10 Things Every IT Manager Should do in 2010... Part 1

(PRWeb UK) January 9, 2010

Whether a business manages its own IT network or has dedicated IT support services here are 10 things that should be considered in 2010. Part One (1-5)

1. Fully test the disaster recovery plan

A corporate disaster recovery strategy has been a must have for all but the smallest network environments but ask a question, when was the last time it was fully tested?

Testing a disaster recovery plan doesnt mean restoring a random file from a backup tape, or even performing a bare-metal recovery of a single server. Assumptions cant be made the backups that have been running, have also been working and that the book way of restoring a network is going to work without a hitch. A recent study by Gartner (The Broken State of Backup) showed that 50 percent of those asked said that DR exercises encountered issues and 72 percent of DR tests weren’t fully successful.

An easy way to get ostrich like management to buy into the importance of testing a disaster recovery plan is to send them on a disaster recovery awareness workshop – these are run by many IT support networks.

2. Throw your Blackberry server on the roof!

5 years ago Blackberry handhelds revolutionised the mobile phone industry by providing users with instantaneous (well near enough) emails directly to their phones. It took Microsoft a good few years to catch and when they first implemented push email from Exchange Server expensive data plans from mobile operators meant it cost big money for an entire organization to switch.

Nowadays its different – most mobile phone plans come with either unlimited data or a large monthly pot. Companies can take advantage of the best mobile handsets in the world (like the apple IPhone and Google android based devices) and best of all there is no need for any hardware or software other than Microsoft Exchange itself.

3. Replace your next server with a virtual server

One of the easiest ways to dip a toe into the server virtualization pond is to P2V an existing old server onto a new Windows 2008 server with the hyper-v role installed. Pick the oldest server , buy virtualization compliant hardware as its replacement then P2V (physical to virtual conversion) to the old server onto the Hyper-V role, re-apply the network settings and then turn off the old box Bingo the server is virtualized and the makings of a virtual network environment are created. Many people dont think P2V server migration can be so easy.

4. Take a look at two-factor remote user authentication

Two factor authentication has always been the easiest way of securing network resources, it works in the same way a credit card and PIN does something in possession (card), and something in memory (pin).

Historically its been very expensive and has required servers, client agents, user pass code fobs and vast amounts of user training. Although the cost of these devices have reduced largely down to new manufacturers entering the market there is a new breed of technology that uses the end users existing mobile phone as the something in possession to provide secure access to network resources. A product called SMS Passcode uses this technology and fires a pass code to the users mobile when they try to authenticate to their corporate network, the user enters this code into a popup box and theyre then allowed to connect.

This type of technology can usually be implemented at a third of the cost and does provide the same strength security as the traditional two factor providers.

5. Upgrade your clients to Windows 7

Firstly lets just get something straight… Vista wasnt the greatest operating system, but it wasnt anywhere near as bad as most IT support and network support guys made out. The initial release was a little slow (mainly due to the increased hardware demands over Windows XP), user account control was clunky, upgrades were troublesome and some key subsystems clearly werent tested correctly. With the release of service pack 2 most of these problems were well and truly put to bed but by then it was too late for the ill fated operating system.

Windows 7 really is what Vista should have been the flaky subsystems have been fixed, the UI has been improved, UAC protects you but doesnt annoy hardware demands are roughly the same as with Vista, but the worlds moved on and theyre now more in line with expectations.

Microsoft are keen to drop XP (OEM copies of Windows XP are no longer available) and will be stopping public support for it soon so nows never been a better time to bite the bullet, accept the fact that itll be painful for a little while users get used to the new interface and get Windows 7 installed.

Read Part Two of this article here 10 things every IT manager should do in 2010… Part 2

Provided by Tony Brown Director at IT support company Phillips Taylor Brown.

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10 Things Every IT Manager Should do in 2010... Part 1