If you were a carpenter, a gardener, a surgeon or a hairdresser, you’d need to maintain and manage your work tools. It’s the same with business software and IT tools that are used daily. Let’s look at some ways to do this effectively.
Say No to Shadow IT
If you don’t give your staff the IT tools they need to do their work, the chances are that they’ll find them somewhere else. Full marks to them for initiative – but there can be undesirable consequences. Shadow IT is the term used to refer to software that’s added to your network without notification, permission or approval.
The list of problems that can arise from shadow IT is a long one. To avoid these complications, it’s best to keep this software out of your network. The simplest way to do this is to eliminate the need for it. If your employees have the IT tools they need, whether it’s a single programme or a suite of business apps, then they won’t download and install shadow IT.
Keep On Top of Subscriptions
Business software is typically offered as a subscription service these days. This is a useful way to make use of it if you’re using it on an ongoing basis, but sometimes you may need to subscribe for a short-term project. Remember to cancel the subscription once the task is completed. Subscriptions can be expensive and the cost can pile up. If your company uses subscription-based software, you should do regular internal audits so that you don’t end up paying for those that aren’t being used anymore.
Keep Software Up-to-Date
There’s a very good reason why you should keep your software updated – security. Threats are continually evolving, and software developers create and issue patches and updates to ensure the software is secure and safe for users. These are not automatically installed and the onus is on the user to do so. Failure to do it can leave a business vulnerable to cybercrime.
Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) offers various benefits for businesses, and one of them is that the updates and patches will be applied by the provider. SaaS has other advantages too. It’s a cost-effective option and, because it’s scalable and flexible, it’s easy for businesses to match their subscriptions to their needs. Some businesses go one step further, with a software management platform as an add-on. This allows you easy viewing of your infrastructure and application usage.
If you use business software and are considering a SaaS solution, we can help you find options that are right for your business. For more information, call Quikteks today at (973) 882-4644.