Admin Magazine

Monitoring tools are critical to quickly identify and address problems that affect an IT organization’s service to its users. These tools scan for problems with network, systems, and application resources that a company relies on for its business.

However, IT managers face significant challenges deploying and managing these systems to their maximum benefit. Key issues include: 1) high costs for commercial software licenses and main-tenance fees; 1) waste from unused “shelf ware” and/or multiple tools with redundant functionality; 3) dependence on expensive consultants for installation and support; 4) lengthy and expensive system deployment, and 5) high resource cost associated with system management, administration, and support.

Moreover, monitoring systems frequently are not configured to produce critically needed input to the IT business processes used for management of service levels, availability, capacity, incidents, problems, and operations.

A suitable and effective plan to combat disaster is vital in the day to day continuity of every organisation on Earth. Planning business continuity is planning for the unexpected. If procedures are performed correctly it should minimise the effects of disaster on a business, enabling quick and efficient recovery. In light of the catastrophic events of the last decade, solid business continuity plans remain a prominent topic.

The impact of 9/11 showed businesses exactly how an unexpected incident causes catastrophe as data loss repercussions echoed around the globe for years afterwards. Additionally, natural disasters such as tsunamis, hurricanes or floods (which are arguably becoming more frequent due to the warming of the planet) show how damage to hardware causes severe issue to the daily running of an organisation when so many rely on technology to function effectively.