Some of you may remember the days of loading your Disk Operating System (DOS) by inserting a floppy disk and further removing the disk to load your program and data disk unless you were fortunate enough to afford two floppy disk drives.   Today, we all have better storage options through use of hard drives that store magnetic data and a Graphic User Interface (GUI) where the presentation seems logical.  When you launch Microsoft Word, for example, you single or double click the icon and Microsoft Word opens.

What really needs to happen to make Microsoft Word actually materialize in front of your eyes?  This is where events require some effort.  By enacting the 3 Pillars of IT equipment management, Ion Technology Group can help ensure that your software program opens properly.

The 3 Pillars

Like constructing a house, you would not start installing your roof unless there were walls and a foundation to positon them.  The foundation of a computer is the physical components that are required to interact with other components to include the Operating System (O/S) and software programs we all love to use.  Within this hardware, there are instructions on what one piece of hardware performs and what it is expecting from other computer components.  Collectively, the hardware, the operating system and software applications complete the computer that we use every day.

Hardware:

Since hardware is the true foundation of the computer, our focus needs to commence here.  Your hardware requires IT support just as software requires updates.  Hardware needs to be maintained as often as the manufacturer of the hardware releases updates.  Generally, this is frequently at the beginning of the computer’s life and less often as the system ages.  Computer hardware updates may include firmware and drivers.  Keeping these up-to-date creates the firm foundation for everything else.

Internal computer hardware might be, but is not limited to a:

• Motherboard
• Power Supply(s)
• Video Card(s)

Ion Technology Group has been asked many times to provide computer tech support to troubleshoot an application issue.  They do not start at the application level unless this is a system under current managed IT services; rather, they start at the hardware level first.  Many times, correcting the hardware issue(s) will correct the application level issues.  Simply updating the hardware’s code can make all the difference.  They find all too often that computer repair shops and break/fix providers skip the hardware part all together.  Interestingly enough, if Dell or Hewlett Packard, for example, checks your hardware first when you call them, this should also be first on your technology providers list of things to do.

Operating System:

The software, particularly the O/S, sits on the hardware.  The O/S manages the hardware and program applications we all know and love.  Without it, there is no stable and consistent environment for all to interact together.  And of course, we all know the O/S requires updates.  If you do not update, you are losing new instruction code that provides more features.  Likewise, you may be shooting yourself in the foot by not applying updates that protect you from the bad people that are trolling the Internet.  In the case of their managed service provider offerings, Ion Technology Group does all the legwork for you by validating that update, what it does for the computer and if the patch is necessary or not as it pertains to your system, network and workflow.  Just because an available patch is presented does not mean there is applicability to your system.

Program/Application Software:

Lastly, there are the programs we use and frankly, probably the only thing you are generally concerned with when it comes to computer operations.  Will Microsoft Word launch?  It does.  Then I am good.  In order to achieve a consistent software application experience, your software applications require updates as well.  Generally, these updates fix software bugs, but also deliver new features on which to create amazing presentations.

As you have probably figured out, the myriad of interface connections between your hardware, operating system and application software must be in order.  Without all being properly updated, your experience will not be what you expect.  Having your systems maintained and updated through Ion Technology Group’s managed IT services offerings provides you the best chance of success.  In fact, you will never have to think about it ever again.  Contact an Ion Technology Group expert today at 1.856.719.1818.

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