What Does IT Really Mean?

You think you already know what IT is, do you? The truth it is that IT is more complex then you can imagine. Learn what your IT department should be doing.

IT Means More Than You Think For Your Business

What is IT? The question seems straightforward enough until you delve a little deeper. Then the answers tend to be a bit more confusing. So, is IT just a collection of hardware and the people who understand how to set it up and maintain it, or is there a little more to it than that?

As it turns out, IT is more complicated than you may think!

information technology

IT stands for Information technology. At the broadest level, IT focuses on accessing, transferring, and storing information. However, IT goes far beyond that narrow definition. The field of IT covers three separate, yet equally important, aspects: equipment and infrastructure, day-to-day operations and maintenance, and finally, internal and external regulations concerning technology.

Don Baham with Kraft Technology Group, a business IT services firm in Nashville offers up some recommendations for internal IT departments.

The Responsibilities of Today’s IT Department

Equipment and Infrastructure. This area of the IT field concerns itself with the selection, initial installation, repairs, and maintenance of the hardware that makes up all of your company’s technology. This includes your servers, routers, modems, telecommunication systems, as well as computers, and mobile devices.
Day-to-Day Operations and Maintenance. This describes the part of the job that most people think of they hear the term IT. Daily operations and maintenance revolve around assuring a company’s equipment is fully operational and answering technical support questions from other employees. Today, as data breaches and online criminal activities become a growing concern for businesses of all sizes, IT experts are spending more of their time and human resources on battling cybersecurity issues.
Internal and External Regulations Concerning Technology. Technology is a powerful tool, but there needs to be at least some guidance for employees and companies to follow on how they can and should use it. A company’s IT department is an integral part of assisting other departments in the creation of guidelines for best practices when it comes to using technology at work. It is also essential for the IT department to remain up-to-date on new government regulations regarding consumer privacy and other technology issues.

As you can see, there is some overlap between each category, and that is why a great IT team is more important to your business than you may think.

What Does IT Mean For You and Your Company?

IT is the backbone of your business. Without it, most companies would not be able to function. Yet, most companies are still not taking full advantage of their IT’s potential to streamline operations and cut costs. That is why it is so critical to have access to qualified and experienced IT staff.

However, for many small to medium-sized businesses, the cost of having a dedicated IT team does not fit into the budget. Outsourcing a local IT consulting provider is the perfect solution to this limitation. A quality third-party IT vendor can guarantee your business is meeting its technology needs at a much more affordable cost than would be possible by utilizing in-house employees.

Now that you realize the extent of what IT entails, you know how important it is for your business to thrive.

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