Business Technology Management Methods

IT profesionals buy, install and maintain computer for b

Information technology (IT) professionals responsible for the purchase, installation and maintenance of computer and communication technology need to formulate a plan to properly manage license renewals, retiring of old equipment and upgrading software. Large and small organizations deal with many of the same issues regarding business technology management (BTM). Small businesses may not have the budget to hire full-time IT staff. A BTM plan can help streamline the components of IT management for these businesses.

• Outsource Help Desk

Businesses that cannot foot the bill for a dedicated IT professional to support staff and troubleshoot problems can outsource this necessity. The provider gives 24-hour support, usually included in the monthly or annual fee. Some companies even provide clients with remote servers and handle all software upgrades and licensing issues themselves, in addition to providing help-desk support. When searching for a provider, business owners or managers should check references and ask peers about their experiences with the companies under consideration.

• Server Colocation

Many companies around the U.S. provide server colocation services so that small businesses can have the same cutting edge technology and data management abilities as large enterprises. In most cases, the business owns the server, software and peripheral equipment. The colocation center provides a secure, climate-controlled location for the equipment with 24-hour hardware and remote desktop support. Colocation companies set certain standards and requirements for servers and equipment that are secured and supported on their properties. They often include broadband Internet access in the monthly or annual fee, which allows businesses high-speed access to the Internet for a fraction of the cost of purchasing it themselves.

• Virtual Private Server Web Hosting

In the past, small businesses without large IT budgets have had to use shared hosting services for their websites or take on the financial burden of dedicated hosting in-house for their sites. The advent of virtual private server Web hosting changed all of that. For a monthly or annual fee, businesses gain the sole use of a virtual dedicated server. These powerful servers can run multiple operating systems at once. Because businesses do not have to share resources, they can host as many websites as they wish and load any number of applications on their virtual server without sacrificing speed.