What does IT do anyway?

With the level of technology now present in nearly every facet of life and business, information technology (IT) departments are integrated into all aspects of operations in companies both large and small.???

Most of us only deal with the IT department when things go wrong, or when they install new software or fix computer-related problems. And while those are among IT’s general responsibilities, that’s just the beginning. The IT department does much of their work behind the scenes and is much more integral to a company’s overall success than you may realize.?

Our focus at RailPros is to ensure we enable the business to meet and exceed customer expectations. Being an enabler of the business means working hand-in-hand with all departments, which allows, for example, our Field Services team to say “Yes” when a new opportunity to show our capabilities presents itself.??? Because an organizations’ systems, hardware, and software are all interconnected, a simple software update by one provider can have dramatic, unintended downstream impacts to other parts of the network – impacting teams negatively in their daily responsibilities. To solve for these items quickly the information technology group focuses on the following areas.?

TECHNICAL SUPPORT?

The IT department provides this service for all users who need access to the company's computer systems. This might entail installing new software or hardware, repairing hardware that has become faulty, training employees in the use of new software, and troubleshooting problems within the network or with an individual's computer.?

It's apparent that not all the IT department does is easy to see - it creates and maintains many systems that go unseen or get taken for granted, like the creation of emergency response plans to protect the business from unforeseen problems, and constantly working to improve the entire company’s ability to function efficiently and effectively.?

IT NETWORK RESPONSIBILITIES?

The IT department oversees the installation, maintenance, and security of computer network systems including our data center and remote servers within RailPros.? Part of our team works daily to ensure that the network runs smoothly and individuals or other companies that mean us harm are prevented from gaining access to our environment and data.?

The IT department must evaluate and install the proper hardware and software necessary to keep the network functioning properly and safely.? Not all hardware and software integrates easily, so ensuring network, hardware, and software work well together as versions of applications and systems are updated is critical to the smooth operation of the organization.??

Networks can be simple or extremely complex depending upon their size and composition. In addition to staying current on trends within technology, IT employees are required to know and understand very complex systems to adequately handle the issues that arise in maintaining our network.?

NETWORK CONTINGENCIES?

Should a network system go down, the repercussions can be costly -- not just to the company and its operations, but to customers that require services from RailPros. These customers could be affected and lose faith in our ability to provide them with what they need. The IT department must have a crisis plan in place that can be implemented should the system go down. It must be designed to get the network back up quickly or allow it to switch over to an alternate system until the necessary repairs are completed.?

Throughout the maintenance and planning of a network system, the IT department must forge professional relationships with outside vendors and industry experts. This helps the IT department ??perform ??duties more efficiently as well as stay current on the latest technology that might be beneficial to RailPros.?

APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT?

Companies often see the main role of the IT department as creating the applications that serve its core business needs. The right applications allow a business to be more productive, efficient, and to move and stay ahead of our competitors.?

One of the biggest drivers of a successful business is efficiency, and the ability to automate routine tasks is a great way to increase overall efficiency. Generally speaking, the IT department is responsible for providing the infrastructure for this automation.?

At a more basic level, by implementing the governance for the use of network and operating systems, the IT department enables the company’s employees to communicate, collaborate, and automate routine tasks, and generally provide teams with the functionality they need to perform their duties.?

It's important to note that although the IT department implements and facilitates the flow of information, it doesn't create the policy that defines which information is correct or accessible to others.?

COMMUNICATION?

RailPros relies on our ability to communicate.? While most are aware that the IT department is responsible for computer operations and other information technologies within our company, many new forms of electronic communication have become staples in current office and remote work environments.? IT departments have for many years managed the technical side of company communication and now also manage technology and systems that manage point-to-point phone calls, conference calls, and video and web conferences, as well as alternate forms of electronic communication like network drives, email systems, and secure servers.?

The IT department must fully understand how these systems work and interact with each other and is responsible for ensuring that these systems always remain operational.?

COMPANY WEBSITE?

The IT department is at least partially responsible for creating and maintaining the RailPros website. While the ongoing content and design changes of the site are handled by Marketing and PR, IT typically creates the code and works with other departments to test the site for usability as its design is defined and the site prepares for launch.?

While IT is the department we call when our laptop or applications don’t work, as you can see, the IT team spends most of its time involved in many initiatives behind the scenes.?

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