Patching Is Not Optional!!!

2024 will likely continue the exponential migration from on-premises equipment to the cloud. But that shift in resource location has created a challenge for businesses that is unexpected. Regular maintenance of critical systems!

The Small Business world has historically struggled in a few core areas when it comes to hardware and software health, and with the shift to cloud, focus on keeping the existing equipment healthy fading faster than ever before.

The core small business areas include:

1. General Maintenance (Patching) – Regular patching of hardware and software is not optional. There are just too many benefits and pitfalls that go along with a lack of patching to avoid this key area.
2. Maintenance Agreements – A very common challenge with SMB world is cancelling maintenance agreements which typically stops the ability to upgrade or patch equipment.
3. End of Life Equipment – Similar to cancelling maintenance agreements, keeping hardware or software in production past its lifespan creates a challenge once updates stop.
4. Industry Awareness – General Maintenance is critical, but equally critical is industry awareness. With the number of critical vulnerabilities growing every day, having awareness of your SBMs hardware and software, and being able to react quickly for critical updates limits exposure to potential risks.

When we look at the benefits of Hardware and Software General Maintenance, it is easy to see why it is not an option. In addition, keeping hardware and software under maintenance, replacing equipment when that equipment is end-of-life, and having awareness of issues in the industry will ensure your systems align with the following points.

• Improved Security-?Updates often patch vulnerabilities, protecting against malicious attacks that could compromise your data.
• Enhanced Performance-?Regular updates address bugs and inefficiencies, leading to a smoother, faster experience.
• Compatibility-?Maintaining software ensures compatibility with newer hardware and software versions, preventing compatibility issues.
• New Features-?Updates can introduce new functionalities and features, keeping your software experience fresh and relevant.

By ensuring your team prioritizes software and hardware maintenance, you can ensure technology runs smoothly, securely, and efficiently. Regular updates, proper care, and proactive solutions like patching, maintenance agreements, retirement of end-of-life equipment, and adding alerts for industry issues are essential for maximizing the lifespan and performance of your valuable tech investments.

If your SMB has a challenge with keeping hardware and software updated, it may be time to consider partnering with a Managed Service Provider (MSP). An MSP is an outsourced technical business created to help support your environment. MSPs build processes to ensure that systems run efficiently and can help notify your leadership when it is time to replace software or hardware so it can be added to your budget and not cause risks to your business operations.

If you are looking for an MSP in your region we are here to help! Please feel free to drop me a message and we can help find an amazing partner for your business!

Thanks,

Jim Peterson

Principal Solution Advisor - ConnectWise