IT maintenance support

System, service and maintenance

System maintenance is maintenance of software applications and hardware that directly affect operations such as core processes, web content management systems and so on. It can be manually performed such as updating software packages or automatically carried out, e.g. through automatic updates, which automatically update software packages as new security holes are found.
Service maintenance is maintenance of hardware and other equipment that support hardware and software components, e.g. by revamping existing infrastructure, reducing / automatizing red tape, and so on.

Hardware and other equipment maintenance

Hardware and software maintenance is also referred to as ‚hardware and software together‘ maintenance as these processes require a closer integration of the two.

The hardware maintenance process involves the management and correction of hardware obsolescence and/or system obsolescence, which limits its scope and/or efficiency. However, due to the significant volumes involved and the fact that these processes can be costly in terms of resources, time and effort, it makes sense to outsource these processes to us as your IT support specialists.

IT maintenance and support

IT maintenance and support involves more direct intervention by our IT specialists, such as by repairing or temporarily suspending operations and temporarily deactivating software programs, in an attempt to ensure that systems are able to run efficiently and securely.

These processes can be costly in terms of material resources, human resources, but they are necessary to ensure that systems are able to function optimally and efficiently. As systems get more complex the need to manage these processes increases, and as these processes become more specialized, our IT specialists will be required.

Managed maintenance against system obsolescence

As opposed to ‚old tech‘ solutions which simply sit unused and unused, companies which utilise managed support against obsolescence are able to leverage the power of IT to their advantage. Managed maintenance also allows for the timely redeployment of existing software and hardware components, which reduces the occurrence of system failures and software bugs. Obsolescence of software also impacts end users. As business decisions are often based on the accuracy of the information obtained from IT maintenance and support, it is important to have a contingency and monitoring system in place to ensure that issues caused by IT maintenance and support are dealt with appropriately. As IT becomes more specialized, the need to outsource maintenance and support functions increases, and as these functions become more specialized, our cost effective IT specialists will be required.

Outsource maintenance and support functions

IT maintenance and support functions can also be outsourced to IT support specialists like us. You can then focus on more important projects. This type of outsourcing usually requires the expenditure of a greater percentage of the company’s turnover on maintenance and support services, but it also allows for greater productivity gains and efficiencies.

In-service replacement or upgrade

Another, worse option is to outsource maintenance and support functions to in-house IT experts, who can devote time and effort to resolving system problems, e.g. for software applications and for hardware. This type of in-house IT maintenance and support service is less cost-effective for smaller businesses and support, compared to our support service. Our managed services against system obsolescence also allows for the timely redeployment of existing IT assets, which reduces the occurrence of system failures and software bugs.

Conclusion

IT maintenance and support is an important and often time-consuming aspect of a business‘ operations. However, despite its importance, IT maintenance and support rarely goes as planned.
As business decisions are often based on the accuracy of the information obtained from IT maintenance and support, it is important to have a contingency and monitoring system in place to ensure that IT maintenance and support issues are dealt with appropriately.

As business decisions are also influenced by the level of support provided by IT maintenance and support, IT maintenance and support should be considered as a third part of business strategy.

While IT maintenance and support may seem like a large part of the business, it is important to remember that they are necessary to ensure an adequate and timely supply of software and hardware for your business applications and systems.
Talk to our experts to fully understand the different aspects of IT maintenance and support, how they interact and how to plan for and manage issues that may crop up.