Technical Brief May 2008
Desktop Management: Proactive, Ongoing Maintenance is Key to Productivity
It is sometimes ironic that desktop systems, in which employees are so dependent, are often ignored. When a computer goes down, the employee’s work comes to a halt, resulting in a loss of productivity and revenue. But it’s not uncommon that small and medium size businesses (SMBs) don’t have the resources to maintain desktop systems on a daily basis. Instead the employees are left to troubleshoot the problems themselves or rely on a “help desk” service that provides scripting to help resolve the problem.
Adding to the dilemma is the ever-changing nature of the computer technology. It takes at least one full-time IT resource, or more depending on the number of desktops, to constantly keep up with the computing trends, assess the tools available, and deploy them. For many SMBs, having a full-time IT employee is not a realistic solution from a financial standpoint. This is why many businesses are starting to outsource their desktop management. Not only is outsourcing a cost-effective alternative to hiring an internal IT resource, it also keeps the employee computers up and running, enabling the employees to remain productive. Plus, allows businesses to focus on their core-competencies – which are why they are in business in the first place.
By hiring an external IT resource, often called “managed service providers,” SMBs can have enterprise-class desktop management that is cost effective and consistent. Another benefit to hiring externally is the added value a managed service providers can bring to a business. Managed service providers become a business’ “windows on the IT world.” They are continually discovering and evaluating new desktop technologies for all types of companies, enabling them to make recommendations that can have a significant impact on a business’ productivity and revenue.
When it comes to outsourcing desktop management to a managed service provider, there are a number of options to what they can provide – either remotely or onsite, including:
- Asset management – track and manage inventory of hardware and software assets, as well as tracks software license usage, and helps to ensure regulatory compliance.
- Patch management - acquire, test, and install multiple patches (code changes) to provide on-going protection from security risks and threats
- Software distribution – deploy new software and software updates to multiple computers
- 24/7 helpdesk – provide online and phone support to answer questions or troubleshoot computer or software problems
