It’s always important for any organization that uses information technology (IT) systems to regularly verify that this infrastructure is functioning properly. One of the most effective ways to do this is by conducting IT assessments. However, before discussing why these reviews are critical, it’s essential to understand what IT risk assessment are and why Alexandria businesses should perform IT assessments.
What Is An IT Assessment?
An IT assessment is a comparative evaluation of a business’s tech infrastructure. Much like humans must routinely visit doctors to ensure they remain in good health, IT systems need to be frequently analyzed for possible security risks. A high-quality IT assessment should address the following concerns:
- How a company’s technology use bolsters its overall goals and business strategy
- How robust a business’s security infrastructure is
- The extent to which an organization’s IT environment satisfies tech best practices
- How much a company spends on IT compared to industry competitors
- Specific steps a business should take to improve its IT environment
- An organization’s response plan to a natural or artificial disaster (flood, cyberattack such as data breach or phishing attack, etc.)
According to a 2018 joint survey by Forbes and KPMG, only 18% of businesses use automated processes to gather data and report IT risks, even though this is one of the most effective strategies for mitigating risk.
Reasons To Perform IT Assessments
In Alexandria, Virginia, there are several businesses that can benefit significantly from performing regular IT assessments. Here are 4 key reasons for conducting such reviews.
Fast & Continuous Evolution Of Technology
Technology, including IT systems, is constantly changing and growing at a fast pace. Therefore, all businesses are increasingly forced to review how robust their IT infrastructure is regularly. More specifically, organizations can use IT assessments to reevaluate their objectives.
Identify Deficiencies
Often, vulnerabilities exist even though organizations make their best attempts to minimize risk. Fortunately, a productive IT assessment can determine what is functioning properly, what needs to be improved, and why.
For example, if an IT assessment shows your business has multiple databases for storing client information, the person or team performing this review should ask themselves if consolidating information into a single database may be better for your organization. Your team can then use the assessment’s conclusions to offer insights on how to improve your IT infrastructure.
Identify Disaster Recovery & Backup Needs
An IT assessment can help you better understand your business’s needs concerning disaster recovery and backups. Although your clients may be familiar with the process behind a backup, it is best to communicate with them to decide whether this service is satisfactory.
Your IT team can then make specific recommendations on how to efficiently help customers. Ideally, IT assessments should also include discussions with end-users, which can provide you with insight into customers’ experiences with your technology.
Determine If IT Spending Levels Are Appropriate
IT assessments are also beneficial because they can help your business discover whether it’s spending appropriately on IT support. More precisely, an IT assessment can allow you to determine whether your tech expenses are helping your organization reach its goals efficiently.
According to Statista, the two industries that spent the largest proportion of their revenue on IT in 2019 were software (24.7%) and tech hosting/cloud services (15.9%).
Ultimately, IT assessments help create more awareness among your organization’s employees about the security risks your business may face. They allow you to ensure that your organization’s tech infrastructure consistently remains in good condition and thus plan for the future.
Speak To The Cybersecurity Experts At TCB
Reach out to the professionals at TCB 24×7 Expert Network IT Support for more information on why IT assessments are important. Since 1993, we have been dedicated to providing high-quality, customized IT solutions to many different types of clients, including SMEs, startups, and large enterprises. If you use technology systems for your business’s products or services, we highly recommend that you perform IT assessments, which we can help you with. These reviews are designed to reveal potential security risks and thus provide insights into how to improve your systems or adapt to changing circumstances.
At TCB, IT assessments consist of six components: Network Topology, Network Management, Network Services, Network Security, Network Applications, and Server Infrastructure. The evaluation of these six parts helps us perform analyses on everything from financial management to internet connectivity. We will then use our conclusions to identify managed IT services that best help your organization.
Our process of collecting data for IT assessments also features four steps: an on-site consultation, on-site data collection, a report that includes a summary of your business’s Network Health Index, and a meeting to present our findings and offer specific steps and recommendations. Call TCB today at (703) 783-2781 or contact us online to learn more about our IT assessments or to request a consultation.