lunes, 30 de agosto de 2010

Smart Choice - Software Patch Management Makes A Difficult Task Easy

The use of software patch management easily automates the distribution of problem fixing patches across an entire network. Depending on the software, these updates can be scheduled beforehand or setup to coincide with your development team or third party patch providers. Many programs also offer the ability to scan the computers on the network for any vulnerabilities that require a patch. Trying to perform a patch on every terminal in your company manually is a lengthy, time consuming process. It is also completely unnecessary and problematic. Instead of having an IT staffer waste another employees time by taking up the computer, the IT tech can automate the process with a program.

 

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.

 

There are many programs to select from. This selection process should be directed at fitting your business needs. Many programs have different features and those are what should be looked at. You want a software that is customizable to your needs as well as easy to use and maintain.

 

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.

 

Companies have been disabled or completely shutdown for days because of hackers manipulating security loopholes created by not patched computers. The hackers are able to gain full control of one computer that is not entirely protected and then use it to tie up bandwidth for their own purposes. They are then also able to install viruses and worms on your network.

 

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.

 

Most of the work of a software patch management software is done behind the scenes. Most workers will not even be aware that their computer is being updated to protect the company. The only time that it would be of any concern is when the system might need to be rebooted. The worker would be warned with a prompt and asked to save their work. This can be a very slight inconvenience having to wait for the system to reboot; it is however, a lot better than having to wait for an admin to go through every prompt. Most workers will be appreciative of the quick work that the software provides. There will be less inconvenient visits from the IT staff to have to see to issues related to the workers computer.

viernes, 27 de agosto de 2010

Improve Your Network Management Service With MSP Software

Managed service providers have a wonderful and powerful tool at their disposal today. This tool is known as MSP software. This type of software can be used for a number of different tasks and activities network managers commonly engage in. Whether you need to manage an entire network for a company, or you simply need to manage all of the networks of your customers, this type of software can make the task of managing numerous networks very simple overall.

 

Many managed service providers find it very difficult to provide the level of service their customers are looking for at all times. If you are managing many networks, it can sometimes be overwhelming to attempt to meet the demands of each one of your clients. By having managed service provider software though, you can make the process of managing multiple networks very simple and efficient.

 

Network managers find this type of software to be incredibly useful, because it can provide an abundance of detailed information about a network's activities. Whether network managers need to assess the efficiency of individual devices within a network, or they need to assess a network's overall efficiency, they can easily do so by reviewing the information that is provided by this type of program.

 

By reviewing detailed information about individual devices within a network, as well as having the ability to view a network as a whole, you will not only be able to fix problems that may be arising within the network, like an improper use of network devices, insufficient computing power being provided by devices, or other problems, but you will also be able to improve the overall efficiency of your network as well.

 

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.

 

Many network managers use these programs to monitor entire networks, but network managers can improve the quality of their services by also monitoring individual devices within a network as well. Many components within networks often provide insufficient computing power to handle the tasks they are facing. When this type of problem arises within a network, a network manager can recommend the improvement of specific devices in order to increase the overall efficiency of an entire network.

 

So, MSP software can assist network managers in a variety of different ways. Network managers who use this type of software can improve the overall efficiency of the networks they manage by assessing the efficiency of individual devices and the communication connections between those devices. If any issues ever arise within the network, network managers will be notified immediately by their MSP software about any serious issues that may affect the efficiency of the network.

lunes, 9 de agosto de 2010

Cost-effective Network Management: Features And Advantages

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 complete network is made up of two components. They are the hardware component and the software component. One has to only see it to believe it so far as the number of individual components that comprise a complete network. 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.

The task of the network manager becomes even more difficult due to the fact that the network map is never the same even on successive days at some instance. This occurs as every business house has to continuously adapt to the changes in the market and thereby effect changes in the procedures that he conducts his business.

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.

Software tools that provide this type of facility to the network administrator is called Managed Service Provider. This tool provides a complete overview of the network along with the various programs that are running at each location. It could be a fully automated software, in which case no human intervention is necessary, or it could be a fully manual system. It could also be a mix of the two that is a hybrid between automatic and semi automatic. The choice of which version is to be used would depend on the availability and ability of the network administrator on the company's payroll. 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.

To judge the ability of an MSP solution, two major issues are taken into consideration. How deep and wide does the software present the network hierarchy to the network administrator and how strong is its reporting process.

However there are various other factors and features that each individual company would indicate in their product manifesto. Features like ease of deploying the MSP software itself across the entire network. The demand for system resources that the software be inherent with.

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.