Firstly, it is important to correctly apportion the available IT budget between software and hardware, and according the the needs of the business and individual users. It is wasteful to purchase more processing power than a workstations duties require. Similarly, it is false economy to put too low a budget limit on a high duty server.
There are many processes that have a very low hardware overhead - for example data entry or word processing - and workstations used solely for these purposes need a minimal hardware specification.
Other processes place much more demands on the system - for example the manipulation of visual and audio media, or a server handling requests from many clients - and machines used for these purposes need to be much more powerful.
Key hardware specifications are the processor type and speed, the size and speed of the installed RAM, and the size and speed of the hard disk drives. Leaving out removable media devices such as floppy disk drives and CD/DVD drives offers a small cost saving and contributes to system security. More >>>
Most computers these days should be part of a network in order to facilitate e-mail, Internet access and data exchange with servers and other workstations. Considerable thought should be given to the design and implementation of the network. Small, low traffic systems may function adequately with a single hub 10 Megabit Ethernet, but in most cases a 100 Megabit Ethernet will give perceptibly better performance with very little extra cost. High traffic systems could benefit by replacing hubs with switches, again at a small extra cost. More >>>
It is also important to remember that a computer system will do nothing without software. In most cases, the greater part of the IT budget should be spent on the software which turns the machine into a useful tool.
The Operating System (OS) is the software which runs when a computer is started By managing and co-ordinating interaction between individual hardware elements, and between the computer and the user, this software provides an environment in which applications can run.
In the PC world the choice of OS is rather limited. The default choice in many cases is a version of the Microsoft Windows series, although there is an increasing trend towards trying one of the Unix-like Linux Operating Systems which are now available.
Whilst Windows is the de facto standard OS, and has the widest choice of application software, it does suffer from some serious drawbacks, not least of which is the complete dependence upon the Microsoft Corporation due to their use of proprietary code.
In contrast, the Linux based Operating Systems are distributed under the Open Software concept. The source code is freely available for the operating system, many tools and some applications, and can be customised to suit individual installations.
Whilst most of our work is still done in the Windows environment, we do suggest that users follow our lead and have at least one Linux system for evaluation purposes. Linux has progressed in leaps and bounds in recent times, and now offers a windows-like user interface and a significant range of applications, which makes it a viable alternative to the Microsoft product in some circumstance.
System Tools are programs oriented towards maintenance of the hardware and operating system environment rather that satisfying some specific end user need. In many instances, these are tools that should have been included as part of the operating system, but were left out for economic reasons. Examples of software in this category are back-up programs, disk defragmenters and virus scanners.
All businesses should implement a systematic back-up strategy to protect against data loss due to hardware failure, hardware theft, fire damage, malicious disruption and virus activity. They should also take precautions to prevent virus intrusion as far as possible, with a virus detection and removal plan should prevention fail.
It is also important to carry out periodic maintenance to clear out unwanted files from the disk drive, and to re-organise the file structure to optimise access.
The software discussed so far has been concerned with providing and maintaining the operating environment needed in order to run User Applications, but it is these applications which make the computer a useful tool.
A general purpose office workstation will typically have software to carry out word processing, spreadsheet calculations, data storage and retrieval, image display and processing, audio functions, e-mail and other Internet services. More specialised workstations may only need function specific software, for example, to handle order processing or managing a warehouse inventory. In some cases, it may be advantageous for much of the business specific software to be collected in one or more servers, which will exchange information with many client machines.
Software developments is labour intensive, and until recently, the shortage of skilled staff able to do this work has made it very expensive. De-manning in other industries, the high rates of pay commanded by IT staff and the rapid evolution of the Internet have all contributed to an influx many new workers into the IT sector. The result of this is that software development costs are now starting to fall.
For many general business applications such as word processing, spreadsheet calculations, data management and accounting, there are "off the peg" solutions that do the job admirably. Satisfying the needs of more business specific operations can be a little more difficult. In these cases it unlikely to find an "off the peg" solution that will satisfy the business needs straight out of the box.
The choice is then either to adapt the available "off the peg" software to the individual business requirements as far as possible, whilst at the same time adapting business practices to remain within constraints imposed by the software; or to commission the production of dedicated software tailored to suit the specific business needs. This is often not an easy decision to make, and should ideally be based upon a preliminary study to examine business practices, technical feasibility, production timetables and financial factors.
Send brief details of your needs in an e-mail enquiry, or give us a call for a no-obligation, informal discussion about your requirements.