The IT Health Check: Ultimate Guide for Enterprises to Stay Secure

Picture this: a routine update goes disastrously wrong, plunging multiple devices across businesses into the dreaded Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) chaos. IT administrators are thrown into a frenzy, battling to fix the fallout remotely without actually being able to see the affected devices. That’s exactly what happened to businesses around the world during the recent CrowdStrike incident, and the resulting discord was an important reminder of the indispensable role that IT teams equipped with the right technology can play in mitigating or quickly overcoming these problems. 

Remote work has changed the way businesses operate, rendering the traditional office-bound approach to IT management a relic of the past. Now, IT departments face a key challenge: supporting a globally widespread workforce. As employees and devices spread across different locations, IT teams are evolving, adopting a flexible and fluid mindset to keep up with this reality. IT teams find themselves wearing multiple hats, juggling daily technical issues, devising technology roadmaps, ensuring optimal resource utilisation, and maximising return on tech investments - all while navigating financial constraints like inflation and budget cuts.

The complexity of supporting a remote workforce requires a more nuanced approach to IT support operations, where real-time assistance, seamless connectivity, and proactive problem-solving are crucial. The situation of any large organisation is synonymous with that of a fit human being who, without a balanced diet and active lifestyle, is only worsening their health while also impacting their overall functioning and productivity.

The negative impacts of unfit IT operations on organisations include:

1. Escalating IT support requests: The surge in IT support demands from employees in a remote or hybrid environment strains resources and stretches IT teams thin, making it difficult to maintain high service levels.
2. Rising stress and burnout among IT professionals: The continuous influx of support requests and the pressure to quickly resolve issues lead to significant stress and burnout, affecting the productivity and job satisfaction of IT professionals and helpdesk agents.
3. Inconsistent work-from-home policies affecting standardisation: Variances in work-from-home policies result in inconsistencies in IT standards and practices, complicating the implementation of cohesive IT policies.
4. Challenges in managing remote IT infrastructure: Inconsistent access to technology and equipment in remote setups increases vulnerability to cyber threats, making robust security measures and reliable technology management a formidable task for IT teams.

These challenges underscore the urgent need for a robust approach towards remote IT support to enhance efficiency, alleviate stress, and strengthen security measures across the board.

More recently, AI technologies have also emerged as a powerful tool empowering IT support teams to do more with less and keep systems healthy:

1. Automated, streamlined workflows: With IT teams already managing so many responsibilities, routine checks and maintenance can fall off the list of priorities. AI automates routine tasks such as performing device diagnostics, managing devices, identifying updates, and more to allow the team to focus on priority tasks. 
2. Real-time screen translation: Language barriers can impede problem resolution in a global workforce. AI Screen Translation translates screen content in real-time, allowing support agents to assist users regardless of their language and improving resolution times, thus, improving user experience.
3. Robust endpoint management assistant: Managing out-of-band remote devices can be challenging. A robust endpoint management assistant backed by AI ensures comprehensive monitoring and control, maintaining security and performance across the network.
4. Advanced security measures: Effective remote IT support solutions must include session validation, permissions and access control, banking-grade encryption, data residency customisation, and compliance adherence to ensure secure and compliant operations across diverse regions and industries.

By integrating these advanced features into their remote IT support stack, enterprises can address the unique challenges of managing a dispersed workforce.

Healthy IT is a competitive advantage

Tech fitness in IT is more than a buzz term; it's a practical advantage that separates businesses from their competition. The true advantage of IT fitness lies in the consolidation of remote IT support tools into a single, integrated platform. By having all necessary features accessible under a single pane of glass, IT teams can significantly reduce the burden of everyday management. 

Walking the path of a healthy IT future is far from easy, especially when it comes to managing large enterprises. However, remote support technology can make this journey a lot more seamless. Unified remote IT support ensures that technology isn’t just functioning fine, but also that it’s functioning towards growth and innovation.

Written By - Madhusudan Krishnapuram, VP - Product & Engineering, India Operations at GoTo

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The IT Health Check Ultimate Guide for Enterprises to Stay Secure