and platforms in place ...

Checklists standardize processes. Standardizing processes enables consistent results, improved efficiency, and client satisfaction. It’s a potent combination and one you can readily incorporate within your organization. When you need to order a new server, TechRepublic Premium’s New Server Checklist can help. Erik Eckel created the checklist, and it’s designed to prevent many common errors that ...

Replacing or implementing a new business software solution is a significant undertaking for organizations of all sizes. There surely will be unforeseen circumstances associated with any change or implementation — and the goal today is to go into a project like this as prepared as possible. This worksheet from TechRepublic Premium will help you make ...

Whether you are a freelancer working out of your bedroom or a Fortune 500 enterprise with 100,000 global employees, there is one common truth — financial transactions must be recorded, stored, and reported. It’s the only way to know for sure just how well and how successful a business operation is performing. Financial accounting is ...